Sunlife’s Long Beach in Mauritius hotel review: Luxury on the newly LGBTQ+-friendly island
We experience rejuvenating treatments with Long Beach's wellness concept, Glow
Set in a lush green locale, the resort of Long Beach is one of four run by hotel brand Sunlife on Mauritius, which legalised same-sex relations in 2023. On the east coast, Long Beach makes the perfect setting for the launch of the brand’s range of Come Alive experiences, as well as its new wellness concept, Glow.
The latter aims to harness creative, elemental and nurturing energies to rejuvenate guests using multi-cultural practices and products created with locally sourced minerals. I experience this first-hand on day one of a three-day break following a relatively sleepless 12-hour flight from London.
Over an hour, Simla the masseuse effectively demonstrates the combination of African, Asian and Indian techniques that make up an authentic Mauritian massage — just one of an extensive list of treatments available.
You can opt for herbal, floral, or citrus oils to get the best out of your massage. I go for herbal, which features lemongrass, bergamot, jojoba and coconut oils. Afterwards, I am so relaxed and relieved of tension I’m almost floating.
Also among the Glow experiences are sound healing, words-in-motion storytelling, and Find Your Move classes, which offer a mix of yoga and dance.
The Glow philosophy is perfectly complemented by the Come Alive experiences offered at all four Sunlife resorts: the adults-only Ambre, also on the east coast, and on the west coast, the Sugar Beach resort and La Pirogue.
At Long Beach, the Vibe & Ride e-bike adventure, either to Bras D’Eau national park or Flacq market, fits in with Glow’s emphasis on wellness, while mixology and cabana picnic experiences allow guests to enjoy the delicious flavours of Mauritius. All are designed to restore mind, body and soul.
Experiences at the other resorts include everything from glass-making to watching a film under the stars. While some are more niche than others, there’s truly something for everyone, be it creative, energetic or spiritual. These are easy to book with the in-house Sunlife teams or via the Sunlife app. Experiences are also on offer specifically for children.
The five-star Long Beach resort offers 255 rooms all facing the sea, which is just moments away. Despite some signs of wear and tear, the rooms are spacious and modern, and designed with a serene combo of neutral tones and stylish furniture, including comfortable king-size beds. They are a cool and calm place in which to relax to an idyllic soundtrack of birds and gently lapping waves.
When it comes to dining, Long Beach guests are spoiled for choice between Tides, the Asian-inspired Chopsticks, Le Marché, the Italian Sapori, and Hasu, which has been recognised by Tripadvisor as one of Africa’s top 10 Japanese restaurants for three consecutive years.
For those wishing to take a page from Dua Lipa’s book and ‘Dance the Night’ away, there’s Shores, the cocktail and lounge bar, where we highly recommend the Ti Punch, a Mauritian signature cocktail.
Before my trip, I was hosted at Gatwick Airport by Plaza Premium, the world’s largest network of airport lounges, which operates in more than 80 international airports. Travellers can book access to Gatwick North’s Plaza Premium Lounge and enjoy unlimited food and drink for £47.52 for two hours, with children able to enter the lounge for free.