As everybody knows, first impressions count – especially on a much-anticipated holiday. For newly arrived guests, hotel lobbies and gardens offer a first magical glimpse of what to expect from their chosen resort, setting the standard for service, ambience, décor and design. In fact, these spaces have become so important in recent years that their role has changed beyond recognition: from sparse front desk and transitory ‘waiting area’ to a multi-functional social hubs for lounging, working, drinking, meeting friends and gathering information. Now, rather than being functional spaces to quickly pass through, hotel lobbies and gardens are places to linger at length.

Innovative design

Like so much in the world of hotel design, much of this trend has been fuelled by the mobile revolution, with guests expecting seamless connectivity throughout their stay, regardless of where they choose to convene. With increasing numbers of properties checking guests in via mobile technology, these spaces have become more comfortable and welcoming, with casual, informal seating areas balanced against wow-factor architectural details like floor to ceiling windows, living walls, statement lighting or water features. The resulting mix of home away from home comfort and showstopping glamour means guests are just as likely to chill out and surf the web here as they are in their rooms. 

Photo: Heritage Le Telfair garden 

Fluid transition

In the tropical climate of Mauritius, the line between lobby and garden is often blurred, with many of these public spaces an elegant blending of both. Open-air lobbies with high vaulted ceilings keep temperatures cool and allow air to circulate, while the indoor-outdoor approach to landscaping and planting allows the island’s native flora to take centre stage. Here’s a few of our favourite hotel lobbies and gardens on the island…

Photo: Four Seasons Mauritius at Anahita

Four Seasons Resort Mauritius at Anahita

With 64 acres of tropical gardens Four Seasons Resort Mauritius at Anahita is an exotic retreat that guests can explore on complimentary bicycles, including children’s bikes and adult bikes with baby seats. From the richly coloured wooden lobby, visitors are welcomed by sweeping views across the Indian Ocean lagoon to the 11-acre private island beyond, which houses the hotel’s ocean villas, beach villas and presidential suite.

Beachcomber Trou aux Biches Resort and Spa

The grand thatched lobby of Trou aux Biches – whose bold triangular entrance offers tantalising views of the sea – is a prelude to the hotel’s tremendous tropical gardens which were completely renovated in 2009. Every care was taken to preserve the large trees and wetlands on the site, and give priority to endemic and native flora. Guests can enjoy not just the plants, but more ephemeral experiences too: the cooing of doves, the humming of bees, or the fragrant scents of tropical flowers like frangipani and ylang-ylang.

Heritage Le Telfair

The elegant and refined lobby of Heritage Le Telfair, decorated with fine white woodwork, is inspired by Mauritian colonial architecture and the style of that period. It opens out onto a magnificent tropical garden through which the Citronniers River flows, and immerses guests in a very special atmosphere which embodies the charm and romanticism of yesteryear.

Westin Turtle Bay Resort & Spa

Surrounded by sugarcane fields and mountains to the rear, and a white sandy beach at the front, the Westin Turtle Bay Resort & Spa has a typically Mauritian feel. Upon entering the lobby, guests are introduced to the serenity they will experience throughout their stay, with botanical elements such as mosses, stones and succulents paired with a signature white tea scent and custom music. The effect is subtle, yet immediate.

For more on the tropical building style, read our feature on Mauritian architecture.