One&Only Le Saint Géran
"Set the scene: what's the place like?The hotel that spawned not only a global brand but an entire genre. This immaculately maintained, gravity-defying island classic is now more than 40 years old—yet it remains the very model of a smart, slick beach hotel. It's a sunny dazzle of ocean, white sand, whitewashed villas, swaying palms, and thatched beach umbrellas that look, from a certain distance, uncannily like acacia trees or furry drawing-pins. What’s the story here?South African tycoon Sol Kerzner—small of stature but possessed of gargantuan ambition—turned a remote bolthole on an empty peninsula into one of the most beloved of Indian Ocean hotels. From the get-go, the good times rolled, the stardust fell like a meteor shower (everyone from Nelson Mandela to Catherine Deneuve, Charlize Theron, and the Gipsy Kings). Over the years the One&Only brand, no longer owned by Kerzner, grew to become something more than the sum of its parts, yet Le Saint Géran remains essential to its identity. We're intrigued. Tell us about the bedrooms.There was much concern among regulars about the recent renovation. But the sharp intake of breath was followed by a collective sigh of relief when it reopened at the end of 2017, and it was clear everything was quite all right. There are slightly fewer rooms now than there were before (a good thing); much paler and brighter than they used to be (also a good thing), but not in any sense bolder (a good thing, too). How about the food and drink?Another cause for concern during the renovation period was the restyling of the various eating and drinking joints. True, there were various losses (such as the disappearance of Alain Ducasse’s beloved Spoon), but these were offset by various gains: notably the marvelous open-air La Pointe and Spanish-Asian overwater fusion joint Tapasake. Relief! Does anything stand out about the service?Service simply cannot be faulted in terms of friendliness and sweetness, though efficiency is perhaps another matter. But, you know what, you are here on holiday, or meant to be, so relax. If your gin and tonic takes half an hour to reach you at your sun lounger, so be it. Drink in the fresh air and good vibes while you wait. As you enter the lobby, who else is there?An overwhelming majority of guests are repeat guests and would readily identify themselves as members of the Tribe of Le Saint Géran. As the general manager, Charles de Foucault, puts it, "They don’t actually have the name of the hotel tattooed on their arms, but in some cases they’re pretty close to doing so." What’s the neighborhood scene like?When it opened in 1975, it was the only hotel on the island. Today, Mauritius has one of the greatest concentrations of five-stars of any island in the Indian Ocean. Perhaps in the world. And yet Le Saint Géran carries on much as it always has done, and nobody would say that it has been outstripped by the competition. Noted. Anything you’d change?My drinks order. Scratch that gin and tonic. If I’m going to have to wait, I’ll have something pink and frothy with a chunk of pineapple and an umbrella in it. Bottom line: Worth it—and why?A visit to Le Saint Géran is a bit like a visit to the Empire State Building. It's no longer the highest or the fanciest or the glossiest of its kind, but it's still entirely itself and still perfectly capable of taking your breath away." - Steve King
