Boutique hotels in Mauritius

Mauritius is best known for its large beach resorts, but the island rewards travelers who look for smaller places: boutique hotels in the north, guesthouses in quiet villages and a few hillside lodges above the coast. The island is compact, so even a stay in the north allows day trips to the southwest's mountains and waterfalls.

The north coast

Grand Baie is the liveliest area, with restaurants, boats and nightlife, while Trou aux Biches and Pereybère are quieter and more residential. Several small, design-minded hotels sit close to white-sand beaches here, some adults-only.

The east and the south

Belle Mare and Poste de Flacq have long, wide beaches, though large resorts dominate. The south is wilder, with Chamarel's colored earth and waterfalls, Le Morne's mountain and some of the island's most dramatic coastline.

The west and Port Louis

Flic en Flac and Tamarin face the sunset and are known for diving and surfing. Port Louis, the capital, is a busy harbor town with a market and old colonial buildings. Rodrigues, a small island to the east, is far more rustic.

When to go

May to December is the drier and cooler season. January to April is hot and humid, with a higher chance of cyclones.