Consider Mauritius for team building exercise in paradise
Mauritius is the closest parallel in Africa to the UAE in the Arabian Gulf, with its thriving tourism, telecoms, agriculture and offshore financial sectors providing the highest gross domestic product per capita of any country on the continent.
Hence, it is not so surprising to find some of Africa’s finest business hotels here.
However, at first glance this island paradise appears the very last place you would want to have to think about work.
The Singapore-based chain Shangri-La took over Le Touessrok resort and spa on the eastern coast three years ago, and has since created a 200-room haven with every convenience for small business conferences and private meetings, only a short limo ride away from the bustling capital Port Louis.
There are two bright daylight conference rooms that can be arranged boardroom style or seat up to 80 people each, while a floating platform can be reserved for receptions for up to 175 guests.
The Hibiscus garden is a beautiful natural setting for lunches for 60 people. Or you can takeover the resort’s adjacent tiny island paradise, Ilot Mangenie, with facilities to handle private conferences and corporate events for a group of 20 to 200 – with truffle pizzas.
The Langer Grill in the clubhouse would also be a superb place to host lunches or meetings.
The property also has a private 18-hole championship golf course designed by pro-golfer Bernhard Langer. It is ideal for entertaining business partners and reckoned to be among Africa’s best. The course is separated from the main resort by a shimmering turquoise lagoon.
All hotel rooms come with free access to the course.
The resort offers luxury accommodation and facilities that match those of the Shangri-La in Singapore or the UAE. It was completely refurbished before re-opening in October 2015. My Dh2,395 oceanfront room had a refined and cool modernist interior with balcony overlooking the ocean, a large bathroom with a bath, power shower and two sinks.
The 2-metre long desk behind the large bed included two multi-plugs and the internet clocked a speed of 5Mbps.
Room service offers a nicoise salad for Dh44, or a cheese and tomato baguette for Dh74. Soft drinks are complementary with the mini bar that also contains milk, nuts and crisps.
When I could not open my new suitcase due to a combination lock failure, a technician arrived within five minutes to fix it. Service standards in the Shangri-La are always top notch, even on tropical islands in the southern Indian Ocean.
For the ultimate private beach experience, you can rent one of the hotel’s three Dh20,000 per night villas with panoramic ocean views, three bedrooms and stylish minimalist interiors, or to be really private, take all three, as did one multi-millionaire recently. Actress Penelope Cruz and singer Whitney Huston are past celebrity occupants of the property.
Four restaurants give a large spectrum of dining opportunities. For Mediterranean cuisine and barbecue grills, try the al fresco Republic Beach Club & Grill, or Le Bazar for allday international buffets with live cooking stations.
Kushi is a sophisticated Japanese restaurant with a sushi master and yakiniku grills at each table. It is a Geisha-inspired open air haven. Or experience Indian and Mauritian cuisine at Safran with its copper-clad tandoori oven and live entertainment in the evening.
Team building events could make use of the vast array of free-to-use water sports available, from standup paddle boarding to banana-tube riding. There are also four tennis courts.
In addition, guests have the choice of two swimming pools, a large well-equipped LifeFitness gym with four steppers, running machines and cycles.
And there is the ultra-chilled Chi spa to unwind.