We flew Air Mauritius from Cape Town direct, and as always, very attentive staff and some of the best airline food around made the trip that much more enjoyable than some might have expected. So a big thanks to the Air Mauritius cabin attendants. The Airbus 319 serving the Cape Town/Mauritius route has the 'crowd-view' drop-down screens from the overhead lockers so you don't have the seat-back 'personal-view' option and my suggestion is take a good book or Kindle, just in case you're not taken with whatever is showing.
Our SummerTimes shuttle from the airport is about an hour or so, and as always, the service was both safe and pleasant - a worthy peer to the service at the Sun Resorts group resorts and hotels, which is way up at the top, with attentive staff at your beck and call 24/7.
What we found really pleasing was the complimentary bottle of bubbly on the pillow - for returning guests. It was a simple but most appreciated touch - and it went down like a dream.
When we previously visited Ambre, it was a family hotel (then in the process of refurbishment) but in November last year an agreement was signed with Germany's TUI Hotels & Resorts group. The hotel's Executive Assistant Manager, Rajen Canniah, told me that the TUI (Touristik Union International) agreement ensures that 140 rooms are permanently booked, with the guests being brought in on a Boeing Dreamliner every week as from 1 May 2014.
The deal is all-inclusive (AI), and adults only - from 16 years to battered old coffin-dodgers such as me. Both aspects of the deal - no children and AI - make for a very pleasant stay. Not that I have anything against kids, naturally, but it does mean that, well... there are no kids.
The all-inclusive package is one I suggest you consider very seriously. It covers the Coral Bar, pool and beach service, The Pub and your room's mini-bar. You also have a choice of three restaurants - Indigo, Dolce Vita and La Plage.
Indigo is the principle restaurant. Then there is Dolce Vita - where you can get on the outside of some great Italian fare, and then there is La Plage, down on the beach with tables in the sand. Whichever you choose, you are assured of excellent food and excellent service. The total seating capacity of all the eateries combined is 750.
Every restaurant menu, including the beverages lists, is on AI and there is no need to sign a bill. However, you can still order some special extras such as a lavish seafood menu or the most romantic dinner for a supplement.
The menus are on a 15-day calendar.
Canniah says that the switch over to the 'no children' regime has brought benefits... such as no need for a separate children's menu or dishes, and no need for a day-care centre. He says that another benefit is that while family hotels experience 'spikes' around school holidays, Xmas and Easter, the adults-only regime means that the visitor number would tend to be more uniform.
"Only about 20% of tourist traffic to Mauritius is families," he says. "About 80% are couples, and some 15% of our business comprises honeymooners," and alluded to the fact that the gay community seems to be finding the island to be an increasingly popular destination as well.
If you are planning to say "I do" and decide on Mauritius, either for your honeymoon or for your actual wedding and honeymoon, then join the club...Canniah says last year Ambre hosted 27 weddings and the count as at the beginning of this month was already 21 for 2014.
You'll find more about (getting married in Mauritius here)
The accommodation comprises 100 standard rooms (30m²), 178 superior (42m²) - which is where we were, 17 double rooms (72m² and 80m²) - ideal for a couple of couples travelling as a group, and two suites (80m²).
The 297 rooms of the resort are gently sheltered by a tropical garden. All rooms offer a stunning mood where white elegant tranquil shades are enhanced by natural and sparkling tones. This is a totally modern and fresh tropical feel with furniture, fabrics and material fitting these tones to give a modern and peaceful touch to each room.
A bonus is a balcony (many first-floor units) or veranda (all ground-floor accommodation).
Some 450 staff is on call to ensure guests enjoy the service they expect.
The hotel was an existing one. Before being taken over by Sun Resorts and refurbished.
Hence it has been around for a while, having been built back in the days when 'loo time' was 'MY time'. So rather than the (very) open plan bathroom that is typical of today's homes and bathrooms, our suite had a separate loo - great news for those who like Ingrid Bergman is reputed to have said (but actually didn't) 'Ah vant to be alurn.'
I was really impressed with the standard of the refurbishment; they really did pull out all the stops to make the rooms comfortable and modern. Air-conditioned, the rooms at Ambre have a flat screen televisions, hairdryers, and a safe amongst other amenities.
Canniah says the upgrades are on going.
We loved our ground-floor room and found the beds very comfortable and the pillows just great. I mentioned the loo earlier, the other area of importance is, of course, the bathroom. Ours was spacious, but with just one basin. My wife, being on the shortish side had a bit of a mission leaning over the basin but other than that, no problems. The shower was very good, with an energy-saving head and there is plenty of hot water, it just took a few seconds to arrive. The shower has a low sill and no door - but a large glass wall that is very effective. The complimentary toiletries were very generous as well.
There are enough pools for everyone. The main 735m2 pool is at the heart of the resort and offers various areas for swimming, playing and relaxing. Besides the Main Pool, a tropical lap pool is available and a gazebo provides extra space for ultimate relaxation.
However, for those who prefer the sea, Ambre has one that I reckon ranks as one of the best for going for a dip. The beach is 700m and thanks to the reef a few hundred metres out, the sea is calm, and the seafloor slopes gently and is sandy - so it is a very safe beach. The only thing I would suggest is take a pair of cheap sandals or shoes along with you and wear them while wading out. The beach is sandy, but given that it lies within a coral reef, there can be bits of coral lurking in the sand and standing on a shard without something to protect your foot can be an interesting, 'sole-searching' experience.
That is the only 'drawback' I could see.
There are lifeguards on duty, and staff is trained in first aid, so they will be able to cope with most, if not all, of the minor accidents guests might encounter. In passing, the resort is also wheelchair-friendly.
It's difficult to think of anyone feeling tense at Ambre, but if you are, or you just feel like being pampered, try the Spa. It's in the south corner of the hotel in a quiet, secluded area, and offers a full range of treatments guaranteed to have you so laid back at the end of any of them that you will be horizontal - figuratively speaking. The spa comprises four treatment rooms, a steam room, a sauna and a Jacuzzi. Two exterior kiosks allow you to enjoy a relaxing treatment while overlooking the sea.
LAND SPORTS (Inclusive)
Two floodlit tennis courts (balls are chargeable); Aerobic; fitness; tennis; stretching; yoga (twice a week); zumba; bocce ball; Frisbee; Tai Chi; body pump; table tennis; beach tennis; beach volley; beach soccer; aqua gym and sports tournaments.
LAND SPORTS (with a nominal fee)
Bicycle ride; tennis lessons; gym classes with personal trainer.
WATER SPORTS (Inclusive)
Kayaks; laser sails; glass-bottom boat trips; snorkelling; windsurfing; Hobie Cat and paddle.
WATER SPORTS (with a nominal fee)
Scuba diving (PADI open-water courses available at Ambre's sister resort, Le Touessrok); waterskiing; big game fishing; small game fishing; parasailing; catamaran sailing; kite surfing and undersea walk. Excursions can be booked through a local Ground Handler
For those who like to be entertained, the entertainment roster changes every two weeks.
Canniah told me that guest retention is around 90%, with guest recommendations at around 94% and guest satisfaction at 98% - my dearly beloved and I are among the 98%.
There is a good mix of guests from the Nordic countries, Germany, Ja!, Austria and the UK, plus of course France and other European countries - and further south... South and southern Africa. Other countries joining the mix are India and Bangladesh. A number visit the island (and stay at Ambre) to marry or honeymoon.
"We did get some odd comments in TripAdvisor but we are the first of the Mauritian adults-only 4-star-rated hotels," says Canniah. He says the shift to adults only has required a focus on the new concept, rebranding and a name change, though the familiar orange will remain.
"There aren't that many adults-only hotels in Mauritius; others have tried, but they didn't have the sort of partnership we have with TUI," he says.
Wi-Fi is free in the lobby and Wi-Fi Premium is available in your room for a fee - inquire at reception on booking in or afterwards.
Boosting Mauritius as a tourism destination is the addition of a number of major carriers to the island... Qatar and Turkish Airlines are among them and to ensure their passengers have somewhere to stay, Mauritius has added another 900 rooms to its inventory.
World Leisure Holidays is wholly owned by Sun Resorts in Mauritius and as such owns two Leading Hotels of the World, Le Touessrok in Mauritius and Kanuhura in the Maldives.
The company also owns two 5-star properties, Sugar Beach and Long Beach as well as two 4-star properties, Ambre and La Pirogue, all located in Mauritius.
Ambre Hotel since November 2013 is a contemporary, all-inclusive adults retreat for passengers 16 years and older.
World Leisure Holidays value proposition is that of a concierge.
The company's mission is to package best-value vacations and journeys with the client from the booking process, to the stay and right through to aftercare.
For reservations or further information call 0860 954 954 or visit the company's website www.wlh.co.za
www.facebook.com/WorldLeisureHolidays
@WorldLeisureH - Twitter
The MTPA is a parastatal organisation established in 1996 to promote Mauritius as a tourist destination. It provides tourists with information on the facilities, infrastructures, and services available to them when they visit the island. The MTPA also works closely with tourism agencies and conducts research into market trends and opportunities for the country. Additionally, it serves as an advisor to the Minister on all matters relating to the promotion of tourism. South Africa forms an important market for tourism to Mauritius. To this end, the MTPA office in South Africa strives to promote tourism to the island.
For more, go to: www.tourism-mauritius.mu or email: az.oc.sdriab@suitiruaM.
