A private island idyll: The Waldorf Astoria Seychelles Platte Island
Editor's Note
Very few hotels have what it takes to make TPG's list of the most aspirational hotels you can book with points ... but the Waldorf Astoria Seychelles Platte Island embodies that special blend of luxury, far-flung-ness and value for points that sets it apart from other contenders.
What makes this new resort, which opened in January, so special? Aside from the Eden-like beauty of the private island where it is located, the hotel's contemporary villas, tropical spa, bounty of water activities and clutch of innovative restaurants make it a destination worth seeking out whether you have the Hilton points to book it or not.
Here's what it's like staying at the Waldorf Astoria Seychelles Platte Island and how to make the most of your trip there.
Getting to the Waldorf Astoria Seychelles Platte Island
The Waldorf Astoria Seychelles Platte Island is a 20-minute flight south of the capital of Mahe. After your stay is reserved, the hotel will contact you directly to book interisland flights aboard charter flights.
At the time of my stay in May, round-trip transfers cost around $600 per adult, though they are currently priced at 700 euros ($763) per adult, 350 euros ($381) per child ages 2-12 and complimentary for children under 2 years of age.
When traveling to the resort, plan on at least a day's buffer on either side since flights depart Mahe for Platte Island at 11 a.m. Sunday-Friday and 2 p.m. on Saturday; and return from Platte Island to Mahe at 11:50 a.m. Sunday-Friday (arriving at 12:10 p.m.) and at 2:50 p.m. (arriving at 3:10 p.m.) on Saturday. However, your flight times might change due to variable weather conditions, so it's best to leave some extra time before and after international connections.
If you do want to spend an inexpensive night or two on Mahe, the Laila, Seychelles resort is part of Marriott's Tribute Portfolio and is about a 20-minute drive from the airport, while the relatively new Canopy by Hilton Seychelles Resort is about a 45-minute drive. Both have starting rates of under $300 per night.
At the airport in Mahe, Waldorf Astoria guests are escorted through check-in and security by a hotel agent and granted access to a private lounge one level up from the departure gates, where they can enjoy snacks and complimentary nonalcoholic drinks.
Booking the Waldorf Astoria Seychelles Platte Island
The Waldorf Astoria Seychelles Platte Island has just 50 villas ranging from King Deluxe rooms to five-bedroom Eagle Ray Pool Villas.
At the time of my stay in May, King Deluxe rooms in the starting category were priced at 2,100 euros ($2,288) or 130,000 Hilton Honors points per night, though the hotel is currently pricing them at 2,579 euros ($2,810) or more per night over the next few months.
However, I had purchased Hilton Honors points during one of the program's frequent 100% bonus sales, so I was able to buy 390,000 points for just $1,950 and redeem those for a three-night stay that would have cost $6,864 if I'd paid cash rates.
I have Hilton Honors Diamond status as one of the value-added benefits of carrying the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card.
That status scored me a two-category upgrade to a one-bedroom Grand Hawksbill Pool Villa, which would have cost 2,600 euros ($2,833) per night at the time, though they're currently pricing at 3,054 euros ($3,327) and up.
The information for the Hilton Aspire card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Rates at the hotel, for both paid and award stays, include breakfast. So, as a Diamond elite member, I was offered a choice of additional amenities, including a complimentary sunset cruise with canapes and various beverages that would have cost 150 euros ($163) per person, as well as unlimited coffee and tea at the Peacock Terrace outdoor cafe.
Although I booked the hotel via hilton.com using points, by the time I arrived, the staff had found out I was on the staff at The Points Guy, and so they offered me complimentary full board, including lunch, dinner, room service and most of the villa's minibar refreshed daily, along with two massages per villa per day at the spa between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m., or two nonmotorized water activities per villa per day. This package would have cost 465 euros ($507) per person, per day otherwise.
That's a hefty surcharge, but given the cost of meals and drinks on the island, not to mention spa services, you could make out like a bandit if you maximized these to the fullest.
Unfortunately, the hotel does not participate in high-end credit card affiliate programs like American Express' Fine Hotels + Resorts, so you will be best off booking directly with Hilton.
Standout features
- Palatial rooms and suites with vast private outdoor areas.
- Reef-fringed beaches where you can spot crabs, turtles, stingrays and other fish.
- An intriguing mix of restaurants serving Creole, Mediterranean and contemporary plant-based menus.
- The spa complex is gorgeous and treatments incorporate high-end Voya and Nourished by Nature products.
Drawbacks
- The price tag. Even if redeeming points, prepare for lots of costly incidentals.
- Like many beach destinations, the experience is very dependent on the weather.
- The island is small and buggies are available, but folks with accessibility needs might feel limited by the facilities.
The vibe
If Gilligan and crew had been stranded on Platte Island, they might never have mounted any screwball rescue attempts. Just under a quarter of a square mile in area, this speck of white coral sand is bordered by nearly a mile of shoreline and hemmed by vibrant reefs. Groves of coconut palms thicket its interior, which is transected by carefully manicured paths (and the islandlong runway). In short, look up "tropical desert island," and you'll likely find a picture of Platte Island.
The clientele, meanwhile, has not washed up on these shores by accident. With a mix of young couples, families with small children, and some extended family groups, you're likely to encounter everyone from North Americans spending some hard-earned Hilton points to honeymooners who only venture out of their villas for leisurely meals and European families out to soak up the sun on extended vacations.
The congenial staff — with healthy proportions of both native Seychellois and international hospitality workers — will know you by name within minutes of your arrival, note your food and beverage preferences within one or two meals, and ensure that you have your plans sorted out day by day. Those plans might include surfing the local breaks, going sportfishing on one of the resort's yachts, or checking in for a spa day before cocktails under the stars at Lalin.
The room
My one-bedroom Grand Hawksbill Pool Villa was on the island's western side, about a five-minute walk (or shorter ride on one of the provided bicycles) from the main reception area.
Arranged like a fan with a series of peaked roofs, my villa comprised a sprawling living room area and two wings, all with accordion-style glass doors (with blackout curtains) opening to an expansive private deck and plunge pool.
Just beyond, a large lawn with sun loungers beckoned with a path to the beach. Why was it set back from the water? To leave intact the natural nesting grounds of various turtle species that come to the island each year to lay their eggs and limit light pollution, which might interfere with hatchlings finding their way to the sea.
The overarching aesthetic was castaway-chic, with artfully weathered wooden and stone furnishings accented with various woven and ceramic art pieces (not to mention provided beach bags and floppy sun hats).
The living room was arranged in a large vignette with plenty of seating around various low tables and a wall-mounted television.
The minibar was stocked with coffee- and tea-making amenities, snacks including spiced nuts and gummy bears, South African wines, Seychellois rum and plenty of sodas and tropical juices.
To the right was an office (from which I took several Zoom meetings thanks to the fast, free Wi-Fi) that doubled as a second bedroom with a pullout sofa bed, a flat-screen television and its own bathroom with a walk-in shower.
To the left was the larger main bedroom, its king-size bed dressed in crisp white sheets with Waldorf's signature white piping and framed by gauzy curtains that housekeeping would unfurl at night to maximum romantic effect. Oh yes, and there was another flat-screen television in here.
Concealed behind a set of massive, rolling wooden doors, the vast bathroom was all terrazzo floors and wooden fixtures. The focal point was an egg-shaped free-standing deep soaking tub between the two opposite-facing vanity areas.
There was also a cavernous walk-in shower with Aesop products, a separate water closet with the toilet and an outdoor shower for fresh-air ablutions.
Beyond the wall of glass doors, the villa's outdoor area comprised a dining area custom-made for outdoor in-room dining (what room service breakfast doesn't taste better with a fresh sea breeze?) and a round daybed fronting the curved plunge pool.
The piece de resistance, however, was a cushioned swing that seemed designed to lull you into a midafternoon nap with its gentle movements.
Down a set of stairs and past a handy foot shower, I found two umbrella-shaded loungers and the short, sandy path to the beach. Along this path, I could walk to the resort's main hub, which includes the activities center, the pier, the main pool and reception.
Food and drink
The bad news: You are stuck on a small island with limited dining options. The good news: Those options are surprisingly innovative for a resort this size, and even guests staying a week or more will still find new things to discover.
Your stay will likely start with a signature Passionfruit Spritz or mellow rum-based Crystal Colada prepared in your room by your personal concierge as they complete the check-in formalities. But here's what else you can expect throughout your stay.
La Perle
La Perle is the resort's all-day dining venue by the main public pool. At breakfast, you might nibble on morsels from the seasonal fruit platter and enjoy a homemade pastry as you debate whether you want oven-baked huevos rancheros with merguez sausage or crispy halloumi and baby spinach with poached eggs and onion compote over multigrain toast.
For lunch and dinner, the options skew Mediterranean, with specialties like savory spanakopita with green amaranth, feta and roasted tomato sauce ($22); crunchy calamari with garlic-lemon aioli ($29); seared tuna with buttered Jerusalem artichoke sprinkled with dukkah ($50); pan-fried scallops with spanner crab over saffron risotto with spicy chorizo oil ($54); various stone-baked pizzas; and linguini with butter-poached lobster, clams, prawns and mussels drizzled with chili, garlic and olive oil ($101).
Though you might want to enjoy a midday meal indoors with air conditioning, the large outdoor deck is ideal early in the morning or once the sun goes down and temperatures cool. Come before dinner or linger after in one of the sunken seating areas illuminated by fire pits and surrounded by a water feature.
Maison des Epices
Open for dinner Tuesday-Sunday and located near the island's southernmost point, Maison des Epices is a lively eatery whose shutters are opened to the Indian Ocean trade winds and whose African-Creole menu was inspired by chef Colvin Beaudouin's mother's cooking.
Start with an ultrafresh salad of green mango, heart of palm, coconut and lemongrass ($47) or caramelized octopus with papaya chutney and tamarind ($58) before a hearty helping of Coetivy prawn and spanner crab curry with salted coconut ($80) and a dessert of coconut-pineapple creme brulee dusted with cinnamon ($25).
All can be paired with wines, including a robust array of South African vintages, like Klein Constantia sauvignon blanc and Hamilton Russell Vineyards chardonnay, selected by the hotel's sommelier (who also barrel-ages his own rum).
Moulin
Helmed by the hotel's executive chef, Jane-Therese Mulry, whom you might spot sourcing much of the produce from her gardens on Platte Island itself, Moulin proffers plant-based menus in a setting that feels like a cross between a botanist's greenhouse and the laboratory of a fermentation enthusiast (thanks to jars of pickling tropical fruits and vegetables lining its shelves).
Your six-course tasting menu ($195 per person) might start with earthy cauliflower bites followed by a salad of fresh garden lettuces and sprouts in a tangy orange-kombucha dressing. Next is hearty braised cabbage with island-grown apples, celeriac puree and onion.
Diners can add protein to the smoked portobello with mushroom compote and pickled shimeji mushrooms, but why bother when the dish is already so smoky, rich and substantial?
Cleanse your palate with a fermented apple sorbet, then finish with a delicate raspberry sponge with crunchy strawberry "pebbles." You can also opt for nonalcoholic ($58) and alcoholic pairings of mostly wine ($109).
The experience will stoke your curiosity and palate as you watch chefs bustle about the open kitchen preparing your meal.
Lalin
Lalin, meaning "moon" in Creole, is set on the resort's nature center rooftop. It has an outdoor area overlooking the dock, a swanky sheltered area with swinging daybeds, and a ceiling illuminated by constellation-inspired fiber-optic lights. It's primarily a cocktail bar, though you can order food from nearby La Perle upon request.
The menu includes plenty of signature cocktails (ranging from $20-$40) like the Sea Martini with gin, timur pepper berry, dry vermouth and olive; and the Platte Bird with dark rum, Campari, pineapple, falernum, lime and bitters; as well as an excellent selection of Japanese whiskies. However, the resident mixologist will be happy to mix up a drink of your choosing based on your specific tastes, so don't be shy.
Peacock Terrace
You might know Peacock Alley from its various iterations at Waldorf Astorias around the world. The venue tends to be a posh all-day destination that transitions throughout the day from breakfast to light lunch, afternoon tea and international dinner.
The Waldorf Astoria Seychelles Platte Island version is more of an open-air cafe serving various iced tea infusions and creative coffee concoctions, including a surprisingly rich latte made with foamed coconut milk. As a Hilton Honors Diamond member, I could stop by anytime for complimentary libations, though I only took advantage of this my last morning while waiting for my flight.
Room service
The hotel's all-inclusive plan includes room service orders (other guests can order it a la carte). One afternoon, due to rainy weather, I ordered a club sandwich to enjoy on my deck, which arrived within 20 minutes of my call.
After a walk around the island on the final morning of my stay, I ordered a breakfast omelet and fruit plate. They were delivered promptly 30 minutes after my call and were an excellent final taste of the island.
Amenities and service
It's easy to spend your days beachcombing, watching ghost crabs skitter along the shore, plovers hunt and peck in the tide, and terns swoop and whoop among the treetops. But chances are you'll want a little time on the water, not to mention a few relaxation sessions in the spa.
To help you arrange all that, not to mention restaurant reservations and the odd buggy ride should the heavens open in a deluge during your stay, you will be assigned a personal concierge at check-in who will take care of your entire itinerary throughout your stay. They tend to communicate via WhatsApp, but you can also call the designated service line from your villa to ask for what you need. My concierge, Stef, ensured I didn't make the mistake of trying to eat at one of the restaurants on a day it was closed, that I made it to the sunset sail on time (it was a surprisingly punctual departure!) and that I snagged some prime spa reservation times, all with a cheerful, Seychelles-inflected "you're mostly welcome!" sign off to her messages.
Located next to the main pier, the hotel's activities center offers everything from guided snorkeling tours to fly-fishing, scuba diving, ocean safaris, private kayak and stand-up paddleboarding excursions, and sunset cruises, all a la carte. During certain times of the year (typically November-March), however, the weather can be so variable as to prevent the activities from being available, and depending on rain and wind, conditions might not be conducive to exploring the surrounding seas. Snorkeling gear is available for those who want to explore the house reef on their own, and the shallow, reef-protected waters mean less-than-confident swimmers need not fear strong currents close to shore.
Just across from the activities center, guests can pop into the nature center to learn about the land, air and sea creatures that call Platte Island home, and one of the on-site naturalists gives a few talks each week in the library lounge detailing the conservation efforts the resort is making to maintain the island's ecology.
Speaking of which, the hotel is developing a habitat for giant Aldabra tortoises, and though there are only a handful of inhabitants living in a designated area between the runway and the spa right now, there are plans to bring in over 200 of the distinctive creatures which guests can learn about on guided visits (or stop by to watch them on your own during a free moment).
The hotel has a cute kids club with a small playground and plenty of outdoor activities for tykes, including beach walks, arts and crafts, and even cooking classes.
Active travelers can enjoy the open-air yoga studio and air-conditioned gym, chock-full of up-to-the-minute Technogym equipment. Serious fitness enthusiasts can book a training or yoga session. There are also tennis and pickleball courts and a pro for private lessons.
Although many villas come with private pools and beach setups, guests can also lounge by the large public pool, and there are shaded cabanas for larger groups (these do not feature extra amenities and are available on a first-come, first-served basis).
There's also a main beachfront with umbrella-shaded loungers available, though I did not see anyone there during my stay.
Finally, the Waldorf Astoria Spa is an entire complex on the island's eastern side, which sprawls between Moulin's gardens and some of the larger multibedroom villas.
In addition to a hair and nail salon, there is a public pavilion with men's and women's locker rooms, an outdoor pool, and a pink Himalayan salt sauna, which guests can reserve in advance for private relaxation sessions.
If you're getting a treatment at the spa, however, the individual treatment rooms are enormous, with strands of seashells for curtains and overhead light fixtures shaped like banana palm leaves, not to mention large private changing areas with showers and open-air bathtubs.
The extensive treatment menu includes half-hour head massages, bespoke facials, body wraps and more. Many incorporate Nourished by Nature products made from Seychelles' famous coco de mer coconuts and Irish seaweed-based Voya organic products. Prices range from $70 to $360, depending on the service. The all-inclusive package I was offered came with one 60-minute massage per day per person, which would have cost $230 a la carte.
Accessibility
As with most of the Seychelles hotels I experienced during my two-week trip, accessibility is where the Waldorf Astoria Seychelles Platte Island might not meet the needs of some travelers.
Buggy rides are available, many public areas feature ramps, and most restaurants and rooms have an indoor-outdoor design, so you could theoretically navigate them with a wheelchair. However, wheelchair users and those with sight or hearing impairments might not have an easy time staying here.
The paths are sandy, the villas and some restaurants have steps leading into them (though portable ramps are available), and the pools do not have chairlifts. That said, some villas have features like roll-in showers and visual alarms. But if you need specific amenities, you should contact the hotel directly to ensure its amenities and accommodations meet your needs.
Checking out
Although I spent three full days and nights at the Waldorf Astoria Seychelles Platte Island, during which I luxuriated in my villa and the spa thanks to some rainy afternoons, tried all the restaurants and enjoyed a sunset cruise, my time there still felt too short.
While it can take a few days to relax into "vacation mode" on some trips, and even more so at hotels with such high price points where the pressure is on to maximize each moment, the incredibly friendly staff, the sheer beauty of the natural setting and the variety of experiences offered made me feel like even my short stay was well worth it. Especially since I had been able to redeem Hilton points for such a tremendous value here.
I had such a fantastic time there that I'm already considering how to rack up more Hilton points to book another stay and enjoy even more of the resort's amenities.
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