LUX* Resorts & Hotels

LUX* Resorts & Hotels is a Mauritius-based luxury hospitality brand and hotel operator. The business was established in Mauritius in 1985 as Naiade Resorts by a group of Mauritian investors. It initially focused on developing and operating hotels in Mauritius, while also building a broader management business in the Indian Ocean region. Its operating model has included both ownership or part-ownership of properties and management contracts for hotels owned by other parties. Such contracts have covered more than day-to-day hotel administration, extending to areas such as design, operations, sales and marketing. The group adopted the LUX* Resorts & Hotels name in 2011. The rebranding coincided with a change in the brand’s strategic direction and the appointment of Paul Jones as chief executive. Jones had previously been associated with the One&Only luxury hotel brand. Under the LUX* identity, the business sought to present luxury in a less formal and more approachable way than the traditional image of high-end resort hospitality. The concept emphasized memorable, informal experiences and visible service touches rather than relying only on conventional luxury codes. Examples of this approach included the use of real coffee, retro-inspired ice-cream parlours, outdoor film screenings on beaches, pop-up restaurants, red vintage telephone boxes and structured wellness and spa programmes. These features were designed to create distinctive moments for guests and to give individual properties a recognizable brand personality. The brand’s core estate has largely consisted of beachfront resorts, particularly in Mauritius, while its management activities have extended to other islands and overseas destinations. Key Mauritian properties identified in the reference material include LUX* Belle Mare on the island’s east coast, LUX* Le Morne on the west coast and LUX* Grand Gaube in the north. The group has also operated or managed Tamassa in Bel Ombre, Merville Beach near Grand Baie and other Indian Ocean properties. Outside Mauritius, its portfolio has included LUX* Maldives, LUX* Île de La Réunion and LUX* Tea Horse Road Lijiang in China. The business also operated the private-island destination Île des Deux Cocos near the Blue Bay Marine Park. LUX* has pursued related hospitality concepts beyond conventional resort accommodation. In 2015 it developed a franchise model for Café LUX*, a coffeehouse concept using the group’s own organic Island Blend, roasted at LUX* Belle Mare. The first café outside a LUX* resort opened at La City Trianon in Mauritius. The group has also had a fractional-ownership division under the LUX* Villas name in the United Kingdom. Mauritius has been the brand’s primary geographic and cultural base, with Europe identified as a principal source of visitors to the island. France, including Réunion, and the United Kingdom were highlighted as important markets, alongside growing marketing efforts in other European countries, India and China. The company has also reported ambitions to expand along China’s Tea Horse Road and into the Middle East, including a planned LUX* Al Zorah property in the United Arab Emirates in the period covered by the reference material. LUX* Resorts & Hotels operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of LUX* Hospitality Ltd., which is listed on the Stock Exchange of Mauritius and is affiliated with IBL, described in the reference material as Mauritius’s largest conglomerate. The available material documents the brand’s creation, repositioning, portfolio and awards, but does not establish a complete current list of properties, current executives or current development projects.

LUX* Resorts & Hotels traces its origins to 1985, when a group of Mauritian investors established Naiade Resorts in Mauritius. The company was created during the development of Mauritius as an international beach-tourism destination and initially concentrated on building and operating resorts in its home market. Its stated early principles included innovation, flexibility and a welcoming atmosphere. Over time, the business expanded beyond properties directly associated with its own ownership interests and began taking on hotel management contracts elsewhere in the Indian Ocean. The management-contract model became an important part of the company’s identity. In addition to providing operational oversight, LUX*’s contracts could involve hotel design, sales, marketing and the broader creation of a guest experience. This allowed the group to apply its hospitality expertise to properties that it did not necessarily own outright. The resulting portfolio combined owned or part-owned hotels with managed resorts and other hospitality assets. A major turning point came in 2011, when Naiade Resorts was rebranded as LUX* Resorts & Hotels. Paul Jones was brought in as chief executive; he had previously developed a reputation through his work with the One&Only brand. The new identity was intended to move the company away from an overly formal interpretation of luxury. Instead, LUX* emphasized an accessible and contemporary form of high-end hospitality, using informal social experiences and highly visible service details to make its properties feel distinctive. The repositioning included initiatives such as serving real coffee, introducing retro-styled ice-cream parlours, organizing films on the beach, creating pop-up restaurants and installing red vintage telephone boxes. Wellness and spa programming also became part of the brand proposition. These elements functioned as experience design as much as amenities: they gave guests activities and visual cues that could be associated with LUX* across different destinations while allowing each resort to retain a sense of place. Mauritius remained the center of the operating network. The reference material identifies LUX* Belle Mare on the east coast, LUX* Le Morne on the west coast and LUX* Grand Gaube in the north as major five-star properties. Other Mauritian operations included Tamassa in Bel Ombre and Merville Beach near Grand Baie. The group also operated Île des Deux Cocos, a private-island destination near the Blue Bay Marine Park. The company expanded its geographic footprint through Indian Ocean properties including LUX* Maldives and LUX* Île de La Réunion. It also entered China with LUX* Tea Horse Road Lijiang and discussed plans for additional boutique hotels along the Tea Horse Road. A move into the Middle East was likewise planned through LUX* Al Zorah in the United Arab Emirates, although the available reference does not confirm the property’s eventual opening or present operating status. The brand’s market strategy reflected Mauritius’s tourism profile. European visitors were especially important, with France, including neighboring Réunion, and the United Kingdom identified as principal markets. The company also sought greater exposure in other European countries, India and China. This international marketing approach complemented the resort portfolio’s concentration in island and coastal destinations. LUX* subsequently broadened its brand architecture. In May 2015 it developed a franchise for Café LUX*, taking a coffee concept previously associated with the resorts into a standalone retail setting. The first external café opened at La City Trianon in Mauritius and offered the group’s organic Island Blend, roasted at LUX* Belle Mare. The group also maintained a LUX* Villas fractional-ownership division in the United Kingdom. Corporate ownership sits above the consumer-facing brand. LUX* Resorts & Hotels is described as a wholly owned subsidiary of LUX* Hospitality Ltd. The parent is listed on the Stock Exchange of Mauritius and is an affiliate member of IBL, a major Mauritian conglomerate. The source material records awards received between 2012 and 2014, including TTG recognition, International Hospitality Awards, World Luxury Spa Awards and Mauritius Tourism Awards. It does not provide sufficient information to establish the complete current portfolio, current management team, present ownership arrangements beyond the stated parent structure, or the final status of all announced developments.

• 2015

  Café LUX* franchise expansion

  [1]LUX* Resorts & Hotelsen.wikipedia.org

  Café LUX* expands outside the resort network through a franchise and opens its first external coffeehouse at La City Trianon in Mauritius.

• 2014

  Broad set of hospitality awards

  [1]LUX* Resorts & Hotelsen.wikipedia.org

  The group receives awards covering human resources, weddings and honeymoons, hotel operations, Chinese outbound tourism, Mauritian hospitality and luxury spas.

• 2013

  Luxury operator and spa awards

  [1]LUX* Resorts & Hotelsen.wikipedia.org

  LUX* is recognized as Luxury Hotels and Resorts Operator of the Year by TTG and as a leading luxury spa group in the Indian Ocean region.

• 2012

  International hospitality and website recognition

  [1]LUX* Resorts & Hotelsen.wikipedia.org

  The group receives recognition at the International Hospitality Awards and is named Luxury Travel Supplier of the Year by the TTG Awards.

• 2011

  Rebranding as LUX* Resorts & Hotels

  [1]LUX* Resorts & Hotelsen.wikipedia.org

  Naiade Resorts adopts the LUX* Resorts & Hotels identity and introduces a more relaxed, experience-focused interpretation of luxury.

• 1985

  Naiade Resorts is founded

  [1]LUX* Resorts & Hotelsen.wikipedia.org

  A group of Mauritian investors establishes Naiade Resorts, the predecessor of LUX* Resorts & Hotels, in Mauritius.

Luxury hospitality with a more informal, experiential and approachable service style, combining beachfront resorts, distinctive guest rituals, wellness, food and beverage concepts, and locally inflected destination experiences.

• Luxury beach resorts · 2011

  LUX* Resorts

  The core LUX* offering consists of upscale and luxury resorts, most commonly in beachfront or island settings. Properties are designed around accommodation, dining, leisure, wellness and destination experiences. The brand’s distinctive service concept favors informal but highly curated touches, including coffee, beach entertainment, pop-up dining and other guest rituals. Mauritius has been the principal base, with additional resorts and managed properties in the wider Indian Ocean region.

• Luxury resort

  LUX* Belle Mare

  LUX* Belle Mare is a major LUX* property on Mauritius’s east coast. It is identified in the reference material as a five-star resort and as the site where the group’s organic Island Blend coffee is roasted. The property represents the brand’s Indian Ocean beachfront model, combining resort accommodation with dining, leisure and wellness-oriented guest experiences.

• Luxury resort

  LUX* Le Morne

  LUX* Le Morne is a five-star beachfront resort on the western coast of Mauritius. It forms part of the brand’s principal Mauritian resort group and reflects LUX*’s emphasis on coastal scenery, relaxed luxury and a broad mix of accommodation, food, leisure and spa experiences.

• Luxury resort

  LUX* Grand Gaube

  LUX* Grand Gaube is a five-star LUX* property in northern Mauritius. Alongside LUX* Belle Mare and LUX* Le Morne, it is presented as one of the brand’s key Mauritian resorts and illustrates the company’s concentration on high-end coastal hospitality in its home market.

• Island resort

  LUX* Maldives

  LUX* Maldives extends the brand’s resort proposition into the Maldivian market. The property was highlighted in the reference material as receiving strong recognition from Condé Nast Traveller readers in an Indian Ocean hot-list ranking. Its positioning is based on luxury island accommodation and the relaxed, experiential style associated with LUX*.

• Boutique hotel

  LUX* Tea Horse Road Lijiang

  LUX* Tea Horse Road Lijiang is the group’s China-based boutique hospitality concept identified in the source material. It represents an expansion beyond the company’s traditional Indian Ocean resort base and was connected with plans for additional boutique hotels along China’s historic Tea Horse Road.

• Coffeehouse and franchise concept · 2015

  Café LUX*

  Café LUX* is a coffeehouse concept developed from the resort brand’s beverage experience. Its offer includes the group’s organic Island Blend, roasted at LUX* Belle Mare. In 2015, the concept moved beyond LUX* hotels through a franchise, with the first external outlet opening at La City Trianon in Mauritius.

• Fractional ownership

  LUX* Villas

  LUX* Villas was the group’s fractional-ownership division in the United Kingdom. It extended the LUX* portfolio beyond hotel stays by offering a shared-ownership or fractional-use model for villa accommodation. The available reference material does not provide sufficient detail about the division’s current operations or portfolio.

• Private-island hospitality

  Île des Deux Cocos

  Île des Deux Cocos is a private-island hospitality destination associated with LUX* near Mauritius’s Blue Bay Marine Park. It illustrates the group’s use of distinctive destination assets and exclusive island settings as complements to its conventional resort portfolio.

• 2015Café LUX* franchise rollout

  Mauritius

  LUX* extended its coffee proposition from resort settings into a standalone franchise format, opening an external Café LUX* outlet at La City Trianon.

  Outcome. The initiative diversified the brand beyond hotel accommodation and created a consumer-facing food-and-beverage format outside the resort network.

  Source
• 2014LUX* Etiquette & Moral Week

  Mauritius

  The group’s employee-focused Etiquette & Moral Week initiative addressed service culture and workplace conduct within the hospitality organization.

  Outcome. The initiative received the Best Initiative in Human Resource award at the 2014 Worldwide Hospitality Awards.

  Source
• 2011LUX* brand repositioning

  International

  The rebrand from Naiade Resorts to LUX* Resorts & Hotels introduced a less formal and more approachable interpretation of luxury. The initiative was expressed through coffee rituals, retro ice-cream parlours, beach films, pop-up restaurants, vintage telephone boxes and wellness programming.

  Outcome. The repositioning established the distinctive experiential platform associated with the LUX* name and supported the group’s international expansion.

  Source

• 2015

  Launch the Café LUX* franchiseProduct launch

  Background

  The group had developed a coffee proposition within its resorts and identified an opportunity to take that concept into a standalone retail setting.

  Action taken

  LUX* created a Café LUX* franchise and opened the first coffeehouse outside its resorts at La City Trianon in Mauritius.

  Aftermath

  The move broadened the LUX* brand into coffee retail while continuing to use the group’s Island Blend roasted at LUX* Belle Mare.

  Source

• 2011

  Adopt the LUX* identity and redefine luxuryStrategy

  Background

  The predecessor business, Naiade Resorts, sought to modernize its market position and distinguish itself from more formal luxury-hotel conventions.

  Action taken

  The group rebranded as LUX* Resorts & Hotels, appointed Paul Jones as chief executive and centered its proposition on informal, memorable and experience-led hospitality.

  Aftermath

  The new platform was associated with distinctive guest experiences and supported expansion across the Indian Ocean, China and planned Middle Eastern destinations.

  Source

• Expand through management contractsStrategy

  Background

  The company developed beyond its directly owned or part-owned Mauritian properties and sought to apply its hospitality expertise to hotels controlled by other owners.

  Action taken

  LUX* used management agreements covering design, operations, sales and marketing in addition to standard hotel-management services.

  Aftermath

  The model enabled a portfolio spanning Mauritius, the wider Indian Ocean, China and planned international destinations without relying solely on direct property ownership.

  Source

• 2015

  Café LUX* launches its first external coffeehouse[1]LUX* Resorts & Hotelsen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  The group extended the Café LUX* concept beyond its resorts through a franchise, opening a coffeehouse at La City Trianon in Mauritius and serving its Island Blend coffee.

• 2014

  LUX* wins multiple hospitality awards[1]LUX* Resorts & Hotelsen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The brand received recognition including awards for human-resource initiatives, weddings and honeymoons, luxury hotel operation, Chinese outbound tourism services, Mauritian hospitality and Indian Ocean spas.

• 2011

  LUX* Resorts & Hotels rebrands from Naiade Resorts[1]LUX* Resorts & Hotelsen.wikipedia.org

  Leadership change

  The Mauritian hotel group adopted the LUX* Resorts & Hotels identity and repositioned its luxury proposition around a more informal and experience-led style.

1. 1LUX* Resorts & Hotelsen.wikipedia.org