Four Seasons Resort Mauritius At Anahita. Private Island Luxury.

Brian Berkman says that even if you don’t play golf, Four Seasons Resort Mauritius at Anahita five-star deluxe resort in Mauritius will keep enticing you back.

With two championship golf courses, The Four Seasons Resort Mauritius at Anahita, is a deluxe location on Mauritius’ East coast set against the Bambou mountain.

Occupying 64 acres including an 11-acre private island, this resort of villas and larger accommodations, up to five-bedroomed residences, is among one of the Island’s most upscale places to stay.

But the elevated price point brings much more than only the Four Season’s legendary brand of hospitality and missile-focussed attention to detail. Golfing green fees are included too and offer a significant saving. With an army of 60 gardeners tending to the lush landscapes and a mysterious and invisible team who seem to rake away footprints on the beach without being seen, this is a best-of-breed property.

The fitness centre, for example, is much more than a collection of gym equipment. There is a 25-metre outdoor lap pool, two AstroTurf and flood-lit tennis courts along with a resident pro to help ace your backhand and complimentary use of equipment which means you could arrive at this resort empty-handed and have everything you need provided.

Given the vastness of the property, bicycles and golf buggies are the preferred mode of transport and, as a family-focused property, bicycles of every size (including with training wheels) are available and even some adult bicycles come with child seats at the back.

Over a long and delicious lunch looking out to the turquoise ocean beyond, Four Seasons Public Relations person Beatrice Tang told me that many of the hotel guests are returning regulars, some of whom learned to ride a bicycle or took their first golf swing while on holiday here.

With an average stay of 12-days, guests look to the Four Seasons for the perfect privacy that villas and even larger homes provide. As you might expect, all are equipped with their own pools.

There are 84 one-bedroomed pool villas, the entry-level accommodation, 28 of which have beach views while 30 have garden views. The sanctuary pool villas have an extended pool and private outdoors living area. The largest, two five-bedroomed Royal Residences offer 830 m2 of living space with an additional 3230 m2 private garden.

There is a nearby private island, Ilse aux Cerfs on which Four Seasons Resort Mauritius at Anahita operates a beach restaurant and offers guests access to the Bernhard Langer Signature golf course, while within the resort, the Ernie Els designed golf course has five sets of tees to suit all levels. Free hour-long daily tuition is available for non-golfers while for more advanced players there is a digital swing analysis and video playback to help improve that swing.

Four Seasons Resort Mauritius at Anahita partnered with WiseOceans to provide a marine education programme led by Rick Bonnier. WiseOceans are also tasked to protect the pristine natural biosphere and a levy is added to each booking to fund this. And, as you’d expect, the boathouse has all you need for water sports and thrice daily comp snorkelling trips too.

During the forced 18-month Covid-hiatus (wherein the Four Seasons managed to retain all their staff), the Bambou ocean-and pool fronted restaurant was overhauled. Under high ceilings to provide shade but with plenty of airflow, this restaurant offers dining options in pool-side festooned cabanas, at tables directly on the beach and under cover in a cavernous space.

One of the tastiest dishes I had the pleasure of enjoying during a 14-day stay in Mauritius was the grilled octopus served at Bambou.

Dining options are also open to non-resident guests by prior reservation. Consider dinner at Beau Champ, their modern French bistro, Aquapazza, their take on contemporary Italian or Umi Zaka for Asian inspired seafood. Bambou is available from breakfast for all day grazing.