Lerecif Hotel

I had a mixed but mostly positive stay at Le Récif Guest House. The direct ocean view from a standard room was incredible, and waking up to it was a treat. Breakfast had a good range each day, while the dinner menu changed daily. Staff let us know the two main course choices ahead of time, and both the taste and presentation were excellent. There are a few things to know: standard rooms have no TV or fridge, which didn’t bother me, and drinking water at meals costs extra and is quite expensive. We often found cockroaches in the room, and getting hot water was difficult. It took a long time to heat, or sometimes never got warm. It’s a beautiful spot with good food, but the pest control and plumbing need attention.

The sea view is wonderful and the staff are kind, with service that was spot on. The food, though, needs some improvement.

That view really is breathtaking, with the waves and moonlight at night, but it was the only good part of our stay at Le Recif. We were a group of more than 25 people, and the experience a few days ago was very poor. Some staff were welcoming, but the restaurant lady was rude and unprofessional. I asked for a cup of hot water to make milk for my baby girl, and she refused because we had a standard room. I argued for 10 minutes before she finally gave me some. A cup in the room is the bare minimum, and there were no tea or coffee packets either. The corridor by the kitchen had so many cockroaches that we killed dozens a day. I rolled up a towel to keep them from getting under the doors. There was mold in the bathroom, and the room cleanliness was so bad I’d rather not get into it. On half board, we had to buy even water with meals. There was no corkage fee option, at least for a category of guests. The worst thing was having to share rooms. We all paid the same package, but some of us had to share. One room had three adults and one child; an adult slept in a child's bed and woke with back pain for three nights. This should have been explained when booking. We were on holiday to relax and have privacy, not listen to strangers snore. At dinner, we couldn’t enjoy the full menu because they had run out of curry. Then, when another group arrived, it was available again, but by then we were already full. We paid to enjoy good food on vacation. They also asked one of us to change rooms because a VIP was coming and they needed the room. That was unbelievable and unprofessional. If they knew a VIP was coming, they should have told the guest ahead of time that a move might be needed the next day because it was the only room available. Communication was not clear. I’m writing at length because I don’t want others to go through this. Don’t be fooled by the view. Rodrigues itself is a piece of paradise, and thankfully the stay didn’t ruin our holiday. I want to return to the island, but not to LE RECIF. The place has potential, but the owners and staff aren’t maintaining basic guesthouse standards. I do not recommend it; there are better places.

The balcony view was fantastic, and despite the problems I did manage to enjoy parts of my stay. But there’s a lot that needs work. Our room was decent, though some furniture was old and in poor shape. Since we booked standard, there was no welcome pack; only superior room guests got one, which was a letdown. Cleanliness was a big issue. The path to the restaurant and bar was dirty and badly lit. I saw cockroaches in the toilet near the restaurant, then woke one morning to find a live one under the wardrobe in my room. The food tasted okay, but there wasn’t much variety during the stay. Some staff were friendly, while others came across as unwelcoming or unprofessional. There was no evening entertainment, so it felt dull at night. The hotel has plenty of room to improve its cleanliness, staff training, and guest experience.