rewrite this title This Mauritius Resort Is Pure Luxury. A Chase Perk Helps. – NerdWallet

The One&Only Le Saint Géran in Mauritius — an island in East Africa — is one of the fanciest hotels I’ve ever stayed at in my life.

Upon entering, you’re greeted by a literal gong. Then you’re introduced to your own personal concierge, who has a small team that you can communicate with via a WhatsApp group they make for you.

I stayed for three nights. While One&Only covered the cost of my hotel stay, the views here are my own.

It typically takes more than a day of flying to get to Mauritius from the U.S., but it can be well worth it for travelers seeking a destination few Americans reach. The country of Mauritius has an island vibe like Hawaii, with a vibrant culture rooted in Indian, African, Chinese and European influences, and no shortage of luxury hotels.

I visited Mauritius after a two-week trip to Madagascar, and the contrast with Madagascar’s rugged, unpredictable adventures made Le Saint Géran’s relaxation and luxury feel especially worthwhile.

One&Only Le Saint Géran, which originally opened in 1975, underwent a major transformation in 2017 — so nothing feels dated, and it’s got all the amenities you’d expect from a modern luxury resort, like infinity pools and a top-of-the-line spa. It has two Michelin Keys, an honor awarded to hotels that offer “an extraordinary stay.

The resort sits on a private peninsula, giving it two different coastlines: the Indian Ocean on one side and a tranquil lagoon backed by mountain views on the other.

And sure, you’re coming for the top-tier service One&Only is known for, but this particular property also stands out for its white sand and clear water.

Nightly rates start at $600 in the off-season (roughly April through August), but can easily top $1,000 (and occasionally exceed $4,000 during holidays) in the peak season (September through January).

I visited in April, which I felt was an ideal time to go. Prices are lower, average rainfall drops off from its January and February peaks (it never rained when I was there) and average temperatures are warm enough that an ocean swim feels just right.

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You also receive a total of $500 in annual statement credits split into two $250 credits for prepaid stays of 2 nights or more. The portion of a booking covered by The Edit statement credit does not earn points.

At 700 square feet, my beachfront room was quite literally larger than the first condo I owned in San Francisco. The walk-in dressing area leading into the marble bathroom alone felt larger than most hotel rooms. It included twin sinks, a shower and a standalone bathtub, which the personal concierge the hotel assigned to me (yes, you read that right) filled one night with hot water and rose petals, which was so luxurious.

Being on the ground floor meant I could walk right out to the beach.

You certainly should make time to go off-property, but there’s enough at the resort to fill multiple days without leaving.

The resort’s indoor and outdoor fitness center includes two studios for group classes (many of which are complimentary) like cycling, Zumba, kickboxing and yoga, plus an outdoor training area.

There are tennis courts, a volleyball court, a putting green and padel courts. For me, the highlight was the dedicated room built for athletic training with items you don’t see in your standard hotel gym, like plyometric boxes, a monkey-bar rig and hurdles.

Another room had standard weight machines and cardio equipment. And the fitness center even had complimentary snacks like fruit and what they billed as “healthy cookies.”

I was most impressed by how many activities were included with your room rate.

Snorkeling excursions depart right from the property on a glass-bottom boat, which means even nonswimmers can see what’s happening underwater. Though it wasn’t the best snorkeling I’ve ever done, the convenience of catching an excursion on-property rather than booking through a third party (and arranging transport to get there) was well worth it.

They also offered water skiing, though I didn’t have time to try it.

The beachfront was staffed with both lifeguards and employees tending to cabanas. And with multiple pools, it was not difficult to find a space to swim.

The resort offers activities specific to children and teenagers, including art classes, sporting adventures, movie nights, and parties. At one point, I walked past a kids-only mocktail-making class with a wildly enthusiastic bartender — one I wish I could have joined.

There were plenty of activities open to adults, though, including a pool table and video games.

And for what it’s worth, I imagine parents would welcome the complimentary kids’ activity classes, as they were effectively free, top-tier babysitting while the grown-ups enjoyed some alone time.

Mauritius is known for its beaches, hiking, ziplining and biking. But unlike hotels plopped in the middle of a city, getting off-property requires a bit of effort. The resort is beautifully secluded (that’s the point), but you’ll want a rental car if you want the freedom to explore the island, and there’s not much within walking distance of the hotel.

Otherwise, exploring the rest of what Mauritius has to offer means you’re largely working through the hotel’s activity program, which is pricier than venturing out on your own, but saves you the headache of messing around with a rental car.

I booked all my excursions through the hotel, largely for that reason. After an extremely non-relaxing two weeks in Madagascar, I wanted someone else to handle the planning (and I didn’t want to worry about driving on the opposite side of the road from what I’m used to!).

Some standout excursions:

Seven Waterfalls hike and painting class. The hotel arranged a driver who handled the round-trip transportation to the trailhead, where I met both a hiking guide and a professional artist in what was an experience I had never done before — a hike along the seven waterfalls with a stop at one, where the artist guided me through making my own canvas painting.

Cooking class with the hotel chef. The hotel shuttled both the chef and me about 15 minutes away to a local market, where the chef helped me pick out vegetables and herbs, and seemed to know half the vendors personally. Then we went back to the resort, where I cooked my own curry.

If you want to explore independently, the nearest town is only about 15 minutes away by car and offers extremely cheap eats — a welcome break from resort food prices. Mauritius has a deeply Indian-influenced culture, and the local food is tasty.

The hotel has seven of its own restaurants, including a buffet, a pool bar and a steakhouse.

I ordered chicken and prawn curry at Le Badamier, an open-air restaurant right on the water’s edge that made for an ideal, laid-back lunch.

My favorite meal was at the Italian restaurant Riva. While I initially rolled my eyes at the thought of dining at an Italian restaurant on one of my three days in Mauritius, I was wowed by my plate of grilled lobster with veggies — a dish that felt perfectly fitting for the restaurant’s beachfront setting.

Mauritius also has a strong Creole culture, which I got to enjoy at the dinner buffet. Themes change each night, but I got lucky and was able to try lots of stews and curries during the Creole night. The buffet truly had a delightful mix of food, ranging from salads and sushi to pizza (including chicken tandoori pizza).

Rum is very popular in Mauritius, and I got to sample it at the dinner buffet and later that evening during an organized tasting at the La Pointe bar.

Unsurprisingly for a resort, the food isn’t cheap. My chicken and prawn curry was almost $60 per person, while my lobster lunch was over $80. The Edit’s complimentary breakfast and $100 property credit would be especially helpful here.

Le Saint Géran is worth the long trip if you’re willing to travel for an upscale, one-of-a-kind island getaway — particularly if you’re tacking it onto a trip elsewhere in Africa. You get the secluded, white-sand-and-turquoise-water vibe with the option to leave when you want.

Book through The Edit, use The Edit credit on your Chase Sapphire Reserve® if you have one, and use the breakfast credit and property credit to cover extras.

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About the author

Sally French is co-host of the Smart Travel podcast and a writer on NerdWallet’s travel team. Before joining NerdWallet as a travel rewards expert in 2020, she wrote about travel and credit cards for The New York Times and its sibling site, Wirecutter.

Outside of work, she loves fitness, and she competes in both powerlifting and weightlifting (she can deadlift more than triple bodyweight). Naturally, her travels always involve a fitness component, including a week of cycling up the coastline of Vietnam and a camping trip to the Arctic Circle, where she biked over the sea ice. Other adventures have included hiking 25 miles in one day through Italy’s Cinque Terre and climbing the 1,260 steps to Tiger Cave Temple in Krabi, Thailand.

She lives in San Francisco.