Le Meridien Ile Maurice

Nice view , lovely staff specially Mr. Hesham .

We booked Le Méridien Ile Maurice for our honeymoon expecting the standards, service and attention to detail associated with a 5-star resort. Sadly, in our experience, the stay fell well short of those expectations.

For context, we have stayed at a number of 5-star hotels and regularly leave reviews when we travel. Our previous hotel reviews include plenty of positive experiences, so we are certainly not guests who leave negative reviews simply because one or two things go wrong. We understand that no hotel stay is perfect. Unfortunately, there were simply too many recurring issues during this stay to overlook, particularly for a resort positioned and priced at this level.

The resort itself is attractive and the location is excellent, but we experienced repeated issues with service, organisation and attention to detail. This was particularly disappointing given that we were there for our honeymoon. We chose the resort expecting a genuinely special luxury experience, but instead found ourselves repeatedly frustrated by things that should have been straightforward to get right.

The resort deserves credit for maintaining the beach, with staff regularly removing seaweed and flattening the sand. However, the frequent approaches from local traders selling handmade items around the beach and pool detracted from the relaxed atmosphere we expected.

There was also a noticeable emphasis on upselling additional experiences from the moment we arrived. We had expected to feel welcomed and looked after rather than immediately being presented with opportunities to spend more.

The all-inclusive package was also more restrictive and confusing than we expected. One of our main frustrations was that, when booking the all-inclusive package, it was not particularly clear just how many items across the menus would incur an additional charge. The issue was not that some premium items came at an extra cost, we appreciate that high-end wines, spirits or certain premium choices can reasonably be excluded, but that around half of the choices on some menus appeared to come with an additional charge.

This meant that a significant proportion of the menu options available to us were not actually covered by the package. The menus also did not always make it immediately clear which items were included and which would cost extra, meaning we often had to check before ordering.

In our experience, this is quite different from other high-end all-inclusive resorts we have stayed at. For example, at Daios Cove, we found the all-inclusive offering much clearer, with the distinction around additional charges being straightforward and primarily applying to higher-end wines and spirits. That level of transparency makes it much easier for guests to understand exactly what they are paying for when choosing an all-inclusive package.

At Le Méridien, we did not feel that the extent of the exclusions was sufficiently clear when making the decision to book all-inclusive. For a 5-star resort, we expected the package to be more comprehensive and, above all, straightforward. Anyone considering the all-inclusive option should be aware that a substantial number of menu choices may incur additional costs depending on what they choose to eat or drink.

We also had an issue with the water temperature in our room. It was only warm rather than properly hot. To the resort’s credit, this was resolved within 24 hours, but it was disappointing to have to raise such a basic issue at a 5-star property.

Breakfast at Jade was another let-down for us. On two consecutive mornings, items we specifically requested never arrived, and on several mornings we were not offered the hot breakfast options. At this price point, we shouldn’t have had to chase staff for items we had already requested.

The beach towel system was also unusual. Guests have to sign towels out and then sign them back in. Having stayed at a number of 5-star resorts, this was a first for us and felt unnecessarily restrictive for what should be a relaxed luxury holiday.

We also paid extra for the teppanyaki experience. The chef was excellent, highly skilled and entertaining. However the organisation surrounding the meal was poor. Some guests arrived approximately 30 minutes late, disrupting the meal for everyone else, with the chef having to redo elements of his routine. We were then taken outside for dessert and left waiting for around 30 minutes, eventually receiving a cold dessert which should have been hot.

There were, however, some members of staff who genuinely stood out and deserve recognition.

Our butler, Sailesh, was a notable exception. He was attentive, regularly checked in with us and ensured our restaurant reservations were arranged. His service was exactly what we expected from a luxury resort and was genuinely appreciated.

On our final evening, we also had dinner at Jade restaurant, where our waiter Bernard was excellent. He was engaging, informative and attentive throughout the meal, and his approach made a noticeable difference to the experience. It was exactly the level of service we had hoped to receive consistently during our stay.

Unfortunately, the excellent service from Sailesh and Bernard highlighted the wider issue: the resort is clearly capable of delivering 5-star service, but in our experience it simply wasn’t consistent.

The main disappointment was the recurring pattern of things looking impressive but falling short in execution. Communication wasn’t always clear, basic requests were missed, experiences weren’t well organised, additional charges weren’t always obvious, and the repeated opportunities to purchase extras detracted from what should have been a relaxing holiday.

To be clear, there were things we enjoyed about the resort. The setting is beautiful, the beach is well maintained, the resort itself is attractive, and there are clearly many members of staff who take pride in what they do. Our experiences with Sailesh and Bernard in particular show that excellent service is absolutely possible here.

However, our experience was that the level of service varied too much from one interaction to another. For a resort positioned and priced as a 5-star property, we expected a much more consistently polished experience.

Le Méridien Ile Maurice has a beautiful location and impressive setting, but for us, the service and attention to detail did not consistently match the price or the expectations created by the brand.

We would not return, and based on our own experience, we would not choose the resort for a honeymoon or recommend it to someone specifically looking for a consistently high-end 5-star experience.