YOUR GUIDE TO... HERITAGE RESORTS
No matter what you seek from a holiday and from a golf course, Heritage Resorts in idyllic Mauritius can now provide it all, says Chris Bertram
The big decisions for guests staying at Heritage Le Telfair and Heritage Awali in Mauritius used to revolve around which of the many appealing restaurants to have dinner in and perhaps whether to have an extra nightcap in the handsome Cavendish bar as time ticked into the smaller hours.
They’ve also always had to ponder whether to spend their time chilling out by heading for the white sand of the beach that lines the resort or opt for the beautifully appointed pools instead.
It’s also true that there’s long been a choice of watersports to factor in, as well as other activities that range from tennis to hiking – plus a comprehensive Seven Colours spa menu to ponder in both hotels.
To that list of decisions you’d love to have to be making, another one has now been added: turn left or right in your golf buggy as you head out from the cheek-by-jowl hotels.
To the left is Le Chateâu, which the many returning guests to the Heritage hotels will know very well. And to the right, but only since the end of 2023, is La Réserve.
Of course, all guests will surely play both courses, but what they do after their initial round will be fascinating – for the fact that the two courses are so different.
In Heritage’s infinite wisdom, they have added a second course that is, in almost every respect, different from the original.
Where Le Chateâu sits on largely lowlying land, the split-level La Réserve is perched up in the hills.
Where Le Chateâu is sheltered from the elements by mature trees that encircle its site, La Réserve is at the mercy of the warm coastal breezes.
Where Le Chateâu offers solely inland views, La Réserve showers you with Instaworthy Indian Ocean panoramas.
Where Le Chateâu’s holes encourage you to make a score you’ll be toasting in the clubhouse, La Réserve demands you hit it solidly to keep bogeys off your card.
It might be too simplistic to say your enjoyment comes more easily on Le Chateâu
whereas your enjoyment has a higher ceiling at La Réserve, but there is probably a grain of truth in it.
Le Chateâu will flatter and charm you. It’s a warm handshake. A solid hug. It might even be an affectionate embrace.
La Réserve will challenge and exhilarate you. It will blow you away. It will be some people’s screensaver. It will be other people’s favourite course of all time.
Whichever you and the majority of guests prefer, what is absolutely certain is that Heritage got it spot on with their strategy. Such distinct courses are a recipe for success.
Though very different, there is a clear link between the two: architect Peter Matkovich. The South African designed Heritage’s original course back in 2004 and was invited to return, two decades later, to start work on their second course alongside Louis Oosthuizen.
The 2010 Open champion was in the field when La Réserve hosted a European Tour event last December, an immediate spotlight being shone on a fledgling course – but one it was more than ready for.
It put the new course in the news and showed off its many highlights. And La Réserve – which is only available to play by members and hotel guests – certainly does not lack highlights.
Rarely does a hole go by without an elevated tee or an infinity green, while views over the tropical bays of the Indian Ocean are gloriously common.
The never-less-than-thrilling front nine starts with a bang, a sporty two-shot opener being followed by the uber-narrow 2nd that will live forever in the memory of all who play it. Then comes the short par-4 3rd that plays to an elevated green with ocean behind it. The par-3 4th plays across the site with the rest of the back nine on the lower-level 100 feet below, a descent you make as you play the twisting par-5 5th after an elevated drive.
This is not commonly dramatic land, but it is easily explained – because Heritage resorts are set within the lush, tropical 2,500-hectare Bel Ombre estate, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, no less.
Le Chateâu sits on less jaw-dropping terrain but it is a beautiful course too, winding among lush vegetation and between
mature trees as it climbs and falls over its own undulating site. You’ll find Le Chateâu in absolutely immaculate condition. It has also hosted the European Tour, so don’t worry that it is all charm and no challenge. Miss a putt on its impeccable greens and there is no doubt what went wrong...
Its final test tumbles down from an elevated tee to a well-guarded green just in front of a lively clubhouse terrace where golfers and non-golfers are always enjoying food, drink and a glad-to-be-alive feeling. An early afternoon spent here is an early afternoon spent well.
The two hotels in this bejewelled southern corner of Mauritius are arguably as distinct as the courses. Le Telfair is comprised of elegant, white buildings that mimic the plantation houses that were traditionally found across the sugarcane fields of the island, whereas Awali has more of an African feel with its thatched roofs. The latter is an all-inclusive, family-friendly resort and perhaps the livelier of the two.
That said, Le Telfair has a wonderful atmosphere that’s not dissimilar to the ‘glorious playground’ vibe at the iconic Gleneagles resort in Scotland. The aforementioned Cavendish Bar is a fabulous venue for pre-dinner drinks and would
seamlessly fit into the Gleneagles experience, make no mistake.
And despite its high-calibre golf offering, hundreds of guests will visit each week and never set foot on the courses. There is just so much to do, or so many beautiful places in which to do nothing – such as a private beach, hammocks and waterside coconut shack.
You can book one of the personalised ‘Wellness Bliss’ programmes, which are 3-10-night packages created by an in-house team of dietitians, chefs, spa therapists, healers and personal trainers. They range from chakra healing and yoga retreats to detox, weight loss and developing better sleep patterns. The Seven Colours spas also promise to pamper you in all the traditional ways.
For the more adventurous, there are complementary water activities on the waterways that run through the resort which are perfect for kayaking or stand-up paddle boarding. Daily snorkelling and glass-bottom boat rides are free for guests – a really lovely gesture which you’d be wise to take up.
The resort also encourages guests to take part in activities outside its gates, with many exhilarating hiking routes, cycling trails and even a superb quad biking experience within the lush environment of Bel Ombre.
Last but certainly not least, the food. Oh yes, the food.
In both hotels it is sensationally good with, unsurprisingly on a tropical island, the fruit and fish quite exceptional. Traditional Mauritian curries are another highlight and being able to order whichever blend of smoothie you desire to be prepared for you every morning is something that is very much missed on one’s return home.
You just won’t eat a bad meal here, but a few of the restaurants really stand out.
Gin’ja at Le Telfair has not long reopened after a refurbishment and is the place to go for your fix of Pan-asian food. Try that first and then head another night to Zafarani, at neighbouring Awali, for an Indian restaurant that serves up an unbeatable evening feast. Choosing your favourite will be a very tough call.
There are also three especially elegant dining options. Annabella’s is opposite The Cavendish at Le Telfair and is where you’ll have breakfast but also a wonderful dinner of exquisite food in formal but airy surroundings. It’s named after the wife of Charles Telfair, who created the plantation on which the hotel sits. A two-minute stroll away is Le Palmier, set right next to the beach and specialising in seafood and cocktails in a high society atmosphere.
And then there is Le Chateâu de Bel Ombre, a 19th century plantation house restored to its former glory with a beautiful interior. It is a wonderful setting for its ‘from farm to plate’ high-end dining and quite exceptional wine list.
And at lunch? Split your time between the clubhouse at Le Chateâu for epic steaks and burgers, and at Awali’s Infinity Blue, overlooking the Indian Ocean and whose ‘floor’ is the beach sand – the very definition of barefoot luxury.
It’s therefore no surprise the Heritage Le Telfair and Awali resort moved up from No.41 to No.25 in Golf World’s World Top 100 Resorts listing when it was refreshed at the end of last year. It was a significant leap up, into a section of the that list that contains some of the greatest names in world golf, but no-one could suggest it was not fully merited.
Visit heritageresorts.mu or heritagegolfclub.mu