Veranda Paul & Virginie Mauritius

This property has always been a firm favourite with honeymooners and couples looking for a romantic island break. The Veranda Paul & Virginie is located on a picturesque little cove on the quiet north-eastern tip of the island and is filled with loads of romantic little touches. A pretty hotel under thatch on a private lagoon in the fishing village of Grand Gaube. This is a quiet stretch of coast where fishermen still take to the water in traditional wooden pirogues, which guests can hire to travel to nearby Ile aux Bernaches. It's within easy access of plentiful beaches around Grand Baie, 20 minutes' drive away, as well as island excursions and nightlife, with a free daily shuttle which also operates on Friday and Saturday nights.

The style of the hotel has a colonial feel to it, with cane rattan furniture and thatched roofs with exposed wooden beams the order of the day. The Paul & Virginie has just 81 bedrooms nestled in the lush tropical gardens that open onto the panoramic view of the magnificent lagoon and the northern islands beyond – these rooms are divided into 3 categories with 12 Comforts (32 m²), 57 Superiors (38 m²) and 12 Privileges (42 m²) - the Privileges also offer a bath and shower whilst the others only have a shower. Whilst the rooms are clean and solid enough, it’s probably also true to say that they are starting to show their age (the hotel was built in 2000 after all) and could do with a modernising update to bring the décor more in line with fresh contemporary design trends.

The Paul & Virginie offers 2 restaurants – the main restaurant Isle De France offering an innovative Mauritian dining experience under thatch or if you prefer something a little more relaxed and romantic why not try La Trinquette, a lovely and intimate little seafood restaurant with its stunning location out on a sand floored pier surrounded by the waters of the cove. Of course no hotel would be complete without a bar and Le St Geran (named after the famous shipwreck as opposed to the famous hotel!) is the perfect place to relax with a cocktail in hand whilst you chat with your better half or fellow guests.

A new beachfront infinity pool overlooks the northern islands, and the Seven Colours spa, decorated with hand-painted mandalas, offers morning yoga, a couples' massage class and a massage on a floating platform in the bay.

Veranda Resorts’ Deep Into Mauritius programme includes cooking lessons at a village home, tandem bike tours of the markets and temples in Goodlands and picking your own oysters with a local fisherman (June to September). A catamaran takes guests to tiny Ile aux Bernaches inside the lagoon for snorkelling and a BBQ lunch on board.