DESTINATIONS SUSTAINABLE TRAVEL |MAURITIUS
TRIED
& TESTED
salt of palmar
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Salt of Palmar; painter Dani with Clare Vooght; the hotel’s restaurant; fruit farmer Bibi PICTURES: Salt of Palmar; Matt Radbourne
PUTTING PEOPLE FIRST Salt of Palmar is a sustainable hotel in every respect (see Tried & Tested box). But what sets it apart from many other eco properties is its focus on the human side of sustainability: connecting guests with the local people and culture to ensure that everyone benefits. Guests can spend the day exploring Mauritius with a local, or enjoy local culture in a more relaxed way: perhaps under chic black-and-white striped umbrellas by the pool, with a cocktail inspired by a certain part of the island. And while locally sourced
produce is a given in many eco hotels, Salt adds a human touch by telling guests the names of the people behind what they’re eating. You’ll find organic vanilla grown in St Julien, by Selva, in the Sh! Lights Out cocktail; the fruit at breakfast is grown by Bibi and Asok on a family plantation near Mahebourg; and
48 21 JULY 2022 We have
Muslims, Christians and Hindus living here with no problems – we all get along
Kishor heads out at dawn from just north of the resort to catch the fish the chef serves daily.
Guests can also see where things come from: they can tour Selva’s plantation to learn about organic methods and how they’re experimenting with aquaculture; or take a fishing trip with Kishor before cooking their catch at the hotel.
FITNESS IN THE FOREST I opt for a forest hike with Mauritian-born personal trainer Tony, who leads me on a march
through Bras D’Eau National Park, pointing out the wildlife and the ruins of a sugar mill along the way. We stop by a peaceful lake for a stretching and meditation session – soundtracked by birdsong – watching the fish beneath the surface, before a hearty picnic of sandwiches, home-made pastries and kombucha made by Salt’s in-house fermentation chef. Another highlight is a
ToursByLocals city tour with Samad, who takes me on a fascinating walk around laidback Port Louis, Mauritius’s multicultural capital. We take in St Louis Cathedral, the country’s oldest church, Jummah Mosque, the country’s oldest mosque, Chinatown, and Central Market, where we chow down on Indian roti. “We have Muslims, Christians and Hindus living here with no problems – we all get along,” says Samad, something we hear ²
Salt of Palmar is possibly the hippest hotel imaginable. The 59-room adult-only sustainable Lux Collective property is finished with a coral, yellow, lilac, cobalt colour block and black-and-white striped design throughout. The ethos is about experiences and encouraging human connection, and guests are invited to meditate when they check in and out. So far, so millennial. But beyond the stylish design, there’s much substance. All the food is locally sourced and organic; energy- hungry minibars are available only on request; kitchen waste is composted and used to grow more; there’s no wasteful buffet option and no single-use plastics; and toiletries are packaged in biodegradable paper. But this does not come at the expense of comfort. Salt is still a five-star property, but not of the lavish kind. The luxury here is the focus on the experiences, with service that is friendly, not stuffy: instead of butlers, guests can ask their personal concierge, or ‘Salt friend’, to organise a candlelit dinner on the beach. If this is the future of luxury in a world where we’re more conscious of what we’re consuming, then bring on the sustainable hotel revolution.
travelweekly.co.uk
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60
