An island with an Attitude

Mauritius can offer a mix of culture and luxury, says Lizzie McAllister

- Lizzie McAllister

Pulling up to an unassuming family home in the beach town of Belle Mare, we were greeted by the ever motherly Conchita.

All smiles and dressed in a chef's hat and branded apron reading: "Dinner chez Con", we were each handed a glass of vanilla rum, infused at home and garnished with sugar cane.

Con and her family speak Mauritian Creole - a French-based language - and not a lot of English.

But with enough gesticulating, liquid courage and racking our brains to remember our school-level French, we were able to muddle through. The menu showcased the best local cuisine, much of it vegetarian, and all of which had a generous helping of curry leaves, an ingredient we learned was non-optional in Mauritian cooking.

Once plates were cleared - and after enough rum - the kitchen became a dance floor, with Con's son blasting chart toppers like Black Eyed Peas' I Gotta Feeling from his rather impressive sound system as we twirled around countertops and chairs.

Con is one of a handful of residents who volunteer to take part in "Dinner with a local", put on by Mauritian hotel group, Attitude. Hosts receive 100% of the money from guests' tickets and Con welcomes a new batch of tourists every week. She even keeps a photo album featuring beaming photos of every group.

This is just one of the initiatives Attitude has created to integrate itself into the wider community.

The company boasts nine all-inclusive luxury resorts - and this is where Attitude stands out from the crowd - it doesn't seek to cut itself off from its surroundings.

The company is "committed to responsible tourism through concrete actions," a pledge that recently earned it B Corp certification.