Royal Palm Beachcomber Luxury

Posted — 31st October 2018 under Luxury Holidays.

My frequent trips to Mauritius have meant that I have previously spent a night at or dined at the wonderful Royal Palm Beachcomber Luxury, Mauritius, one of the Leading Hotels of the World. I have of course loved it, who wouldn’t like this exclusive boutique hotel in a prime location in Grand Baie? Top class food, facilities and staff, but I often asked myself just what was it that set it apart from the rest of the luxury hotels in Mauritius or indeed the world.

This question was answered when I was invited to spend 3 nights at the newly renovated Royal Palm – to stay as a guest and not just for a brief work visit!

With just 69 intimate suites and staff that outnumber guests 3:1, this elegant yet welcoming hotel lives up to its reputation with flawless service and outstanding hospitality. Treated as a returning family member, rather than a hotel guest I started to really feel what this hotel offers as I opened the door to my Palm Suite. A stunningly beautiful room, decorated in rich fabrics and with a bathroom to die for – a huge walk-in shower and round bathtub big enough to have a party in. I read through the hotel information booklet which reads like most top hotels in the world, but the real magic happens when you start to unwind and experience some of the Royal Palm way!

One of the first things I notice is that for a hotel of this stature, I feel remarkably at home here almost immediately. The staff are welcoming and as many of them have worked here for years they work together like a well-oiled machine. Always attentive but never intrusive – I later realise that they are all paying very personal attention to what I like during my stay. Something that on previous visits I had felt a little uncomfortable about is the allocation of beach beds for the duration of your stay. However, this was just one of the joys of my trip – my very own sun beds, towel ready and perfectly placed just waiting for me at any time I wished to wonder to the beach – sunbeds around the 3 pools are not allocated so I had a choice of locations to relax. A quiet and relaxing atmosphere but welcoming to both couples and families alike, with a huge number of repeat customers which is hardly surprising given what I have now experienced.

I can, of course, recommend the huge and beautifully appointed spa, their land and water sports and a trip out on their own Royal Princess Yacht, but that still doesn’t sum up what the Royal Palm is all about. We can all read a glossy brochure, look at the stunning images and compare all of this to the hundreds of top class hotels in the world. However, what makes the Royal Palm Hotel so special is what you cannot put in a brochure!

From the first time I asked advice at the bar as to whether the bottled or draught beer was the best, I was offered this automatically the following time, along with the brand of Gin that I prefer to take with my tonic. My minibar is stocked with my favourite drinks too. The staff know my name, they know how I like my eggs cooked in the morning and the chef sometimes asks what I would like for dinner that evening. All of this is very impressive but it is the simplest of things that really made me realise just how special this hotel is: I wandered from my hotel room to the end of the beach (all of 20 metres I would guess) and as I stood under a large parasol taking in the view, the sky suddenly darkened and the heavens opened – it rained so hard that I was soaked up to my knees where the water was bouncing off of the paving stones. I sheltered for a while waiting for the rain to go off, but it looked like it was set in for a time anyway. It was not cold or particularly unpleasant and I was considering making a dash for it when in the distance I could see a figure walking along the path from the main bar and reception area, the gentleman was hurrying along under a large umbrella and as he approached me he handed me one too, stating ‘I think you may be needing this to get back to your room’. I thanked him for what he had done and I stood for a while, a little taken back by his thoughtfulness – it was at that very moment that I suddenly realised that I had been Royal Palmed and at that point in time I totally knew what sets this hotel apart from the rest, I really understood why so many of its customers return and are welcomed as one of the family time and time again, I can assure you that this wouldn’t be my last stay as a hotel guest at the Royal Palm.