The growth of the ‘sharing economy’ has long since passed beyond the borders of big international cities, and popular holiday destinations like Mauritius are getting in on the act.

For many years, the island has been home to some of the world’s most covetable luxury hotels, spa resorts and butler-serviced villas, but what’s less well known is that there’s a wealth of alternative accommodation options too. With the increasing popularity of self-managed rental sites like Airbnb, HouseTrip and the HomeAway group of companies, the self-catering and home-stay sectors have exploded in recent years, and are especially popular with independent travellers whose priorities range from practicality and value for money to authenticity, quirkiness and sustainability.

Something a bit different

Holidaymakers looking for something a little bit different will find some notably good options with Airbnb. For example, those who wish to experience another side of Mauritius can search the listings and discover a rustic, back-to-nature treehouse lodge in Belle Mare, a genuine wooden Creole house in Albion, or an eco-friendly ‘earth house’ in Pereybere.

For extended families or larger groups of friends, HomeAway – which incorporates multiple well known rental brands like Owners Direct, VRBO and VacationRentals.com – is another good bet, with a particularly extensive selection of flexible, multi-bedroomed properties in good locations. Choose from a sugar cane thatched-roof beach villa in Pereybere, a large house situated on the Ilot Fortier peninsula between Black River and La Gaulette, or an architect-designed villa set in beautiful flower-strewn gardens on the south coast – all of which have at least five bedrooms and sleep a minimum of 9 people.

DIY holidays

With Airbnb recently announcing that more than one million guests have now used the service from the UK alone, it seems there’s no stopping the rise of the do-it-yourself holiday among more independent-minded travellers. This ever-growing demand offers some evidence of the revolution taking place in how we plan our travels, and it only looks set to continue into the future.

Planning some independent travel in Mauritius? Book your flight with Air Mauritius today, and don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Twitter for all the latest news.

Photos: Airbnb