Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
( 431 1099, 727 3216; villavakoa@gmail.com; villa €150-300; )
Large two-storey property loc-
ated 300m south of Le Preskîl, with travertine floors, an American-style kitchen and spa-
cious bedrooms. Sleeps six.
HISTORIC HOTEL
€€€
Le Jardin de Beau Vallon
( 631 2850;
www.lejardindebeauvallon.com
; Rue de Beau Vallon; s/d Rs 2500/3800, bungalows s/d 2300/3200;
)
Beau Vallon is primarily known for its charming restaurant (
Click here
)
set on the
ground floor of an 18th-century colonial manor house. There are, however, several rooms
on the property that make for a memorable vacation experience, as long as you don't mind
being a 10-minute drive to the beach. Perched above the restaurant are two welcoming
suites that draw their decorative inspiration from Madagascar and East Asia - vibrant
tapestries tumble down the walls and four-poster beds are ensconced in a tornado of silky
streamers. Several newer bungalows are arranged in a row just beyond the main building
and are adorned with plantation-style incarnations of wood and wicker.
Le Preskîl
RESORT
€€€
( 604 1000;
www.lepreskil.com
;
Pointe Jérome; s/d incl half board from €165/207; )
An unpar-
alleled position on a secluded spit of sand? Check! A friendly staff that operates with
Swiss efficiency? Check! Romantic views of the turquoise lagoon and rolling jungle
mountains? Check! This four-star resort - with a subtle Creole design scheme - seems to
have hit all the right notes and, after an extensive renovation, we can't find a reason not to
stay at this slice of paradise. In addition to the usual bevy of watersports and activities, Le
Preskîl boasts a popular kids club, expert scuba diving and a private catamaran shuttling
vacationers to the nearby marine park and Île aux Cerfs.
Shandrani
( 603 4343;
www.shandrani-hotel.com
;
s €324-600, d €432-592; )
On the south side of
Blue Bay, this relaxed and family-friendly resort rambles across a private peninsula gar-
nished with luscious jungle foliage. It has no fewer than three beaches and boasts all the
facilities you would expect from a heavy hitter in the top-end category: four restaurants, a
golf course, tennis courts, a dive centre and more. It's the only five-star property on the is-
LUXURY HOTEL
€€€
