Interview with Annabelle – Manager of the Lux Le Morne kids club

The kids-club manager is a very important person in the hotel. She is the first point of contact for parents and their children. That’s why Little Guest puts the spotlight on these personalities, with whom your pretty little ones will have a wonderful time. Annabelle Hugues Gregoire is the heart and soul of the children’s club at the LUX* Le Morne hotel. She opens the doors of her little kingdom to us and shares her secrets for making children’s holidays magical!

How long have you been working at the kids’ club at the LUX* Le Morne hotel?

I’ve been working here for 18 years now. My vocation has always been to work with young children. I was getting my childcare and activity leader qualifications when I became a mother myself. Although my children are now in their twenties, I’ve never stopped wanting to take care of the little ones. This job is a real passion! I started my career at LUX* Le Morne as a baby-sitter, before being promoted to hostess and then Kids Club Manager. It’s a wonderful job that requires a lot of patience, kindness and above all, always having a smile on your face! I’m always looking for new activities that the children will enjoy. A good way of doing this is to listen to them and talk to them. Fashions change, games evolve and children always have great ideas for fun.

Why did you choose to work in this particular hotel?

The LUX* group has an excellent reputation. The supervision and activities of the kids’ club are among the hotel’s major assets. Here, every day we honour our commitment to celebrate life and the pleasures of the little ones. Our key qualities are creativity, flexibility, open-mindedness, versatility and, above all, continuous innovation. For example, a few months ago, we planned ‘parent-child’ activities in a very short space of time for a family who wanted to enjoy the joys of the kids’ club together. We worked very hard to meet this challenge and our efforts were rewarded. The children gave us beautiful drawings a few hours before they left and their parents came to thank us and give us a big hug. It was very moving… It’s always gratifying when your work is appreciated and recognised by all the members of a family.

Which children can join the kids-club?

The kids-club welcomes children aged 3 to 11. Children under 3 are also welcome, accompanied by their parents or nannies. These nannies are attached to the hotel’s babysitting service. Today, I’m in charge of training them, and what better place than the kids’ club? You can see the bond that can develop between a child and his or her nanny when she plays with him or her all day and watches over his or her sleep after dark. Our team is multilingual. At the kids-club, we speak English, French, Italian and also German. What’s great with the little ones is that language is never a barrier. Access to the kids’ club is totally free and snacks are always included. There is only a charge for lunch.

What are your day-to-day duties at the kids-club?

I prepare the programme of forthcoming activities, I organise team meetings, I answer parents’ questions by e-mail and, above all, I do a lot of research to improve our various workshops. I also look after the children’s lunches, with a particular focus on birthday parties. Everything has to be perfect! At the end of the day, I always take the time to have a chat with the parents. In fact, we invite them to visit the kids club on the first day of their arrival. It’s important that they see for themselves the play area and the surprises we have in store for their little ones.
Annabelle, what areas do the children have?

The kids-club is divided into two areas. First, there’s a little house with a play area, a living room, a dining room and a kitchen. This is where the children play board games, do crafts, dance or try their hand at baking. To immortalise each activity, the children pose with their creations in front of a photo booth. Afterwards, we enjoy a courtyard and garden with a playground, swimming pool and even a small farmhouse. The farm is home to ducks, a tortoise and three rabbits, known to the children as Koko, Kiki and Cartouche. Every day, the children have the chance to stroke and feed them.

What activities are organised in the kids-club?

There is no pre-defined programme for the children who join the kids-club. We organise our activities over different time slots, with a new activity every two hours from 10am until 6pm. Our bestsellers include crab hunting on the hotel’s private beach, fishing in the lagoon, henna tattooing, a Sega (traditional Mauritian dance) lesson and a yoga class. We are very flexible with our programme. Everything can change depending on the weather or the number of registrations.

Would you have a memory or an anecdote to share with us to conclude this interview?

Marion was only 3 when I met her here at the kids club. She took an instant liking to me. We played a lot together and I began to think of her as my own daughter… A few years later, her mum came back to LUX* Le Morne to celebrate her wedding, and guess who was chosen as maid of honour? That’s right! It was me! We kept in touch after that, and last year Marion, who was 20 at the time, surprised me by meeting me at the kids’ club for some long, emotional hugs, as you can imagine…