This was my first visit to the Indian Ocean and what a marvellous experience it was. From the moment we stepped off the plane, we were greeted with broad white welcoming smiles and that the feeling that the pace of life was considerably slower than at home. Time to relax.

We travelled on the left-hand side on surprisingly good roads and looked out of the windows onto endless fields of sugar cane swaying in the breeze. Our wonderful guide Orielle and driver Pravin chattered to each other in Creole, the local French dialect and then seamlessly changed into perfect English to speak to us. The Mauritians all learn English in school and many speak other languages too.

I visited many hotels while in Mauritius and I would be delighted to stay in any of them. Some were clearly family friendly and others, although equipped with children's facilities, were more suited to adults.
What was so nice was the attention to detail everywhere you went; the snowy white towels in the rooms, the little gifts left on the pillows when your bed was turned down in the evening, and the food, oh the food! The best fish and fillet steak I ever ate in my life.

I stayed in the Meridien and the brand new Grand Mauritian . Fabulous bedrooms and bathrooms, public areas and great hospitality.

The sea was crystal clear, the golden beaches, some small and private, some long and gently shelving into the sea.

You can be as lazy or energetic as you want in Mauritius. Hi-tech gym equipment and professional quality tennis courts, lovely swimming pools with waiter service at the click of a finger (my preference). And although it should be totally forbidden in my opinion, you can keep in touch with the outside world either by using the public computers or in some hotels you can be connected in your room to your laptop.
If you are a keen golfer, the 18 hole golf course at the Heritage is hard to beat.

You can't leave Mauritius without having a massage or a spa treatment. Most 4 and 5* hotels offer either a spa or 'wellness' area. Treat yourself. They really know what they are doing and the therapists usually come from Mauritius and Bali.

We explored Port Louis which is a thriving town in the north west of the island, a great place to spend the day looking for gifts in the shops or market, or just enjoying the busy local atmosphere. We also went to Eureka, a beautiful old mansion house dating back to the 1800's set in lovely gardens. You must have the traditional meal there as it is absolutely delicious.

The countryside in the east and south of the island blew me away, just like the photos in all of the brochures, so green with the blue ocean in the distance and golden beaches tucked into the bays.

I hope my next visit is not too far away.