As the author of the Bradt guidebook to Mauritius for the past 25 years, I must have stayed in almost every resort on the island at some point. But while there are plenty of exceptional luxury resorts to choose from, an increasing number of visitors are opting for private villa rentals instead. So, on a recent family trip to Mauritius, we decided to try villa living for ourselves.

We got in touch with villa-rental company Oazure, and they matched our family to Villa Joya in the northeast of the island. The fact that the villas are vetted and managed by Oazure and that they could select the right villa for us was hugely reassuring. Oazure staff met us on arrival and settled us in.

From the moment we arrived, Villa Joya established a sense of calm. The interior is modern and spacious with large, open-plan living areas and three en-suite bedrooms. Outside, there is a spacious garden with a pool, a covered dining area and stairs leading directly to the beach below. The water is shallow, and the lagoon is wide and sheltered, making it perfect for swimming or kayaking. We were delighted to find two kayaks in the garden for our use. We spent some incredibly happy hours paddling over to a small sandbar scattered with black lava rocks, where my children explored rockpools and felt like true adventurers.

Oazure suggested we opt for a private chef, which many of their guests do. We were hesitant at first, but actually Chef Kumar was one of the highlights of our stay. He met with us at the start of our stay, established what we would like to eat, and then took care of buying the ingredients. All we had to do was reimburse him for the amount he spent at the market. An experienced chef, he produced superb meals tailored to our various dietary requirements. We enjoyed not only his cooking but also his company, and especially his tips on making the perfect curry.

Our mornings at Villa Joya began with spectacular sunrises reflected across the lagoon, while evenings invited leisurely dinners beneath the stars, accompanied by the gentle sound of the ocean. There was something wonderfully easy about life here: no timetable, no queues and nowhere we needed to be unless we wanted to explore.

Mauritian resorts are known for their warm and professional service, and we felt we received the same genuine Mauritian hospitality with Oazure. Housekeeping was provided throughout our stay and we were incredibly well looked after without feeling that our privacy was compromised. Oazure can organise a range of excursions and experiences, including in-villa spa treatments. We chose a trip on Blue Safari’s submarine, where we dived to a depth of 35m to explore the coral reef and a shipwreck. Our children were mesmerised by the fish flitting in and out of the coral and we were lucky enough to see a group of turtles on our voyage.

Villa Joya is within easy reach of many of the island’s attractions. Mauritius’s compact size and good roads make it simple to explore with a hire car and we found we could fit an enormous amount into each day. One of the many benefits of villa living was that we didn’t need to fit our adventures around set hotel meal times. That being said, we were so taken with Villa Joya that we were quite happy to spend entire days there and not feel like we were missing out.

Villa Joya was perfect for our family and we enjoyed the sense of space, privacy and freedom. Oazure has a wide range of villas that they will happily match to your requirements. For us, having one point of contact who could organise everything we needed made for a truly relaxing stay.

Did we feel like we were missing out by not staying in a resort? No, not at all. Villa Joya gave us the freedom to experience Mauritius at our own pace, while still providing the luxury and hospitality for which the island is known.

W: Oazure

Written by Alexandra Richards for Luxuria Lifestyle International