Most of the beaches on Mauritius have volcanic rock strewn about that makes bathing next to impossible, unless you have special sandals or rubberized shoes. Although it doesn't show in the pictures, this true of both Le Méridien and Westin. One exceptional beach is Mon Choisy (also known as Mont Choisy) or Trou aux Biches, not too far from either hotel. Its beach is nearly rock free, both after and before the water line. The water is very calm and shallow even quite far from shore line. It is very easy to rent chairs and umbrellas, and there are several trailers selling soft drinks and snacks on the road behind the beach itself.

The main building of Le Méridien is indeed a bit dated, but there is a more modern annex known as Nirvana. Unfortunately the annex rooms are smaller and some do not even face the water. The pool area of the annex is where evening cocktails and breakfast are served as if it were a club lounge.

In my experience Platinum status usually results in an upgrade to a large ocean-front suite somewhere on the second floor of the main building. Asking for the annex usually gets the receptionist to flip through a few computer screens, but the request is almost always turned down. In my view, it's really not worth the trouble asking as the main building installations are more spacious.