Bubble Lodge Île aux Cerfs Review with Kids: Sleeping Under the Stars on a Private Island
- minna
- 3 days ago
- 5 min read
We had planned a stay at the Bubble Lodge on Île aux Cerfs as our splurge night towards the end of our two weeks in Mauritius. I love finding unique places to stay so I had been looking forward to this long before we even left home, and I can honestly say it delivered completely.
The Bubble Lodge is the only overnight accommodation on Île aux Cerfs, which is a small island in the largest lagoon in Mauritius just ten minutes by boat from the mainland. There are only four bubbles on the entire island. This means that when the day trippers leave around 5pm, you have the place completely to yourselves. It is just you, a handful of other guests, the staff until after dinner, and the sound of the crickets.
We visited with our three year old daughter so here is exactly what you need to know before you book.
Getting to the Island
A private boat collects you from the jetty at Pointe Maurice on the mainland. The crossing takes about ten minutes across the gorgeous lagoon, and you are handed a welcome drink the moment you arrive. You dock at the island's private jetty and from there, your main mode of transport is a golf cart.
When you arrive you will be allocated a dedicated butler who drives you to your bubble, shows you around, and from that point on you just call them whenever you need to go anywhere on the island. There are no cars, no roads, and absolutely no noise. Our daughter thought riding on the back of the golf cart was simply the greatest thing that had ever happened to her!
Tip: Make sure to communicate your exact arrival time with the lodge in advance so someone is waiting for you at the mainland jetty.
Inside Our Transparent Bedroom
The bubbles themselves are inflatable, fully transparent spheres nestled individually in lovely garden settings. Each one features a queen size bed, a lounge area, air conditioning, a coffee machine, and a private bathroom. Next to the lodge, outside of the bubble is an open sky shower meaning you can wash off all the sand before going inside.
The transparency is obviously the massive draw here. You lie in bed and look straight up at the night sky through the curved ceiling. With the stars above you and the sound of the ocean nearby, there is nothing else like it.
There is one very important practical note to keep in mind. Because the structure is inflatable, it relies on an airlock system. This means there are two doors that must never be opened at the exact same time, otherwise the bubble will start to deflate! Keeping a curious toddler from pulling both doors open at once definitely required some active supervision, so just keep a close eye on the doors if you are visiting with young kids.
During the middle of a Mauritian afternoon, the interior of the bubble does get quite warm as there is no shade. The air conditioning handles it well, but we found the easiest way to stay cool was to jump into the sea.
Sleeping Arrangements and the Private Beach
The main bed is a queen, but there is also a very comfortable sofa bed suitable for up to two children. The staff converted it and made the bed whilst we were having dinner so it was one less thing to think about. A cot is available on request if you need it for a baby. Our daughter slept on the sofa bed without any issues at all, so we didn't need the cot, but it is always good to know the option exists.
Directly off the back of the garden is your own private beach. In the late afternoon once the public boats have departed, this stretch of sand is completely yours. We walked along it at sunset while our daughter spent a very long time collecting seashells with intense focus.
The water here is warm, calm, and incredibly clear.
However, you do need to be aware that there are sea urchins in the water around the island so make sure you check continuously if any float over whilst your kids are paddling in the shallows. There are a few varieties, some with smaller and some with larger spikes, those which have smaller spikes (pictured) are actually edible and we saw locals selling them on the public beach to be eaten fresh.
Dining on a Deserted Island
Breakfast and a three course dinner are both included in the rate and served at the golf club restaurant. The food was excellent. While there is no dedicated children's menu, the kitchen team is incredibly accommodating. Our daughter happily what we had (vegetable and fish curry).
After dinner is when the experience feels really special, because all the staff leave the island for the night. You are to all practical purposes completely alone on the island. Security guards are present overnight and can be contacted 24 hours a day, so you feel completely safe.
The Golf Lesson Reality Check
Your stay includes two complimentary golf beginner lessons. I had never played golf before in my life. While I really enjoyed the experience, I quickly realised that swinging a golf club while six months pregnant definitely isn't the easiest! My husband took our daughter to the beach during my lesson, which was definitely the most sensible arrangement.
The Public Beach
The next morning we made our way to the public beach on the opposite side of the island. This is where the day tripper boats dock, so it is significantly busier than the private side.
There are two fantastic options for young swimmers on this side. The main long beach has a very gentle entry, but better still is the shallow natural lagoon sitting between Île aux Cerfs and the neighbouring Île Marguerite. The water here is perfectly calm and our daughter absolutely refused to leave. There are 2 restaurants here one with a seafood BBQ and the other has a woodfired oven for pizzas, which gives you a few options for food before finally heading back to the mainland.
Was the Splurge Worth It?
Yes, absolutely.
The island becomes entirely yours after 5pm. Watching your toddler run along a private beach at sunset collecting seashells whilst knowing you are completely alone is a special feeling. Our daughter still talks about sleeping in the "bubble house"!
I would highly recommend booking this for one or two nights. It is the absolute perfect amount of time to soak up the magic of the secluded experience, but after a couple of days, you will probably be ready to head back to the mainland for the freedom to explore in a hire car and grab supplies or try different restaurants.
Note: There is another Bubble Lodge in the south on a tea plantation but I would recommend this one on Ile Aux Cerf over it because of your access to the sea and having the privacy of the island.
For everything else we did during our trip, read our full 2 Weeks in Mauritius with Young Kids itinerary. If you need help planning the rest of your accommodation, our Where to Stay in Mauritius with Kids guide covers all the best regions and price points across the island!
