It was an absolute honor to be invited by Hiltons Signature luxury brand - Waldorf Astoria to be part of a small, select group of luxury travel experts to visit the soon to be opened Waldorf Astoria Platte Island in the Seychelles.
As one of just 4 luxury travel advisors, we were the first people to get a glimpse of this brand-new resort and witness how this incredible property is coming along before its much-anticipated opening date in Oct 2023.
Upon landing in Mahe, Seychelles, you can either start your holiday at the beautiful Mango House which is a 25-minute drive from the airport or you can go directly to the Platte Island Private Villa at the airport, freshen up, relax and wait for your twenty-minute flight that takes you directly to Platte Island.
An 18-seater plane lands directly on the untouched islands landing strip, flying across the palm trees and showcasing the coral reef beneath you. It was breathtaking to witness such raw natural beauty and it also gave me a sense of hope that we still have parts of the world that are still untouched and ready to be explored.
From the landing strip we hopped into golf buggies, something that guests can expect and that will be waiting to take them directly to their villa for in room check in.
Let me tell you a little bit about this piece of paradise that you can call home…
The Island Resort
As mentioned before, Waldorf Astoria Hotels and Resorts, Hilton's signature luxury brand, will debut in the Seychelles with the opening of the anticipated Waldorf Astoria Seychelles Platte Island. Located on a secluded luxury private island, the resort promises an unparalleled nature lover's escape with top-notch hospitality.
Situated in an untouched atoll, the resort is hugged by palm forests and seabirds, and turtles protected by its own lagoon and coral reef. The island is home to a variety of native wildlife such as Hawksbill turtles, eagle rays, manta rays, and whale sharks, making it an ideal destination for nature lovers.
Guests will have access to six restaurants and bars, a spa, kids' club, outdoor observatory, tennis and paddle courts and a marine conservation discovery centre.
Villas
This all-villa island will host only 50 exclusive, seafront villas in total ranging from 1 bedroom, family villas up-to a 5-bedroom grand villa. All villas will have a private pool, large garden and come with a butler service. In order to protect the marine life, none of the villas are located directly on the beach (this will preserve the turtles nesting grounds), however all villas will have direct beach access which makes the villas even more private and exclusive.
I stayed in a family villa which is very spacious, has a living room, king bed, large bathroom and another bedroom with sofa bed and ensuite for children.
Each villa will have bikes in order to explore the island from tip to tip and as its 14 km wide, that's a nice ride especially if you stop to watch the marine life.
Dining
The island's garden is expected to provide lots of local fruits and vegetables, in order to give guests a sustainable “soul to soil” gastronomic experience.
Meeting the culinary team on the island was an absolute pleasure – their passion for bringing Seychelles local produce back into authentic dishes was wonderful to listen to. There are so many local produce grown in Seychelles which is simply overlooked as the country imports most of its produce. Not only will eating local produce keep inline with the resort’s sustainable ethos but the produce is also healthier and more beneficial. From herbs and roots that can help cure diseases to natural remedies for a healthier lifestyle.
Spa
The spa sadly wasn't ready during our stay but I can tell you that there will be six large treatment rooms, a beauty salon, a hammam, spa suite and “serene” outdoor spaces, making it the perfect zen retreat.
Sustainability
In keeping with Hilton's "Travel with Purpose" commitment, the Waldorf Astoria Seychelles Platte Island will make use of a designated solar field to create renewable energy across most of its operations.
As a sustainable travel advocate that likes to work with the best luxury sustainable hotels brands in the world, I have no doubt Platte Island will be up-there with the best of them.
Don't worry about packing shoes for your island escape – barefoot is the way forward (although if you still insist, a more natural footwear that's fully aligned with sustainability will be provided). But as we were told, it is estimated that an average of 13,000 pieces of plastic and synthetic materials (flip-flops) are floating on every square kilometer of ocean. Since 1998 Ocean Sole has cleaned up over 1,000 tonnes of flip-flops from the ocean and waterways.
Hilton's commitment to sustainable travel and tourism has been instrumental in the success of its three Seychelles properties, all of which have won numerous awards for their sustainable practices and Platte Island with its own unique sustainability approach will only add to their accolades.
Overview
Apart from feeling greatly appreciated that I got to experience Platte Island up close and personal, I have a feeling this resort is going to be in serious demand. A discerning, smart traveller that is looking for a resort that caters to the highest luxury needs without compromising on its sustainability ethos whilst doing all of this in a place that is raw, untouched, and shows what the world can still look like, can do no wrong with a visit to Waldorf-Astoria, Platte Island, Seychelles.
To book your stay, with special offers going into the grand opening, contact Unique Family Travels.
Danielle@uniquefamilytravels.com
