Lux Resorts and Tamassa are getting a sister brand in November. As part of the newly formed Lux Collective, the first Salt Resorts property will open on the east coast of Mauritius, turning a shuttered local hotel into the 59-room Salt of Palmar.
The Salt of Palmar building was originally designed in 2005 by Mauritian architect Maurice Giraud and was updated by Mauritian architect Jean Francois Adam in collaboration with French designer Camille Walala, who worked with local artisans to create bespoke pieces for the hotel.
With an emphasis on local experiences and sustainability, Salt’s brand philosophy is exemplified by the Skill Swap platform, with guests meeting with and learning from locals. Activities can include coaching the local football team or basket-weaving. Up-and-coming local musicians will play at the hotel and books in the library will be curated by a team of local authors.
To promote wellness, the Salt Equilibrium spa will have the only salt room in the Indian Ocean, while guests will be encouraged to join sunrise runs with the locals or do yoga at the farm. Salt hotels will not use single-use plastics, and each will have a dedicated farm, with other produce sourced locally in a move to reduce imports and food waste. The hotel will run regular beach clean-ups, a farming school and ongoing training sessions for the community, all of which will be open to guest participation. The farm at Salt of Palmar will be run in partnership with Island Bio, a local NGO dedicated to empowering people in need via skill building programs.
Every guest at the hotel will get a local SIM card to use and a guidebook with ideas and photographs created by locals, while a fleet of convertible, low-emission cars can be hired or bikes borrowed.
Looking ahead, Salt of Wolong in Sichuan, China is due to open in 2020, and key Asian destinations (Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and Myanmar) are in the works. To facilitate development, the company will open an office in Singapore next month. Beyond Asia, the Lux Collective will look to Europe, Africa and the Middle East for opportunities.
The Lux Collective will be overseen by chief executive Paul Jones, who has spearheaded the vision for Salt. Beyond Salt, the Collective also will be ramping up its Tamassa brand and launching a further brand before the end of the year.