Club Med Albion - Mauritius — Hotel in Albion

My recent stay at Club Med Albion held immense promise – a luxurious escape on the beautiful shores of Mauritius. However, the reality fell short of expectations, leaving me with a mix of disappointment and frustration. While the resort boasts stunning scenery and comfortable accommodations, the inconsistent service and lack of inclusivity significantly detracted from the experience.

When I think about the service at Club Med, I can only think of one thing… ‘Service with a selective smile’. The warm hospitality one expects from a five-star establishment was noticeably absent for much of my stay. Interactions with some staff members, particularly at the bar and water activities area, felt rude, dismissive and indifferent. It was disheartening to witness other guests, seemingly non-locals, receiving attentive service while my requests were met with delays or brushed aside. This inconsistency created an uncomfortable atmosphere and left me feeling unwelcome.

The food at Club Med Albion was generally of good quality, but the options were surprisingly limited. The absence of fresh seafood dishes, a staple of Mauritian cuisine, was particularly puzzling. While I appreciate seasonal variations, the lack of variety, especially for those with dietary restrictions, made mealtimes less enjoyable than they should have been.

The resort advertises a plethora of water activities, but my experience was far more restricted. Despite being included in my package, kayaking was the only accessible option. Witnessing other guests, primarily white tourists, effortlessly participating in snorkeling and other activities only amplified my disappointment. This inconsistency in service based on perceived nationality is unacceptable and undermines the resort's claims of inclusivity.

The lack of readily available valet service upon departure was a minor inconvenience but added to the overall feeling of inconsistency. While not a deal-breaker, it reinforces the impression of service falling short of expectations.

Club Med Albion has the potential to be an idyllic escape, but my experience was marred by inconsistencies in service and a perceived lack of inclusivity. While I appreciate the beauty of the location and the quality of the accommodations, these aspects alone cannot salvage a disappointing stay. As a seasoned traveller, I can honestly say that Club Med Albion in Mauritius has probably been one of the worst supposedly five-star hotels I have visited in the world. If you're seeking a truly five-star experience where service and inclusivity are paramount, you may want to consider...

Our trip started off with a cold water and a scenic trip to the resort. We arrived to meet Gary who handed us some champagne and explained everything, Gary entertained us really well throughout our stay and we thoroughly enjoyed his company in the evenings. The bar staff always made sure we had a drink on hand and Ethan and Nitish went out of their way to make us the most splendid cocktails all day and night and also ensure our 5year old had a mocktail to match. Kids club blew us away with their organization and care for kids. Sacha is so kind and always checks in on families, we developed a great bond with Carrine who was looking after our daughter. Kids club had great facilities, always followed a schedule and included parents (eg Kids club family pool party), we felt safe leaving our daughter under the team's care. Trapeze- Thank you to Gaby, Ami, Coco, Scott and Jos for such Patience with teaching trapeze to a beginner to taking me to flying catches in just a matter if days . Even out of the trapeze area they still remember your name and chat! Their enthusiasm and dedication is seen every day! Land/water sports- Amien &Opic Amien taught us so much and kept our heart rates up. From aqua to crazy signs to anything in general. Opic went out of his way to make our water sport memories fantastic and always kept us informed. Over and above their normal duties Amien and Opic hosted the most splendid poker tournament that was definitely one for the books. Rajaa- a great woman who we met in the evenings she spent most evenings teaching us to dance, sharing laughs and exchanging life stories. The shows were absolutely beautiful and well choreographed. It amazed us how the same GO'S that work in the day can perform at night and still party with us. Most nights we had a great dinner/drink/dance with Gary,Ethan,Opic, Amien, Carrine, Rajaa,Ami our dinner table was full on most nights and we were absolutely THRILLED, it felt just like home! The food, WOW just WOW. It exceeded expectations. Each dish perfectly plated, such variety every day Well done Chefs. To Janine who looked after our room, thank you. It was nicely freshened every day(considering we have a toddler that messes). The ocean was beautiful and so were both pools and service at both restaurants and bars. To the management that walk around every day on beaches and pool decks checking on each guest in the heat sometimes offering refreshments we noticed you, you made us feel special. Overall what a splendid stay, great friends and memories made. We will definitely be back! Thank you Donovan,...

We particularly had personalised and attentive care from Pascal in Sports, also Nico and Mati (Circus) as well as Anshley and Rachel and Esteban in excursions.  We also had a lot of great experience with Enzo and Delphine of Sport team too. The rooms were great, and the cleaning service was good and efficient and very good at being flexible when one of the family was unwell and needed to stay in bed for the morning.  I had requested non-allergy (non feather pillows) and by the end of the week, I realised that these had not been provided.  I hadn't realised earlier as I arrived with a cold, so put my poor breathing down to this. The meals were wonderful, but by the end of the week, I was finding the repetition a little too much, and finding it harder to find new things to eat.  However, I do have particular dietary needs, and some food allergies, so most people wouldn't find this a problem.  The 2 evenings when food was served elsewhere were very lovely. We went to the Alouda for a late breakfast one day and that was a disaster.  The staff didn't get one thing correct in our order, we waited 20 mins for tea, and then they brought literally a tea bag and we had to ask 4 times for hot water and a cup! I wouldn't recommend this venue, especially as the normal buffet breakfast is so fantastic! We had lovely service from Rohan in the main restaurant and the fruit chopping chef was really friendly and helpful and seemed to love that our 11 year old always came for placte of fruit rather than all the desserts! We didn't feel the Teens club gave enough structure, or had enough cohesion.  Our 11 and 16 year olds found it hard to meet other teens or make friends which was disappointing after having had great experiences with Junior Club Med in the past.  It would be nicer if they had a programme, and had meals togther and if the leaders made more of an effort to get the groups to gel. We found the app very un-userfriendly to use, and would have liked to have an option of a printed timetable of activities or a way to indicate interest in an activity so we could get reminders near the time. Even a screen in reception with the days activities would have been helpful.  Also the activites that were on the app, were not always correct or with the correct time, which led to issues with planning the day. In general, we had an amazing time and would come back in a heartbeat, all the niggles were very much "first world problems" but Club Med should...