Where to Stay in Mauritius: Best Areas & Hotels

NORTH MAURITIUS

Where to Stay in North Mauritius

Best for: Restaurants, swimming, families, nightlife and convenience

North Mauritius is one of the easiest areas for first-time visitors. You have some of the island’s best swimming beaches, plenty of restaurants and much more going on in the evenings than on the quieter east coast.

Grand Baie

Best for: restaurants, nightlife, shopping and boat trips.

This is the busiest tourist hub in northern Mauritius. I would recommend Grand Baie if you want to walk to restaurants and bars rather than spend every evening inside your hotel.

Trou aux Biches & Mont Choisy

Best for: beaches and families.

If your priority is easy swimming and relaxed beach days, I prefer these areas to central Grand Baie. Trou aux Biches is one of my favourite swimming beaches on the island. You can compare the northern beaches in my Best Beaches in Mauritius guide.

Grand Gaube

Best for: quiet resorts while staying in northern Mauritius.

This is where I stayed. It feels much calmer than Grand Baie while still giving you relatively easy access to northern attractions. The trade-off is that you will drive or take a taxi for most restaurants and nightlife, whereas in Grand Baie you can walk to them.

EAST COAST

Where to Stay on the East Coast of Mauritius

Best for: Luxury resorts, white-sand beaches, honeymoons and quiet stays

The east coast has a completely different feel. It is quieter, more spread out and much more resort-focused. You also have beautiful beaches around Belle Mare and easy access to Île aux Cerfs. The downside is that the east can be windier, especially during the cooler months.

Belle Mare

Best for: long beaches and luxury resorts.

If your Mauritius fantasy involves waking up, walking onto an enormous white-sand beach and doing very little else for several hours, Belle Mare makes sense.

Trou d’Eau Douce

Best for: Île aux Cerfs trips and a slightly more local atmosphere.

This is a practical base if you want easy boat access without staying inside a huge resort.

Trou d’Eau Douce or the west coast? Choose Trou d’Eau Douce if Île aux Cerfs, east-coast boat trips and a quieter stay are central to your plans. Choose the west or southwest if you want to combine sunsets with places such as Black River, Chamarel and Le Morne. I would decide around the activities you will repeat from your base rather than cross the island every morning. Without a car, compare the exact hotel’s access to restaurants and transfers before choosing either region.

Poste de Flacq

Best for: quiet luxury.

This is where I stayed at Constance Prince Maurice. The area feels peaceful and isolated compared with Grand Baie or Flic-en-Flac.

WEST & SOUTHWEST

Where to Stay in West & Southwest Mauritius

Best for: First-time visitors, sunsets, activities, hiking and wildlife

If I had to choose one part of Mauritius, this would be it. The west and southwest have the best combination of beaches and things to actually do. You are close to: Le Morne, Chamarel, Black River Gorges, Tamarin, whale watching, dolphins, Île aux Bénitiers and some of the best sunsets on the island.

This part of Mauritius also makes up a huge section of my Best Things to Do in Mauritius guide.

Flic-en-Flac

Best for restaurants, beach access and convenience. This is one of the easiest places to stay if you want lots of accommodation options and restaurants nearby.

Tamarin & Black River

Best for whale watching, dolphins and independent travellers. These areas are excellent if you want apartments, smaller hotels and easy access to western Mauritius activities. They are also close to many whale-watching departures.

If whales are high on your list, read my Whale Watching in Mauritius guide before booking anything.

La Gaulette

Best for budget-conscious travellers exploring Le Morne. La Gaulette is particularly useful if you want to spend lots of time around Le Morne but do not want to pay Le Morne resort prices.

Le Morne

Best for scenery, couples and luxury. This is my favourite place to stay in Mauritius if budget is not the main concern. You have Le Morne Brabant towering behind you and one of the most beautiful beaches on the island immediately in front. The trade-off is that it feels secluded and mostly resort-based, with fewer independent restaurants within walking distance than somewhere like Flic-en-Flac, so a car or arranged transfers make it much easier to reach Chamarel, Black River and the whale-watching departures.

SOUTH & SOUTHEAST

Where to Stay in South & Southeast Mauritius

Best for: Snorkeling, quieter stays, local atmosphere and exploring the wilder south

South and southeast Mauritius feel much quieter and less built-up than places like Grand Baie or Flic-en-Flac. This part of the island makes more sense if you want snorkeling, nature and a slower base rather than nightlife, with Blue Bay and Mahébourg giving you easy access to the southeast and Bel Ombre putting you closer to the wilder southern coastline. Mauritius’ official tourism site describes the south as lower-key, peaceful and more rugged, with fishing villages, hidden beaches and a more dramatic coastline.

Blue Bay & Mahébourg

Best for: snorkeling, a more local atmosphere and exploring southeast Mauritius.

Blue Bay is the obvious choice if snorkeling is high on your list. Blue Bay Marine Park sits just offshore and is known for clear, shallow water, coral gardens and easy snorkeling, while nearby Mahébourg gives you a less resort-focused base with more history and local character. This area also works well if you want to explore Île aux Aigrettes and the southeast coast without driving across the island every day.

Bel Ombre

Best for: quiet resorts, beaches and exploring the wild south.

Bel Ombre suits travellers who want a peaceful resort stay without giving up access to southern Mauritius. The coastline here is backed by greenery and has quieter beaches, while the wider south gives you easy access to places such as Souillac, Gris Gris, Rochester Falls and some of the island’s more rugged coastal scenery.

BEST COAST

Which Coast of Mauritius Is Best for You?

For most first-time visitors, I would choose the west or southwest of Mauritius. You get the strongest mix of beaches, scenery, restaurants and easy access to places like Le Morne, Black River and Flic-en-Flac. The north is a better fit if you want convenience, calm swimming and more restaurants nearby, while the east suits travellers looking for a quieter, more resort-focused stay.

The south and southeast feel less developed and are better for travellers who want snorkeling, nature and a slower base. If I were choosing purely for a romantic resort stay, I would look at Le Morne or the east coast, while for an active road trip I would still lean west or southwest.

North Mauritius: Beaches + restaurants + nightlife + families

East Mauritius: Luxury + quiet + resorts + long beaches

West Mauritius: Sunsets + restaurants + easy sightseeing

Southwest Mauritius: Nature + hiking + whales + Le Morne + adventure

HOTELS

Where I Stayed in Mauritius

We paid for all three stays ourselves. None of them were hosted, sponsored or discounted, so these are simply honest opinions from paying guests.

LUX* Grand Gaube

Location: North Mauritius
Best for: Couples, resort lovers and exploring northern Mauritius

I stayed at LUX* Grand Gaube during the northern part of our trip.

What I liked most was that it felt peaceful and secluded while still being close enough to explore Grand Baie, Pamplemousses and the northern coastline.

My verdict:
A great option if you want the convenience of northern Mauritius without actually staying in busy Grand Baie.

Constance Prince Maurice

Location: Northeast Mauritius
Best for: Luxury, couples and complete peace

Constance Prince Maurice was probably the most peaceful of the three resorts we stayed at.

It sits around a beautiful lagoon and mangrove setting and feels much more isolated than northern or western Mauritius.

My verdict:
Choose it when the hotel itself is a major part of the holiday.

LUX* Le Morne

Location: Southwest Mauritius
Best for: Scenery, honeymoons and outdoor activities

This was my favourite location of the three.

The hotel sits directly beneath Le Morne Brabant, with Le Morne Beach running along the front.

You are also perfectly positioned for whale watching, Chamarel, Black River Gorges and exploring southwestern Mauritius.

My verdict:
If I could choose only one of the three areas to stay again, I would choose Le Morne.

My Favorite Area To Stay In Mauritius

HOTEL PLANNING

Should You Stay in One or Several Hotels in Mauritius?

For a one-week trip, one or two bases are enough.

For 10 to 14 days, I would split the trip between two or three areas.

That is exactly how I structure my 2 Weeks in Mauritius itinerary.

For example: North → East → Southwest

You will spend less time driving and actually experience how different each part of Mauritius feels.

If changing hotels three times sounds like your personal version of hell, choose: Northwest + Southwest

Those two regions give you the best overall combination.

When you compare quotes, check whether the tourist accommodation fee is included. Since 1 October 2025, eligible guests aged 12 and over pay €3 per person per night at covered hotels, guesthouses, tourist residences and domaines. The Mauritius Revenue Authority notice has the details, and my Mauritius travel guide explains how it fits into your budget.