The Ambre is the latest resort in the well-known Sun Resorts stable and fills a gap below the more luxurious resorts in the group. Located at Palmar on the east coast of the island, the resort is located along a stunning 700-metre long white sand beach within a sheltered bay. This is definitely one of the major attractions of the resort in that the beach is superior to those found at many of the Ambre’s direct competitors. But the obvious major selling point for most people will be the fact that Ambre doesn’t accept children under 16 – so if you’re a couple that’s allergic to being surrounded by noisy kids at the swimming pool or whilst dining in the restaurants, then this resort could be just what you’re looking for!

Sun Resorts took over an existing hotel which, after an extensive refurbishment in 2012, was re-launched as the Ambre. This carries both positive and negative aspects to be honest. On the positive side, the gardens for example were already established so you can enjoy the lush tropical vegetation with fully grown palm trees that takes years to become properly established in the case of brand-new resorts. On the negative side, the general layout of the resort is a little more old fashioned than newly designed and built resorts.

All in all though the refurbishment has been very successful and Ambre now boasts a fresh tropical look and clean and bright yet elegant feel with furniture, fabrics and material fitting these tones to give a modern and peaceful touch to each room. There are 250 rooms at the Ambre, all fitted with an individually controlled air-conditioning system and a 32” flat screen television. Satellite television channels provide an array of television programmes including sports and leisure and international news channels.

The cheapest and simplest rooms are the 26 Courtyard and 48 Superior Garden Rooms but to be honest we don’t usually recommend these are they tend to be right at the back of the resort away from the beach and many of them facing the rear boundary of the resort. Instead our go-to room of choice are the 157 Deluxe Rooms which are spacious (42 m2) and which can accommodate a 3rd person if necessary. One thing to note is that the Deluxe Rooms are only equipped with showers, not baths. If this is a deal breaker for you, then you will have to upgrade to one of the 17 larger Junior Suites (72 m2), which as well as adding a bath also boast a separate second bedroom to accommodate a possible pair of teenage children over 16. Finally there are 2 Ambre Suites which are both larger (80 m2) and are located in prime positions close to the beach.

As mentioned previously the Ambre has All Inclusive as the standard meal basis (always a winner for South Africans!) and the good news is that this applies to all 3 of the resort’s restaurants. Indigo is the main restaurant with live interactive buffet stations featuring Indian, Chinese and Creole specialties as well as international cuisine. Then there’s Dolce Vita which offers Trattoria style dining, with the emphasis on homemade antipasti and pastas, pizzas and grill specialties. Our favourite though is La Plage, the resort’s beach restaurant with a cool feet-in-the-sand attitude. The casual atmosphere is enhanced by a selection of Mediterranean and Mauritian specialties, grilled seafood, snacks and sandwiches.

There is also a choice of bars to relax too. The main bar is the Coral where blues, whites and hues of natural stone mingle with cane furniture, woven cane lighting and gracefully decorated bar and artwork - this area comes alive in the evening, with shows, DJs and a dance floor. Sports fans will no doubt be happiest in The Pub with its giant screens making it the perfect venue to watch those big games. Finally if you want to hit the dance floor, then head to Shakers, the hip and bubbling night club of the resort.

During the day you can soak up the tropical island sun from the comfort of the beach deckchairs overlooking the lagoon or beside the large swimming pool. Throughout the day sports & leisure activities are available for those who are fitness-focused, including kayaking, snorkelling and aqua gym. The resort also offers surfing, cycling, boating, water-skiing, tennis, windsurfing, big-game fishing, para-sailing, and a fitness centre for guests.

The Ambre is also a great choice for golfers wanting an All Inclusive resort as it offers the opportunity for guests to play at the stunning course of sister resort in the group Le Touessrok on nearby Ile aux Cerfs island. Of course if that sounds too much like hard work then you also have the option of heading to the Spa where gentle, expert hands will rid you of all of your remaining tensions – there are even 2 exterior kiosks allowing you to enjoy a relaxing treatment whilst overlooking the sea!