Virtually all new resorts experience initial teething troubles, and to be honest Crystals had less than glowing reports when it first opened (which is why we never listed it on this website) Now however, it has been taken over by the management behind the extremely well-run Maritim resort, an ever popular favourite of ours, so we are expecting a significant upturn in service levels as a result.

Certainly the physical resort buildings that make up Crystals can’t be faulted, nor the resort’s excellent location along a lovely stretch of white sandy beach which fringes the almost impossibly blue lagoon that hugs the island’s east coast. The architecture of Crystals is unapologetically modern with quite minimalist clean crisp lines and décor touches – in fact it reminds us a fair bit of the Long Beach Resort located a little further north on this same stretch of coast. In our experience, this very modern look and feel exhibits the old “Marmite Effect” – you’ll either absolutely love those clean lines, or they’ll leave you completely cold and hankering after that more traditional Mauritian resort look of loads of thatch and Creole styling touches!

Crystals consists of 180 rooms, all of them spacious for this price level and all facing out over the idyllic beach at Palmar. The Crystals Club rooms are the entry level rooms but are still a roomy 55m2, the Family Prestige rooms have an area of 75 m2 and the Crystal Prestige Suites allow you to stretch out over some 95m2. As you would expect of a newly built resort, all the rooms and suites are equipped with the latest mod-cons such as separate toilets, bath tubs and bubble baths, shower, air conditioning, fans, TV, mini bar, individual safes, hair driers and coffee makers. All Clubs and Prestige are double bedded rooms and can be converted to twin mattresses on the same bed. The Family Prestige can accommodate up to 4 persons and so is perfect for parents travelling with a couple of kids.

During your stay at Crystals, you will have the opportunity to enjoy meals from around of the world in one of the four restaurants of the hotel, as well as enjoy typically delicious island cocktails and drinks in its two bars. At the main restaurant which overlooks the pool with lovely views of the beach beyond, you will be able to take your breakfasts served as an open buffet. In the evening, you’ll be able to choose among several delicious cuisines with European, Chinese, Thai, Indian or Japanese flavours as well as a selection of soups, desserts and pastries.

For a more intimate experience there are two “a la carte” restaurants, each having a seating capacity of 40 persons, that will be the perfect setting for you and your partner or family to discover a wide array of meals in a wonderful setting. Then there’s the beach restaurant, located between the garden and the beach, where you will be able to enjoy dishes inspired by Mediterranean cuisine as well as a fusion between Chinese and Creole cuisines. At the main bar and the beach bar, you will be able to savour a wide variety of tropical cocktails all day. In the evening the main bar enjoys entertainment provided by local music bands.

You’re able to choose from a wide variety of sports activities at Crystals like water-skiing, windsurfing, kayak, scuba diving with PADI-certified instructors, parasailing, big game fishing – Crystals is also equipped with sports facilities like a heated pool with a bubble bath, a children’s pool, two tennis courts, a beach volley court, table tennis, a gym and boules court.

Kids aren’t ignored either, and the children will be able to have fun at the Kids’ Club and take part in a variety of indoors and outdoors activities such as beach games and water sports. So whether you’re traveling as a couple, celebrating your wedding and having your honeymoon in a splendid setting, or you’re simply on holiday with your family and friends, Crystals could well be the right choice for you!