A 69-suite flagship of Beachcomber Resorts on the northern Grand Baie coast — opened 1985, comprehensively renovated 2014 — with La Goelette restaurant, Le Bar Plage, and the highest staff-to-guest ratio of any Mauritius resort.
"Beachcomber's heritage flagship on the northern coast since 1985. Sixty-nine suites — all of them — with private balconies onto the Grand Baie beachfront. The most decorated Mauritius repeat-guest property; many of the staff have been there for thirty years."
Royal Palm opened on 1 December 1985 as the flagship of the Beachcomber Hotels group — the family-owned Mauritian hospitality group founded in 1973 by Roger Espitalier-Noël and now operating ten Mauritius properties. The site is on the northern Grand Baie coast at Pointe aux Canonniers, on a private 7-hectare beachfront with the Indian Ocean to the east and the protected Grand Baie lagoon to the west. The architectural commission of the original 1985 building was Mauritian architect Maurice Giraud; the 2013-2014 comprehensive renovation (a 12-month closure for $40 million) was directed by London-based Tara Bernerd, who reorganised the suite-only inventory and added the contemporary spa pavilion. The property holds a deliberate suite-only architectural register: there are no standard-room categories, only Junior Suites and above.
The 69 suites divide between 35 Junior Suites at 75 sqm (the standard category — beachfront with private balcony), 26 Senior Suites at 95 sqm (with private living areas), 6 Royal Suites at 120 sqm with private outdoor sun-decks, and 2 Royal Penthouses at 280 sqm with private rooftop pools. The Royal Penthouse is the milestone unit. Bathrooms are travertine; bath products are Beachcomber-curated Mauritian botanicals.
La Goelette is the principal restaurant — opened with the property in 1985 and continuously a destination for Mauritian fine-dining since, with a contemporary French-Mauritian register and a 4,500-bottle wine cellar. Le Bar Plage handles the all-day beach-front register; Natureaty is the spa-oriented light-eating option; La Brezza is the Italian. The Clarins Spa — opened with the 2014 renovation as Mauritius's only Clarins-branded spa — runs eight treatment rooms and the indoor 25-metre lap pool. The two outdoor pools (the family pool, the adults-only) and the full-service watersports operation complete the wellness layer. The principal operational distinction of Royal Palm is the staff-to-guest ratio of 4 to 1 (over 280 staff for 69 suites), one of the highest in the Indian Ocean luxury sector — and the property's deliberate repeat-guest service register, with many staff having been at the resort since the 1985 opening.
The Grand Baie position is the booking decision relative to the Belle Mare cluster. From the property it is 70 minutes by car to MRU airport (the eastern coast is closer; Royal Palm sits on the northern coast), 40 minutes to Port Louis, 5 minutes by car to Grand Baie village (the principal shopping and dining cluster outside the resort), 10 minutes to Mont Choisy beach, and 25 minutes to the Pamplemousses Botanical Gardens. For travellers wanting the heritage Mauritian luxury register and the highest-ratio service, Royal Palm is unambiguous. One&Only is the new-and-bright alternative; Royal Palm is the established-and-warm alternative.
The Royal Suite for the private outdoor sun-deck and direct beach access, dinner at La Goelette, the Clarins Spa programme, and the in-house catamaran charter as the half-day excursion. A heritage Mauritian honeymoon booking with the highest-ratio service register.
A milestone-anniversary booking with the Royal Penthouse and the private rooftop pool. The 30-year-anniversary Royal Palm guest community is significant — many couples celebrate silver and gold anniversaries at the property where they honeymooned in the 1980s and 1990s.
For multi-generational families wanting the heritage Mauritian register with the dedicated kids' programme, Royal Palm is the right answer. The Senior Suites accommodate families of four; the Royal Penthouses handle families of six to eight.
Grand Baie, Pointe aux Canonniers
Mauritius
Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Airport (MRU) 70 min by car; Port Louis 40 min; Grand Baie village 5 min; Mont Choisy beach 10 min
69 suites — all categories
Junior Suite from $1,200/night
Senior Suite from $1,650/night
Royal Suite from $2,800/night
Royal Penthouse from $5,400/night
Check-in: 3:00 PM
Check-out: 12:00 PM
Opened 1 December 1985
Beachcomber Resorts & Hotels — Mauritian family-owned
La Goelette restaurant (1985 original)
Le Bar Plage all-day beach-front
Natureaty (spa-oriented dining)
La Brezza Italian
Clarins Spa with 25m indoor pool
4-to-1 staff-to-guest ratio
Suite-only inventory — no standard rooms
From $1,200/night. Royal Penthouse books eight months ahead. La Goelette reservations recommended at booking.
Book This Hotel →A 162-room One&Only on a private peninsula in Belle Mare with Vineet Bhatia.
A 136-villa Four Seasons on a private peninsula in Beau Champ.
An 89-villa Constance Hotels-managed boutique in Belle Mare.