Club Med in Mauritius – where to go

I recently uploaded this YouTube video taking us through the newly-refurbished Club Med La Pointe aux Canonniers.

Last year I visited Club Med La Plantation d’Albion in June and wrote this about my experience.

In this blog, I will give you my thoughts comparing the two Club Med villages (this is what Club Med calls its resorts) so that you can make a more informed decision about which to choose for your next holiday (with your family, your friends, your partner, or on your own). A Club Med holiday, anywhere in the world, is definitely worth it.

About the two villages

So, let’s look at a comparison of some of the basic stats. Club Med La Plantation d’Albion (Albion) is larger than Club Med La Pointe aux Canonniers (La Pointe) and the latter was recently refurbished-with families in mind.

La Plantation d’Albion                                            La Pointe aux Canonniers

5-Trident resort                                                          4-Trident resort

Activities include trapeze                                         Activities exclude trapeze

Adults-only zen pool                                                  Adults-only zen pool

Main and alternate restaurants available            Main and alternate restaurants available

Located in the North of Mauritius                          Located on the West-Coast

Meeting new people vs free time alone

Both Club Med villages give guests the opportunity to meet with new people, either GOs (the Club Med team) or other GMs (guests, like you). I think both give you plenty of opportunities to spend time socialising and meeting new people and time alone.

You can socialise by the bar, the main pools, the beach bars, at shows, at afterparties, and just generally around the two villages. You can spend some alone time on the beach, at the zen pools, at the spas, or on the balcony or patio of your room. At Albion, you can stay in one of the private villas for maximum alone time. If you go this route, you will spend maximum time with your family or group (or yourself) as you will have access to your own pool. So, by staying at an Albion villa, you can really focus in alone time with yourself, your family, your group, or your partner.

Service

The Club Med GO teams around the world are known for their friendliness. It’s part of the Club Med charm. This generally comes with excellent service: from reception to cleaning services, everyone takes pride in their work and they are usually quite happy to chat if you both understand each other’s languages. Each time I stay at a Club Med village I leave wondering how the organisation can keep the consistency of excellent service and friendly staff around the world. Somehow, it happens. Great people and excellent service every.single.time.

Activities

Part of the all-inclusive nature of Club Med is that there are plenty (and I mean plenty) of activities you can take part in. It’s actually quite surprising that we have so much available to us included in the package price. The difference between the two villages is that Albion offers trapeze and La Pointe does not. But both offer watersports, snorkelling, beach volleyball, a gym… and more. Both also offer excursions (at an additional price).

Children vs adults

I think both villages cater to both children and adults well. Although, I was more aware of the children at La Pointe than I was at Albion. This makes sense. As La Pointe was refurbished to focus on families, it makes sense that I would see more families with younger children at this resort. I did see children at Albion as well but I saw older children – think: teenagers and people in their early twenties on holiday with their parents.

Also, with Albion being larger than La Pointe, the zen pool and chill area near this pool was larger at Albion than it was at La Pointe. Here’s an insider tip for both villages: if you plan to spend the day at the zen pool, get there early.

Time to visit

Honestly, I think you can visit Mauritius all year round. It has a tropical climate so that means you’ll either have hot or very hot weather. There will be some rainy days here and there but generally you’ll get great weather. I’ve visited Mauritius in “winter” and in summer. I write winter in inverted commas because it’s not the kind of winter you’ll have in the UK…or even Cape Town or Jo’burg.

Mauritius is most popular during the summer, of course, and especially around December/January. This means that the all the resorts on the island, markets, and beaches will be fuller and the prices will be as well (another reason to choose Club Med which gives you great value for money). A Christmas and new year with Club Med is a special experience as the organisation celebrates festive weeks where the GO teams make your Christmas/new year holiday extra special.

Cost

There is a price difference between the two villages: one is 5-trident and the other is 4-trident. Then there is the cost of a private villa if you’d like some added luxury and privacy. There are also cost differences depending on when you decide to visit. Contact the Agency by Club Med for all the latest pricing and advice on when to go according to your budget and preferences.

Food

The food selection is great at both villages. Albion is larger so the kitchen is larger but both villages give you varying food options from around the world. I like that each Club Med has some sort of selection that celebrates the local cuisine so in Mauritius expect to see some traditional Mauritian dishes. There will also be crepes…made and served daily in the most inconvenient place: near you. They are served with a selection of fruit and other nibbles as well as Nutella, cinnamon sugar, and syrup. Good luck resisting.

That’s the thing about Club Med, you won’t go hungry. If you miss the traditional meal time at the main restaurant, you can visit the alternate restaurant. If you miss that you can order something from the “snack” menu which offers full meals but without the wide selection available at the main restaurant. Plus, there will be tea time treats. So, you will be well fed.

In summary, this is what I recommend

If you have younger children (whether your children are all in the same age range or you have younger and older children) you should visit La Pointe. If your children are teenagers and above, try Albion.

I saw grandparents on holiday with their children and grandchildren at both villages so it’s great that you can have a really awesome family holiday.

For couples and groups of friends, I would recommend Albion. It has an older crowd and fewer very young children so if you’re looking for that vibe, this is the resort for you. If, however, you’re doing a big group holiday (you and your friends with your children of varying ages but most of them are older children) then I suggest you do as Mrs Augustine Masilela-Chuene did and choose Albion.

For a solo holiday: I think both will work.

This is not a hard and fast rule: you will have a brilliant family holiday whichever Club Med village you choose. Essentially, go for the vibe that suits the majority of the group because both villages will cater to all ages or just choose the one that appeals to you the most. So, whichever you choose, everyone in the group will have an awesome time.

I only make this recommendation so that you can see in which direction each village leans. Of course, you could book holidays at both and make your own decision. It will be worth it.