A villa is a villa, right? Oh but you’d love the individually presented ones at Anahita. Varying in size, some are privately owned rentals and provide a home from home feel, as individual as you and I. But that’s not all, there are also 254 junior and 70 prestigious suites. So whether your time at Anahita is for yourself, you and your partner or the extended family, there will be accommodation to make your stay as special.
We stayed in a junior suite overlooking the pool area, nicely obscured for privacy by a tree or two. One of two pools we found, so slightly off the beaten track and therefore somewhat quieter as bathers loll about in the Mauritius heat enjoying their holidays. The junior suite had a small kitchenette, sitting room, separate bedroom and ensuite - everything you might need for a short or even an extended stay.
Modern in its straight line appearance and decorated in whites and neutral colours made for a relaxing stay, and importantly a cool relaxing place to get away from the intensity of the sunshine, when needed. There was an efficient buggy transfer service from your room to the main area where restaurants, bars and shops were located
Being met with a basket of fresh fruit was welcome too. We noticed there were fewer 3 pin plugs for UK users in the room, but plenty of European style plug sockets - so you might want to consider an adaptor?
The golf
18 holes of Ernie Els design will more than satisfy your golfing needs. The on-site 18 hole golf course - long in play but weirdly not so in length - or maybe that was how we played it! It teases you around the beautiful bay beyond which you can see Ile Aux Cerfs. We started our game as individual stableford, but after 5 holes decided to switch to foursomes. A nice little format when you’re trying to capture the essence of the course and one that gave us the chance to enjoy our golf a bit more too.
Needless to say, I did put Steve in number of bunkers so we can talk with conviction when we say the bunkers were nice and gritty - none
of the ones I put him in were particularly deep, so I’m not too sure what all his complaining was about - and he got the ball out easily each time - so foursomes worked a treat - for me!
A nice big easy start as the course takes you away from the clubhouse inland until thrusting you onto hole 4, a Par 5 377/517 meter hole that tantalises as each shot gets closer to the green before easing you seaward and back into the tropical ocean blue scenes Mauritius is best known for.
The course had undergone its maintenance and therefore the cut and scarified grass was left to dry and go brown just off the fairway, sadly this did give it a shabby appearance, but digging beyond that temporary facade, it was it really good condition. Tining, aerating and cutting of the grass is just one of those things - which every golfer would rather see than not.
The par 3 hole 5 kept the ocean in view with its palm trees swaying offsetting the greens, blues and off white of the sand. A good hole to take a 360 on, with mountain views and ocean views you are a little spoilt for choice.
Hole nine was in interesting nugget of a golf hole, with its snaking man-made water trench dissecting the fairway as it wiggled along almost the length of this par 4. At some stage it comes into play. But you can chose when that might be by going either left, right or straight off the tee. Naturally I put Steve in the dry ditch - not a nice reward for a good drive, short right of the green. He only needed to flip it over to a green, a green like most of the others which didn’t hold the ball, no matter how shallow or steep the shot on was.
Two loops of nine with a welcome half way drinks station splits up the course nicely.
Hole 14 was another one of interest. As playing in the Cotswolds, there was a wall running almost the length of the bottom part of the fairway. It could come into play and again a hole that gave you choices, depending on your ability. This par 4, SI8 319/419 meter hole is one to think about. I was slightly distracted by a dog mum and her puppies as I cooed at their fluffy cuteness instead of focussing on the game.
Dogs aplenty on hole 15 too, as we ‘inherited’ a couple of pooches who clearly knew there would be goodies in the buggies as they chased us in a non threatening way along the fairway. We decided not to feed them, so they soon left us alone.
The par 3 hole 17 86/144 metres and the photo opportunity all instagramer’s would love. Huge Hollywood style letters to stand by as you snap away at yourself posing in front of this wonderful backdrop.
Closing on 18, like many with a wide fairway this had a sight dog leg right as it neared the clubhouse and skipped along the waters edge as a nice gentle par 5 closing hole.
You could dine in the clubhouse as it overlooks the 18th, as we did for lunch. But for dinner we were treated to a fish buffet in the Origine restaurant, Being a buffet, of course there was something for everyone. Rainbow displays, of pretty much everything to get you salivating. Origine is the same restaurant we dined in for breakfast, with its cool ocean side tables. Topical discussions with other diners over our individually made pancakes which can only be described as art on a plate
Anahita is in a lovely location on the East side of Mauritius, a place for all, a place for seclusion or a place to party.
|
|
Sarah |
Steve |
Average/given score |
|
Welcome/Friendliness |
4.5 |
4.5 |
4.5 |
|
Course condition |
4 |
4 |
4 |
|
Course design/layout |
4 |
4 |
4 |
|
Enjoyment/fun |
4 |
4 |
4 |
|
Overall |
4 |
4 |
4 |
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This You Tube video and the related social media information has been produced as our honest and unbiased opinion on the day. Golf Guru Group trading as Travel Lifestyle Golf (TLG) did not receive payment for this review, but were hosted to some degree by the venue. TLG can take no responsibility should your experience differ to ours in any way.
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