Second and third-time visitors to Mauritius may like to venture off the beaten track.
Alternative accommodation options include self-catering properties, thatched eco-lodges and, in the interior, small and personal colonial guesthouses.
Demand for self-catering is increasing, according to Elite Vacations managing director Peter Jackson, with the larger of the 50 villas and apartments, located close to shops and restaurants, particularly popular with families.
The top-seller, Bois d’Oiseaux, comprises five two-bedroom apartments and a three-bedroom villa located between Trou aux Biches and Mont Choisy.
Seven nights lead in at £799 per person based on four sharing an apartment, including flights and private transfers.
La Maison Creole, Eureka
Eureka, the most impressive of the colonial mansions, offers three wooden-walled cottages, each with a small double room, bathroom, kitchenette and two guest rooms.
Gardens feature endemic plants, bathing pools and waterfalls – all in the shadow of the Moka mountain. A mixture of Indian, Creole and French cuisine is served.
Sample product: Rack rates start at £50 per couple, with breakfast.
Website:maisoneureka.com
Ti Vilaz, Domaine du Chasseur
These African-style thatched huts are perched 400 metres atop a mountain in a nature park in the less touristy southeast of the island. All have ocean views.
Guests dine on fresh game in the rustic but comfortable Le Panoramour restaurant. Activities range from quad biking to deep-sea fishing, snorkelling in Blue Bay and trips to Mahebourg.
Sample product: Rack rates are from £100 per couple half-board.
Website:domaineduchasseur.mu
Le Saint Aubin, Rivière des Anguilles
Opened in spring 2006, this wooden-shuttered colonial villa, set in tropical gardens, is just five minutes’ drive inland from Gris Gris on the southwest coast.
One room of the three-bedroom villa has a four-poster bed. There’s also a dining area, large veranda and a pool. The price includes quality Creole food.
Sample product: Rack rates are from £25 per person half-board, plus 15% tax.
Website:colicheri.mu