Mauritius

• Go in the summer silly! - Indian Ocean
• Lovers in Luxury - Maldives
• Feet first into the Maldives - Maldives
• No news, No shoes - Maldives
• My wedding pact with David Walliams - Maldives
• Push the boat out - Seychelles
• Relaxation Addict - Seychelles
• Mauritius the Delicious - Mauritius
• Mr Perma-Tan in Paradise - Mauritius
• Never seen you looking so lovely - Mauritius
• Island Iffy No Longer - Sri Lanka
• Having a swell time! - Seychelles
• Perfect, even for the world’s pickiest guest! - Maldives
• Do not disturb - Mauritius

WHEN I WAS ASKED TO WRITE a travel article I thought, blimey, Dickie, this is too good to be true.

Dave Dickinson, the duke, getting sent on holiday and topping up the tan at the same time - absolutely marvellous.

I had just finished making 140 Bargain Hunts back-to-back and was after total relaxation plus pampering. And the world was my oyster. The only question: Which bit of it?

Some years ago, working on the Holiday Show for the BBC, I visited lots of exciting destinations, but one place stuck in my mind - Mauritius, the fabulous jewel of the Indian Ocean.

Although I was there only a short time, I was very impressed by the sandy beaches, the wonderful sunsets, the warm friendly people and I thought: “One day I’ll come back here and bring Her Indoors, the duchess”.

Magical Island

I decided to compare two very different hotels on this magical island: where would I want to lay out my towel?

We left London on the 8pm Air Mauritius flight. After dinner and champagne in Club Class we got our heads down and slept soundly.

Mauritius is four hours ahead, so we arrived at 1pm to be met by a smiling driver.

Our first hotel, the Oberoi, is 50 minutes from the airport on the west coast, a short distance from the capital St.Louis. As we arrived and saw the thatched roofs amid 20 acres of tropical gardens along a fabulous beach, I thought: “Yes! This is going to be a real bobby-dazzler.”

As we drew up, boys came running from everywhere to collect our luggage. We were ushered to one of the open-air thatched reception huts and offered cold exotic drinks and cold towels to soothe our brows. The hotel’s motto is: “This is where heaven meets earth” and it seemed to be living up to it.

To the sound of bird-song and the sea, a little buggy took us beneath regal palms, past the heady fragrance of frangipani and scarlet flame trees to our villa. Like the others it was private and surrounded by its own gardens. Inside, the main impression was of spacious, air-conditioned luxury.

Some villas had private swimming pools, others no pools but more extensive walled gardens. Since there was the sea - safe from sharks thanks to the world’s largest unbroken coral reef surrounding the island - and also a very romantic and natural pool right on the beach, a private pool wasn’t a necessity.

Inside the ochre-walled villa, the main lounge-cum-bedroom had cool marble floors and pastel painted walls, a king-sized four-poster bed and comfortable rattan furniture, with pastel chintzes.

My wife Lorne spotted the massive walk-in wardrobe. She does like to bring along about 26 dresses to wear during six days.

The marble-lined bathroom, with its motif of mother-of-pearl and black shell, was stunning. There was a sunken bath big enough to throw a decadent party. The glass-lined shower opened to a small, walled garden.

Not long after 2pm we had unpacked and were out on the 600 yards of private beach, strolling along golden sand and gazing at the intense turquoise sea. The hotel’s gardens, with the most wonderful flowers and foliage and a backdrop of dark, mysterious volcanic mountains, added to the feeling of a fusion of the East with Africa.

Everywhere, figures carved in volcanic stone with Buddha-like faces gave the feel of Bali. Small winding paths - lit at night with fairy tale lanterns - lured you to explore, to breathe in deeply the musky scent.

I wasn’t looking for an activity holiday, although Mauritius can accommodate anyone wanting one.

Exotic fragrance

However, I did have one new experience - a full body massage. I went along with Lorne for a couple’s session and from the many treatments on offer, eventually opted for the Oberoi massage, involving being covered with some type of blended oil with an exotic fragrance.

I was shown around other accommodation by general manager Wilhelm Luxem. It consists of luxury villas, larger than the regular pavilions, plus two royal villas.

The latter are sumptuously fit for a king - or a duke, if he could run to something like £2,500 a day. All I’m going to say about them is that if you have it and want to spend it, then spend it here.

Described as a mixture of Creole, Oriental and European cuisine, the food is delicious. The first evening we enjoyed huge grilled jumbo prawns. The following night we had fresh locally caught fish, then crème-de la crème – tandoori lobster.

Three days later, when the car picked us up to go to the six star colonial-style Saint Geran, my feeling was that the Oberoi would be a hard act to follow. The Saint Geran was on the east coast, an hour’s drive through the spectacular scenery. Then that Yes! factor kicked in again as soon as we drove along the hotel’s own 60-acre peninsular and saw acre after acre of pristine golf courses, bordered on two sides by the sparkling sea. The hotel was hidden among palm trees, the roof sympathetically tiled in turquoise.

It was immediately apparent we were in the lobby of one of the great hotels of the world. Everything was style and attention to detail.

Vaulted ceilings, tiled mosaic floors, terracotta pots overflowing with exotic plants. Well-dressed guests swanned about.

We walked over a bridge and along an open gallery with the sea to one side and, on the other side, flowing through the heart of the hotel, a stream overhung with orchids with waterfalls and pools full of Koi carp and exotic birds.

Within moments a butler materialised to help us unpack in our Junior suite, one of 148 in two-storey wings. There were also 14 Ocean suites.

The bathroom was sensational with a sunken tub and a shower large enough for an entire season of Bargain Hunt contestants. Right outside were swaying palms and the ocean.

Junior suites cost about £450 a day; the ocean suites about £1,000 while the majestic villa runs up to about £6,000 a day according to the season, with Christmas being high season.

The villa is in its own grounds, with a private beach, its own pool, staff and chef.

Style and elegance

The Oberoi has romance and panache; the Saint Geran has style, elegance and a remarkably well-trained staff. Within hours, they knew the name of every guest as if it had been tattooed on your forehead while you’d been sleeping.

Again, I had to do something for the first time - a facial in the Givenchy spa. Having a wet clay mask applied to my face was an intriguing experience. I walked out looking ten years younger.

There is a Michelin star gourmet restaurant, The Spoons, inspired by Alain Ducasse, but sadly my brief didn’t run to that kind of expense.

The first night we ate in the Paul et Virginie restaurant - named after two runaway lovers who, according to legend, drowned in a shipwreck. It is set on an open deck overlooking a lagoon, a magical place when the moon and stars are out.

Our giant prawns were excellent - grilled and garnished with a vanilla bean sauce and accompanied by a chilled Chablis.

We also dined in the Terrace restaurant which is amusingly laid out on concrete lily pads in and around the swimming pool - beautiful, with candlelight reflected in the water.

Over the years Lorne and I have stayed in some of the best five-star hotels. The Oberoi and the Saint Geran compared with the best. The Oberoi edged it on value for money; while the Saint Geran’s staff are its polished diamonds. So I’m going to leave half a towel at the Oberoi and half a towel at the Saint Geran-and leave you to decide where you would choose to go.