Radisson Blu Azuri Resort & Spa, Mauritius — Hotel in Isle Mauritius

After reading multiple reviews we thought everything would be top notch, in reality the hotel falls short – it completely depends on your expectations. Our experience was a real mixed bag, so I’ve attempted to detail all events factually, to decide whether this is the right destination for you.

– Location The hotel is located on the windy side of the island. We expected there to be a strong breeze, but at times it was more like 30mph, so you would like a light sandblasting if on the beach – unsurprisingly no one uses the sun beds there.

– Activities The hotel includes a good programme - walks, cycling, caves etc - all included. They’re short but enjoyable. You’ll need some local change to bring you back on the local bus.

There’s a range of watersports kits - it’s all beginner style, so don’t expect harnesses etc for windsurfing. The beach team were not keen to let you out due to the wind. Also there’s a good amount of rocks around, so at low tide you really need to be careful.

There’s one main large pool sectioned into three. At most times there are children playing in it, so was difficult to swim lengths. The main fitness pool closed for renovations, that’s behind the gym – this was a real let down.

The pool area has towels left out overnight on beds or guests getting up at 5.30am, so all taken by 6am. If this is what you’re looking for, you’ll need to be early as the hotel staff don’t clear off towels after the stated 1 hour of none use.

– Standard garden room Is a good size, including a Childs folding bed. There is a strange two level design, so in the night you just need to be careful is visiting the bathroom.

Cleaning was ok, but the floors not mopped, so by the end of the stay looked like it needed a good clean and we ensured to leave our shoes outside. On a couple of occasions they forgot to replace the water and towels. Don’t expect flowers on pillows etc like some other more luxury resorts.

Unfortunately my daughter’s necklace, which was in a small bag was thrown away by the cleaners. There was no apology, nor was it replaced. It was unfortunate but could have been handled better.

We found most staff to be pleasant, possibly not as attentive as other resorts.

Food and drinks

Beach bar If you’re looking for relatively poor drinks you’ve come to the right place. Cocktails are made without jigs or real care, so two can be very different. They’re all very sweet (so ask to leave the sugar syrup out) and quite weak – we suspect the local spirits are low volume and quality. If you’re after drinking any kind of booze all day you’ll enjoy it. If you’re looking for a couple of decent cocktails, you’ll be sadly disappointed.

Plastic cups weren’t collected from the beach – personally we returned ours, but it wasn’t great to see some left there for days.

Le Comptoir buffet - good selection, friendly chefs to speak to. Tables cleaned slowly, some younger staff not looking like they wanted to be there. Drinks at the table were a little hit and miss. There’s a single coffee machine, so would be better to have that table served or two machines, as waiting in line can feel like a holiday camp.

Blackrock - we visited twice and certainly not what we were expecting. Food served followed by drinks the first time, following by a 1.5 hr wait and overcooked food the second time. Unsurprisingly we spoke to the resort manager who accepted things has gone wrong due to a large party before us overwhelming them. He did offer to make it right.

Italian cafe Excellent food, all staff more attentive, especially Daryl. You can only visit this in the evening if on all inclusive. We enjoyed a mix of pasta here. You need to book.

Golf club restaurant The saving grace in the resort. Excellent staff all round – very friendly and attentive. You couldn’t fault the food either. A golf buggy takes you from the hotel to the club in about 3 minutes.

The drinks here, especially the cocktails were excellent. Clearly they take pride in making them and created a few off...

A beautiful spot nestled within a complex of private apartment blocks. The complex is served by a handful of independent restaurants and bars, as well as the hotel’s own buffet restaurant and all-inclusive bars.

Hotel guests can dine at the buffet restaurant for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. A real bonus is the option to eat at the independent restaurants using your hotel dining credit; 700 for lunch or 1000 for dinner (children receive half that amount). These restaurants offer à la carte or set menus, and as long as you stay within your credit, there's no extra cost. Those restaurants are very good at keeping your balance zero and at the same time offering you the food you want :-) The buffet features themed dishes each day, which is nice, though it can become a little repetitive, so having other options is a big plus. I would recommend planning ahead and booking your restaurants for each evening in advance.

We enjoyed Gioia, the Italian restaurant, which served good quality dishes, and Black Rock, a BBQ restaurant known for its grilled steak and seafood, absolutely delicious (booking essential). Their lunch set menu was also beautiful. Another favourite was Nine, the charming restaurant at the golf club. Lunch there was excellent; we recommend the beef dish, chicken leg (served on the bone), and the club sandwiches.

Activities can be booked at the boat house, including glass-bottom boat trips, snorkelling, paddle surfing, windsurfing, kayaking, and more. The area can be quite windy, so it’s worth checking in daily to see which activities are running. We visited in the first week of July and unfortunately didn’t manage to snorkel once due to the wind. The glass-bottom boat was also a bit underwhelming in such conditions. On the other hand, hiking at Bras d’Eau was lovely, and the caving excursion was a great experience — both organised by the hotel and included in the stay.

Unlike many hotels that try to limit towel washing by charging extra, this one uses a sensible towel-card system. You hand over your card for a clean towel, and get it back when you return a used one; meaning you can swap for a fresh towel as often as you like. Some guests took full advantage of this system, maybe a little too far.

The spa offers massages, though they come at a premium; we were quoted 7500 at the hotel for a massage that cost us 1900 at a reputable spa nearby. Of course, you do pay for the convenience, but the price difference felt a bit steep. That said, spa and sauna facilities are free to use for hotel guests. If you’re planning to use them daily, I recommend visiting on your first day and letting the staff know your preferred time, it can get booked up, and you might otherwise be turned away.

The gym was excellent. As it's also open to residents of the private apartments, it’s properly maintained and professionally run. Yoga and Pilates classes were of high quality, and the spin classes were intense but rewarding. Highly recommend checking the class timetable early so you can make the most of it if that’s your thing.

Overall, it’s a small, slightly older hotel, ideal for a quiet, relaxing stay with family. We travelled with another family and had a fantastic time. It was perfect.

Also, for what it’s worth; there were lots of quiet and reserved types of Brits with Soltan sun cream in hand...if that...

This is a beach hotel extraordinaire!|Wow! what a super great time we had at the Radisson Blu Azuri Hotel in the Riviere du Rempart area of Mauritius. We arrived late afternoon after being warmly greeted we were shown to our well appointed and nicely arranged room on the first floor of a garden apartment overlooking a beautiful landscape with a clear view of the Indian Ocean. Our room was very nicely laid out and equipped with a very comfortable bed and a more than adequate bathroom. The veranda had a double couch and a table with two comfortable chairs. The room attendant Abyshake was most efficient and delightful to talk to and kept the room fully supplied and in immaculate condition. He made several bed decorations which were very impressive. Flower designs, an elephant and a most amazing crocodile!|The hotel was nearly completely open plan and a delight to use. The pools were well appointed and easy to use the views were spectacular and from the hotel one could see the sea through the palm trees in most directions and the sunsets were quite stunning as our room faced in that direction. The food was excellent and well presented and delicious for all the meals and the bread rolls were to die for. The hotel staff were all just so lovely, friendly, caring and very communicative with some very notable characters among them. We felt as though we were with our own family and friends - yet the other side of the world!|My wife had an upset stomach on two occasions due to being in a different country. The receptionist Shakera whom we called 'The Princess' came most days to see us at breakfast and enquire how my wife was. How nice. Then there was a very helpful waiter who liked a bit of fun whom we named 'Dodgy Dev'! Rishi was the 'Super Chef' who concocted a light meal for my wife when she had a tummy upset. 'Sweet Ani' was the sweetest of young ladies who attended our every restaurant request with great politeness and attention. Nichol a restaurant manager was 'Mr Nice Guy' and so helpful with selecting a table and attending to our needs and requests. Shereea 'The Helper' was the most calm and attentive waitress we have ever met where nothing was too much trouble. Josh was very go to and get it done man whom we called 'Josh the Conqueror'. Then there was Ramesh 'Mr Fix It'! our restaurant manager who could do anything that was required. A brilliant and capable restaurant manager and so confident that he could solve any problem.... and he did too! |Bharty AKA 'Madam Omelette' - the breakfast egg lady who loved a bit of fun and looked at me very suspiciously when I asked her to add rhubarb as an ingredient for my omelette!! Vinay was 'The Viceroy' and very diplomatic about everything and then Laxman the cleaner who was most efficient at picking up everything in sight that fell to the floor in the food hall. Well that's it folks!|This was a very happy holiday and the hotel and staff were second to none to any hotel we have been visited over many years. If you go to Mauritius go to Radisson Blu Azuri for sure. Oh and by the way if you go all inclusive even the hotel's glass bottom boat and snorkelling trips and beach kayaks and paddle boards and pedal boats are free. Go on, go for it you will have a wonderful time because we did!!|Well done Radisson Blu Azuri.... beyond brilliant!|Best wishes - Dave &...