Where to Stay, Play and Eat in Mauritius: My Stay at Constance Belle Mare Plage
There are different types of travellers: there are luxury travellers who thoroughly enjoy being pampered, there are adventure travellers who can’t have fun unless they’re doing something that requires protective gear, there are foodie travellers who need to taste something they’ve never had before and love it, and there are those who like to wander the backroads and try to experience the local culture and attractions. I'm all of them.
I never expected one holiday to satisfy all these parts of myself, but my recent stay at Constance Belle Mare Plage in Mauritius did just that.
Between snorkelling over coral reefs, exploring colourful markets, being awestruck by hotel architecture, photographing ornate temples and eating more Michelin-star quality food than I thought possible, not only was my stay jam-packed with incredible experiences but it left me feeling unnervingly relaxed too. (I’m not very good at relaxing.)
Here's where to stay, what to do, and where to eat in Mauritius.
Where to Stay in Mauritius:
Constance Belle Mare Plage
The Constance Belle Mare Plage feels unreal. As I exited the complimentary airport shuttle and climbed the steps to the hotel, I felt this rush of excitement, the type of butterflies in your stomach that you only feel as a teenager when you see your crush (or so I thought).
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The hotel lobby area was breathtaking in the truest sense of the word. Shiny tiles that look like rippling water give way to water features all glimmering under an elaborate light fitting. Throughout the main areas of the hotel, water features and shallow pools intermingle with the interior and exterior spaces, all overlooking a pristine palm-lined beach. Moments after my arrival, I tried to remove the virtual reality headset from my face, but there wasn’t one.
I was taken down palm-lined walkways dotted with more water features to reach my suite. To say it was “comfortable” was a massive understatement.
It had everything you would expect to find in a suite like this, a large comfortable bed, a massive TV (who’s watching TV in a place like this, who?), a stocked mini-bar, a coffee and tea station, a desk, a balcony with views of a swimming pool and the ocean, a bathroom with a massive bathtub and a shower, and a separate toilet cubicle to keep the romance alive if you’re not travelling solo like me.
Usually a few minutes after checking into any hotel, a strange phenomenon referred to as a “Sharon explosion” happens where I need one thing from my bag and my stuff ends up strewn everywhere. The walk-in closet kept my chaos contained and the rest of my suite looked like it did in the brochure for the full duration of my stay.
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The Constance Prince Maurice
Because one ultra-luxury resort isn't enough, I also spent some time at their sister property, the Constance Prince Maurice, just a few minutes down the coast. It is an equally breathtaking architectural masterpiece. I really didn’t think my eyes could handle much more aesthetically exquisite luxury, but they did. I still have my vision but my standards will never be the same again.
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Where to Play in Mauritius
Things to Do at Constance Belle Mare Plage
The beauty of staying at a resort is that there’s so much you can do without going anywhere. You can choose to be active and busy, or you can choose to lie lifeless on a beach chair and do absolutely nothing at all. A number of activities are completely complimentary, while a few specialised perks come at an extra fee.
I obviously had to try as much as I could, purely, you know, for research purposes. That is just the type of selfless travel writer that I am.
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| My snorkel face. It's a pleasure. |
Here are some of the activities I did:
Waterskiing (Included)
I had never tried waterskiing before but it sounded relatively straightforward. All you have to do is keep your knees bent and apart, keep the skis from crossing, keep your arms straight and keep them low, lean forward even though that feels completely counterintuitive and stand up slowly as the boat pulls you… and get all of the above right at the same time. Easy! Okay, not really.
Needless to say, this experience involved a lot of spectacular face-planting, but I think my sinuses are better for it. I’m glad I tried, and I’m very grateful to the staff for their patience. In fact, they were so patient I wonder if they would mind googling my mother’s printer and explaining to her telephonically how it works the next time she wants to use it.
Snorkelling (Included)
I went out on at least three snorkelling trips during my stay. You hop on a boat, head out toward the reef, and slide into the water with flippers and a mask. If you aren't a confident swimmer, they provide life vests as well.
Below the surface was an abundance of beautiful fish in an array of different colours. Some of them were even rainbow coloured. I took so many pics and videos (not that any of them do the experience justice) and managed to fill up my camera roll. I floated face down for a while trying to delete stuff, and when I looked up, I was surrounded by fish. It was as if they were coming to check on me, or maybe taunt me because they knew I couldn’t photograph them.
I have done a lot of snorkelling in my life, and this was one of my favourite experiences.
More Things to Do at the Resort
- Complimentary Sports: If you want to sweat on dry land, there is putt-putt, tennis and padel, all included in your stay.
- Non-Complimentary Sports: Scuba diving and bicycle rentals are also available at an additional fee.
- Glass-bottom boat rides: Another included water activity is the glass-bottom boat rides. Personally, I like to look at fish from in the water, but it’s nice that there are options.
- Golf: The resort is home to two championship 18-hole golf courses (The Legend and The Links). Green fees are completely complimentary for guests, though you’ll pay extra for club rentals, golf carts, caddies, or lessons if your swing is as broken as mine.
- The Spa & Fitness Centre: While targeted body treatments cost extra, you can access the wet area at the spa entirely for free, and participate in indoor games and complimentary activities in the fitness centre.
- The Constance Kids Club: This is perfect for keeping the younger humans entertained while you focus on the serious business of relaxation.
Honestly, just relaxing on a sun chair is a fantastic way to while away the time. Swimming in the ocean is so good for the soul, and there are also beautiful pools to swim in just because you have to experience all the hotel has to offer.
At both the beach and in the pool areas, you can turn ordering cocktails into a fun activity. Brace yourself as I tell you that the umbrellas have buttons! I am not joking. Both the beach and pool umbrellas feature magical little buttons that alert staff members to come and take your cocktail order.
Things to Do Beyond the Resort: Exploring Northern Mauritius
As lovely as the resort is, you should leave it at least once. You know, put on actual shoes, see what happens.
I spent a day exploring parts of northern Mauritius. Here are some of the highlights:
Pamplemousses Botanical Garden
Also known as Sir Seewoosagur Botanical Garden, this garden, which was first constructed in 1770, is one of the oldest botanical gardens in the Southern Hemisphere. It is home to a wide variety of sometimes very large tropical plants. You could almost be fooled into thinking that lily pads grow wider with time like tree trunks, but that is not the case. These Victoria amazonica lilies were so big I contemplated taking a nap on one. Apparently they’re strong enough to support a small child if the weight is distributed correctly. Only a small child? Hold my Coke Light!
The lily pond was definitely one of the highlights, but I also saw towering palms, giant bamboo and lotus flowers so big they looked like those oversized fake flowers people use in party decor. The Pamplemousses Botanical Garden is definitely a great place to go to see some of Mauritius’s beautiful plant life.
The Central Market
The Central Market is home to a somewhat chaotic maze of spices, vanilla pods, and mountains of fresh fruit. This place has been feeding the capital since 1844 under a massive Victorian iron canopy that was apparently flat-packed and shipped over from Glasgow. The “fancy goods stalls” on the upper level are great for finding a Mauritian souvenir. I bought a dress!
Temples
The north of Mauritius is dotted with a number of really ornate and colourful Tamil temples. A large portion of the local population is of Indian origin, and Hinduism is the country's largest religion. The temples are three-dimensional masterpieces covered in intensely vibrant, multicoloured deities that take up entire blocks. We had to stop and marvel at some of them.
Caudan Waterfront
We also explored the Caudan Waterfront and its shops and attractions. Lined with restaurants, cafés, boutiques and souvenir shops overlooking the harbour, it's an easy place to spend a few hours while trying - but also trying not to - do currency conversions in your mind.
This is also the place where a colourful umbrella installation is suspended above one of the walkways. It would have been rude not to stop for approximately 57 photos and an Instagram reel underneath it. Some travel traditions simply have to be respected.
L'Aventure du Sucre (Or the Sugar Museum)
Sugar was once the backbone of the Mauritian economy. L'Aventure du Sucre is a museum housed inside a beautifully restored former sugar factory and tells the story of how sugar shaped Mauritius and how the industry influenced the country's history, culture and development.
Where to Eat in Mauritius
The Constance Belle Mare Plage is home to a number of eateries, and I have to confess I didn’t even get to them all. But I ran out of time before I ran out of options.
The resort has seven restaurants and several bars scattered across the property, from elegant Mediterranean dining to beachside grills, sushi and golf-club lunches. Every morning I'd convince myself that today would be the day I exercised restraint. Then I'd walk into La Citronelle (the resort’s buffet), and self-control was a thing of the past. They had everything I didn’t know I wanted for breakfast and then some.
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| Lunch at Lakaze ...okay, well seconds |
Restaurants at Constance Belle Mare Plage
Here is the breakdown of how to strategically pace your appetite:
- La Citronelle: This is the buffet that is open for breakfast and dinner. They had everything from cheeses to curries, pizza, seafood, and desserts that looked like they belonged in an art gallery. The dessert section was a feast for the eyes …and well, just a feast.
- Lakaze: Situated right on the sand, this beach restaurant serves a salad bar and grill for lunch, and late afternoon waffles and pancakes. It’s also open some nights for a set menu dinner.
- Indigo: Right between a pool and the ocean, this spot serves a fantastic à la carte lunch menu. It also offers a set menu for dinner on certain nights.
- Le Swing: Located on the golf course, it serves lunch and snacks to golfers in the afternoons.
- The Blu Sushi Lounge: A sleek dinner spot serving an à la carte sushi menu for dinner on certain nights of the week.
- La Spiaggia: A beautiful à la carte Mediterranean restaurant open only in the evenings.
- The Deer Hunter: Located at the golf clubhouse, this restaurant offers a continental breakfast, a snack menu for lunch and a set menu in the evenings.
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| View from breakfast at La Citronelle |
The Constance Festival Culinaire
The reason I didn’t get to all of the hotel’s restaurants is that I was there for the Constance Festival Culinaire, an annual culinary festival.
Each evening I was treated to gourmet meals by chefs who had earned sometimes multiple Michelin stars for their restaurants in Europe. Surprising texture and flavour combinations, plated to look like edible works of art, the festival continued to impress course after course, night after night. I can’t imagine eating such a variety of cuisine at such a high level in a single week in any other context.
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During the day, the festival takes the form of a series of competitions, this time with a focus not on the guests but on the staff. Pierre Hermé, one of the greatest pastry chefs of this generation, and Régis Marcon, whose restaurant at the Hôtel Le Clos des Cimes has maintained three Michelin stars for over 20 years, preside over the Pierre Hermé Trophy and the Régis Marcon Trophy respectively.
Chefs and other culinary personnel from Constance Hotels & Resorts on different Indian Ocean Islands come here to compete, each mentored by some of the same chefs who produce gastronomic perfection at night.
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If you plan your dates right, you too can visit during the festival. You can book a seat at these dinners, sign up for master classes with various esteemed chefs and culinary celebrities, and you can even go watch the judging of these various competitions. It’s a bit like a reality TV show, only with less shouting, no crying (that I saw) and considerably better scenery.
If you visit any of their resorts any other time of the year, you’re still likely to taste the food of chefs who have been mentored by culinary greats.
All of the food was incredible, and I certainly can’t fault anything I ate that week. Some of the dishes or meals that stood out to me included:
- Pine needle ice cream topped with caviar by Markus Dalen and Thomas Sjogren of the two-Michelin-star Restaurant Signum in Sweden.
- Experiencing Franco-Japanese gastronomy by Tanaka Kazuyuki of the two-Michelin-star Racine restaurant in Reims, France.
- And a smoked oyster where the shell is not just edible but an essential part of the dish by Emmanuel Fortuno, a Bocuse d’Argent Africa laureate. I probably shouldn’t admit this, but for a moment there, I really did stop to consider whether or not oyster shells have always been edible and if my unawareness of the fact that you’re supposed to eat them was an indication of my lack of sophistication. Fortunately, the food writer from Germany sitting next to me raved about how unusual and exceptional it was that the chef had created a biscuit-like edible oyster shell, and I felt better.
All of the guests of the resort were invited to The Bar (They clearly exhausted themselves creatively on the resort design and had nothing left for naming the bar) for the awards ceremony, which was a lovely thing to witness. The competition really seems to create a sense of camaraderie and an inspiring company culture. I’m convinced that food tastes better when made with love, and seeing how they nurture the talent and passion in their staff, support and celebrate these people, and create what looks like a great place to work, it’s easy to see why the food tastes so good at each of the resort’s restaurants.
Know Before You Go:
- The dress code is resort chic, so make sure you have enough chic attire for multiple nights of dining. And some comfortable sandals that are not flip-flops.
- I don’t think I ever write a “helpful tips” section of any blog without mentioning sunscreen, so I am hereby officially doing that again. I especially recommend reef-safe / marine-life safe sunscreen if you’re going to be in the ocean.
- The official language in Mauritius is English, but unofficially French is more widely spoken. Fortunately, I remembered the basics: baguette, croissant, petit fours and merci (because gratitude for carbs is important). I recommend brushing up on the basics before you go.
Final Thoughts on my Stay at the Constance Belle Mare Plage
I arrived wanting to experience all the good things I possibly could and I feel that I succeeded. What took me by surprise though, is how relaxed I felt when I left.
Whether you’re a foodie, an adventurer, a luxury traveller or someone trying to experience a place very different from their own, the Constance Hotels and Resorts in Mauritius enable you to experience it all and may help you achieve a sense of peace you didn’t think you had time for.
I left with a camera full of photos, memories that I will treasure forever, and the quiet hope that one day giant lily pads will evolve to support adults.
Find Out More or Book
Click here to find out more about The Constance Festival Culinaire
And click here to find more info or to book your stay at the Constance Belle Mare Plage
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