Preskil Island Resort

You arrive at Preskil Island Resort for the sea first, then discover that the place has enough going on to keep the non-diving hours from becoming a logistical exercise. The resort sits directly beside the lagoon, with gardens, a sun terrace and outdoor seating spread between the buildings and the water.

English and French are spoken by the hotel team, so you can handle the useful details without resorting to mime after a long day in the water. The atmosphere moves between beach time, live music, evening entertainment and a choice of restaurants rather than forcing every evening into the same routine.

Couples can keep things simple with a sea-view room, a meal facing the bay and a walk along the waterfront. Families are catered for too, with a kids’ club for children aged 3 to 12, family rooms and children’s facilities.

The address is Pointe Jérôme, in Blue Bay, Mahébourg, on Mauritius’s south-east coast. The resort is directly on the seafront and faces Île aux Aigrettes, while the surrounding landscape brings together lagoon and mountain views. It is a proper coastal location, not a hotel that asks you to take transport whenever you fancy seeing the water.

Pointe d’Esny Beach is about 1 km away, and Blue Bay Beach is roughly 2.2 miles away. Mahebourg Waterfront lies around 0.7 miles from the resort, with the Mahebourg Museum about 1.1 miles away. A couple of restaurants are around 0.3 miles away if you fancy eating outside the resort, although the on-site choice makes that less of a daily necessity.

Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Airport is about 3 miles away, with the journey described as taking around 15 minutes. The nearby Bus Station Mahebourg is roughly 1.3 miles away.

The room choice is mainly about the view and the amount of space you want around the bed. Sea-view rooms suit couples who want to keep the lagoon in sight from the balcony, while the garden-view option gives you the same basic sleeping set-up without putting the water centre stage. The Junior Suite is the room to consider when you want a more generous layout and a separate sense of space rather than simply somewhere to drop a dive bag.

Air conditioning matters in Mauritius, particularly when you return warm, salty and ready to stop functioning for an hour. Rooms also have a minibar, tea and coffee-making facilities, a flat-screen television, a desk, a seating area and a private bathroom with shower, towels, slippers, bathrobe and toiletries.

Daily housekeeping keeps the practical side moving, while WiFi is available throughout the resort. The extra-large double beds are made for couples rather than for negotiating territory, and family accommodation is available when the trip includes younger travellers.

Three restaurants give you a little more choice than the usual single buffet becoming a nightly landmark. Rendez-Vous handles breakfast, lunch and dinner with an international buffet, while 1810 serves lunch and dinner with Mauritian cooking and seafood in a bohemian-chic setting facing the bay. Mosaïc is the evening option for Mediterranean flavours, served by the sea with a brazier in the setting.

Breakfast is buffet-style, with continental, vegetarian and halal choices. The wider dining offer covers Mediterranean, local, Asian and international cooking, with vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free diets accommodated. That is useful when one person wants something familiar and another has spent the day thinking about food.

There are two bars. Medley Bar pairs cocktails, wine and beer with live music, while Kabana Beach Bar keeps things closer to the sand with cocktails and fresh juices. The resort also runs themed dinner nights, and room service is available when the sensible decision is dinner without changing out of post-dive clothes.

The direct beachfront gives you the easiest non-technical activity of the lot: find a lounger, take an umbrella and let the afternoon pass without requiring a timetable. Beach towels, sun loungers and parasols are available, while the gardens and outdoor spaces provide somewhere to sit when you have had enough sand in your sandals.

For a little more movement, the resort has a tennis court, table tennis, darts, canoeing, windsurfing and on-site water-sports facilities. Tennis equipment, windsurfing and some other activities may involve an extra charge. Boat excursions, cultural outings and visits to the south-east islands, Île aux Aigrettes, Château de Riche en Eau and Mahébourg are also part of the programme.

The Banyan Spa is the more convincing choice when your shoulders have had enough of carrying equipment. Its treatments include massages, facials, body treatments, a hammam, sauna and jacuzzi, with a relaxation lounge and couples’ massages. Fitness facilities, fitness classes and yoga classes are available as well, although the spa is likely to win the argument on a tired evening.

Check-in runs from 15:00 to 17:00 and check-out from 10:00 to 11:00. You need photo identification and a credit card at check-in, and the resort asks you to share your expected arrival time. Cash is not accepted, so plan to settle by card.

The 24-hour front desk, concierge, tour desk, currency exchange and luggage storage cover the useful arrival and departure jobs. Free private parking is available on site without a reservation, and car hire can be arranged. WiFi is free throughout the resort.

Children of all ages are welcome. Cots and extra beds can be requested, subject to the selected accommodation and availability. For children using the Tikoulou Baby & Kids Club, you need to bring their vaccination booklet. Pets are not allowed.