Lakaz Chamarel, Mauritius

Just a few days away from leaving Mauritius, we thought we’d seen everything that the paradise island had to offer. We’d spent days on powder beaches, snorkelled off the coast of Île aux Cerfs, and tried every variation of the local rum. However, our arrival at Lakaz Chamarel in the final days of our trip blew our expectations of the island out of the crystal clear water.

It’s easy to understand why Mauritius has recently been voted the world’s favourite honeymoon destination. It’s a mythical tropical island that juts upwards from the Indian ocean, fringed on every side by pristine white beaches and encircled by bright turquoise ocean. The reefs that stretch around its edges, creating a natural barrier, house a profusion of colourful fish and create the illusion of sunken waterfalls when viewed from one of the island’s dramatic peaks.

When you think of Mauritius, it’s the image of these palm-lined beaches that come to mind. However, many visitors barely scratch the surface of the heartland of lush green forests, exotic flowers and mountain trails, which are absolutely teeming with wildlife. This, after all, is the island where the mystical dodo bird roamed prior to its extinction in the 17th century.

Nestled within this emerald forest is Lakaz Chamarel Exclusive Lodge. It’s a sprawling retreat of luxury villas that brings guests as close to nature as it gets.

When the family, who originate from France, first bought the land in the late 90s, it was a rugged expanse of wild forest – so much so that it gained the nickname ‘Jurassic’. Their intention was to build a holiday home – the wooden building that today houses the reception, gift shop and restaurant – to spend a few weeks at a time. As more and more friends wanted to visit their little paradise, they decided to officially set up Lakaz Chamarel in 2004 (‘Lakaz’ being the word for ‘home’ in the local Creole dialect, and ‘Chamarel’ after the national park in which it sits).

Since then, Lakaz Chamarel has continued to flourish and grow, expanding to an impressive network of rooms, suites, and super luxury villas. The aesthetic is designed to mirror the cultural melting pot of Mauritius, drawing influence from Asian, African and European design, and each villa or room embodying its own theme or style. The first three guests rooms – Feraye, Dibois, and Bambou – were each named by one of the couple’s three daughters and represent the ‘Kaz’ category of room. While this may be the ‘standard’ room, Lakaz Chamarel doesn’t do standard like other hotels do, embodied by the open-air shower in each room.

And when it comes to romance, Lakaz Chamarel is unparalleled. We’re staying in one of the Lodge’s most recently built accommodations, the Bulbul villa. It’s a spacious bungalow surrounded on every side by the wildlife that it’s designed to blend into, an indoor-outdoor effect facilitated by full-length sliding doors that retract to open the rooms completely, and a wraparound deck that connects the whole house to the outdoors. A terraced garden, with the most spectacular view of the Piton mountain, is a sun-trap with chic outdoor sofas and hanging lamps, the fringes and earthy tones part-Balinese, part-Moroccan in style. Water jets from a carved stone at the head of the villa’s private pool, bringing guests within touching distance of the tropical plants of the jungle.

The bathroom is another impressive feature. The interior incorporates a dressing area, and a huge double vanity unit with carved stone basins. Sliding doors open to reveal an exterior double shower with stone half-walls that offer privacy despite the fact that the area is completely open. The combination of the warm shower and sunlight streaming in is heavenly. Another sliding door at the end of the shower reveals forest and mountains beyond.

Artisan shower products made using natural ingredients from Mauritius and its neighbouring countries are a special added treat. The body scrub is made from cane sugar, one of the island’s most prized products, and the beeswax honey soap smells incredible. These are examples of small local touches that elevate this from a hotel stay to an all-encompassing luxury experience.

The Lodge occupies sizeable grounds, which make for a pleasant stroll through the greenery, or – if you prefer the more relaxed option – you can catch a ride on one of the many golf buggies that whizz around the grounds, bringing guests from place to place. We call one of the buggies to pick us up at exactly 5.30pm, just in time to reach Lakaz Chamarel’s private panoramic bar in time for sunset.

The bar remains open until the sun has set, after which point most guests return to the reception area, where Lakaz Chamarel’s restaurant and bar are located. In the centre of the building, between the guest relations office and the restaurant, is a sitting room for guests. It’s the only space that hasn’t changed since this was the family’s private residence, still very much resembling a family living room – a reminder of Lakaz Chamarel’s humble beginnings and journey of growth.

Most stays at the Lodge operate on a half-board basis including breakfast and a three-course set dinner menu at the Makak restaurant, which aims to spotlight the best of Mauritian cooking. On the menu tonight is a simple vegetable soup followed by Mauritian spiced pork cutlet with aromatic rice and fresh greens, and a local take on South African sago (tapioca pudding) for dessert. We opt for a crisp white South African wine to go alongside our meal, before retiring to the Lodge’s open-air bar, which channels both a chic cocktail café and a rustic tiki bar all at the same time. Outside, fire pits sizzle in the warm evening air and garlands of fairy lights drape from the trees. Tonight’s soundtrack is the buzz of nocturnal insects and lilting calypso music from the bar. On Thursdays, guests are treated to dinner and a show, with a live band playing Sega (traditional Mauritian style) music.

Back at Villa Bulbul, the dark skies of the Chamarel forest treat us to our own private star-gazing experience from the comfort of our garden. And the next morning, we wake up in our four-poster bed to the sounds of the morning birds outside. The French door in the bedroom is fully open, giving the sensation of sleeping in the middle of a tropical paradise.

The nature here is enough to rival any landscape we’ve seen during our time on the island, so we choose to spend most of our time exploring the grounds of the Lodge, venturing out further only to take the shuttle (Lakaz Chamarel provides a free return service twice a day) to Le Morne beach for a day of exploration. Le Morne is home to some of the most beautiful beaches on the island, and its proximity to the Lodge is yet another selling point; however, we still find ourselves rushing back to the idyll of our villa, to swim in our private pool in the shadow of Piton du Canot and to book in for a massage at the hotel’s spa. The Lodge offers an excellent selection of treatments, most of which incorporate ingredients from the flora and fauna of the island.

The wellness offering at Lakaz Chamarel doesn’t stop at the onsite spa. There’s a small gym which may be slightly limited in terms of equipment, but boasts the most spectacular view across the treetops of the forest. It’s the motivation you need to extend that workout just a little bit longer. One of our favourite experiences during our stay was a yoga practice in the heart of nature at the Lodge’s open-air studio. The sessions are a complimentary service offered to guests on certain mornings. We were fortunate to be the only takers on that particular morning, enjoying a private guided practice against a soundtrack of tropical birds and the breeze rustling through the trees.

We savour every bite of our final breakfast at the Lodge against a backdrop of bright emerald trees. At another table a guest returns from the buffet, bemused to find a small brightly-coloured bird flutter away with a slice of her breakfast cheese in its mouth. It’s the smallest price to pay to experience nature this close-up. As we get ready to leave, various staff members who have looked after us these past days come to say goodbye: the restaurant manager who remembered which cocktail to offer us before we even had to ask; Priscilla from the Reservation team, who always addresses us by name; and Peggy, who has worked at the Lodge for nearly 20 twenty years and knows every nook and cranny.

This is a family-run establishment in every sense. It started with the vision of the Lagesse family all those years ago, and, together, they’ve built a new family alongside everyone who works at and cares for Lakaz Chamarel. The Lagesses are still as involved as ever, and management of the site they once referred to as Jurassic has transcended the generations with their daughters coming on board. It’s a personalised experience like no other.

Many people who visit Lakaz Chamarel make a promise to return, and during our stay, one of the rooms has been occupied for the last 30 nights by the same couple who return every year. It’s a well-known establishment among Mauritians, but doesn’t seem to have gained the international renown that it deserves. The website jokes: “Keep it secret…only tell your good friends”, and we now fully appreciate the sentiment. Somewhere as special as this should be savoured and guarded and hidden away. And so, it’s with slight reluctance that we share the news that Lakaz Chamarel is very much open and ready to welcome you. Just don’t tell too many people about it, please.

We stayed
at Villa Bulbul (standalone villa with private pool and outdoor shower), priced from €760.00 per night on a half board basis.

We drank
the Kaz special cocktail as the sun set at the View bar, open from 4.30pm-7.30pm daily.

We enjoyed
a 60-minute full body massage using local essential oils, priced at €60. We took part in a complimentary yoga practice.

For best rates and offers, book directly through Lakaz Chamarel’s website.

This was a media stay – all opinions are our own.