WALDORF ASTORIA SEYCHELLES | Phenomenal private island resort (full tour in 4K)
Welcome to Waldorf Astoria Seychelles Platte Island, one of the most luxurious five-star hotels in the Seychelles Home to hawksbill turtles, manta rays and whale sharks, much of Waldorf Astoria Seychelles' scenery is untouched Each trip to Waldorf Astoria Seychelles Platte Island starts at the Seychelles’ main international airport on Mahe Island Waldorf Astoria Seychelles is located on a private island, 130 km (80 mi) from Mahe, and can only be reached by plane Guests of the luxury resort can wait for their flight in Waldorf Astoria’s private lounge at the international airport Have you ever stayed at Waldorf Astoria Seychelles? If so, what was your experience? Leave a comment This is the aircraft that will fly us to Waldorf Astoria Seychelles: a Beechcraft plane that can accommodate 19 passengers All flights to Waldorf Astoria Seychelles are chartered through a third party: Island Development Company Aviation PVT LTD Once the plane is ready for departure, guests are taken to the check-in area and the airport's small domestic terminal There’s usually one flight a day between Mahe and the resort, although guests can also charter a plane for a private transfer The pilot gives a safety briefing prior to the 20 min flight We get some nice views of Mahe Island after takeoff The Seychelles are divided in the Inner Islands and Outer Island The Inner Islands - which are mostly granitic islands - cluster mainly around the principal islands of Mahe, Praslin & La Digue There are 43 Inner islands in total, and together they are home to the majority of the Seychelles’ population and hotel industry The Outer Islands are comprised of 72 coral islands and four atolls, and are situated towards the south, close to Madagascar Magnificently untouched (only a few are populated), the Outer Islands are flat, low-lying, and often form atolls around a lagoon Platte Island - one of the Outer Islands and home to Waldorf Astoria Seychelles - comes into view Platte Island is a tiny and remote island, surrounded by nothing but the vast expanse of the blue Indian Ocean The island measures 1,300 m (4,300 ft) from north to south, with a width ranging from 250 m (820 ft) to 550 m (1,800 ft) The plane parks directly in front of the welcome pavilion, where guests meet their butler and get a drink & towel to refresh a little Discovered in 1769, Platte Island means ‘flat’ in French and earned its name as a nod to its flat typography In 1828, Platte Island was proposed as a suitable location for an isolation camp for leprosy sufferers Ten year later, the island was taken over by the British administration for use as a quarantine station for visiting ships In the 1840s there was sufficient guano on the island to make it worthwhile excavating and exploitation lasted until the 1900s The sand cay remained an uninhabited coconut plantation until the Waldorf Astoria Seychelles Resort opened in 2024 Upon arrival, guests are taken to their villa by buggy Waldorf Astoria Seychelles features 50 magnificent one- to five-bedroom villas, which are scattered throughout the island During my holiday, I stayed in this villa (category: one bedroom Hawksbill Pool Villa) The villa features a stylish living area, a bedroom with a canopy kingsize bed, and a luxurious ensuite bathroom The villa’s open-plan, contemporary design comes with sliding partitions between the different areas for privacy High-touch surfaces, such as bedside tables with intricate mosaic tiles, echo the the shell shapes of turtles The bathroom is equipped with double vanity, a stand-alone bathtub and indoor & outdoor showers The villa features a large furnished terrace, a private plunge pool and a lush garden fringed by coconut trees Inspired by the shell of the hawksbill turtle, the villa consist of faceted shapes, folding & bending to become a large airy canopy All the villas at Waldorf Astoria Seychelles are set back from the beach to protect nesting sea turtles Hawksbill turtles lay their eggs from September to March, with peak hatching activity occurring between November to January Turtle sightings are guaranteed year-round, although safety viewing protocols are in place Watching a turtle laying its eggs is an incredible experience Let’s return to the villa: during the check-in process, guests are treated to a welcome drink by their villa butler Guests get stylish white bikes to get around, and buggy service is provided as well (24/7) On the western side of the island is a communal area, which represents the social hub of Waldorf Astoria Seychelles The complex houses the lobby & concierge area, an all-day restaurant, a sunset bar, and a magnificent pool The ultra-luxury resort is managed by Waldorf Astoria Waldorf Astoria is positioned as the flagship brand of the Hilton Hotel Group The Waldorf Astoria hotel brand is only used for hotels which offer the highest standards of facilities and service The original Waldorf Astoria New York is an icon Opened in 1931, Waldorf Astoria New York featured electricity, telephones, and a bath in most guest rooms Guests can stay for free at Waldorf Astoria Seychelles A free stay at the resort is possible via Hilton's loyalty program "Hilton Honors" Guests earn points with stays at Hilton Hotels, and can redeem them for a complimentary stay at the Waldorf Astoria Seychelles The pool area at Waldorf Astoria Seychelles is set back from the beach to protect nesting sea turtles Let's take a swim, as I need to cool down after all that filming in the blistering sun :-) Waldorf Astoria Seychelles features many quiet areas Seashell curtains, crafted from locally collected shells, cascade in the reception areas as a reminder of the ocean’s magnificence Waldorf Astoria Seychelles Platte Island’s distinct architecture is designed by Eco-id Architects Pte Ltd The architecture of the main building echoes the colored and patterned shell of the island’s native hawksbill turtles Located in the main pavilion is La Perle, Waldorf Astoria Seychelles' all day dining restaurant The resort's Parisian-inspired Peacock Terrace is reflective of Waldorf Astoria's iconic Peacock Alley lounge The bar provides guests with a creative beverage menu, including a diverse range of teas, herbal infusions, and pastries La Perle Restaurant offers outdoor seating as well as an indoor dining room with a show kitchen The interior design is inspired by coconut palm trees, blending luxury with earthy tones, stunning art, and high-end furnishings Handcrafted elements, including driftwood artwork, celebrate the island’s natural beauty and support local communities Next to Le Perle’s indoor dining room are a stylish private dining room and a library Let’s explore the resort’s white sand beach The entire island is surrounded by a coral beach, which enlarges to a sand bank on the island’s tips during low tide Seagrass does wash up on the shores of Platte Island While the seagrass might be an issue for some guests, it's a great source of food for the turtles who visit the island In fact, the tiny island has the biggest population of nesting turtles in the Seychelles thanks to its seagrass meadows This is the sand bank on Platte Island’s northern tip Waldorf Astoria Seychelles Platte Island has implemented sustainability initiatives to protect its diverse flora and fauna For example, the resort has a resident Environment Manager & Marine Biologist on site Waldorf Astoria Seychelles also uses a solar field to create renewable energy across most of its operations The island’s gardens provides a large portion of the resort's fruits and vegetables for a sustainable farm-to-table supply An on-site water treatment plant also supports the reuse of water, ensuring a closed-loop approach to reducing waste This is the sand bank on Platte Island’s southern tip Let’s return to the main pool area and explore Lalin, the resort’s stylish bar which offers terrific sunset views Lalin serves a range of cocktails crafted with artistic flair Complimentary yoga sunset classes are offered Waldorf Astoria brings its legendary culinary expertise to Seychelles Platte Island with three excellent restaurants Embodying the ‘soil-to-soul’ concept, Moulin is Waldorf Astoria Seychelles' signature restaurant The chic venue offers guests a holistic journey to conscious eating with fresh ingredients from the island’s garden Each dish is paired with thoughtfully chosen beverages to complement and enhance the flavors of each course Moulin also operate as a cooking school during the day Guests can join the chef on a one-hour tour of Moulin’s herb garden to learn about the resort’s sustainable approach Moulin is located in a vegetable garden along the island’s eastern shoreline and beach Housed in a pavilion on the island’s southern tip, Maison Des Epice is the resort’s Creole-Latin fusion culinary destination The restaurant offers an immersive dining experience where tradition meets innovation through taste and authenticity It prominently features live cooking stations and locally sourced produce, transformed into dishes with a family-style service At night, La Perle transforms into a high-end Mediterranean venue, offering a gastronomic journey from Spain to Türkiye The next morning ... Each morning, La Perle offers a health-conscious, à la carte breakfast experience with a selection of hot & cold dishes The main complex of the resort houses an exhibit, which explains the story of the resort’s fauna and flora Right next to the exhibit is the resort’s chic boutique Waldorf Astoria Seychelles features a water sport center Activities including scuba diving, free diving, paddle boarding, kayaking and deep-sea fishing Waldorf Astoria Seychelles features an easily navigable layout Bisecting the island (from north to south) is a runway for the aircraft that transport guests daily to and from Mahe Island Across the runway, on the island’s eastern side, one finds a beautiful spa and the staff quarters The Waldorf Astoria spa’s design is inspired by the unusual double-coconut shape of the exotic fruit coco de mer The spa blends wellness technology with high touch therapies to deliver relaxation, rebalance and rejuvenation The spa uses sustainable ingredients such as organic seaweed, locally sourced coconut, and native plants The spa also provides revitalising yoga, guided meditation, and mindfulness sessions The spa’s thermal experiences include sauna, steam, and hydrotherapy Waldorf Astoria Seychelles also features a sport center, comprising a gym, open air fitness studio, tennis & padel courts The fitness center features Technogym equipment Waldorf Astoria Seychelles Platte Island is also home to five Giant Aldabra tortoises, a species unique to the Seychelles It's time to depart the stunning Waldorf Astoria Seychelles
2025-02-25 13:48
