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What is LUX*?

LUX* Resorts and Hotels own and manage various resorts in Mauritius, Maldives, Reunion, U.A.E, China, Turkey, Italy and Vietnam.

You can find out more about them here www.luxresorts.com

Why did we go?

As we feature more and more luxury anti-ageing and spa treatments, we love the idea of featuring such properties to our readers. Some may want to visit for medical tourism procedures or to recover further post-procedure. Some visitors coming to South Africa for medical procedures may also want to explore other luxury travel destinations – whether they are in or out of our country. Additionally, LUX* offers a place for our doctors and readers to relax in, a place to get some R&R, quality spa treatments and wellness coaching while on holiday. Anti-Ageing and Aesthetics are not just the procedures you have, it’s how you nurture and look after your mind and body overall.

How do I get there?

South African bookings through www.islandlightholidays.co.co.za

Flights through www.airmauritius.com

Day 1

We spent the day exploring and enjoying the five-star LUX* Grand Gaube Mauritius to experience the resort after its extensive renovations. We tried out their own coffee brand (Café LUX*), their ICI ice-cream parlour (delicious ice cream available all day), lay on the beach, plus enjoyed partaking in some of their water sports. There is also a gym, a yoga studio, tennis courts, a cinema, a phone booth you can use to call home free of charge, and hammocks hanging from palm trees to relax in.

The first thing I noticed about this place is that I freakin love it!

Stunning rooms (hello walk-in waterfall shower), every detail considered, a complete spa (with their own signature LUX* ME beauty and skin products), beauty and health offerings, all-inclusive food and drink, an array of restaurants and bars, children’s entertainment and so much more.

Mauritius is so close to home in South Africa with Air Mauritius flights to help you travel easily.

Not only is this a holiday destination, but it’s also ideal for travellers to experience when coming to South Africa for medical aesthetic treatments and procedures: either to recover or merely to form part of your trip.

Day 2

Today was a day trip to LUX* Belle Mare where we were hosted by Ashish, the general manager of the property.

This five-star resort forms part of the LUX* Resorts Mauritius offering.

We toured and tasted in the coffee roasting room (here they roast and grind their own coffee which then gets distributed to all LUX* resorts worldwide with a Cafe LUX*).

Next up was a spa experience which included a 30min massage at the LUX* Me Spa where they offer massages, manis, pedis, facials, and anti-ageing body and face treatments.

Gin drinks and cocktails at Beach Rouge followed by lunch at the restaurant, Amari by Vineet (Vineet is a two-star Michelin chef) serving modern Indian food to complete the LUX* Belle Mare experience.

We then continued our tour of the resort; having homemade ice cream from the ICI parlour, strolled past their vintage Rolls Royce food truck, Sandy Toes beach bar, Flute (the champagne and tapas table embedded in the beach and ended off the tour in a private villa where we had speciality rum tastings and fried banana.

Heading back to our home base LUX* Grand Gaube in the afternoon, we ended off the day with gin sundowners at their G&T 100 Club (a dedicated Gin Bar with hundreds of different gins to choose from all around the world), followed by dinner in the Palm Court Restaurant.

Day 3

Today after breakfast we visited the gym for a wellness assessment. Here they give you movement, personal coaching and treatment advice. Prescribe what to do based on your testing (exercise, stretching etc), plus recommend a spa treatment to help strengthen the weaknesses in your body. One starts the program whilst on their trip and can take it back home to continue with.

At Aesthetic Appointment, we continuously recommend readers to ensure a healthy, exercise-filled, nutrition-filled long-term lifestyle. These things are not only overall beneficial for your life, but they also assist in better results for your skin, aesthetic and cosmetic treatments/procedures.

We made our way into the Pisco Restaurant for a cooking demonstration and watched Roopesh make a Peruvian-style tuna ceviche.

Then we popped into the LUX* Me Spa for more spa treatments and a 45min massage.

Lunch took place in the Creole Smokehouse Restaurant under the banyan trees with Julian, the chief sales and marketing of all LUX* properties. He shared the LUX* transformational story with us (very inspiring how this ‘little’ Mauritian brand since 2011 has grown into a world-class and unique international array of destination resorts). With innovations and add-ons being developed each year, they truly do offer visitors the full package.

The afternoon was spent swimming in the sea, relaxing on the beach, slurping up ice cream while taking in the island views. The evening began with champagne sundowners, as one does (it’s called a balanced lifestyle, mmmkay).

Lastly, dinner was with Brice, the general manager of LUX* Grand Gaube in the Beach Rouge Restaurant (their on-the-beach restaurant).

Day 4

The morning started with a Nitrogen infused coffee from Café LUX* and I could hear colours after that. This coffee is infused for 18hrs giving it a bubbly texture on the palate. It’s served cold with ice and gives a fo-reals kick!

Our day trip was to ILE DES DEUX COCOS (pronounced eel-deh-dew-coco which means island of two coconuts) in Blue Bay Mauritius.

This private tropical island retreat was bought by LUX* in 2000. It consists of only one villa, built by Governor Hesketh in 1920 as a place for his private parties on the weekends. LUX* has maintained the original building and Moroccan-inspired style of the villa. With white sandy beaches and surrounded by turquoise water, the island is available for an overnight stay (short or long), day trips or special events (such as weddings, anniversaries, and big birthdays). Perfect for a couple, or even a group.

We walked around exploring the island (it’s small at 353 hectares), had a delicious lunch in the sand-floored restaurant and snorkelled in the undisturbed and protected coral reef from our glass bottom boat, spotting loads of fish and some sea turtles. It’s the first Marine Park in Mauritius and some corals found are believed to be over 800yrs old.

Other activities available on the island are scuba diving (beginner to qualified), beach volleyball, giant chess, lounging on the beach under palm trees and in hammocks and so much more.

For the evening, we were back at home base in LUX* Grand Gaube for our final night at the resort. Sundowners started with a specialised rum tasting in The Rum Tree House (an actual adult island-style treehouse), followed by dinner in the exclusive Peruvian-style restaurant, Inti, where executive chef, Dominik Ambros chatted with us about how their menus came together. The night ended with some drinks and the band.

Get in touch with LUX* Resorts and Hotels

Websites: www.luxresorts.com

South African bookings: www.islandlightholidays.co.za

Air Mauritius: www.airmauritius.com

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Rochelle Friedman

Aesthetic Appointment | Website

Rochelle is the founder and driving force behind Aesthetic Appointment. With a passion for the aesthetics and pro-ageing industry in South Africa, she has been in the aesthetic publishing industry since 2012, dedicated to creating a valuable platform for insights and knowledge, bridging the gap between patients and doctors - delivering reliable, medical-based information. Rochelle firmly believes in the power of a good skincare regimen, especially when started at home, and is committed to educating consumers about the myriad of treatments, procedures, and products available to them.