AbuCordoba

I got to say I agree with you, if you can afford the rates stay here rather than use the points at prop ties where you get much better value. However if you cannot or don't wish to pay the rates then use it for the St Regis as the property is so much nicer than LM and Westin, it is worth the additional expense especially as its your honeymoon.

Thunderroad

It's your honeymoon! This is precisely the time to splurge on points.

Before going to Mauritius, I checked out the Westin a fair amount through online research of reviews here and at Tripadvisor, including correspondence with one SPG Plat who stayed at both, before deciding to just stay at the St. R for our week on Mauritius. Long story short: The Westin is fine, but the St. Regis is much nicer. I'd imagine that applies to the other Marriott properties on the island. If you haven't done so yet, please check out Lore's excellent review on the previous page, as well as my own. All sorts of reasons in both reviews for you to just stick with the St. R.

By the way, for this and any other Marriott hotels you'll visit on your honeymoon trip, definitely email ahead to the hotel and perhaps call Marriott to tell them it's a honeymoon trip and politely try to get the best upgrade you can in view of it being your honeymoon. We met a couple at the St. R who had the same status as you did and who got an even better upgrade than our junior suite. (Though I think they secured it before the merger was fully complete, so they might have gotten better SPG customer service, but I'm not certain.) That being said, don't be insistent and don't raise your own or your spouse-to-be's expectations, so you won't be disappointed in the end if the great upgrade doesn't come through. But it's worth a bit of polite, undemanding effort.

Another factor to consider is that as of March the category changes/points increases will kick in for the best Marriott properties, so may be best to use your points now rather than horde them for down the line. But regardless, I return to my main point: It's your honeymoon!

Sounds like you have a great trip planned. Congratulations and enjoy!

milehighflyer88

Thanks for the advice! Im glad you enjoyed your stay. I am leaning towards staying with the St Regis.

I am fully invested in blowing a large amount of my Marriott points at the current rates. So far, I have booked several contingency options given awards are no longer requiring the points in your account. Im also happy we have until march to change our minds as I was convinced the rates would increase by January.

My question was more in terms of opportunity cost. I happen to be staying at the Al Maha and the St Regis Maldives during the honeymoon (all for 240K points each plus the cash upgrade for the OVW villa). Managed to snag the Four Seasons Serengeti with Chase points for 4 nights!

However I can also do another trip to the LM Bora Bora if I am a little more frugal in Mauritius with points.....I can also transfer Marriott to Alaska fly emirates first class instead of crusty AF reclining business class

I will also say that I've emailed all the properties to confirm an upgrade ahead of time and Marriotts customer service is nowhere near as good as the old SPG.

cliburn

Anyone stay here recently? I just booked. My wife pointed out recent tripadvisor reviews (which I never look at)....
I can't beleive how bad the most recent reviews are. And one guest talked about being lucky that he checked out before the "mass resignation."

Thunderroad

I do check Tripadvisor pretty thoroughly for big trips and recall some negative reviews, as well as lots of positive ones. On balance, it seems to get a lot more positives than negatives. All I can add is that if you check Lore's and my recent reviews here at FT, you'll find that we were both quite happy with the place. I saw one review complaining a lot about the service. On balance, I found the service, room and location great.

worldtraveller73

Having been lucky enough to have been to both the Le Meridien Bora Bora and the St Regis Mauritius, the Mauritius property is miles ahead of the LM Bora Bora.

The St Regis Mauritius is much newer and in better condition with larger rooms and better fixtures. Add a respectable house reef and you're in great shape.

The LM Bora Bora has no reef, very very tired buildings that seem to have been around since the eighties and no real beach (packed artificial sand) since there aren't waves on the Motu.

I think you would be disappointed to save points for the Bora Bora LM product.

milehighflyer88

Thanks for the advice! Excited for the St Regis Mauritius. I guess Bora Bora I will leave for another time. What hotels would you recommend in Bora Bora that are bookable on points?

worldtraveller73

Sadly, I think that Bora Bora is a bit over priced with much older hotel inventory. We only stayed at the LM Bora Bora, which was traditional and average. The same experiences appear to be reported at St Regis Bora Bora; lots of wear and tear on the rooms. I can't comment on the other brands.

Frankly, I enjoyed the Maldives much more. Staying on a private island, despite outrageous transfer costs, was a much more unique experience. Add a great house reef (if you do your research) and there are very few places in the world that can top it.

The best part of French Polynesia was Moorea. We stayed at the Sofitel; the water was terrific although the beach and coral weren't spectacular. They were very good, but there are better spots out there.

At least with the St Regis Mauritius, you have a nice new property, a respectable beach, gorgeous views of Le Morne and a respectable reef along with a great location that is isolated but close enough to other parts of the island. It's hard to beat.

Best of luck

Dn10

To confirm, the only way to get snorkeling equipment from the hotel is to take their boat out? If you wanted to snorkel by the shore on your own leisure, you'd have to bring your own equipment?

Anyone recently (post-merger integration) use suite night upgrades here? What room were you upgraded to? Currently in a junior king suite and am given the option to upgrade to the beachfront grand, beachfront STR, Manor House Ocean View, and Beachfront Junior Suite.

Dn10

Posted same thing twice, apologies.

Thunderroad

Re the snorkeling: Yes, that was my experience. Couldn't get the snorkels to use on our own.

We were there in November, which I believe was post-merger. A few days before our arrival, I was informed that we got a suite night upgrade from a I believe a junior suite to a beachfront junior suite, which was great. It might have helped that I wrote ahead to the hotel to politely request such an upgrade.

Mochillero

Will be staying here for a week in June. Has anyone been offered any type of upgrade as a Gold Member?

I booked my stay on points and have never received any significant benefit a Gold Elite but wondering what others experienced.

Dn10

Thank you! Would you recommend the beachfront junior suite? Know you weren't in the other suites, but the location and layout of the beachfront junior suite was optimal?

Thunderroad

Oh yes, I'd definitely recommend the beachfront junior suite. Please see my review at post #222 for a comparison between it and the other two types of junior suites, as well as for other comments and information. And also see Lore's excellent, informative review at post #219 for lots of useful info.

Now, there are even better units on the beach, but I think you'd have to shell out a lot more for them and can't simply score them as upgrades. And while I didn't see any of the rooms in the main building, the Manor House, I'm sure the beachfront junior suite (and probably the other junior suites) is nicer.

Dn10

What are your thoughts on the Beachfront St Regis Suite vs the Beachfront Grand Suite? Beachfront Grand looks bigger and pictures look pretty similar.

https://www.marriott.com/hotels/hote...s-resort/ryst/

https://www.marriott.com/hotels/hote...s-resort/roys/