DC777Fan

One notable is that it looks like previously St. Regis Suites were confirmable via SNA via reports up-thread a couple years ago. We're booked in a Junior Suite and I can't apply SNA. SPG rep said that's because Junior Suite *is* the SNA category. [Side note, that's really annoying SPG lets hotels do this ... a junior suite is by definition not a suite]

Hopefully the hotel still upgrades Platinums generously as reported up-thread. Some of the suites there look amazing, and while it's fairly good weather season, I'm guessing November isn't exactly peak tourist season, so I'm hoping for the best.

dparkinson

The more and more I reflect on my trip, the more it leaves a bad taste in my mouth. After staying at the SR Osaka and again at the SR Deer Valley, I was amazed at the night and day service difference. Asked for a local restaurant from my butler...was given a tourist trap with same name as great local place. Night manager basically said outright I had been ripped off. I'd try the Westin, but not sure id go back to the SR. Shame since the location could not be better.

worldtraveller73

zemb, on our stay, we had a Junior Suite closest to the water. I personally prefer a higher room since you can walk around in a bathrobe without feeling self conscious. You can also see the water right from the bathroom as well, which encourages open blind use of the washroom area. You can dress and look immediately out the window at the view etc...

The area immediately around the buildings are green space, so you won't normally have people next to your building unless they are headed somewhere specific (like shortcutting to their suite). See the left side of this photo from my trip report:



The room itself had a partial obstruction from the palm trees. This is not necessarily a bad thing. We ended up going town to the water to enjoy sunsets. I would end up spending time waiting for my wife to get ready on the second floor patio, which is indeed large. Some views here from the second floor closest to the water.





Whether this obstruction bothers you or not is personal opinion. I don't think it would be much better from the ground as you will have lounge chairs, umbrellas and landscaping gently sloping away towards to the water.

DC777Fan, our visit in November 2013, the first year of SR Mauritius operation, was pretty quiet. The SPG Treatment, even as a gold, was excellent.

wilsonnyc

I believe they are right, in that the standard suite pool is a jr suite. According to my ambassador, anything higher would be up to the hotel, on availibility. We booked a standard room on points, got upgraded well ahead of time to a jr suite, and was further upgraded (to the St Regis suite) after our first day there, due to an electrical issue in our room. If you are already booked into Jr suite and occupancy is low (it was only about 30% full when were there), i'd say you probably have a good chance to be further upgraded. Maybe shoot a note to them with those intentions, so that it's not a surprise when you check in. As for peak/not peak, we were told that Dec>Feb was their peak season.

bigmerv

Can anyone tell me what the cost of breakfast is for SPG Golds booking a points or points and cash stay?

Are there discounts for children?

DC777Fan

Are there any outside restaurants nearby either walking or via taxi that are worth considering?

Also, any suggestions on a jogging route (5-10km) from the hotel?

worldtraveller73

Bigmerv - please refer to my trip report with the link posted up thread for details on the breakfasts and dining. In particular - comments contained in this post here

I believe that the breakfast buffet was about $80 USD per person if memory recalls correctly. Our strategy around this was to take coffee in the morning in the suite via the Butler and have lunch on the beach instead. Smaler items were available for around $20 USD but these were much smaller and nowhere near a full meal..

DC777Fan - we didn't eat off property on our visit. There are no jogging trails per se although the access road to the report may offer some opportunities. It has no sidewalks however. . . It offers an interesting route through some tropical vegetation.

DC777Fan

Per advice here, we scheduled the "family car," and in what must be a first for me, we were pre-upgraded [3 weeks in advance] to the Audi Q7!

ssullivan

There really aren't any within walking distance that I saw. There are some that aren't too far away, and would be a short taxi ride. The resort can advise on this. I heard other guests at the SPG Platinum champagne reception on Friday night discussing a seafood place that wasn't too far away that the resort's front desk had recommended, and they really enjoyed it.

Thunderroad

Hi DC,

Others who've actually been there could of course provide better information, but in researching this hotel last year I went through some Tripadvisor reviews and came across a few that mentioned places to eat nearby. It sounds like there are other luxury hotels along the beach that you can manage to get to if you like to walk (or jog). I did come across a couple of reviews that indicated more modest beach cafes to eat nearby, perhaps with limited hours to suit the busiest times at public beaches. One indicated that you could find them heading out from either direction from the hotel, but I can't track it down right now. The other, more specific of the two said this:

There is nothing surrounding the hotel at all. If you want to go anywhere, the only way out is by taxi, which is rather expensive. It’s about a 20 minute walk to the nearest bus stop and there is nothing much in walking distance. However, a few days into our stay, we did find a nice beachfront cafe that served Walls ice-cream and lunchtime food at a very cheap price. The cafe was a about a 10 minute walk across the beach, past the Lux Hotel and in the public area of the beach.

Here's the link: http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserR...e.html#REVIEWS

This review was from a couple of years ago, so perhaps things have changed for better or worse.

Anyway, this hotel is still high on our list. Looking forward to your review of it. Have a great time!

DC777Fan

Is it no longer the case that the hotel upgrades platinums to the best available room?

I've been watching short-notice (1-5 days out) availability the past few weeks and it looks like the top 4 suites (manor, manor grand, st regis and st regis grand) are offered for sale basically 100% of the time.

I guess it's possible that:
1) they've cooled on the upgrading beyond junior suites ... would make sense as this is now the SNA category

2) they keep the upper category suites available and only upgrade into the lower suites. Then if anyone buys the lower suites, they just upgrade them into the higher suites ... this would make sense because the suite prices aren't that dissimilar and maybe they don't sell tons of suites?

3) this is a very platinum-light property ... possible given that MRU is a little out of the way and under the radar compared to SEZ/MLE -- particularly in the plat-heavy USA.

ktjan

I surely hope not. I got upgraded to the Manor Suite back in the Spring and it's definitely one of the nicest upgrades I have as a platinum member. I do hope that this property remains under the radar

DC777Fan

Checking in tomorrow, so I'll update. I was upgraded earlier this week to a St. Regis Suite, so either way, a very solid upgrade.

Really looking forward to breakfast at Grosvenor House here in a few hours in the mean time

zemb

Enjoy your stay!!!

How many days in advance have you been upgraded and did you request any upgrade via mail? I'm checking in in 7 days (C+P) but haven't been pre-upgraded by now, but applied my SNA (plat 100, 120 nights this year)

DC777Fan

We were upgraded maybe 4-5 days in advance?

Just checked in, and received the St. Regis Suite on the 2nd floor. Not sure if I like or dislike being upstairs... advantages to both, I suppose. The in-room check in process really puts the kibosh on upgrade negotiations... I was hoping to try and get a Manor Suite.

We booked the family car for transfer and ended up with the Range Rover (comp upgrade), so that was nice.