LUX* Grand Gaube

We returned to LUX in November after experiencing the refurbishment woes last January. As expected the hotel was fully functional with all the refurbishment problems fixed. The weather was superb for the whole 2 weeks and we had an excellent holiday with the high levels of service we have come to expect from this hotel.Brice Lunot is still the GM ably supported by Sandeep at Front of House and both made us feel very welcome on arrival and throughout our stay. It is extremely difficult to single out members of staff because everyone does their best to make you feel special and part of the LUX family. Certain staff went out of their way to make our stay extra special and beyond expectations. On the beach Reedoo kept our beds tidy and our sunglasses clean and was always on hand for advice with a permanent smile. Kumar is the king of milkshakes and ensure we always had cold drinks available. The Beach Rouge Manager, Nikesh, spoilt us completely and anticiptated all our needs. He was ably supported by Madhv, Pergum and Shweta who could not do enough to ensure every meal was perfect. At the Banyan, Visnesh the Manager was always on hand to supply the food we wanted whether on the new menu or the previous one. In Bodrum Blue, Akshay always had a welcoming smile and gave excellent service. In Palm Court Dirin ensured we were well looked after and Yasser was exceptionally efficient and caring. Ashwin took particular care of us and is a fantastic waiter. As always the Inti restaurant was very well run by Jean-Philippe with first class service. For great fun and cocktails at the bar Kiran was a first class barman and cocktail maker with Emmanuel filling in during his absence. The Bar Manager, Rooben, always ensured we had a seat and had a drink. Head Chef Dominic was always checking guests were completely satisfied with the food and with Nicola, Head of F&B, both have done a superb job in the quality and selection of food and drinks. The Gym remains well run by Burwing and Ratiesh and is much needed after all the food and drink consumed. The LUX Cafe is always on the agenda for early/mid morning coffee and the girls always have a smile and quick to remember our preferences. It is very hard for any hotel to maintain their service levels and quality of food and drinks but LUX appear to have found the answer and surprise us on every visit with even further improvements.

This was best holiday we have ever enjoyed as a family. The staff are absolutely top class. Every single person working at the hotel goes the extra mile to make you feel special and welcome. It makes such a difference as a guest to be greeted with a warm smile and kind words everywhere you go. This included all staff we met, including gardeners, security and housekeeping staff who aren’t necessarily “client facing” but were still such wonderfully welcoming people. I always say that it’s possible to train people to serve, but it’s not possible to train people to be kind. The staff all showed such a depth of natural kindness and warmth that we will never forget. They were all brilliantly trained as well - every person we came across seemed to want to ensure that we were having the best time possible. Our son has a nut allergy which I made the Hotel aware of before our stay. On a recent trip to a leading hotel in Europe we had a big scare when he had a severe allergic attack to contaminated food. The team at Grand Gaube allowed us to relax over this as they took it so seriously and professionally. Dominik, the executive chef, was personally in touch with me before we arrived and we spoke on the phone. The fact that every single person at the Hotel was aware was such a relief as it meant we didn’t have to constantly brief every member of waiting staff which has been our experience at many other hotels. Nicolas, the head of food and beverage was also a great help with this. Both of them are truly great - they took this so seriously. I know it must have been a lot of extra work for their team but they did it all with such grace and never made out that this extra work was a problem. The food while on this topic was absolutely exceptional at all the restaurants we ate at. We eat at all the best restaurants in London and the food at Grand Gaube equals and in many instances is superior. The chefs in Palm Court were also so engaging and fun. It made meal times a real event for us. Having Diren, one of the senior waiters, constantly looking after us at breakfast and dinner was also fantastic. He was so attentive and kind to my family - we truly appreciated this. It made a big difference to know that he was so concerned that our son was safe. He did an amazing job. Sandeep and his team on the front desk / concierge were also fantastically attentive and professional, always helping with any issues we had with a smile on their face - nothing was too much trouble. In the kids club the ladies there made our children’s week a truly memorable one with their fun and loving personalities. Elodie, Anousha and Pooja were on duty for most of our stay - each of them were superb and our children loved spending time with them which allowed us to have some lovely time alone together knowing that the children were genuinely happy. There is a lady at the cafe near the entrance that I have to mention but I didn’t get her name as I am not a big coffee drinker, but my family all mentioned her on the way home as she has probably the most fantastic smile in the Indian Ocean! Every time we passed she smiled and waved at the family. It is things like this that make a 9/10 holiday 10/10, as you feel that the staff want you to be there. I know I have singled out a few names here but honestly each and every staff member was exceptional. They have made our first visit to Mauritius a truly memorable one - we certainly hope to return again soon.