Zilwa Attitude is part of the Mauritian Attitude hotel group, known for properties that combine thoughtful design with their natural surroundings. When planning my trip, I knew I wanted to stay at one of their hotels. I was looking for unique, eco-friendly places that truly reflect the island. In this Zilwa Attitude review, I will share my personal experience at the hotel and what makes it stand out.
Of the seven Attitude hotels in Mauritius, three are 3-star and four are 4-star. Since I wanted more comfort and a beachfront location, I focused on the 4-star options. Sunrise Attitude was not on the beach. Ravenala Attitude’s style did not appeal to me, and Lagoon Attitude’s beach felt too small. Zilwa Attitude quickly became the obvious choice. The infinity-pool views over the Indian Ocean and Coin de Mire, the wide sandy beaches, and the lush grounds looked like paradise.
I arrived with high expectations. Many were met or even exceeded, but there were also a few disappointments. In this post, I will break down my experience at Zilwa Attitude to help you decide if it is the right hotel for your stay.
Location – 7.5/10
Zilwa Attitude is on the north coast, a bit over an hour from the airport. It is far from major attractions in the southwest. Because of the long driving times, we packed our sightseeing into one full day. We also skipped places on the east coast, like Blue Bay and Île aux Cerfs.
The northern location has its perks. The weather is calmer, there are many hotel options, and it is easy to reach the Northern Islands by catamaran. The boat trips offered fantastic snorkelling and clear waters.
Overall, the distance from key sights keeps the score at 7.5 out of 10. The pleasant conditions and excellent northern boat trips make up for it.
Beach – 7/10
The beach at Zilwa Attitude was one of our biggest let-downs. Although it looks stunning in photos, the water is extremely shallow, remaining mostly knee-deep even far from shore, which makes swimming impossible. At low tide, water sports such as paddleboarding are also limited. The sea has a beautiful colour, but the water is often murky with quite a bit of seaweed. There are also rocks on the seabed that you cannot see, so water shoes are essential, which the hotel provides for guests for free.
On the positive side, the beach itself is spacious with plenty of sunbeds, and the views of Coin de Mire island are gorgeous. We enjoyed relaxing there even if swimming was not an option.
Overall, I rated the beach 7 out of 10. The scenery and space were lovely, but the shallow, seaweed-filled water meant the swimming pools were a much better choice.
Pools – 9/10
I did not expect to use the pools much, but because the lagoon was so shallow they became a great alternative for swimming. The hotel has four pools: two near the reception and main bar, including an infinity-style pool, one family pool, and another by the beach close to the beach bar. All of them share a similar look with unique tiling, and the water was pleasantly warm.
Although the reception pools had the best views, we preferred the beachside pool for its convenient location near the beach bar, boat house, and beach restaurant. The variety was a real highlight, as each pool offered a slightly different atmosphere.
I rated the pools 9 out of 10 for their design, warm water, and choice of settings. They more than made up for the lack of swimming in the sea.
Dining – 9/10
Dining was one of the highlights of our stay at Zilwa Attitude. Breakfast was the only part that fell short, as the continental options were not especially high quality. Dinner, however, was excellent for a four star hotel, with four à la carte restaurants and a themed buffet offering Mauritian, Asian or Fisherman nights.
Lor Disab, the adults only beachside restaurant, became one of our favourites. The dorado fillet was so good that we chose to dine there twice. We also loved Tadka, the Indian restaurant, where every dish was full of flavour and served with freshly made roti and paratha. At Mano, the Thai restaurant, the outdoor seating area looked beautiful and very atmospheric, but unfortunately it was already full when we arrived. The food was still very good, especially the green curry. Kot Nou, the Mauritian restaurant, serves tapas style portions that allow you to try several dishes at once, and they offer homemade vanilla rum with dessert. It was not our top choice for flavour, but we still enjoyed the experience.
Lunch comes with several choices. During the day, Lor Disab operates as a buffet, which is convenient but did not impress us. Taba J, the food truck, offers daily specials such as tandoori chicken wraps and vegetable roti. Our favourite lunch option was Grand Zil, a barbecue served on the private island a short boat ride away. The food was delicious and the beachfront setting was wonderfully peaceful.
The à la carte restaurants and Grand Zil require advance reservations, and dinner times are limited to two seatings at 18:30 and 20:30. Emailing the hotel before your stay is the best way to secure your preferred restaurants.
I rated dining 9 out of 10 for the excellent dinner and lunch options, even though breakfast could be improved.
Bars & Beverages – 10/10
We really enjoyed this aspect of Zilwa Attitude. The hotel has two bars. The main bar is located by the reception and main pools, while the beach bar is next to the beach pool. The beach bar has a very relaxed atmosphere with plenty of seating, and the main bar is perfect for an evening drink.
The all-inclusive plan includes a wide variety of drinks, which kept us trying new options throughout our week. What makes the selection unique is the range of signature cocktails and mocktails, created from the annual Attitude hotel barman competitions. They were original and very tasty. The hotel also offers local teas served with spices and fruit. In the evenings, we always found a seat near the bar, which is not always easy at busy resorts.
I rated bars and beverages 10 out of 10 for the variety and quality of drinks, the pleasant settings, and the ease of finding seating.
Activities – 6/10
Although we usually take part in hotel activities during the day, we did not get very involved at Zilwa Attitude. I joined an aqua aerobics session one morning, which was fine, but it was not as energetic or engaging as similar classes I have experienced elsewhere. It felt a bit improvised, and few guests were participating. While the hotel offers many activities daily, which can be found in the hotel app, they were often held at the back of the property and easy to miss. Most activities we noticed did not attract many participants.
A unique experience we tried instead was a cooking class, part of the Otentik Experiences offered by the hotel. The class happens once a week, requires prior booking, and is included in the all-inclusive package. It takes place in the Mauritian restaurant, and after preparing a curry as a group, you get to enjoy it for lunch. It was a fun and different way to experience local cuisine.
I rated activities 6 out of 10. While there was plenty on offer, the sessions were easy to miss and overall participation and quality were limited.
Evening Entertainment – 7/10
Sadly, we missed most of the evening shows because we chose the second dinner seating at 8:30 pm, while the entertainment started at 9 pm. We did catch a bit of the magic show, and there was live music every evening by the main bar, which was enjoyable. The hotel does not have a separate stage, so all shows take place by the main bar.
While it was nice to have live music, it was a shame we could not watch more of the shows due to the late dinner timing. I rated evening entertainment 7 out of 10. It was pleasant to have, but not particularly impressive.
Rooms – 9/10
The rooms at Zilwa Attitude pleasantly surprised me. They were more spacious and nicer than I expected from the photos I saw online. The décor is minimalistic but fits the tropical setting, and the bed and shower were very comfortable. The toilet is the only fully separate area, while the rest of the bathroom is partially open to the room, separated by a wall with shutters. A nice bonus was the TV with Netflix and YouTube, which is rare even in many four and five star hotels.
Our superior room had a pleasant outdoor area with a chair, small sofa, and drying rack. One minor downside was that stray dogs sometimes took shelter on the terrace, which left the outdoor furniture dirty. They were not aggressive, but this might not appeal to some guests.
The minibar included water, which was not refilled by staff. We had to take bottles to the small shop near the main buffet to refill them instead. Tea, coffee, and milk were included, while other drinks and snacks were available for a fee. Given the distance of our room from the main building, this was slightly inconvenient but not a major issue.
I rated the rooms 9 out of 10 for the comfortable sleep, authentic décor, good shower, and thoughtful extras such as the smart TV and umbrella for rainy days.
Sports Facilities – 9/10
Zilwa Attitude offers plenty of options for staying active. The highlight is the non-motorised water sports, including kayaks, stand-up paddle boards, pedalos, windsurfing, and Hobie Cats for those with prior experience. The hotel also offers snorkelling trips to a nearby coral reef and glass-bottom boat tours, all included in the all-inclusive package. Equipment is plentiful, so no reservations are needed for most activities, apart from the boat trips. The main limitation is that water sports are only available a few hours each day, either in the morning or afternoon, which meant we missed out on some sessions.
The hotel also has a gym, tennis court, and beach volleyball court. The gym equipment is adequate, but it was very hot inside, and the lights did not work, which made it difficult to use. Tennis rackets are free to borrow, but tennis balls are chargeable.
I rated sports facilities 9 out of 10. There is plenty to do for a four star hotel, but longer water sports hours and better gym conditions would have made the experience even better.
Spa – 10/10
The spa was a true highlight of our stay at Zilwa Attitude. Choosing any of the treatments allows access to the steam room and a small outdoor relaxation pool, set in a beautifully curated garden area. Guests are greeted with a welcome drink, which can be enjoyed in the relaxation area before or after treatments.
The spa features four single and four double open-air massage rooms made of bamboo and straw. The entire experience was deeply relaxing from start to finish, and the treatments were excellent, especially the hot oil massage.
I rated the spa 10 out of 10 for its high-quality treatments, reasonable prices, and the peaceful, natural setting.
Landscaping – 10/10
The hotel grounds were as stunning in person as in the photos. Lush vegetation, careful maintenance, and thoughtful design create a harmonious, tropical environment. Every corner shows attention to detail, and the buildings blend seamlessly with nature. Walking around the property was a joy, with birdsong everywhere, giving the feeling of a little piece of paradise.
The only minor drawback is that the buildings are spread out, requiring some walking, but the hotel provides assistance with luggage, so it was not an issue for us.
I rated the landscaping 10 out of 10. It is truly spectacular and even more impressive than pictures can capture.
Service – 6/10
Unfortunately, service was an area where we were let down on multiple occasions. It was very hit or miss. Some staff were excellent and went out of their way to make our stay enjoyable, but others showed little interest in guest experience. Examples included a cancelled catamaran trip that we were not informed about and no apology, guest experience staff unwilling to help arrange alternatives, and slow service during breakfast.
While occasional imperfections are understandable, what frustrated us most was the attitude of some staff. It often felt like they were doing the bare minimum and were not focused on ensuring guests had a good experience. I am unsure if this is a standard issue or related to new staff, but in my opinion, service is the biggest area for improvement at the hotel. Even when things go wrong, a smile and willingness to help can make all the difference.
Overall Rating: Would I Recommend It?
Zilwa Attitude is a beautiful resort with thoughtful design, lush grounds, and spectacular pools. There’s plenty of variety when it comes to dining, and the range of non-motorised water sports adds lots of value. The spa is another standout, offering a peaceful escape and genuinely excellent treatments.
The biggest downsides are the very shallow sea, mixed service quality, and a location that’s a bit far from major attractions. Still, if these don’t deter you and your priority is to relax in beautiful surroundings with good food, Zilwa Attitude is a wonderful place to unwind.