Canonnier Beachcomber Golf Resort & Spa 4*

This charming and compact family-friendly four-star resort, featuring historic monuments from the French colonial era scattered throughout the grounds, is situated on a peaceful and private residential peninsula in the sunny north. The hilltop restaurant offers stunning views of the Northern Islands, and there’s also a treehouse spa.

Location

The hotel is accessed via an avenue lined with Royal Palm trees and is located at the tip of an exclusive residential peninsula overlooking Grand Baie. Golden sandy beaches surround the hotel on three sides, with views of Coin de Mire from the eastern beach. It’s just a 10-minute walk to the white sandy swimming beaches of Mont Choisy, and a 10-minute drive or easy bike ride to Grand Baie. Nearby are popular northern attractions such as L’Aventure du Sucre, the Pamplemousses Botanic Gardens, and Château de Labourdonnais.

Style and Character

This hotel, converted from a colonial-style family home, is considered one of the most historic on the island, offering history tours for guests on Tuesdays and Fridays. Heritage monuments from the French colonial era, including a captivating ancient basalt fortress repurposed as a lighthouse, are scattered across seven hectares (17 acres) of grounds adorned with wild petunias, date palms, and frangipani. During the pandemic, a family of ducks settled here, and now around 20 of them can be seen paddling in the pond.

The layout is compact, featuring soaring cathedral ceilings under thatch, and is simple yet charming. A palm-lined path winds from the main area, set back from the beach, past lagoon-like pools, leading to the Le Navigator restaurant at the tip of the peninsula. The peaceful and secluded coves, though somewhat rocky, offer sun loungers on sand-covered rock ledges beside the sea on the west side, with small swimming spots where oyster catchers roam along the shore. A coral reef near the shore also provides excellent opportunities for snorkeling.

Service and Facilities

This is a bustling resort known for its efficient service. Like other Beachcomber hotels, many staff members have been with the resort for years, with some even from the very beginning. The boathouse, located right by the water, offers a wide range of complimentary watersports in the protected lagoon, from glass-bottom boat tours with fantastic snorkeling (be sure to book in advance) to kayaking, paddleboarding, sailing, and even a complimentary dive at the PADI Green Star dive center.

Archery is available twice daily (except Sundays), and Cannonier is the only four-star resort in the north offering preferential rates at the nearby Mont Choisy golf course, just one kilometer away. A replica nine-hole mini golf course, also designed by Peter Matkovich, is located near the east beach. The resort’s treehouse spa, nestled in the branches of a century-old banyan tree, provides personalized treatments in six rustic thatched cabins surrounded by ravenala-lined walls.

Rooms

The 283 modern rooms, suites, and apartments, each featuring terraces or balconies with views of the sea, garden, or pool, are thoughtfully designed and elegantly illuminated. They are decorated in warm, calming neutral tones, using locally crafted natural linen, rattan, wood, and raffia, and adorned with large pen-and-ink drawings by Mauritian artist Florent Beusse.

Although the hotel is a favorite among couples, the standard rooms are somewhat small, so upgrading to a superior room for a bit more space might be worth it. Two suites are specially designed with romance in mind for couples. Families often seek out the 20 garden-facing family apartments (some with partial sea views), which feature two en-suite bedrooms.

Food and Drink

Canonnier offers a selection of three restaurants. Breakfast at the main buffet restaurant, Le Frangipanier, features crepes with Madagascan eucalyptus honey, freshly made omelets, and traditional Mauritian dishes, all served on a terrace with thatched pavilions beneath the palm trees. For an intimate Italian dinner, guests can enjoy La Serenata.

Le Planteur Bar, located by the pool, is perfect for grabbing a sandwich and offers nightly live bands and shows in the amphitheater. Guests can also order picnic lunches to go or dine à la carte (available on all-inclusive packages) at the atmospheric Le Navigator, situated between the cannons and overlooking the Northern Islands. This spot is a favorite for gathering at sunset with complimentary mocktails and later for dancing under the stars.

Access for Guests with Disabilities?

A lift and three adapted superior rooms (one with a sea view) in the west wing are available for guests with reduced mobility, along with ramps in public areas to ensure accessibility.

Family-Friendly?

The kids' club (for children aged three to 11) is set in safari-style tents in a sandy garden, while the teens' club is located in the lighthouse. There’s also a baby care room for infants, and babysitting services are available. All rooms, except the suites, can accommodate one child. For families of five, options include sea-facing family duplexes with a mezzanine (suitable for children six and older) or garden-facing two-bedroom en-suite family apartments, which are twice the size. The ground-floor apartments open onto a lawn, providing a safe space for toddlers to play.