"I'm sorry, WHAT kind of bathroom is this?" ... LOL!
Hey Royal Fam! .. Angela checking in with another global adventure, this time? From the beautiful island nation of Mauritius! Located in the middle of the Indian Ocean, this East African nation hosts one of the most unique travel accommodations I've every stayed in ... An actual bubble!
After scrolling my Instagram feed a few months ago, I came across a dream of a location, "Bubble Lodge, Bois Cheri." In short? Think "glamping" … On steroids! Let’s talk details.
The Bubble
For the nightly price of your typical hotel stay, you'll have access to one of three private bubbles on the property. While booking on Expedia, I had the extreme fortune of securing a family sized bubble for the price of a single. Now, although I certainly didn't need the room? The additional space was absolutely wonderful.
I spent the next three days, secluded in my bubble which came fully stocked with comfortable, yet rustic themed furniture and a functioning bathroom with an indoor sink and dry toilet for convenience. For a sneak peek into my own private bubble, check out my video tour below!
The property
While the majority of my stay was spent reflecting and writing in the bubble, the rest of my short time was spent exploring the remainder of the equally peaceful property. Everyday meant discovering new live animals (geese, ducks, deer, frogs, lizards and more) roaming about ... Swimming in the nearby lake .. Or taking reflective walks in the tea fields. The property as a whole is not terribly large, but it allows for just the right amount of seclusion, while giving you access to the local community just a 10 minute bike ride away.
As part of my booking, both breakfast and dinner were included (half board) and the meals were hearty to say the least! Each morning, I was met with a robust farmers breakfast and each night, dinner included a three course meal. Lunch, while an out of pocket expense if you chose to purchase was absolutely delicious. You could even choose from a huge lobster lunch with cocktails (I enjoyed this meal, plus three mixed drinks for $50 USD) if you're feeling fancy.
All that said, after a bit of research, I discovered this location sits on a former tea farm plantation. I made this discovery just before arriving and as an Afro-Caribbean woman, I'd be lying if I said the thought of cancelling my didn’t crossed my mind. Ultimately, I decided to keep my plans and see the location for myself. I'm glad that I did.
Located about 10 minutes from the lodge is not only the modern factory where is tea still cultivated locally, but a museum documenting the history of both the property and island. In the end, what I appreciated was the open discussion of the grounds .. Owning it’s past rather than shrinking from it's history.
Traveling Tips
While staying at Bubble Lodge, the only drawback would be the "open hours" between 9am - 5pm. During the day, the property opens to the public and your peaceful little enclave welcomes handfuls of tourists looking to enjoy tours of the museum, followed by lunch on the lodge's open veranda. While exploring the property, curious tour seekers will inevitably stumble upon one of the three bubbles hidden within the property. While most are respectful and look from afar, humans are nosey creatures, so 1-2 may come for a closer look. I had a brief matter of fact conversation with one such tourist. Because, with an outdoor shower, having curious randoms bypass the clear signage indicating private for “a look” is annoying. But I'm also a nudist sooooo there's that, LOL! Thankfully, I was fully clothed when this happened.
If I were to do this trip again, and I definitely want to revisit Mauritius to see the rest of the island, I'd check a bag to allow for carrying mosquito spray (they are ravenous on the island) then visit the beachfront portion of the country. My loose itinerary would be to:
Visit the Mauritius Slave Monument in La Morone
Spend a few days exploring the white sand beaches on the other side of the island
Explore the various small towns dotted along the roadside (rather than just pass through)
Take one of the many mini buses from various hotels to Bubble Lodge for a short (1-2 night) stay, rather than make it my travel base
Still, no regrets as this was definitely a once in a lifetime "glamping" experience, especially for a primpy city girl like me, LOL. Overall, this was yet another amazing journey filled with moments of peace, enhanced by the unique history of the locale. I wouldn't have it any other way. PS: Don’t forget the bug spray!
Bonus
Discover your own dream bubble adventure!
Check out this post from CNN highlighting bubble hotels around the world.
