Why Go?
For an indulgent getaway, stay in a state-of-the-art beach villa with a large private pool at Waldorf Astoria Platte Island. It promises to be a blissfully serene stay – a sensory journey with dedicated staff ensuring you want for nothing.
Honeymoon Style
This new property in the Waldorf Astoria family provides escapism and total relaxation. Foodie couples, wine connoisseurs and cocktail lovers will all be in heaven here – so prepare to delight in gastronomic wonders across six restaurants and bars. Between meals, couples can make themselves at home in their villa or be immersed in the natural surrounds that offer heaps of activities.
Set The Scene
Landing on Platte Island is an exhilarating experience – when you touch down on the island’s runway, you’re mere steps from the hotel’s lobby. As its name suggests, the island has an unusual landscape, being completely flat (unlike most other islands in the Seychelles). The advantage to this is the shallow reefs that surround its shores. As for the hotel itself, you’ll see striking modern architecture softened with ornamental shell hangings and tropical greenery. The serene pool sits at the heart of the resort, with a number of sunbeds for two positioned within it – the ideal spot for sampling something from the extensive cocktail menu, served up in a tactile bamboo glass. At each Waldorf Astoria hotel, you’ll find an ornate Peacock bar. This one links two sections of the hotel together, and is where resident barista Dennis (who grew up on a Kenyan coffee plantation) home-roasts and cold brews an array of caffeinated creations. The island is 3km squared, so, naturally, there are 4×4 golf buggies and vintage-style bikes to get you around.
Rooms
There are only 50 beachside villas dotted across this tropical island, each entered via an impressive winding driveway that leads to a grand doorway (this is where you’ll find your vintage-style bikes parked outside, complete with personalised wooden name plaques). Inside is seriously striking, with curved floor-to-ceiling soaring doors framing the large private terrace and pool area, and looking onto the garden and walkway to the beach. Geometric shapes feed into the architecture, while the warm wooden structure of the villas is teamed with soothing, muted tones and soft textiles. Little touches, such as his and her Panama hats and patterned silk robes elevate things further. Sumptuous marble bathrooms here feature deep tubs overlooking the palms and pool, his and hers sinks, an outdoor shower and luxurious Aesop products. The villas offer total privacy, with a delightful hammock and dining area for alfresco sundowners.
Food and Drink
Dining is a truly incredible experience across all six restaurants and bars, with refined and often scientifically influenced menus complemented by specialist mixologists, sommeliers and baristas who take painstaking pride in their art. The main restaurant, La Perle, is poolside, and serves a well constructed pan-Mediterranean menu. Highlights include the lobster risotto to start and wagyu pappardelle with a kiss of horseradish. Breakfast is also served here – and it’s a refreshing à la carte menu. Try the smoked marlin, pleasantly surprising ‘breakfast pizza’ and thick, coconut yoghurt made on site.
Located next to the kitchen garden, you’ll find Moulin, a state-of-the-art predominantly vegetarian restaurant. Priding itself on having a ‘soil to soul’ ethos, it’s a sensory experience, with an open show kitchen. Only seating 20 guests at most, it’s a true gourmet experience, whereby couples are introduced to the chef and team on arrival and then presented with the plant-based menu, which will be brought to life in front of their eyes over the course of the evening. Come daytime, guests can visit the garden and pick ingredients for the chef to theatrically create a fresh feast (add a scattering of prawns for a tantalising treat).
For an authentic Latino evening, head to Maison Des Epices where you’ll be presented with the spice selection and Waldorf Astoria’s own blend of Takamaka rum. Take a seat at the statement, emerald-green bar where a mixologist will be on hand to shake up a unique cocktail to get the evening off to a fun start. The cuisine is Creole with a Latino influence, so you and your loved one are in for a mouthwatering menu – try the wood-fired game skewers and trio of spicy tacos followed by the signature lobster dish. Lastly, don’t miss the bento box at Torti, the poolside restaurant.
The Story
A very hotly anticipated opening, this is the first of the Waldorf Astoria portfolio in the Seychelles, and it has not disappointed. The first guests jetted onto the island in January 2024, and there’s been no looking back for the dedicated team. As the island was previously a coconut plantation, it’s home to many magnificent soaring palms, alongside beautifully manicured tropical gardens.
Family-Friendly
Your little ones will settle in fast here, thanks to many luxury amenities in the villa – expect mini silk robes and cushioned slippers, and age-appropriate toys such as a tepee for toddlers. There’s a brilliant kids’ club, with a giant pirate-ship climbing frame and busy programme of activities, including canvas painting, treasure hunts and educational scientific classes for older children. The fabulous pool has a large shallow area for splashing around, and plenty of floats and toys on offer.
Spa
The spa design was inspired by the exotic coco de mer fruit, which grows only in the Seychelles. The unusual shape of the fruit, with its natural curves, fed into the circular spa reception and serene treatment rooms. Wellbeing is at the heart of the spa, and therapists use the latest technology to ensure total relaxation with each treatment. Plus, each programme uses sustainable ingredients such as organic seaweed, locally sourced coconut, and native plants. For those seeking a workout, there’s also a fitness centre that features a Technogym workout centre, an open-air fitness studio offering a range of classes and activities, plus Tennis and Padel Tennis.
Eco-Friendly
The hotel has thriving wildlife both on and offshore – particularly in the lagoon and coral reef that surrounds it. Lucky guests may encounter Hawksbill turtles, eagle rays, manta rays and whale sharks during their stay. The many sustainable initiatives at the hotel include its own solar field and a vast kitchen garden, which amply supplies the restaurants on the island. The property has a resident environment manager and a marine biologist, and is involved in multiple projects that provide lasting solutions towards preserving nature on Platte Island.
Location
Waldorf Astoria is located a short 20-minute flight from the main island of Mahé. The hotel will organise your flights, which land on the hotel’s own runway, situated in the middle of the island. The resort sits on an untouched atoll that’s home to migratory seabirds and turtles – thanks to the lagoon and coral reefs that surround Platte island.
Rates for Waldorf Astoria Platte Island, Seychelles start from £2,100 per night on a B&B basis, based on two sharing, excludes domestic flights between Mahe and Platte Island, currently £590 per person return – hilton.com
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