Maradiva Villas Resort & Spa

Maradiva Villas occupies a genuinely beautiful sunset beach setting on the West Coast of Mauritius, overlooking the blue waters of Tamarin Bay with stunning views towards Le Morne mountain.

It’s been fair to say that Maradiva has had its ups and downs in the decade or so since changing from a Taj hotel, often falling short of the expectations created by the allure of a Rolls-Royce transfer to an all villa-with-butler property. Since Covid it has seen a significant investment to upgrade both the ‘hardware’ and the ‘software’ – service, personnel, and F&B – with spectacular results.

We always liked the spacious villa-style accommodation, particularly the outdoor lounge and private pool areas. These have been meticulously renovated and given a contemporary palette of earthy tones and natural woods, with occasional flourishes of colour, and are better than ever.

There are six villa categories, suitable for couples and families, with the newest addition being the Family Luxury Suite Pool Villa that have been created by cleverly adding a second, separate bedroom adjacent to the outdoor lounge. The Exclusive & Presidential Suite Pool Villas offer an even more luxurious alternative.

The main communal area has been completely redeveloped to a very high-end standard. It encompasses Cassine gourmet restaurant, Lantana Bar, a cigar & wine cellar and luxury boutique, and overlooks the gardens towards the Beach Bar & Grill. Cilantro Indian and Haiku Japanese restaurants remain but with substantial upgrades. Dining, once a hit-and-miss affair, has been elevated in all outlets.

Adjacent to the reception area is a large games room, smart departure suites (for when late checkout from your villa is not available), another boutique and art gallery. The spa was always a highlight at Maradiva but this too has been sprinkled with fairy dust. The serenity and calm remain but the contemporary touches abound, including an impressive state-of-the-art beauty parlour. Other facilities include the water sports and fitness centres and a great kids’ club. One of our favourite enhancements has been the opening of a private access road to Tamarina Golf Club, which reduces the transfer to little more than 5 minutes (rather than the 20-30min circuitous route through Flic-en-Flac), making Maradiva a serious option for the increasing number of golfers visiting the island.

The overall impression is that a huge amount of thought and care has gone into the comprehensive and patently expensive refurbishment. This is epitomised by details such as the eco-friendly electric I7 BMW transfer alternative to the gas-guzzling Phantom. It feels fresh, modern and perhaps for the first time authentically luxurious, and will appeal to conscientious couples and families. Maradiva might have finally blossomed into the top end villa resort that it always aspired to be and it gets our emphatic recommendation.