Four Seasons Resort Seychelles

Review of Four Seasons Resort Seychelles

BusinessClass.com review by Varun Sharma

Located on a granite plateau with a backdrop of majestic mountains overlooking a protected azure-blue bay, the Four Seasons Resort Seychelles has deservedly topped all the reader best hotel awards since it first opened its doors.

With 67 private villas cascading down the hillside to a horseshoe shaped white sandy beach far below, the resort is often referred to as treetop living with villas on stilts enjoying extensive views over the Indian Ocean. Each villa - there are 62 guest rooms and five suites - comes its own private plunge pool, whirlpool, and outdoor shower. There are also 27 residential units, ideal for larger family gatherings or groups. When it comes to dining, there are three restaurants and two bars with cuisine ranging from Creole, to Japanese and Mediterranean.

You are spoilt for choice facilities wise on this 69-hectare property, with a beautifully pristine white sandy, palm fringed beach complete with cabanas; a hilltop Le Syel Spa with eight treatment rooms; a 517 square metre main swimming pool; a yoga studio and a 128 square metre fitness facility with personal trainers on demand. There is also a Library and a couple of boutiques. 

On site activities include anything from birdwatching to boating, hiking to scuba diving with both a water sports pavilion with PADI dive centre and uniquely for the area, a Tropicsurf outlet offering lessons in surfing and paddleboarding. Nearby – offsite - there is yet more to do including horseback riding or jungle trekking, golfing, or deep-sea fishing. 

Perfect for families, the resort offers a Kids for all Seasons programme with daily activities and a dedicated facility.

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Location

9/10

Four Seasons Resorts Seychelles enjoys a secluded location on the Southwest coast of Mahé (the Seychelles’ largest island) with the protected Petite Anse Bay offering sheltered safe swimming and water sports close to land. Known for its pristine beaches and largely untouched landscapes with around 20 of its archipelago of islands inhabited, Four Seasons Resorts Seychelles is one of two Four Seasons properties in the country, the other being Four Seasons Resort Seychelles at Desroches Island (review to follow). 

For local colour, head to nearby Victoria Market, an outdoor food and craft market, to Takamaka Rum Distillery or to Jardin du Roi Spice Garden, about a quarter of an hour’s drive away. Guided boat trips to other remote islands such as Praslin or La Digue is also recommended. 

Opposite the resort, try your luck at Club Liberté, the premier casino in the Seychelles with facilities including a casino, restaurant, sushi and lounge bar with slot machines and table games.

For art-lovers, this area is often called an artist’s paradise due to the proliferation of art galleries in the vicinity. Take a tour of the galleries of Michel Adams, Tom Bowers and Nigel Henri which approximately a 45-minute drive from the resort. For transfers to the resort, a Four Seasons’ representative will greet guests at the customs’ exit of Seychelles International Airport (SEZ) with private transfers taking around 35 minutes to the resort, a distance of around 18 kilometres. For anyone driving, there is valet parking.

Accommodation

9/10

Accommodation is scattered down a hillside with stilted villas located on every level, positioned to make the most of the views, and surrounded with lush vegetation including cinnamon, jackfruit and mango trees ensuring fragrant privacy. 

Each is accessed via a private wooden walkway with views either overlooking verdant foliage, the lagoon and wetlands areas or the ocean. Designed with inside / outside living in mind, each enjoys its own infinity plunge pool, an outdoor shower and a decked patio with chaise longues and dining tables. Inside, these cool plantation-styled villas have ample space; mellow colourings in the colours of the ocean; hardwood floors; a glass walled, deep soaking sunken tub to capture those picture postcard views; a separate toilet and bidet; a separate shower and a walk-in dressing area.  Each villa offers hair dryers; air conditioning; 107-centimetre flatscreen television with a DVD/CD player and complimentary online daily international newspapers. There is also a complimentary shoeshine service.

There are four categories of villas (all 186 square metres) starting with the Garden-View Villa which is ideal for family life as they sit close to the beach and resort’s facilities, looking out onto the lagoon, the resort’s natural wetlands and tropical foliage. The Ocean-View Villas are situated in the mid-area, still relatively close to the main resort’s restaurants and beach area and offer a partial ocean view mixed with tropical forest. The Hilltop Ocean-View villas higher up the hill offer simply magnificent views out over the bay to the sea beyond with the Serenity Villas featuring those knock-out views alongside enhanced privacy.

There are four different types of suite ranging from the Two Bedroom Ocean View Suite on the mid-section of the resort and Two Bedroom Hilltop Ocean View Suite higher up the hill - both with 524 square metres of space with large outdoor decks and pools and floor to ceiling windows with sweeping views out over the Bay. Personal attendant service is available on request. The Two Bedroom Presidential Suite offers an impressive 724 square metres of space and is located near the beach on the lower section of the resort whilst the Three Bedroom Beach Suite enjoys private beach access and 859 square metres of space. This spacious retreat has four pavilions with both indoor and outdoor living and entertaining areas. Other rooms include a separate study, a den, a jetted tub and three-bedroom suites. Complimentary poolside cocktails are served daily.

When yet more space and privacy is required, head up the hill to one of the four residence categories offering between three-to-seven-bedroom dwellings offering 971 – 1,588 square metres of living space. These split-level homes all come with full equipped kitchens, two or three outdoor decks, large private pools and dedicated support staff. 

Those higher up need not worry unduly about the climb however as there are complimentary buggy services to scoot you up and down.

Service & Facilities

9/10

Both indoor and outdoor, there are quite a few activities here to keep everyone entertained. 

For a spa with a view, Le Syel Spa offers eight treatment rooms spread out over five separate pavilions, located at the uppermost part of the resort far above the bay with incredible views from the treatment bed. Every double treatment room features changing facilities, a restroom, indoor massage beds, an outdoor bathtub, and a rain shower. Guests will enjoy signature experiences including botanical body treatments, Le Syel Rituals, facial radiance, relaxed and healing massages, and multi-day spa journeys. Teens (from 12 to 17 years) may enjoy a teen spa treatment. For the finishing touch, there is a hair stylist and nail studio at your disposal.

Wellness wise, there are in-room bath rituals for a bath with a view created by George Monty, Bath Curator, or yoga and meditation in the Hilltop yoga studio. For the ultimate in meditation, guests may hike to the hilltop summit to enjoy a scenically aware guided meditation. There is also a 128 square metre fitness facility packed with TechnoGym equipment located near the beach for those who like to keep up their regime and well as access to the annual visiting practitioners programme of the industry’s leading and most sought-after wellness programmes - whether that is physiotherapy, energy and therapeutic massage healing, or body therapy.

As well as the glorious beach with beach service and cabanas to cater for every whim, there is also a good-sized outdoor pool surrounded by huge cinnamon trees for those who like to relax in style and both beach volleyball and badminton for fun in the sand. You can even practice your swing by teeing off with ecobioballs from the beach. Other on-site facilities include a Resort Library and a Water Sports Pavilion offering all kinds of aqua activities including boating trips, fishing, scuba diving, kayaking, snorkelling, and surfing. Regarding the latter, uniquely, the resort offers Tropicsurf lessons in surfing and stand up paddleboarding. Guests may also snorkel with a member of the WiseOceans marine education and conservation specialists, diving down to see the restoration work they are understanding on an area of coral reef in Petite Anse Bay. Guests may also attach rescued coral fragments, attaching them to a steel frame before heading off to the coral nursery just offshore.

Off site, there are local excursions, horseback riding, jet skiing, jungle trekking, golf on nearby Praslin island, deep sea fishing and biking. On site, enjoy birdwatching, hiking, the jogging trail or simply take a walk around the grounds where the resort’s eco guide and nature signs showcase local flowers, spices and other natural species. There is also a Landscape Tour bookable via the concierge which talks about the various tree varieties as this site used to be a fruit plantation. The tour explains about the various fruits and how to use them in cooking local dishes.

For kiddies, there is a wide-ranging complimentary Kids for all Seasons programme with dedicated facilities and in-room amenities and toys. Creating educational and memorable experiences in a safe yet fun environment, kids particularly enjoy visiting the Coral Cabana where they can learn more about the marine life surrounding them and conservation efforts.

Everyone loves the hawksbill turtles and the Petite Anse beach is a nesting site for them so guests may go on a turtle watch during the season – September to March.

Seychelles is of course the perfect setting for a romantic interlude and the resort offers a range of couple’s activities for romance to bloom including Creole cooking classes, private beach dining, spa treatments, bath curator and a babymoon experience.

Style

9/10

For many, a treetop living experience is one to be treasured so Four Seasons Resort Seychelles were onto a winner with this lofty living design. With sweeping views over a picture-perfect bay and ocean, this property has everything you can possibly want from a holiday destination with a vast array of activities available from serene spa living to jet ski active.

When you factor in the legendary Four Seasons’ service standards and pleasant friendly staff then it is no wonder that this property still tops the awards lists time and time again. It is also the perfect venue for a family holiday with a well-established Kids for all Seasons programme offering a host of activities to tempt even the most difficult of mini travellers. For social media fanatics, there is even a cheat sheet of the best Seychelles picture spots – who could possibly ask for more?

Restaurants & Bars

9/10

Four Seasons Resort Seychelles offers three restaurants and two lounge/bars. Zez is located midway up the hillside and guests may start and end their day at this venue with a view. In the evening, the restaurant serves an Asian Izakya sharing menu and features al fresco dining in comfortable cane armchairs overlooking the bay. Come Sunday, head there for Seafood Sunday. Zez Bar sits just beside the main restaurant and serves up innovative cocktails with a punch, complemented by an array of tantalising Asian street food snacks in an inside/outside location.

Overlooking the main pool and the sea beyond, Kannel restaurant serves up the best of the daily Petite Anse Fish Counter offerings grilled to order alongside lunchtime Creole classics with a modern twist. In the evening, a Mediterranean cuisine is served. Every Wednesday, try Kreol specialities such as octopus curry, coconut rice, grilled meats and sweet treats to a backbeat of local dances known as Mourya. Kannel Bar is the place to head for when comfort food is required. With inside/outside dining by the pool, the Bar serves a range of favourites, healthy bowls and cocktails to order at a table or by the bar. If lazing by the beach, order up the Petite Anse Beach Lunch with a menu including tacos, beefburgers, club sandwiches, samosas, avocado and papaya salad.

The sleek, contemporary, and sophisticated intimate Japanese restaurant, Koi, serves up a range of sushi platters, tempura rolls, tuna tataki and a range of tasty main courses overlooking the hills of Petite Anse.

For dining with a difference, book a private dinner or a vibrant Creole show in the heart of the lush jungle within the four remaining walls of an ancient Seychelles house, possibly once the post office, now supported by ageing palms and shaded by lush foliage overhead. Or try the beachside Griyaz Kreol for an interactive dining experience in the sand – simply select meat, seafood or vegetables and grill on a ceramic grill. The resort also offers a Creole Cooking Class to take back those recipes to try at home complemented by cocktails shared at a Cocktail Class.   

Or if you simply cannot bear to leave your wonderful villa, enjoy signature in-suite dining 24/7 with champagne breakfasts, beach BBQs, candlelit dinners, and picnic baskets.

Sustainability

Like all Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, the Four Seasons Resort Seychelles is fully committed to sustainability and green initiatives. Around the resort, energy usage is carefully monitored with LED bulbs now used throughout the grounds, unnecessary lighting turned off and air conditioners have a heat recovery system whereby the heat recovered is used to help warm up the hot water tank. Minimising plastic is also key with water produced on site and bottled in re-usable glass bottles and plant-based drinking straws used. Wastewater is processed on site and used to irrigate the vegetation. 

Even the cleaning products used throughout the property are chemical free and sourced from green footprint suppliers whilst the spa and villa amenity bottles are reusable and sustainably produced. Kitchen and engine oil, batteries, glass, and tyres are responsibly collection for recycling off site. Apart from codfish, all seafood is sourced directly from local fishermen whilst fruit is picked from trees throughout the resort of provided by local businesses. 

Through partnerships with local environmental organisations and WiseOceans, the resort’s marine education and conservation partner, Four Seasons Resort Seychelles is committed to sustainability with a number of key initiatives undertaken onsite. 

Through the WiseOceans Marine Educator, there are presentations about the marine environment with snorkelling expeditions to swim with sea turtles depending on the season. Guests may also join the resort’s own reef regeneration project by attaching rescued coral fragments to a solid steel surface for regeneration. Petite Anse beach is also a nesting site for the hawksbill turtle under the protection of the resort’s staff and WiseOceans’ representatives. 

The resort also offers landscape tours telling the history of the former fruit plantation where the property is based. Many of the fruit trees were maintained and can be seen around the grounds – mango, starfruit, jackfruit and noni – with the tour leaders discussing how to prepare and use each within local recipes.

What We Love

  • Location: There are 115 islands in Seychelles many private with resorts perched on them. It is quite a delight therefore to land at the international airport in the capital – Mahé – and drive just 35 minutes to one of the finest hotels in the country!
  • Views: Every one of the villas boasts a plunge pool or a swimming pool. From here you can enjoy unparalleled views over Petit Anse Bay and indeed Indian Ocean. If you are lucky, a bat or two would be flying overhead – making that feeling of connecting with nature oh, so special!
  • Service: Very Four Seasons – very, very good indeed!

    Varun Sharma
    Editor-In-Chief
    BusinessClass.com

What They Love

  • Petite Anse Beach: Petite Anse beach is the hub of the Resort and here, guests spend hours enjoying the turquoise waters on a snorkel or with one of our non-motorized water sports equipment. With views of the beach available from nearly every corner of the Resort, guests can enjoy one of the best beaches on the island however they may like.
  • Le Syel Spa: Everything in our spa comes with nature and wellbeing in mind. From our organic products and extensive wellness offerings to treatment rooms with more breath-taking views of Petite Anse bay, guests are able to experience a sense of grounding that will leave them rejuvenated even after they leave.
  • Steak Shack: With a number of restaurant and bar options available, there is no shortage of variety in the Resort for guests to choose from and our oceanside restaurant, Steak Shack, is an absolute must try! From premium meat and seafood to watching the sun set into the Indian Ocean, there is no better barefoot dining experience than this one.

    Marcel Oostenbrink
    General Manager
    Four Seasons Resort Seychelles

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