Club Med Mauritius

After a long and uncomfortable 12 hour flight we finally arrive in Mauritius to 33 degrees at 9am! One could not have asked for better weather and it soon began to dawn upon me that the flight was definitely worth it.

Why is my luggage always last? The carousel moved quickly and we picked up our bags to jump into the air conditioned mini bus and driven off through the surrounding lush greenery and waterfalls, mountains all showered in sunshine - beautiful!

After a 45 minute transfer to the Club Meds plantation d'Albion the first impression of the greeting with cold face towels and cocktails gives a very warm indication of the delightful service we were to expect from this 5 trident property. To top it all we got upgraded and enjoyed the beautiful suite decorated with rich colours a large lounge area, a huge bed and a bathroom to die for...

It wasn't long before we met by the pool for a dip and light relaxation to recoup from the night flight and after soaking in the sun for the first day where it's impossible not to relax with the sun on your back and the breeze on your hair, we popped back to the room to prepare for an extravagant evening meal in The Club Meds main restaurant. There was so much choice; I don't think I have ever eaten so much in one sitting. However by the end of the night we headed back to our rooms heady with the sound of crickets ratterling in our ears and found I had the company of a large gecko running around the ceiling of my bedroom - so I had a restless night. I'm 19 so I can do nightlife but not wildlife!

The following morning (and minus one gecko swiftly removed) I met up with our party and again we had such a huge variety of food to choose from at the buffet there seemed to be a little of everything on display. It's almost rude not to try the lot!

Feeling stuffed we then walked down to the jetty to hop on to a small yacht for a short ride to take a look at Club Meds second property at La Pointe aux Canonniers - this is Club Meds property more designed for families rather than couples or those seeking a more active holiday with constant healthy vibe of sports and entertainment. As we approach La Pointe aux Canonniers I was struck with the beautifully white sand of the beach and the crystal clear waters which are simply stunning. Allegedly Mauritius is one of the few places in the world that divers can see the horizon underwater!

Club Med were pleased to give us a tour of the hotel and even the standard rooms here are of a good size with options of interconnecting rooms or suites and all are close to the beach and the facilities - so a well laid out hotel with good positioning.

There is only one pool but believe me the beach makes up for this as it is absolutely fantastic. There are plenty of water sports and activities and an outstanding children's club for all age ranges with facilities that keep all occupied - or not - with a superb staff to child ratio upon which Club Med have always taken great pride.

All staff speak at least 2 languages which are predominantly both English and French.

After a stunning lunch at La Pointe aux Canonniers with their buffet out on display we weren't let down. It seems like we are just tripping from one meal to another but honestly the food was divine.

We enjoyed a long walk along the beach and sat in the sun for a while before getting a yacht back to d'Albion, it was lovely sitting on the front of the yacht (this is the one with engines!) and we did look out for dolphins whilst dangling our feet over the edges but no such luck.

That evening we met for drinks by the pool and where the hotel had set up a bar outside with some music which was lovely. Again we had a fantastic outdoor barbeque after which a band played on the beach and we found a few seats to make ourselves comfortable and finished off the day nicely with the sound music and laughter ringing in our ears.

The following day we had a tour of the hotel which by now we had worked our way around to establish it is more a village than just one facility. We made the most of the golf buggies that ferry to and from the pool and reception and we even managed to get 8 of us into a 4 seater buggy just to see if you could!

Because we knew our way around so quickly with the easy layout and open plan we were able to concentrate on the room quality which I have to say was impressive. All rooms are decorated with bold but contemporary Indo-Chinese colours and all are good sizes with the suites enjoying the best views either over the gardens or the beach. At the moment there are a handful more villas being built a little further down the coast so that they enjoy their own privacy but still within the Club Med compound. Perfect for couples to escape or families wishing to enjoy treasured time together. The hotel boasts 2 pools, one a quite reflective area and another enjoying activities, aqua aerobics and plenty of children.

The location of Plantation d'Albion is half way up the west coast below Port Louis so calm waters are the norm.

There are tennis courts, waters sports and a sandy beach and of course Club Med prides themselves on a huge variety of activities and excursions should you wish.

For our last evening we decided on treating ourselves to the specialty restaurant which is waiter service rather than buffet and enjoyed a fantastic location over the top of the breaking waves - what a wonderful evening and a great way to top off a scorching day.

On our last day before traveling home we went to Port Louis the capital itself; we enjoyed shopping in the market and tested our bartering skills, after this we went to the shopping centre but in my view it is definitely worth going to the market first as that is where the real bargains are to be found.

A quick pack one last swim, an energetic moment joining the aqua aerobic class and then back to the room to dry off, wet costume into the luggage and off the reception for our departing minibus and return night flight home.

I will definitely be going back; I just need to convince the boss that business class is best!

Faye Tosdevine traveled to Mauritius courtesy of Club Med and Air Mauritius staying at d'Albion and La Pointe aux Canonniers.

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