Afloat in crystal clear waters in the Outer Islands of Seychelles and seemingly worlds away from everyday noise, stress and obligation, the new Four Seasons Resort Seychelles at Desroches Island – the only resort on the entire island – is the quintessential tropical escape, while also providing every modern comfort and luxury, and plenty to discover for today’s active travellers.
“Chances are that if you’ve gazed longingly at a stock image of a white sand beach fringed with palm trees looking out onto impossibly blue waters, that picture was taken in Seychelles,” says Edward Linsley, a world traveller who has now settled on Desroches Island as the Resort’s General Manager. “And the dream only gets better when you get here, put your toes in the sand, breathe in the clean air, swim the warm waters, trek through the jungle and finally fall into restful sleep beneath a canopy of stars. At Four Seasons, our entire mission is to create the perfect holiday for our guests, to realise all of their island fantasies and ensure that they’ll remember their stay with us for a lifetime.”
Four Seasons sprawls over the southwestern portion of a 402 hectare (933 acre), sparsely populated and virtually untouched tropical paradise just 35 minutes by scenic flight from the international airport on Mahé island.
Be among the first to experience this ultra-private island experience: For a limited time, Four Seasons Resort Seychelles at Desroches Island is offering a Breakfast & Dinner included package, and the full-board Paradise Escape offer.
With the opening of its second resort paired with Four Seasons Resort Seychelles on Mahé, Four Seasons also offers the only opportunity for seamless island hopping between two luxury resorts in Seychelles.
Adventures On-Site and Around the Island
The first stop on any day of adventure, the Castaway Centre is headquarters for water sports including scuba diving, stand-up paddleboarding and ocean fishing; cycling treks through 15 kilometres (9 miles) of trails; or nature walks led by a member of the Island Conservation Society. Underwater explorers can join WiseOceans Marine Educator Hannah Harries for guided snorkelling.
At the nearby Discovery Centre, the naturally curious can learn about the unique Seychelles flora, fauna and sea life, as well as the history of Desroches Island, before heading out to the Tortoise Sanctuary to meet the locals or visiting a tiny Creole Village, where local craftspeople operate a furniture workshop.
With 14 kilometres (8.7 miles) of pristine white sand beaches circling the island, plus plenty of quiet groves for a shady repast, island picnics are a must, so the culinary team provide a selection of portable goodies, fresh and ready to go each morning at the Resort’s Deli.
Happier just to laze in the sun? Four Seasons attendants are always on hand at the outdoor pool and resort beach, ready to offer complimentary frozen treats or cold drinks and snacks from the pool bar and grill.
Young castaways aged 4 to 12 will love playing together at the Kids for All Seasons facility, including an outdoor playground, recreation pavilion and air-conditioned relaxation rooms, where Four Seasons staff supervise a daily program of games, discovery and exploration. There’s also a Teen Centre, ensuring that every member of the family has a place to call their own among myriad options to enjoy together.
The Circle of Connection Spa
Four Seasons invites guests to begin and end each day by connecting with the world around them and within themselves at the Morning Awakening and Evening Reflection rituals at the Circle of Connection Spa.
A haven of wellbeing where massages, facials and body treatments are only the beginning, the organic Circle of Connection Spa has created a series of Sensory Connection Rituals designed to calm, to refresh and detoxify, to relax and restore, to invigorate, balance and more. Skilled therapists work with each guest to identify their needs and wants, customising the spa experience to each individual.
Yoga programs with in-house yogi Ganga Sadhuka include Hatha, Nidra, Meditation, Pranayama and Ashtanga in a dedicated pavilion or on the beach, and there is also a fully-equipped fitness studio for weight and cardio training.
There’s also an open-air floodlit tennis court for day or evening play.
Dining and Drinking, Island Style
A highlight of any stay is surely dinner amid the panoramic views at the remote Lighthouse on the southern tip of Desroches Island, where the evening may begin with drinks at the circular bar terrace on the first floor. Then head downstairs to the main restaurant for dining indoors or out on the lawn terrace, where freshly grilled or cooked meat and fish – plus a seafood raw bar – is prepared under the watchful eye of Head Chef Olivier Barré and his brigade.
Chef Barré, an avid fisherman, also invites guests to join him in catching their own fresh seafood, which he will prepare for them personally to enjoy later that day.
At Claudine, the Mediterranean coast is the inspiration for a menu of French, Italian, Portuguese, Greek and Spanish specialities created in the open kitchen at breakfast, lunch and dinner, with a special children’s menu of tasty, healthy options both parents and kids will approve.
The Bar offers poolside refreshments by day, the ideal spot for a sunset cocktail, and evenings enjoying Creole tapas, cigars and shisha.
The Deli is the place for grab-and-go fare to be enjoyed on a day out, or to stock up for in-villa enjoyment. And of course, 24-hour room service and custom catering is also available.
An Island Home
Taking “rustic chic” to a new level of luxury, Four Seasons Resort Seychelles at Desroches Island is home to a variety of accommodations for families, couples and friends travelling together. One and two bedroom suites as well as a selection of villas with private plunge pools are dotted along the Sunset Beach or the Coral Beach (best for those who never want to miss a sunrise), and for larger parties, there are three, four and five bedroom villas as well as the fabulously appointed seven bedroom Presidential Villa.
Each epitomises an effortless island lifestyle, inviting guests to live barefoot from arrival until it’s time to go home, with indoor-outdoor spaces, sand at the doorstep, and vintage decorative touches evoking the era of 19th century explorers of the islands.
Unique Opportunities
Whether the guest list numbers two, twenty or more, Four Seasons Resort Seychelles at Desroches Island is the perfect setting for a beach wedding, honeymoon or other celebration of love. Expert staff are ready to help realise romantic dreams, and working in coordination with the team at Four Seasons Resort Seychelles on Mahé, couples can opt for a multi-destination experience if they wish.
Both Resorts are also part of Four Seasons Extraordinary Exclusives and Buyouts program for corporate retreats, weddings, reunions or the simple desire to have the place all to yourselves.