kitey27

Stayed at this property in December as it began to get very busy. We had an excellent stay and this is a beautiful property in a great location on a lagoon. Picking up a few points where I have a different perspective from others on this thread:

Overall: comparable to other St Regis experiences I have had. It is unquestionably an excellent hotel. Is it worth the money?! That depends on what you pay and what you value. (I was on points!)

Staff: were excellent. Some posters have lamented the lack of visibility of the management. I did not find this at all, and in fact spoke to the manager at least once a day. Due to some very serious personal circumstances, the management team went out of their way to accommodate my family (way beyond what they would be required to do) and I am truly grateful to them for their flexibility at a difficult time.

The butler service was excellent.

Rooms: I was upgraded to the manor house suite. I agree if you want instant beach access and a "true" suite then this might not be the best for you. However, it is a very nice room and for us (very young kids) it was very convenient. It was certainly a lot better than the room we booked and they were sold out, so genuinely grateful.

F&B: very good. Even room service was good which is incredibly rare by my standards. They do a good job of offering couples without kids, "kid free" dining and are sensitive to this.

The beach: some have complained about this...I did not find it to be a problem. Yes it does have some shells in it, but you can certainly walk to and from the sea from your sun lounger without any drama. There is also a reef, but there are places you can swim.

This is a good property, decent value for the points, especially with an upgrade.

nimeta

I do a lot of business in Mauritius, and have stayed at the SR 4 times, the Westin twice, Le Meridien once and a few others on the Island, including One and Only and Four Seasons

For me, SR is only surpassed by the Four Seasons (which anyway tends to be a lot more expensive). Of course it is bettie than Westin and Le Meridien by quite a large margin, but thats not surprising. There is a new Starwood on the island but I haven't checked it out (yet)

Highlights are the location (hotel will arrange guided walks u the nearby mountain - a serious highlight - I have done that twice, once with my young kids). Restaurant choice is good also. Gym could be a little bigger, but its certainly better than most of the competitors apart from Four Seasons. The Manor Suites are what I generally aim for. They seem to be the best quality, although I would get why some people would prefer to be closer to the beach - just a matter of personal preference.

The service can be a little bit off at times, but this is a general Mauritius thing. Everybody is super relaxed on the island - it is one of the charms I guess - but it can be annoying.

Also, some of the rooms along the beach have a problem with damp. This can be very bothersome, but the hotel seem to understand it and will move you if you complain.

nygiants242

Any recommendations on lunch and dinner spots?

We only have breakfast included. Dinner seems relatively stuffy (long pants) and apparently the need to reserve? Do neighoring hotels along the beach have decent spots? Other restaurants within walking or taxi distance?

Thanks for any tips from people who did NOT do the half or full board

UKTraveller4Fun

We ate in resort, the long pants is a requirement but this just allows a proper St. Regis atmosphere to be maintained and not get to relaxed. Have to say all the food was really good and felt reasonable value.

As for booking you don't have to book but it is suggested as some of the restaurants are not that large and don't all open every night. I think it allows them to plan and also make sure they don't have to turn people away if they were full. Another feature is if your going without children each evening a different restaurant is made adults only, a really good idea we found. We just followed that rota!

Sure someone else will be along with suggestions for outside places!

worldtraveller73

One of the draw backs that I found that is if you elect to walk to dinner along the beach and visit other resort properties, is that many other resorts are offering buffets. This is sort of what I was trying to get away from; seeking a light meal off the St Regis property. It turns out all resorts offer the same all you can eat fiestas!

You may have better luck with a car and going to one of the local restaurants by the supermarket mall. I didn't personally visit on my last trips...

5DMarkIIguy

We went to this place, Wapalapam Island Eatery. About 7 min drive from the resort. It is ok given the options on this island.
Don´t think there is any restaurant walking distance from the hotel except for the restaurant in LUX*. Long walk, though.

Lore

Hey everyone! It's been great fun reading this thread especially seeing how the hotel has changed over time.

We are going to stay at this hotel in November for our honeymoon, staying 7 nights. We received an email from the hotel with some car options ranging from 2730 MUR to 12900 MUR. Is the most basic the "family" option that is mentioned a few times in the thread? $80 seems like a reasonable price to pay.

I am a Platinum 75 and had some questions about rates using BRG and using SNA. I managed to get two BRG rates: 1) a regular junior suite with free breakfast which was Euro €301 inclusive of VAT and 2) a junior suite with full board at Euro €350 inclusive of VAT. The full board option seems like an incredible deal, but am I getting fooled? Will we even pay that much if we went to each restaurant on our own, especially since I get free breakfast in the first rate AND since I'm a plat? Funny thing is that the half board rates I found were actually more expensive than the full board.

What's included with full board? Are there pre-set menus at each restaurant that you have to pick from, or are you limited to certain entrees? Saw a post where an appetizer or main was upwards of $100 so my feeling is paying Euro €50 for two people per day is a steal.

Since the rate is so "complex" (according to the SPG site), I wasn't given the option to automatically apply an SNA. I have 10 SNAs that expire this year and I'd rather use it to guarantee a better room, i.e. the St. Regis Suite or Grand Suite. What are the odds of that happening in November?

Thanks for all the help!

onfo

Absolutely go with the FB option. We did HB and regularly spent ~$50+ on lunch alone for 2. Dinner is quite a bit more expensive as well. When I was there 2.5 years ago, I recall there being somewhat set menus but with a fair number of choices. We were there for 6 nights and never really got tired of the options, and one of the restaurants was closed. We went in mid-November and it was EMPTY. No idea if that will hold true for you, but as a lowly gold, we still got upgraded from the bottom level room to an ocean view jr. suite.

worldtraveller73

Hi Lore.

Congratulations on your marriage. Sounds like you have a great trip planned.

I would probably put my efforts into proactively contacting the resort and getting a favourable room assignment to mark your special occasion. If you can get a room closer to the beach, they are arguably nicer than the ones that are in the narrow part of the "V". I can't comment on the current state of full and half board, but I will forward you by PM the Report Manager and front office manager contact information that I still have.

Best of luck.

KrissyK90

Like Lore, we are also going to the St Regis this November (5 nights). We're booked for a five night award stay. When I logged in to my SPG account this morning to apply my SNAs, the only two options to select were, to be honest, lame. Junior suite with ocean view: 2 Twins, Separated or King + Sofa bed.

Do you think I'll have better luck as SPG Platinum with 75+ nights requesting a more favorable upgrade in a different manner or just stick with SNA?

Lore

Awesome, thank you for the tip on proactively reaching out to them. Are junior suites included in the rooms that are closer to the beach, i.e. not in the V? Or would that require an upgrade?

worldtraveller73

If I recall correctly, we have been assigned junior suites in the "V". The best ones are at the top of the "V", since they are closest to the ocean. I personally prefer the second level, so you won't have people walking past the front of your villa.

damaxer91

Any thoughts on the weather in August at the St Regis as opposed to the Four Seasons or Le Maurice on the other side of the Island?

Thunderroad

After having my eyes and the St. R for years, my wife and I will finally visit there come November. A few questions:

1. Any recent reviews or other impressions of the place?
2. I assume it's still the case that in terms of other dining choices along the beach, there are only other hotels, right?
3. We're due to arrive about 4:30 pm. Sun sets in November at about 6:20 pm. If we rent a car and there are delays in our schedule, we could end up driving after dark. Any problem with that?
4. Of course, any other advice is welcome.

Thanks!

worldtraveller73

Having done the drive twice (coast route), the only things I'd say is that it takes a little time to get your car organized. It's not like Hertz Canopy where you arrive and are on your way in less than 60 seconds. It's more of a 15 minute affair by the time all the forms are filled out.

You shouldn't have any difficulty with after dark driving if you are cautious. I would just watch out for the small town centres that may or may not be lit (and have pedestrians crossing the roadway after dark).

I would recommend downloading Google Maps Offline for the route to your smart phone so you can be sure on the directions and the odd left/right that you have to take.

I'll leave 1 & 2 to others that have had a more recent stay.