During my visit to Mauritius, I met a lot of interesting people. Some who made me think about what it means to be Mauritian like Laurent, some who surprised me with their wisdom, like the driver & guide who spoke about the freedom of choice or the woman at the shopping mall who told me she couldn’t believe I wasn’t Mauritian, and then we got chatting (& laughing)! Each and every person I met, whether staff, managers, or strangers on the road, was courteous, friendly and unbelievably warm. But one person stands out, for me. I was booked for a massage at the Awali spa.

It was a neck and back massage, the kind we were getting at every hotel we stayed at during this trip to Mauritius. Usually, I don’t talk much with my therapist as I like to sleep off or day-dream during the therapy, and after, I am in my own world. But with Isha, I was curious.

Isha works as a spa therapist. She didn’t start with that as her job but in guest relations. As the years went by, she didn’t feel it was right for her. Fortunately the hotel group was willing to accommodate a role shift and she decided to try out the spa. She was trained to be a masseuse. And she found herself liking her new vocation, so much so, that it has now been seven years and she is still happy and eager to help. She has worked at another spa too prior to the Awali Spa. I had three treatments (massages) in Mauritius, but this one was the best. For starters, she ensured was very observant and immediately notice certain stiffness in my neck and issues that I have had for sometime now. With every other therapist during this trip and even those in India, I need to point out the area, and even then, most often they do not do a very good job. She zeroed in by herself, and then went on to to give me one of the best massages ever. And when I was done, she advised me a little and even told me I should go for more sessions to loosen it up. It wasn’t a ploy, as when I told her I was getting another massage at the next hotel we were staying at, she mentioned that they have a good spa and told me to ask the therapist to concentrate on this area.

I actually went away thinking that if she was in Mumbai, I would be headed to her every weekend, and yes, I would be bankrupt really soon. Every time I read or hear about how massages help sort out niggling issues in the body, I always wonder since it has never really helped me. Now, I won’t doubt it anymore. Isha also inspired me with her story, her courage to change the career she had chosen, and take a plunge to see if her heart was right. It has worked out for her, and in return, because her heart is in her job, it has worked out for you and me. 

This was the most atmospheric of the three spas I visited at Mauritius, and the good part, it didn’t stop at just being the good-looking one. A spa is only as useful as its therapists. Another person from our group also liked the treatment here, so this might actually be a good bet if you are shelling out that much per treatment. With tiny huts dotting the large space, and overflowing with green, this spa was a cocoon of warmth and caring and one that greets you at the moment you enter. It is in the Awali Golf and Spa Resort which is a part of the Bel Ombre group of properties. At the Awali Spa, before your treatment, you need to choose the colour that appeals to you. I chose green and so my treatment – oil used, music that played etc – was linked on that colour. An innovative way to keep the experience fresh every time you go back… Next time I’ll choose blue!

the huts that house the therapy rooms.

the pleasant burden of green.

the place to relax once the spa is done and sip on herbal tea.

natural materials that make up the entire place.