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The Independent
2 days ago
- The Independent
Shangri-La Le Touessrok, Mauritius, hotel review
A fun, lively resort with beautiful white sand beaches and a private island that's perfectly suited to families or an active holiday in luxury surroundings. Location Staff at the hotel will be quick to tell you that as one of the first hotels on the island, the Shangri-La Le Touessrok had its pick of locations on the east coast and chose the best. And although there may just be a nugget of truth to this, the location is indeed exquisite. Situated on the east side of Mauritius where many of the most luxurious resorts are located, the Shangri-La has arguably some of the most beautiful stretches of white sand on the island with uninterrupted views across the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean. It is also the only resort in Mauritius that has a private island. The hotel is roughly an hour's drive (45km) from Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport. The vibe Recently renovated to create a more modern coastal vibe, this sprawling resort has a bit of a buzz about it, while also being laid-back and never feeling too busy or crowded. Sleek and fresh with lots of white and natural tones, and surrounded by greenery, it has a real 'paradise' feel. While many luxury hotels on the island can feel quite sleepy after dinner, Shangri-La has music and performances that go on into the evenings, creating a livelier ambience (without too much of a party atmosphere). Service A WhatsApp service allows you to contact the front desk and concierge directly, and this is relatively efficient. The weather can be changeable here and if plans need to be changed at the last minute, staff are friendly and helpful. Bed and bath The resort is split into three sections – Coral, Hibiscus and Frangipani – and all rooms look out towards white sands and turquoise waters. The rooms are chic and modern, with white decor contrasted with splashes of colour and touches of wood. Minibars are free (excluding alcohol) and replenished daily. There are several suites with direct beachfront access and three very upscale private villas Food and drink There are five restaurants at Shangri-La (including one on the private island), as well as various dining 'experiences' that are seasonal. Safran serves excellent South Indian cuisine, including fluffy naan cooked in the open oven in front of you. At Coco's you'll find simpler beachside fare with burgers, sandwiches, salads and pastas for both lunch and dinner, while Kushi is a chic Japanese restaurant featuring a Sake Alcove where guests can sample rare bottles. Breakfast is at Touessrok Soul Kitchen (TSK), which also serves dinner part-buffet and part à la carte, and Sega bar is open for evening drinks. Facilities This is where Shangri-La stands out. Although it's very easy to spend a week relaxing on the beach, there is so much to do at this resort that you'd struggle to fit it all into a week or even two. There are regular boats to the resort's private island Ilot Mangénie where you'll find 3.5 kilometres of beach with cabanas and a restaurant, and several walking trails. The resort itself has two swimming pools: a large family-friendly pool and a quieter adults-only one. You'll also find three well-maintained tennis courts; the fourth has been converted to a padel court. There's a large gym with all the weights and cardio machines that you would expect, plus a full schedule of classes, including boxing, HIIT and yoga. The Chi spa offers infra red and Japanese treatments, as well as a more conventional menu including massages and facials, and there's a nail and hair salon attached, with the latter using Kerastase products. Alongside watersports from the beach, there is a wide range of excursions on offer, including kayaking among mangroves, e-bike tours around the local villages, and a private dolphin-spotting boat tour that includes snorkelling and a waterfall visit. The wildlife at this resort is incredible. Giant bats soar overhead during the day, geckos and lizards scamper through the undergrowth around the resort, and rare birds can be spotted from the restaurants. Not to be missed is a visit to Toto, the 100-year-old giant tortoise who roams near the tennis courts, alongside the relatively more youthful female tortoises Fifi and Lola, aged around 80. Accessibility The resort is partially accessible, including the lobby area and parts of the Hibiscus Wing. In this section, two rooms – one Signature Beachfront Suite and one Beachfront Junior Suite – are accessible by ramp and feature walk-in showers. There are ramps available in the lobby area and in some areas in the Hibiscus Wing (other areas are accessible by wheelchair via the concrete pathways). There is also an elevator located in the lobby area to access the resort's main restaurant TSK. Pet policy The hotel does not accommodate pets. Check in/check out Check in from 2pm; check out by 12noon. Family-friendly? Shangri-La boasts the largest kids club on the island. It's for children aged 4-12 and has its own pool, a stage, treehouse, and a kitchen where kids can make cookies and pizzas. Significantly, it's open until 10pm in the evenings so parents can enjoy dinner before picking their children up. There's also a games room for teens and young adults that includes karaoke, a foosball table and a pool table. At a glance: Perfect for: Families who want a five-star experience
The Independent
13-07-2025
- The Independent
Lindian Village All-Inclusive Resort, Rhodes hotel review
Tucked away on the wilder, southern side of Rhodes, Lindian Village All-Inclusive Resort is a sprawling, family-friendly oasis that offers a relaxing break for all ages Location Lindian Village All-Inclusive Resort is on the east coast of Rhodes, some 13km from the town of Lindos, famed for its Acropolis and picturesque sandy beach. It is about an hour from the Rhodes airport (60km) and the famous Unesco World Heritage Rhodes old town. The hotel is in a rural setting, with a handful of tavernas and shops dotted around, but not much else. If you are in the mood for a resort holiday where you mainly enjoy the facilities at the hotel, this is your place. The vibe Rustic, minimal and chic – the resort is low key and casual. A babbling stream with waterfalls runs through the centre of the resort, which is, as the name suggests, a village of rooms, restaurants, bars and shops. The swimming area is large, with three pools of varying depths surrounded by a wealth of sun loungers. Beyond that is the private beach, which is pebbly and, in all honesty, could do with a bit of care. Part of the Hilton Curio Collection, the hotel was opened in the nineties but has been extended over the years. For 2025, Lindian Village has gone all-inclusive for the first time. The service The faultless staff are friendly, helpful and welcoming. The main restaurant team led by Maria were accommodating to the challenges of dining with youngsters. My daughter requested fish fingers for lunch and dinner every day for a week – and her (off menu!) demands were always met with warmth and grace. Elpida at guest relations was a total superstar, with no request too small. Bed and bath There are 188 rooms and suites across four categories. At the top is Ottoman, then River Passage, Bohemian and finally Mediterraneo or Standard. There is an impressive variety of room options, especially for families. Many offer the ability to section-off bedrooms or sleeping areas. All of the Standard rooms are large enough to comfortably fit a cot and the Standard family rooms also have a pull-out bed. Every room features outdoor space, be it an expansive patio with hot tub or a simple sea-view balcony. Inside, you'll find amenities such as Nespresso machines and 32-inch TVs. Bathrooms come with at least a rainfall shower, or a shower and a separate bath. You'll also find fluffy robes, slippers and Hei Poa or Codage toiletries across the board. We did have some issues with our room. The water often ran quite brown, and hot water was hit and miss. The hotel had been open just a week when we visited, so hopefully this was just teething issues. Food and drink Estia is the main restaurant, which is where the hotel's all-inclusive buffet-style breakfast, lunch and dinner is served. The food is fine. It isn't ground-breaking - but you won't go hungry and there is something for everyone at every sitting. Then you have the more specialised restaurants, which you can visit once a week per booking. Era Ora is the Italian trattoria which offers crowd-pleasing classics. It serves a lovely carbonara and fabulous carpaccio. Niku is the resort's not-particularly-authentic but tasty Japanese restaurant, set in a beautiful spot overlooking the river. Finally, there is the Alas Ouzeri with a classic Rhodes-inspired menu. Facilities Lindian Village has two kids' clubs: a creche for children aged 4 months to 3 years and the Waves Kids Club for 4 to 12-year-olds. The latter is free, but the creche costs 40 Euros for one, and 60 Euros for two sessions a day per child. Both are open for two sessions: 10am-1pm or 3-6pm. Siiri and Amparo, the two childcare professionals tasked with looking after my rascals, made the holiday for them. My daughter begged to go to kids club every day, which meant we could actually relax and enjoy our holiday. On the topic of relaxation, there is the Calli Spa offering a small but perfectly formed menu of treatments from facials to manicures and waxing. Both the aromatherapy and the deep tissue massages were excellent. This is as well as the large pool area and private beach. There are five adapted rooms, plus the grounds are on flat land with some ramp access. Check in/check out Check in from 3pm; check out by 12pm. Family friendly? Yes. As well as a number of family-friendly room options and kids' club, babysitting services are provided for €15 an hour. At a glance Book now
BBC News
04-07-2025
- BBC News
Liverpool paedophile jailed after hotel staff alert police
A Liverpool man who committed a string of sexual offences against a 14-year-old girl has been jailed after hotel staff raised the Dever, 25, was sentenced to five years and three months in prison at Liverpool Crown Court on pleaded guilty to six counts of sexual activity with a child, arranging or facilitating a child sex offence, and five counts of making indecent images of a child which were category A, B or C court heard he regularly booked hotels for them both in Liverpool and Southport but staff at one of them were concerned about the age of the girl and alerted police. The court heard Dever committed the offences in 2023 when he was 22, meeting his victim on a social media site and engaging in a sexual relationship with her for more than a of Good Shepherd Close, Croxteth, was also issued with a lifelong restraining order and is required to sign the Sex Offender Register for after the court case, Det Con Soph Lowe, from Sefton Protecting Vulnerable People Unit said: "We work closely with hotels and bars to raise awareness of child sexual exploitation. "Hotel staff in particular have been trained to identify the signs of when a child is being sexual exploited and how to report issues to police."In this instance, Dever's predatory and vile behaviour was found out when hotel staff at one establishment raised concerns about the girl's age and called police."Det Con Lowe said the victim and her family "have shown immense courage and bravery throughout the investigation to reach this conviction"."Today's custodial sentence has removed him from the streets to prevent further harm to anyone else," she said. "I hope Dever spends his time in prison reflecting on his wholly unacceptable behaviour."Det Con Lowe added: "And I hope his imprisonment encourages other victims to come forward and report sex offences to us, and demonstrates that they can have confidence in us to take reports seriously. "We will ensure offenders are put before the courts so that they can pay for their crimes." Listen to the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
UAE Moments
02-07-2025
- UAE Moments
Philippines Lifts Ban on Returning OFWs to Israel
Good news for thousands of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs): the Philippine government has lifted the deployment ban for returning workers heading back to Israel. This means Filipinos who went home for vacation can now resume their jobs abroad—especially those working as caregivers and hotel staff. DFA lowers alert level amid improved security The decision comes after the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) downgraded the alert level in Israel from Level 3 to Level 2 —shifting from voluntary repatriation to a restricted movement phase. According to the DFA, this update reflects 'positive developments' in Israel's security situation, following efforts to de-escalate regional tensions. Travel still limited for new hires and tourists While returning workers can go back, the government still bans newly hired OFWs, as well as tourists and pilgrims, from traveling to Israel. The restriction remains in place to ensure public safety and monitor the situation closely. What Alert Level 2 means Under Alert Level 2, Filipinos in Israel are urged to: Level 2 is considered a 'restriction phase', while Level 3 signals voluntary repatriation. The most serious, Level 4, calls for mandatory evacuation.
The Independent
15-06-2025
- The Independent
Anti-tourism protesters confront hotel staff with flares and water pistols in Barcelona
Anti-tourism protesters clashed with hotel staff in Barcelona, appearing to fire flares and water pistols in a display of unrest on Sunday 15 June. The incident was part of a wave of coordinated demonstrations across major European tourist hotspots, aimed at challenging the growing impact of "touristification." Footage from the protest appears to capture a loud bang, followed by demonstrators spraying hotel staff with water pistols and kicking a flare into a hotel entrance as they marched down the street.
