Praslin, La Digue and North Island in ten nights
Three islands, three speeds: a hillside pool villa on Praslin near the Vallée de Mai, bicycles and granite boulders on La Digue, and four nights on North Island, reached by helicopter from Mahé.
Raffles Seychelles
An all-pool-villa resort on the hillside above Anse Takamaka on Praslin, with butlers, a large spa and a free kids club.
Why we love it
Raffles opened on Praslin in 2011 and every one of its 87 villas has its own pool. Most climb the hillside above Anse Takamaka, so the sea views are the reason to pick a panoramic or ocean-view villa over a garden one.
It works for a wide range of people. Couples get privacy, a spa with 13 treatment pavilions and a sushi room using the catch of the day. Families get the complimentary Sugar Palm Kids Club, a four-bedroom residence and two-bedroom villas, and the Vallée de Mai forest is on the same island.
The slope is the trade-off. The higher villas trade easy beach access for the view, which some guests love and others find a nuisance. If you want to walk straight out onto the sand, ask us about the beachfront two-bedroom villas.
Rooms and villas
Hillside Garden View Pool Villa
The entry villa, set deep in the gardens for privacy, with its own pool and butler service.
Ocean View and Panoramic Pool Villas
Villas higher up the hill with open views across the sea, the panoramic ones set at the top of the slope.
Grand Pool Villas
Larger one-bedroom villas in garden, ocean-view and panoramic positions, with more living space.
Two Bedroom Pool Villas
Two-bedroom villas on the hillside or on the beachfront, both with a private butler included.
Four Bedroom Pool Residence
A family residence with space for several generations and a private butler included.
Dining
Losean serves breakfast from around the world and Indian Ocean dishes in the evening. The Pool Restaurant and Bar does light lunches, The Sushi Room prepares the day's snapper, jackfish and tuna, and Danzil Bar and Lounge pours cocktails and rums on a colonial-style terrace. Private dinners on the beach or in the garden can be arranged.
Wellness
Raffles Spa has 13 treatment pavilions, some open to the sea and some in the forest, plus sauna, steam and Jacuzzi areas, a yoga pavilion and a Technogym fitness centre. Products come from Biologique Recherche, Aromatherapy Associates and The Refinery, and there is a children's spa menu.
Children and families
The complimentary Sugar Palm Kids Club runs from 09:00 to 17:00 with programmes for toddlers, children and teenagers, including tortoise feeding, cooking classes and nature walks. Baby equipment such as bottle warmers and bath tubs is provided.
The facts
| Villas | 87 pool villas and a four-bedroom residence |
|---|---|
| Opened | 2011 |
| Restaurants and bars | Losean, Pool Restaurant and Bar, The Sushi Room, Danzil Bar and Lounge |
| Spa | Raffles Spa, 13 treatment pavilions |
| Kids club | Sugar Palm Kids Club, complimentary, toddlers to teenagers |
| Service | Butler service with every villa |
Where it is
Anse Takamaka, Praslin, Seychelles
Nearby
A few of the things we plan for guests in Seychelles.
Coco de mer in the Vallée de Mai
The Vallée de Mai on Praslin is a UNESCO-listed palm forest and the home of the coco de mer, whose seed is the largest in the plant kingdom. Paths wind under huge fan-shaped leaves, and it is one of the few places to see the rare Seychelles black parrot. Go at opening time, when the birds are most active.
Cycling La Digue to Anse Source d'Argent
La Digue has few cars; most people get around by bicycle. Ride through the L'Union estate, past the old plantation house and vanilla, to Anse Source d'Argent, with its sculpted granite boulders and shallow water. Time it for low tide in the early morning. On the east side, Grand Anse is wilder but not for swimming when the surf is up.
Giant tortoises and mangroves on Curieuse
Curieuse is a protected island a short boat ride from Praslin. A boardwalk runs through the mangroves to Baie Laraie, where Aldabra giant tortoises roam freely around the ranger station. Most trips add snorkelling off neighbouring St Pierre, a tiny granite islet.
Journeys with Raffles Seychelles
Ask about Raffles Seychelles
Tell us your dates and who is travelling. We will check availability, suggest the right room and send a price.