Review: Waldorf Astoria Seychelles Platte Island: First In

Why book?

This miniscule, secluded island in the Indian Ocean is heaven for eco-conscious travelers who want close encounters with hawksbill turtles, reef sharks and stingrays, and engage in conservation while enjoying all the luxury one expects from the Waldorf Astoria brand.

Set the scene

You’re on Platte Island, a 0.5-square-mile speck in the vastness of the Indian Ocean.

Imagine sitting in your sea-facing villa. You put down your glass of rum before opening your floor-to-ceiling patio doors and strolling 10 seconds to the back of your back garden where, among the coconut trees, you spot baby hawksbill turtles emerging from the soil and waddling across the adjacent beach towards the water. This is a conceivable reality for guests staying at the new Waldorf Astoria Seychelles Platte Island, a secluded marine Eden that is drawing honeymooners and families wanting magical, immersive nature experiences while still never straying too far from modern comforts.

The backstory

Platte Island (meaning ‘flat’ in French) lies 81 miles south of Mahé, the Seychelle’s biggest island, and is surrounded by animal-rich sea reefs and lagoons. This sand cay was originally an uninhabited coconut plantation until Waldorf Astoria’s parent company, Hilton Worldwide, replaced some of the trees with gardenias, octopus bushes and numerous other plants, before building 50 villas while respecting the natural surroundings as much as possible. Bisecting the island is a runway for the 14-seater aircraft that transports guests daily to and from the mainland.

The rooms

The 50 sea-facing villas line the western and southern side of the island, and range from one-to-three bedrooms to the King Deluxe Villa, which has five bedrooms and extensive gardens. The fan-shaped interiors exude a modern, understated elegance, with wooden floors, palm-tree pattern cushions, and earthy toned bathrooms with white standalone bathtubs and speckled floor tiles. Every room faces the sea in an open-plan design that allows for a flow of movement, but there are sliding partition walls for privacy when needed.

Floor-to-ceiling concertina doors open onto a wide deck patio, an infinity pool and lush garden backed by soaring coconut trees that fringe the beach. All buildings are set back from the beach so that hawksbill turtles can continue laying their eggs undisturbed. The best villas are the bigger, odd-numbered ones, which stand slightly closer to the shore.

Some villas, such as No. 29, have turtle nests directly behind them (they are marked), so expect some thrilling sightings when the turtle returns to lay more eggs. The villas on the northwest corner are close to Sand Bank Beach where clear, shallow waters make for fun reef walks and sightings of baby reef sharks and juvenile sting rays. Shark Point Beach at the southern end has deeper water that’s more suitable for swimming.

You can get around easily on foot, circuiting the island in just one hour. The concierges transport guests in buggies or you can ride on the stylish white bikes stationed at each villa, cruising along tarmac paths lined with a profusion of plants, bushes and coconut trees.

Activities

For an island that’s just over half a square mile, the Waldorf Astoria packs in the activities, including Creole cookery classes and clay sculpting classes with Gerhard Buckholz, a talented Austrian bronze and contemporary artist. There’s also kitesurfing, fly fishing, scuba diving classes from beginners to Divemaster certification, catamaran rides, tennis and Padel tennis, a gym, and guided reef walks. Whale watching will be offered in the near future.

The area

Ghost crabs and hermit crabs are an ubiquitous presence on the island. The surrounding sea is chock-full of aquatic fauna. There’s currently no coral (planting is underway) but rich seagrass carpets the bottom of reef shallows that stretch for over a mile and act as a protective nursery. “It’s the biggest kindergarten for marine life,” says general manager Elias Pertoft. The crystal-clear waters teem with hawksbill turtles, green turtles, baby reef sharks, lemon sharks and stingray species such as eagle rays, fantails, pink whips, porcupine rays and whitetails. On-site marine biologist Athina Antoine is a font of knowledge and leads snorkeling sessions where sun rays dapple the seagrass like disco lights; you’ll come face-to-face with friendly hawksbill turtles, the largest population in the Seychelles and Platte Island’s big draw. Resident environmental manager Dominique Dina runs the turtle conservation program and takes guests on early-morning ‘patrols’ to find and document new nests. So far Dina has counted 277 of them, marking their location with a coconut shell on a stick. When he knows eggs are about to hatch, he summons guests to watch this unforgettable spectacle.

Food and drink

Such an isolated island needs a strong culinary game, and Waldorf Astoria’s two bars and three restaurants deliver. The popular Maison des Epices restaurant serves Creole-Latin fusion menu amid atmospheric, retro-tropical interiors: rattan chairs, high-ceiling fans, resplendent pot plants, and male staff in pork pie hats serving food to bossa nova and vintage Caribbean tunes. Head chef (and Seychellois pop star) Colvin Beaudoin mixes Latin meat-based fare with Creole seafood dishes such as zourit (caramelised octopus tentacles, papaya chutney and tamarind).

Over at Moulin restaurant, executive chef Jane-Therese Mulry brings her ‘soil-to-soul' ethos, using produce from the garden to create a menu that is mainly – though not exclusively – plant based. The Harvest Garden salad (wild leaves, roots and sprouts dressed in a divine, fermented orange kombucha dressing) is a hit among diners, as are the smoked portobellos accompanied by mushroom compote, pickled shimeji and drizzled with consommé. By day La Perle serves Mediterranean cuisine on a poolside terrace.

Chefs in all restaurants will gladly customize their meals to suit individual preferences.

For sunset drinks, the Lalin (meaning ‘moon’ in Creole) Bar has elevated views of the ocean, while the poolside Torti Bar serves 37 varieties of gin.

Waldorf Astoria’s signature Parisian-inspired Peacock Terrace will provide a diverse range of teas, herbal infusions and pastries.

The spa

The spa uses Nourish By Nature (Seychelles brand of locally made skincare products) as well as Voya products. It also features a hamam, hydro pool, infinity pool, salons for hair, pedicures and manicures, and a sauna with Himalayan pink salt walls to improve the respiratory system.

The service

The predominantly young, English-speaking staff come from 40 different countries, ranging from the Seychelles to Ukraine, Croatia and Australia. The service is generally upbeat and reverential. Cleaning staff are very thoughtful: when I left my sunglasses on the bedside table, a Waldorf branded microfibre cloth appeared next to them after dinner.

Personal 24-hour concierges go out of their way to cater to your wishes, no matter how tricky. They can arrange excursions, cooking classes, in-room dining or spa treatments. They’ll drive you around the island in the buggies, dropping you off at restaurants or any other locations on the island.

For families

It’s a great place for kids, with clubs and facilities dedicated to keeping them entertained and educated. The Sea Scouts Kids Club offers a range of nature-based activities, plus arts and crafts, and cooking classes. The Marine Mavericks Teens Club engages older children in marine conservation and sustainability initiatives. They can also take part in silent disco nights, iPhone photography sessions, an island escape room, mocktail mixology, water sports, PlayStation games and bonfire storytelling.

The reef is shallow with no strong currents or dangerous tides, so swimming and snorkeling are safe.

Eco effort

Platte Island is 95% solar-powered and uses a desalination process to leave rain and groundwater for vegetation. An on-site water treatment plant also recycles water to reduce waste.

The resident environment manager and marine biologist partner with local non-profit organizations – including the Island Conservation Society – to find solutions towards nature preservation.

Accessibility

Paths are sandy, which might make it hard to use a wheelchair. A mobile ramp is available to navigate the short steps leading up to the reception area and villa entrances, but note that there are also steps leading down to the back gardens.

The showers and toilets in the villas are large but lack support rails.
No building is more than one-storey high, with the exception of the Lalin Bar, which is accessed via two sets of stairs. However staff are happy to carry guests if necessary.

Anything left to mention?

There’s a clinic and dentist surgery. The island is mosquito free, so bites are not a worry when walking around at night, especially when going to the island’s airstrip which is the best place to observe incredible views of the Milky Way on clear nights.