The Shangri-La Le Touessrok is a stunning luxury resort with an immense history in Mauritius. As one of the first properties on the island, the location, architecture and even long-time employees give Shangri-La an unmistakable edge. Read on to find out what to expect at the Shangri-La in Mauritius.

Location: 5/5

There is no doubt that Shangri-La Le Toussrok has prime real estate on Mauritius. Not only are they located next to the village of Trou D’Eau Douce which is the main access point for all the tours on Mauritius, but it also has the benefit of owning one of the only private islands in the country. 

The property is located approximately 1 hour from the international airport on a beautiful point made up of 189 rooms and 3 residences spread out across 84 acres. Guests have complimentary access to the private island, Ilot Mangenie that offers guests a beach, cabanas for rent and a casual beach restaurant. 

The resort’s unique structure provides guests with multiple beaches to explore and unwind as well as 2 resort pools. There is also an 18-hole golf course located within the gated complex that guests have access to. Overall, the location itself is unbeatable.

Lobby & Check in experience: 5/5

Shangri-La’s arrival was beautiful, both in service experience and in the actual views. The property has been in existence since 1978, so to call the landscaping lush is an understatement. Pulling into the entrance of Shangri-La, we felt like we entered a different world, with the towering banyan tree greeting us on arrival.

We were met at the front entrance by the management staff and welcomed to a seated check in with fresh iced tea, macrons and chocolates as well as a great rundown of the property and its facilities. They also showed us the book they recently put together about the property that we were able to peruse while we waited and it was amazing to see how much they honor and care about the history of the resort.

The lobby itself is the central point of the property, containing not only a bar, but a number of the restaurants as well. The lobby itself is chic, elegant and the furnishings are comfortable. We saw many people lounging in the lobby day and night playing board games, enjoying cocktails and watching the shows in the evening. 

Once we were checked in, we took a small tour of the hotel and facilities and made our way to the Frangipani wing of the resort, which is the club level on a separate island connected to the lobby via bridge. 

Rooms: 4/5

All 189 rooms at the Shangri-La feature direct ocean views from the room and patios.  The Shangri-La has three wings for guests to choose from: Coral wing, Hibiscus wing and Frangipani. 

The Coral wing is the starting room category and is located around one of the many beaches at the resort. These rooms are considered standard rooms versus junior suites that you will find in Hibiscus and Frangipani. We were able to tour one of the larger rooms with beach access, #112, and loved the space and style. 

The Hibiscus wing is located on the largest beach on property and is focused primarily on families. The two story buildings have incredible views out over the white sandy beach and beautiful Indian Ocean beyond. The proximity to the pool and amenities of the hotel is excellent.

The Frangipani wing is primarily focused on couples and is the club level of the hotel. While the rooms themselves allow for families, the pool on this side of the resort is adults only. The Frangipani wing has a small private beach with incredible sunrise views and also features slightly different amenities for guests. 

We were checked into the Frangipani Club Junior Suite, room #267, with a spectacular corner view out to the sunrise and multiple windows facing the view. The room style is very unique with fun colors, comfortable beach-chic furnishings and a comfortable bed. 

The interior of the junior suite features a minibar near the entry and the nonalcoholic beverages and snacks are included in the club level. There is also a nespresso as well as complimentary Aqua Panna water.  There is a small seating area with a sofa loungeable for 1 person facing the small television. Rather than curtains, the room had modern, beachy sliding blinds which we felt was a great decor choice. The bed faces the stunning view of nothing but the Indian Ocean and it was very hard for us to get up in the morning with a view like that. 

Behind the bed is a raised desk area with a fantastic view beyond and it was a great place to get some work done in the afternoon. The bathroom features a his and hers vanity in two different styles as well as a his and hers closet, bathtub, rain shower and separate toilet room. 

The patio is spacious, but we did feel the furniture was too low to be able to enjoy the view as you ended up sitting with the railing in your direct view. However, the patio is covered so if you are looking to get out of the sun for a bit, it is the perfect place to relax.

There were a few areas of improvement for the room, primarily around maintenance. The patio door had a broken wheel upon check in, making it impossible to fully close the door so the room was very wet upon check in. Similarly, the blackout shades connected to the additional windows in the room were ripped and it didn’t look quite as luxurious as one would expect when opening and closing the blinds.

If you are debating which room category to book, we can definitely recommend the Frangipani wing. You do receive upgraded amenities, such as complimentary Aqua Panna water and minibar, as well as upgraded bathroom amenities (L’Occitane). You also receive a shared butler for the duration of your stay as well as access to Republik, the beach restaurant, for an a la carte breakfast and a complimentary sunset happy hour with live entertainment every evening.  These amenities are a great value-add to a stay and also give you access to the adults only pool on the island. We loved how quiet this section of the hotel was and the incredible view was one of the best parts of waking up.

We did have a chance to tour the Shangri-La Suite located in the Hibiscus wing. This is essentially the “penthouse” suite and is an absolute stunner. They are making some exciting upgrades to the suite so we look forward to experiencing it next time. It comes with the same amenities and facilities as the Frangipani wing, including the butler and upgraded amenities.

Service: 4/5

Service is one of the highlights for us as we have traveled around the world and stayed with Shangri-La properties.  While it wasn’t the most elevated service experience we have had at a Shangri-La, there are so many staff members who truly make the experience memorable. 

Since the hotel opened in 1978, there are a surprising number of staff who have been at the hotel either since the beginning or for over 20 years. It was a true testament to how much the management cares about the history and wants to retain star employees. Our butler, for example, was one of the employees that have been around for many many years and he loves to share stories of how the hotel has changed over time. His love of the brand and the property were so clear and it was a pleasure to talk to employees like him.  Tenure like this, rather than creating a culture of being “jaded”, was instead celebrated and revered. 

Dining service was overall very positive, though some small details were missed here and there such as serving wine in beer glasses versus in glasses meant for white or rosé wine.

The hotel offers twice daily housekeeping services which was fairly consistent. They weren’t always great at timing housekeeping for when you were out of the room, which was one area of improvement for this price point. We did also receive a couple of gifts on two of the nights, but they did not come with a note or explanation of what they actually were so we had no idea if it was edible or if it was supposed to be something else. They also put them in two different places on the two different nights so we completely missed that it was there the first night. We would love to see the gifts come with a small note or message as it would come across more meaningful, rather than being a bit of an afterthought. On the last night, however, we received a wonderful gift of different Mauritian rums with a thoughtful goodbye note and it was very well executed. It’s clear the potential is there, they just need to improve a bit on the execution. 

Similarly, while some staff members practically ran after you with umbrellas and swept in to take your umbrella when entering a restaurant, others seemed like they couldn’t be bothered or perhaps didn’t even notice. There were a pair of slippers outside our door for most of our stay that were never removed or replaced, despite being very wet and clearly not in use. It would have been great to see the housekeeping staff proactively remove the slippers and leave a new pair in the room, for example.

That proactive step to surprise and delight a guest was sometimes missing in the service experience. We’d love to see the training of service staff taken to the next level where they pay a bit more attention to being anticipatory, rather than just reactive. We feel that would really elevate the experience to that 5 star that we know they have the potential to be.

Dining: 4.5/5

Shangri-La offers 5 restaurants and 2 bars, including the beach restaurant on their private island. We had the opportunity to try a number of their dining outlets and overall, the food was excellent (especially the croissants that were out of this world at every breakfast).

Le Bazar 

Le Bazar is the main restaurant on property. They offer a breakfast buffet as well as a buffet/ a la carte dinner. We had the chance to try their breakfast buffet and it was overall very impressive. They have a tremendous amount of options as well as made-to-order options such as American style eggs and Asian cuisine. The buffet does get quite busy, but the food was always stocked and fresh. 

At dinner, they do a partial buffet. The appetizers and desserts are available as a buffet and guests can choose from an a la carte menu for their entree. This is a nice, elevated way to serve dinner at a buffet. While we did not try it, we did see many people enjoying their meals. 

Republik

Republik is the beachfront restaurant located on the Frangipani side of the resort. Frangipani guests have access to an a la carte breakfast here as well as an exclusive happy hour in the evenings. 

They do also serve lunch and dinner as well, open to all guests. We were able to have a nice seated breakfast at Republik one morning and overall, the food was good but the service was quite lacking. They forgot a couple of our dishes and had a bit of an attitude, but we were hoping it was just because it was raining outside. The avocado toast was delicious, and huge as well as the steak and eggs. The steak was lacking a bit of flavor, but they do have hot sauce that you can request so that helped. 

The happy hour was a great experience, with flowing champagne and a few canapes. No one explained what the happy hour entailed and based on our experience in Hong Kong, we weren’t sure if it included only champagne, but we realized pretty quickly that it included most bar drinks. They did serve a few canapes throughout the happy hour and you can always request additional. One night, due to weather, the happy hour was held at Sega Bar, which was also lovely.

Sega Bar

Sega Bar is the main bar at the resort and is also home to the evening entertainment for the property. The bar is situated in a funky pergola with beautiful modern upgrades, such as the birds nest style bar. The live music was always fantastic and perfectly timed to post-dinner hours and the cocktails were overall good. I would highly recommend their gin and tonics.

Safran

Safran is the Indian restaurant on property and they serve very good Indian food. The setting is beautiful, with rich dark wood tones and towering ceilings, with an incredible view. We ordered a variety of delicious dishes and I can personally vouch for the Garlic Naan. They did have a few dishes that were very inspired by Mauritius, which was a nice touch. 

Kushi

Kushi was our favorite restaurant on property. This delicious Japanese restaurant serves incredible sushi thanks to the fantastic chefs. This restaurant is so popular that they are even extending the size of it to accommodate more guests each night.

We loved the decor, layout and the ability to sit at the sushi bar and order whatever the chef felt like making. We came here twice and were blown away both times. This is an absolute must if you stay at Shangri-La. We dined on delicious sashimi, nigiri and rolls that were delicious, creative and unique. Chef Harry even made us a special Wagyu steak one night as well as let us taste a high-end soy sauce that was absolutely heaven.  

One of the best parts of Kushi was the service. Both the chefs as well as the wait staff were incredibly genuine and personable. While we were there, one of the “regulars”, a young boy came in for his nightly routine. Apparently, each night the young man came in for one sushi roll while he parents went to the buffet and everyone treated him with the same respect and hospitality as they would for any adult. It was very sweet to see and absolutely adorable.

Ilot Mangénie Beach Restaurant

The beach restaurant on Shangri-La’s private island is a casual restaurant, but don’t let that fool you into thinking the food is anything but exquisite. We had the chance to try the restaurant on our last day and were so glad we made it over there. They are very well known for their truffle pizza and their seafood platter and both were excellent. We had delicious rosé wine and excellent service from the staff at the restaurant. 

Private dining experiences

The resort does offer private dining experiences and room service. While we did not indulge in room service, they do offer breakfast in-room to club level guests for only a small delivery fee so we highly recommend taking advantage of that. 

One thing we loved about the Shangri-La was that they are constantly trying to bring new and exciting experiences to guests. We were able to partake in a romantic breakfast in a little cabana near Republik and it was a wonderful experience. The service was great, the food was hot and we really enjoyed this private moment.

They also just launched a few dining experiences in their new hyperdome in partnership with Veuve Cliquot and we hope to test this out next time, but it looks incredible. Who doesn’t love Veuve?

Overall, the dining experiences were varied and delicious. While the service was better in some venues than others, we felt the experiences were generally extremely positive and there isn’t a single venue we wouldn’t return to.

Facilities: 5/5

Shangri-La is a true resort and it has something for everyone at every age. Whether you’re looking to do nothing but relax or have an adventure, there’s no shortage of opportunity. 

There is a fantastic kids club for families located close to the Hibiscus wing. The hotel offered supervised activities, lunch sessions and a full facility of games for young kids. There is also a tortoise sanctuary with beautiful, approximately 120 year old tortoises that live peacefully on the grounds that anyone can visit. As a note, the kids club also has a number of great bikes guests can use to explore both the hotel grounds and outside the complex. This is a great option for people looking to explore on their own time.

There are two pools on property – the main pool and the adults only pool at the Frangipani wing. Both are located in proximity to the bars for pool service. 

The spa and fitness center are located in the Frangipani wing as well. The fitness center features a fantastic selection of gym equipment, including new cardio machines, free weights, a number of weights machines and even a lightweight boxing bag and gloves (!!).  The fitness center has a shared access to the sauna and steam that are also connected to the spa. The spa is large and offers a variety of treatments as well as a relaxation room. The massages were excellent and we can recommend the local coconut-based massage. The hallway can be a bit loud with guests and masseuses talking loudly on the way to their massage, so we would recommend requesting a room at the end of the hall to minimize this.

Shangri-La offers a variety of non-motorized water sports free of charge, as well as complimentary water skiing. They have a fantastic lagoon to be able to take advantage of these activities, but sadly due to weather we weren’t able to partake. There is also a platform that is accessible by short swim that has two chaise loungers on it. They helpfully list all their paid and complimentary activities here.

Ilot Mangénie is Shangri-La’s private island. As mentioned earlier, it’s one of the few private islands in Mauritius and Shangri-La offers shuttles throughout the day via boat to access the island. The restaurant on site has great food, there are restrooms and plenty of chaise loungers and cabanas available to guests. It’s a wonderful place to spend a day.

Lastly, the entertainment was truly one of the highlights of the Shangri-La experience. Every night, they had exceptional entertainment and live music. We were lucky to experience a Sega show while at Safran as the dancers came through every restaurant to entertain guests.  Their entertainment was perfectly timed to when people were at meals so there was never a missed opportunity to experience the incredible local entertainment. Of all the hotels we went to in Mauritius, Shangri-La had this experience down to a true art.

Style: 4.5/5

The Shangri-La has incredible history on Mauritius being one of the original hotels to be built. There is stunning architecture, stonework and design throughout the resort that has been thoughtfully maintained and expanded upon. One of our favorite things to do at the resort was to explore the grounds and find new nooks and crannies to photograph and enjoy. 

The public spaces at the resort are all beautifully updated with comfortable, oversized beach-chic furniture and lively colors that compliment the natural, almost Grecian looking architecture. We love the different themes and vibes of the restaurants, each with their own unique decor.

The rooms are overall very well done, with comfortable and interesting furnishings and decor. However, we do feel they could use a bit of a maintenance update to improve the broken blackout shades or features that feel a bit tired. Similarly, the patio furniture feels a bit too short for the tall railings and we hope that in the next update, they add some taller furnishings to allow guests to fully enjoy the unparalleled views.

Overall: 4.6/5

Shangri-La has long been one of our favorite brands and for good reason. Their hospitality, style and general consistency across hotels is commendable. The Shangri-La in Mauritius is a unique and absolutely beautiful property with so much history that we feel management does an excellent job honoring. We wouldn’t hesitate to recommend the resort and look forward to returning on a future trip to Mauritus.