Azuri Residences by Life in Blue

I came to see the stone walk bridge, which you can get to through the Azuri site. The beach looked lovely, with what seemed to be lots of water sports for residents and guests. I also had a coffee at the on-site shop. The complex and hotel looked very nice.

We spent five days there last December, during the 2021 festive season. The villa, activities, surroundings, and stay were all very pleasant, and the housekeeping staff were extremely friendly. The meal at Blackrock Bar & Grill was disappointing, though. We ordered seven burgers, and every patty was about half the size of its bun. Maybe the end-of-year rush was to blame, and I hope it improves this year.

The kids loved having room to scooter around and play safely, even though it was winter and we didn’t risk swimming. Our apartment was spacious and great for a weekend away, and there’s a nice community on site. When we arrived, resort manager Arnaud from Life in Blue gave us a warm welcome, and Krish showed us to the apartment and explained the facilities. Check-out was just as smooth, with Krish seeing me off and making sure the stay had gone well. We had a lovely, peaceful long weekend and will definitely come back.

I came to Mauritius for the first time in December 2019, booking through a travel agency in Joburg because I wanted a short break from South Africa. I’m from the Caribbean, and I ended up feeling underwhelmed by the service and what the property offered. I hadn’t realized the apartments were part of a resort. For the first eight nights I stayed in a good three-bedroom apartment overlooking the sea, the only unit left when I booked, and its amenities were on point. Then management moved me for my final two nights. The second apartment was awful: the air conditioning didn’t work, the furniture was old and worn, and it smelled terrible. There were very few food choices. There was a cafe with mostly bread-based options, a steakhouse, the Raddison Blu with a prepaid buffet only, and another restaurant that was always closed for events. If you don’t eat bread, meat, or gluten, the options are limited. Management support was minimal too. I arrived at night and only a hotel employee was there to hand over my keys, with nobody to welcome me. Leaving was the same. If you need help after 4pm or on Sundays, there isn’t any management staff on site, so you’re on your own. There’s no swimmable beach at the property. You can sit by the shore, but the water is murky and full of seaweed. The nearest beach is 30 minutes away, and getting there costs $35-$45 each way. I rented a car instead for $40 a day. I don’t think either the hotel or Mauritius was worth the money. The Caribbean is much better, though I admit I’m biased.