The Best Hotels in the Seychelles

"Platte Island (meaning ‘flat’ in French) lies 80 miles south of Mahé, the Seychelles' biggest island, and is surrounded by animal-rich sea reefs and lagoons. This sand cay was originally an uninhabited coconut plantation until Waldorf Astoria’s parent company, Hilton Worldwide, replaced some of the trees with gardenias, octopus bushes, and numerous other plants, before building 50 villas while respecting the natural surroundings as much as possible. The result is the new Waldorf Astoria Seychelles Platte Island, a secluded marine Eden that is drawing honeymooners and families wanting magical, immersive nature experiences while still never straying too far from modern comforts. Villas here line the western and southern sides of the island and range from one to three bedrooms to the King Deluxe Villa, which has five bedrooms and extensive gardens. The fan-shaped interiors exude modern, understated elegance, with wooden floors, palm-tree pattern cushions, and earth-toned bathrooms with white standalone bathtubs and speckled floor tiles. Some villas, such as No. 29, have turtle nests directly behind them (they are marked), so expect some thrilling sightings when the turtle returns to lay more eggs. The villas on the northwest corner are close to Sand Bank Beach where clear, shallow waters make for fun reef walks and sightings of baby reef sharks and juvenile sting rays. Shark Point Beach at the southern end has deeper water that’s more suitable for swimming. —Noo Saro-Wiwa"