For her 60th birthday, I took my mum to Mauritius for a week, and we started our time at LUX Grande Gaube. A 5* resort in the north of the island, it’s one of the newest additions from the LUX Collective group in Mauritius, and having been designed by the interior designer Kelly Hoppen, it’s a hotel that we get asked about a lot at Turquoise. There were a few reasons I wanted to stay here, firstly because no one in the company had stayed before, but also due to its position. The north is supposedly warmer, and less windy than the rest of the island, and I wanted a bit of a suntan!
The following review is based on my own experience and opinion alone, and is not influenced or attached to the company I work for.
Location
The drive from the airport is around an hour and a half, so it does take a lot longer than most other resorts to access, but it’s a very scenic drive, especially if done during the day. LUX Grande Gaube is around a 10-15 minute drive from Grand Baie, and actually feels pretty isolated. There are two beaches, one of which is adults only, and it’s really beautiful to look out onto the ocean. For me, it had one of the better locations, as you’re close to the Botanic Gardens, as well as small local towns.
Design
On the surface, the design of the hotel is stunning. It’s extremely modern, with a colonial nod, and feels new, fresh and cool. Many of the restaurants are open aired, and the entire property has a very open plan feel, which I loved. Bright colours and quirky decoration make it eye-catching, and instagrammable.We stayed in a Deluxe Room, which are located in the adults only area. For me, they felt a little small, and there wasn’t really anywhere to put suitcases, however they are located around a pretty lagoon, and it’s so nice to sit out in your terrace! The interior looks modern and fresh, but if I’m honest, the more time we spent in the room, the more issues I experienced. Our shower leaked (and the slightly damp smell suggested that this was a long standing issue), the plug in my basin was broken, so to drain the sink I had to lift out the entire mechanism, and our roller blind just didn’t work, leaving us in darkness for our first morning. There was also a bit of general wear and tear, that in my opinion just shouldn’t be happening in a resort this new, and if I was staying for any more than 2 nights, I would have asked to move.
Facilities
The facilities overall were good. I loved the adults only area, because it was just so peaceful and quiet. The restaurants were also beautiful, although the second night we were there, all but two were closed. There’s a great ice-cream bar, as well as range of watersports and there is spa, although we didn’t get to see it. I’d say that there is definitely enough there to occupy a family or a couple looking to holiday for a week though, and that’s always a positive.
Service
On arrival, we were greeted by porters, and taken to the reception area, as is standard procedure. However, after about 10 minutes of sitting and waiting, no one had come to help us check in, and this really set the tone for the rest of our stay. Staff were friendly, and most front of house staff in the restaurants and by the pool were incredible, however, they really let themselves down in a few key ways. For example, housekeeping didn’t arrive until 3pm, and no one to say goodbye to us, leaving us to find our own transfer at the front of the hotel. It sometimes felt like we were just a number, and while none of these things are deal-breakers, it’s really not what you would expect from a 5* hotel.
Food & Beverage
I found the food and beverage to be a hard one. Price wise, everything was pretty reasonable – similar to what you might find in London. However, the main restaurant often lacked food, and being a buffet, it sometimes felt that service was winding down, even if it wasn’t. We did have a beautiful meal at Beach Rouge though, and the buffet breakfast was, on the whole, pretty decent. For lunch, the Burger Shack is also worth a visit.
Final Verdict
For me, LUX Grande Gaube just didn’t wow me. It’s got a great location, and on the surface looks and feels fantastic. However, the longer you stay there for, the more issues came to light, covering both food, service and the actual design of the hotel. I would say, that this is a great choice for a family or couple looking for a fun 4* beach holiday. However, I would give it a miss if you’re heading away for a special trip, or if you’re used to a higher end holiday.
