Interview / Michaël Ruel
Interview with Michaël Ruel Promoter & President of MJ Développement Marguery Exclusive Villas showcases 40 luxury villas with private pools and a concierge service with an animated club house. The resort has been operating under the Hotel Management Scheme since April 2017, with a very positive occupancy rate.
MGT: With Marguery Exclusive Villas and other ongoing residential projects in Mauritius, you have brought a different approach to the luxury residential accommodation sector… How did you identify such a specific niche, particular for properties that are not located on a beachfront? Michaël Ruel: It is true that we offer our customers a whole different approach to prestige real estate and more globally of Mauritius, which is far too often limited to its beaches and its sea front. The concept of Marguery Villas and of our two other resorts on the Island responds to a growing demand for projects a little more isolated from touristic areas, projects where intimacy and discretion are the watchwords. Some of our customers are also in search of confidential projects, more integrated and respectful of the surrounding nature. Marguery Villas is an environmentally responsible resort, nestled in the heart of lush nature offering its residents a spectacular view on the majestic mountain of la Tourelle. Today, “full nature'' is as appreciated as ''waterside''. This ''full nature'' positioning does not prevent us from offering our customers a fair proximity to the shops of Ruisseau Créole and a walking access to the beach of la Preneuse. MGT: MJ Development, as promoter, not only designs the project, but builds, sells, and then offers a rental management service to owners… do you believe that this concept has room to grow in this sector of property development in Mauritius; is there demand for more projects like Marguery Exclusive Villas? M.R.: Definitely, yes! There’s a growing demand for the “turnkey'' concept. Time saving and little paperwork with a single contact throughout the process, are the best arguments for foreign investors, often far from Mauritius, who earn properties all around the world. This “turnkey'' concept is built around one fundamental key factor: customer support, assisting and reassuring our customers in their purchase and managing process. It is essential to ensure the same level of quality every step of the way. MGT: What type of clientele is looking for a rental property not situated on a golf course, and not on the sea itself; is there a comparative cost factor or advantage to staying at one of your resorts… What kind of tourist visitor comes to Marguery Exclusive Villas?
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M.R.: Europeans, South Africans, Reunioneses or Mauritians, there is no typical profile, only investors or buyers in search for a real estate opportunity that makes the difference. The fact that we are not in front of the sea or on the edge of a golf course is not detrimental at all. Marguery Villas is located at a 15-minute drive from the Tamarina Golf Club, with which we have a year-round partnership, and less than an hour’s drive from the other most beautiful golf courses of the island. Within our resorts, everything is thought for a family clientele where each can enjoy their own activity. Beyond golf partnerships, we offer through our concierge desk a multitude of customised excursions and other activities such as water sports, cultural tours or shopping. Mauritius is unique precisely for the diversity of experiences that it has to offer! MGT: If I was an overseas resident owner of one of the villas, what does your company offer me exactly that is different from purchasing a property in one of the many residential resort schemes available on the island? M.R.: By investing in one of our resorts, you get two major advantages: a custom-made assistance throughout your purchasing process and once in the resort, high-quality services, which widely differentiates us from other projects. Here’s the explanation:
