The five best eco hotels in Mauritius

Despite being a unique tropical island full of endemic fauna and flora (some of which are famously extinct, like the dodo bird), Mauritius has unfortunately not done enough regarding sustainability matters, particularly regarding its hotels and water activities. 

Thankfully this is starting to change, and there are a few eco hotels in Mauritius that make a genuine effort to minimise their impact and are eco certified. 

Our roundup of the best eco hotels and resorts in Mauritius:

SALT of Palmar

One of our favourite eco hotels in Mauritius is SALT of Palmar. Located along the east coast of Mauritius on the gorgeous beach of – you guessed it – Palmar, SALT is a great example of sustainability and luxury working perfectly well together.

We really enjoyed that SALT was a small hotel, as everything was within reach, instead of having to walk 10 minutes to reach one end of the hotel. Small also means the atmosphere is cosier, the customer experience is more personalised,  and the hotel can be more sustainable.

What makes SALT special?

SALT has a minimalist but elegant and welcoming style. It is an adults-only, small boutique hotel with its own bakery on site for daily fresh pastries and bread, as well as fresh roasted coffee, 24/7.

This eco hotel offers yoga mats in each room, a library, a craft workshop, and no TV in the rooms. It has its own guidebook, and a rooftop bar overlooking the ocean. 

There’s also a pool bar where you can sample locally brewed beer and cocktails inspired by local ingredients from Mauritius.

SALT’s eco features:

• Food
  • Unlike most hotels, SALT does not offer a buffet. This means no unnecessary food waste (not to mention less issues with hygiene and potential contamination).
  • Any excess food is donated to those in need.
  • They either grow their own produce, or source locally.
  • They only source produce from farmers and suppliers that offer organic options (no chemicals).
• Plastic
  • SALT does not allow for single-use plastic at the hotel. 
  • The bathroom toiletries are in ceramic containers.
  • Bathroom amenities are made of biodegradable cornstarch.
  • Bamboo toothbrush are offered.
  • They recycle their beach baskets.
• Empowerment of locals
  • SALT allows opportunities to take cooking classes with locals.
  • They provide all kinds of work to locals in order to ensure a genuine Mauritian experience to their guests, whether it’s a basket weaver or a tour guide.
  • They acknowledge the hard work of their staff and partners in their booklet.
  • The music they play is native: only from Mauritian artists.
• They offer electric bikes to discover the island.
• They support various global sustainable development initiatives.

Want to check it out for yourself? Book your stay at SALT here.

Attitude hotels

Attitude is a collection of hotels that offer 3* and 4* accommodations with a genuine Mauritian experience, and is committed to having a positive impact.

We usually avoid chain hotels or group hotels. But the Attitude hotels are different. They are actually our favourite hotel groups to stay at in Mauritius. 

What makes the Attitude hotels special?

According to local Mauritians in the hotel industry, the staff at the Attitude hotels are some of the happiest and most empowered. And what happens when you have a happy staff in the hospitality industry? They create a positive vibe and provide the best experience to the guests.

There are a few Attitude hotels all over the island, and most of them are located right on the beach. At all the hotels, the decor is a creole style design – genuinely Mauritian, elegant, and simple. You can try all the typical Mauritian street foods at tea time at the “Taba-J” stalls on site, with guaranteed real taste but without the concern over hygiene.  

Attitude hotels’ eco features

The Attitude hotels focus on all the sustainable aspects: social, environmental, and economy. 

• They promote the local culture by showcasing local art and buying furniture made by locals, as well as organising a music competition via their Konpoz to Lamizik program.
• They were awarded the Travelife Gold certification which recognises their effort in reducing their water and energy consumption, their waste production, and their use of chemical products.
• The Attitude hotels banned single use plastic.
• The hotel offers a reusable water bottle and free water fountain (this is rare in Mauritius – at most hotels you get single-use plastic water bottles).
• Their ingredients are locally grown and sourced, which cuts down on transportation and empower farmers.
• The spa products are locally made, are cruelty-free, plant-based, and in recyclable packaging.
• 5% of their spa bookings go to their Green Attitude Foundation which funds sustainable projects.
• Their Marine Discovery centre supports lagoon ecological projects.

PS: Our favourite Attitude hotels in the north are Ravenala Attitude, Zilwa Attitude, Lagoon Attitude, and Coin de Mire Attitude, though Zilwa is top 1. 

If you’re staying on the east side of the island, check out Sunrise Attitude, Tropical Attitude, or Friday Attitude. 

Otentic Eco Tent Experience

For a more outdoorsy, adventurous stay, Otentic Eco Tent Experience is a great option. The accommodation is located in a small village called Deux Frères (meaning “Two Brothers”) on the east coast of Mauritius. 

What makes Otentic Eco Tent Experience special?

It’s the perfect place to disconnect from the world. Otentic Eco Tent Experience is a permanent structure along the river bank of Grand River South East, near the GRSE waterfall, on top of a hill.

It offers casual but beautiful decor, has a pool overlooking the river, an outdoor lounge, and a dining area, and offers gorgeous views of the Indian Ocean. The tent is made of canvas and has a fly-sheet, meaning that the tent easily provides protection from heat, humidity, but also from the cold.

The hotel provides trips via a small boat to the renowned Iles aux Cerfs in the morning, before the crowds get there, as well as hikes to the neighbouring mountains, and snorkelling opportunities.    

Otentic Eco Tent Experience’s eco features

The eco lodge offers a genuine experience of Mauritian culture, through its music and cuisine, while ensuring the protection of the natural surrounding environment and also empowering the locals.

• The structures were built from recycled materials and wood.
• They offer kayaks and stand up paddle boards, which have zero impact on the ocean (unlike motor boats).
  • With a kayak and SUP, you can explore areas that boats can’t reach (e.g. mangrove, waterfall, river).
• There are bikes to explore the surrounding villages in a sustainable way. You can also easily explore on foot.
• The produce is locally sourced, and they also have a vegetable garden growing spices and fruits and vegetables.
• They harvest rainwater.
• Solar panels are used for energy.

Lux Le Morne

Lux Le Morne is a high-end, 5-star resort with the iconic Le Morne Brabant mountain (a major landmark of Mauritius) as its backdrop, and a turquoise lagoon at its doorstep. Those features in itself would be enough to entice anyone to book a stay there. 

But there’s more to this hotel than its location or luxurious decor. They have been awarded the Travelife award, an international sustainability certification, that specifically focuses on social and environmental impact.

They are also Green Globe’s International Standard for Sustainable Tourism certified, which holds them accountable through regular reports about their sustainability performance.  

What makes Lux Le Morne special?

Lux Le Morne offers personalised service where you can already pre-order your favourite snacks, drinks, sunscreen, and customise your picnic basket, before you even check in. This child-friendly hotel also allows pets upon request, which is uncommon in Mauritius. 

The tree house onsite allows you to feel like a child again, but this time with a view of the Indian Ocean, and drinks service that will come to you at the ring of a bell. The tree house is also the best place to watch the sunset, or even potentially see dolphins in the early morning.

Other notable features, aside from the excellent service and decor, that guests love: a tree swing, hanging beds, and the hammock in the lagoon.

Lux Le Morne’s eco features

• Lux Le Morne tries to achieve carbon neutrality by offsetting their carbon footprint.
• They invest in programs and initiatives to improve their processes and become more energy efficient.
• They bottle their own water onsite.
• No chemicals in their cleaning agents.
• They recycle everything from their water to their cooking oil.
• Less paper waste: they use tablets to communicate services and activities to guests.
• Locally sourced ingredients and herb garden.
• They have a zero food waste policy (food is donated to children from nearby villages, and leftover food is composted or fed to animals).

Find the best rate for Lux Le Morne here, but if you prefer to stay in the north, check out Lux Grand Baie and Lux Grand Gaube, which follow the same sustainability principles. 

Bubble Lodge at Bois Chéri

The Bubble Lodge at Bois Chéri is definitely a unique accommodation: a transparent bubble surrounded by tea plantations in the region of Bois Chéri, the namesake of the most famous tea in Mauritius. Yet, despite the transparent bubble, it still somehow offers  the utmost privacy and luxury. 

The lodge is family-friendly, so children are welcome. There is one staff dedicated to each lodge and its guests. Each lodge is distant from each other, so you have plenty of personal space and privacy. The air inside the tent is also renewed every 10 minutes. 

What makes Bois Chéri special?

The Bubble Lodge allows you to be immersed in nature in complete comfort and privacy. The lodge faces a crater lake, and rarely gets hot, due to its location in Mauritius.

You can watch birds and trees without even leaving your bed, though the surrounding tea fields are best explored on foot.

Bubble Lodge is the ideal location to do a digital detox. The rustic but elegant decor transports you to a moment of tranquil simplicity, and the transparent bubble lets you stargaze at night and wake up to the sunrise, but without the mosquitoes. 

You’re outside without having to really be outside, and it’s more glamorous than even the best glamping experience. 

Free activities include hiking, kayaking, stand up paddling, and tea tasting, but you can also request other types of activities (such as golfing) for a fee. You can walk around the area to discover wildlife such as deer, black swans, ducks, and guinea fowls. 

Here are Bois Chéri’s eco features

• Renewable materials were used to build the lodges.
• No carbon footprint.
• They lower their energy and water consumption as much as possible.
• The toilets are dry ecological toilets which means no water is used and the waste is composted (it’s not as bad as it sounds).
• Bikes, kayaks, and SUPs are provided to discover the area in an ecological way.

Book your stay at Bubble Lodge at Bois Chéri here.

Our final thoughts on the best eco hotels in Mauritius

Our list above easily showcases why these hotels are eco friendly. But be wary of hotels that claim to be sustainable but in reality are not.

For instance, despite their labels, there are hotels that still use single-use plastic, offer individualised bathroom toiletries in plastic containers, do not recycle, let a lot of buffet food go to waste, etc. 

If you ask a hotel to explain their sustainability efforts, a genuine eco hotel would be able to do so easily, and most of the time, proudly. 

Check out more sustainable travel tips and guidelines in our free pdf guide.