Hotel Cotton Bay^{(3 stars)}

Hotel - beach - infrastructure - environment - weather - getting there and back Our experience: from 21/12/2012 to 03/01/2013 There are just a few hotels on this lonely island and it appears to be among the better ones. But there is a HUGE difference between Mauritius and Rodrigues. Very friendly management and staff, but not everybody appears very competent. There are rooms where you can have a bathtub just next to your double bed (if you like that) instead of a sofa. Meals average, especially on public holidays. When you check in you may be told that the coffee ... and tea in your room are for free, when you pay your bill at the end of your stay things can prove different (quite a surprise). You can find free coffee and tea e.g. in the US and in Australia. Make sure that you register for yourself whatever drinks you have taken from your mini-bar as there is no official list which you sign each day. The sound of the disco after 10 p.m. is far too loud, the jungle bass reaches rooms at the end of the resort. The beach is really rice to look at - but dirty after an invasion of hundreds of locals on public holidays. Then swimming isn't a good idea any more. People don't care about the environment. Beware of all those sea urchins and wear shoes. Snorkeling is maybe not as promising as you might expect, there are lots of dead corals. Getting around by public transport is fine because you can go nearly everywhere, but don't try to do so on public holidays. There is nothing like a timetable. And don't rely on the expertise of the reception staff. At least you should be very flexible. If you are very sure about the time you want or must leave the island you should allow for an additional day or two towards the end because during the southern summer season there might just be a cyclone around and you can't leave And the staff aren't a great help. Getting there and back can be a bit difficult: We booked Air Mauritius and had to travel by Air France to Mauritius and only then there was a real AM plane to take us to Rodrigues. Checking through your luggage works well from Germany, though the suitcases may arrive just 20 hours later. Checking through at Rodrigues Airport doesn't work at all (because 2 airlines are involved). All in all perhaps the best stay on this island but there are worlds between Rodrigues and Mauritius. read more