mauritius in sept/oct 2011 -your recommendations - need kids club for age 3

[twinterror]

Hi, hoping to go to mauritius in sept/oct 2011. have seen lots of hotels, looked at tripadvisor etc. was considering the maritim but they've had a refit and hiked their prices.

where have you actually stayed, that has a kids club for age 3 plus, great beach, needs to be all inclusive and is not the tousserok or the oberoi or other ££££££££££ resort

I would like to keep it under £5k for 10 days - 2 weeks - is this possible?

Hi there,
I've been to Mauritius three times already as my hubby's family live there. Unfortunately, I won't be able to advise you on hotels though I would give you those piece of advice:

• Be super careful with sunburn (for your little one and yourself). I know that sounds really stupid, but I got caught with nasty sunburn even though I would use sun cream with the highest protection. Any spot of skin which will not have been covered will get burned after less than 30 minutes (and I mean it, not just red - I'm not even very fair skinned). Same on the beach, with water and sand, the sun cream didn't take to my feet. I've ended up not being able to walk for three days!

• Try to get a hotel where beds have mosquito net (or take some with you). Wear long sleeves at night. Again, cover your skin as much as you can at night.

• Cyclone season: November to May

• I would recommend going to Mauritius in winter time (Mauritian winter: June to September). You'll still have great weather on the coastline (20/25 degree celcius) and not so many mosquitoes. Plus it might be less expensive!

• Avoid taking local bus (stick to tourist bus) unless you do not fear for your life.

• Belle Mare is probably the most touristic area, but you get lovely beaches about everywhere. I've been to Flic en flac and it was very good too.

It is a beautiful country and I'm sure you'll have a lovely time.

Hope this helps you.

Thanks very much vivi, lucky you to have been there 3 times and thanks for sharing your words of wisdom

Maritim is lovely.
We have just returned from 2 week there, Its our second time there. We LOVE it and will def be going back again -Funds pending!
Our little one is only 20mth so not old enough for kids club but they take them from 3yrs.
Any Qs just ask...

I would love to go to Mauritius but everytime i read reviews on tripadvisor it puts me off. It seems a lot of people go on their honeymoon and get annoyed when there are children at their hotel!

I have quite a lively 4 year old and wouldn't want to upset anyone.

Thanks for your posts . Haribo I do like look of maritim but virgin are quoting £11000! For
4 of us ar prices for 2011 have gone us since it was refurbished. Have you heard anything about heritage awali, gets good reviews on trip advisors

Who did you fly with is air Mauritius ar bad as everyonesays?
Posh is there@ anywhere else you have taken your 4 yeaR old you would recommend
?
Appreciate your replies thanks

twinterror We haven't been brave enough to take him anywhere other than centreparcs etc.

We would just love to go somewhere which is luxurious and family friendly. Also must have a kids club.

Have a look on this website www.mauritiusluxuryholidays.co.uk

We went to Sugar Beach. It was a very nice resort.

However, we became friendly with one of the waiters, who told me that the entire waiting staff were working 12 hour shift for free, during "trial periods" lasting years, with the carrot of "permanent paid" work would be available as soon as as position "came up". Of course no position came up, and meanwhile the staff were living in shanty towns set up outside the resort hoping they might get a salary one day, other than a meal .... Turned out to be the case for most resorts on the island. We took a private driver for a day, and he confirmed this to be the case. Put me off Mauritius a bit. If you go outside the resorts you see horrendous poverty. And the tourist trade is not benefiting the community in terms of employment and paid work.

I have the Sovereign brochure which has some lovely child friendly resorts.

Some which I am considering are Le Meridien Limassol Spa and resort in Cyprus.

Gran hotel Bahia del Duque in Tenerife and Iberostar Grand hotel Anthelia also in Tenerife. Some have optional all inclusive option.

The other option is Dubai. Probably somewhere like the Ritz-Carlton.

Have you got your heart set on Mauritius? It does look lovely and I will make it there one day I hope.

*Quint" That kind of thing puts me off aswell.

I remember my boyfriend visiting me at a public beach in Cuba and was told to leave.

Thanks for your messages and for the update re mauritius and your honest feedback Quint.

We've taken our girls to spain, france, greece and have booked for turkey in may for 2 weeks, but wanted to go somewhere further afield (conscious that when they start school in 2012 holidays become more restricted and more expensive) so thats why we wanted to go somewhere long haul in september/october. But that time of year its the rainy/hurricane season in the far east, carribbean, mexico, florida which was why I ended up looking at mauritius as its great weather there then.

Basically I've done it the wrong way round (doh!) and should have gone somewhere long haul in may and to turkey in sept/oct

Posh I have considered dubai before, the jumeirah beach hotel I do like the look of - we could go in october when it cools down a bit. I haven't got my heart set on mauritius but just want fabulous beaches, warm sea, great childcare - I think prices to dubai can be quite steep but we could always go for a shorter period. Tenerife also a potential option but I can see us going there when the dcs are in school - was trying to branch out!

any other ideas for september/october?

posh, quint and haribo - where are you thinking of going next year?

cape verde islands -any of you know anything about it?

aaghghg just googled cape verde - rainy season in sept oct

How about Bali? I've been there in October and the weather was nice though may be their off season.

We are tied to school holidays though ds is only in reception we could take him out.

I'm getting a bit fed up of looking for holidays as the places that i'm interested in are expensive.

My dad always said I had champagne tastes and beer money.

Hi Posh, I think bali may be a bit far - I could stand 12 hours but not sure about any further - lovely for future though. I know what you mean re the costs - children add so much £££ to a holiday. I looked at the ritz carlton dubai you mentioned, it was coming up £8500 for b&b for 9 nights - ouch!

Now I am wondering about sensatori in tenerife - have you heard anything about that at all - I will post a thread and see if anyone has been

we did a neilsons holiday this year to greece which was fantastic (and a proper rest) although not luxury it was very nice

I am going to look at the Sensatori aswell. It was on tv the other day and looked very nice.

I have been to the Jumeirah Beach (and the Burj al arab), and it is a fantastic hotel. (they both are) You have to be prepared to spend a little, as drinks, etc, was quite dear at the hotel. The beach and the pools are fab. And the lobster bbq in the evening under balmy palms is to die for. In fact, all seafood was great. Dubai is a great experience. The market, the desert safari, cruise in the gulf, well worth it.

For an excotic long haul destination, I can also recommend Kerala in India. And Sri Lanka (unless it is civil unrest) Sri Lankan beaches are fantastic, especially if you head out of Colombo (which is not so nice) and southwards to Beruwela (sp). Both India and Sri Lanka are great destinations with kids. In our experience, if the kids favourite food is on the menu, they cook it. But I am sure Keralan "fish and chips" and pineapple and coconut pancakes will go down a treat.

My next holiday?

Erm, we have discovered campervanning and cycling in Europe. And plan to spend a week at a fab campsite in North Sweden (Luleå), then drive down to south Sweden and park at my cousins farm, and cycle for a week.... Unless we go canooing down canals in Poland. But we have been invited for a wedding in Cape Cod (US), so if we can save up enough for all for of flying from the North of Norway, to Boston, via Oslo and London, and spending 3 weeks we will!

Quint what an amazing trip!

yes jumeirah beach and burj both look fantastic, but I think out of my price range for this year

We went to Mauritius last July and had a fabulous time. We used airmiles to fly there and booked everything independently. The first week we self-catered in a villa which had a garden leading directly onto a beach - we paid the same as we had the previous year in Brittany! Driving around and going to supermarkets etc was absolutely fine. The second week we had an amazing deal at the Intercontinental in a two-room family suite - I booked directly with the hotel via email and went all inclusive, which was woth it given that a cup of coffee was £4. It's not as swanky as other hotels but the room was lovely, the staff friendly, there's a kids club (which we didn't use) and it was the best holiday we've had with the children. I would recommend staying on the west coast of Mauritius if going during their summer as it's less windy than the east. We put insect repellant on in the last afternoon and used burners at night but didn't need mosquito nets. Have a lovely time wherever you go.

Really sorry only just seen this...
We flew Emirates, always have when visited Mauritius..
Our next hol will poss be Dubai

Bit late here, but been to mauritius with baby 3 times - one and only st geran and four seasons - latter has a hobbit village for kids, personal nanny for the duration of the stay and everything you could want - one and only is also good and the resorts are private and spread out enough so the other guests are not disturbed by kids etc - worth it because the weather if you go at the right time is super - not too hot and humid like thailand can be - as with all things you get what you pay for - others also say La Priogue is good with kids, ditto Hilton and Sofitel - but their resort facilities not as good as the high end. We will do Tousserok next time which has a great reputation for kids all round - Have a great holiday!

We were looking at the touessrok and the anahita resort (not the four seasons), baking cakes have you heard anything about these two? You seem to have a lot of experience with Mauritius!