8 Best Hotels in Seychelles

The only property on Anse Intendance—one of Seychelles' most beautiful beaches—the Banyan Tree Seychelles is an ideal honeymoon location with its large, quasi-French Colonial villas that ooze luxury and privacy. All have their own pools, outdoor dining salas, and decks. Three restaurants, including the amazing Saffron, are yours to choose from, but the in-villa dining and beachfront dining (think hurricane lanterns and tikki torches surrounding a table laid with beautiful china and silver, all on the beach with only the moon and stars above) are the height of romance. The infinity pool frequently gets top honors, and the spa, part of the famous Banyan Tree line, is world class. A colonial-elegance-meets-NYC-hipster bar overlooking the sea is the perfect place for a drink, day or night.

Praslin's newest luxury resort, the Raffles is composed of 86 über-luxurious sea- and mountain-view villas dotting the hillside over Anse Takamaka bay. Spacious and beautifully designed with great attention to detail and elegant finishings, all villas have private balconies with plunge pools and sheltered pavilions. A fabulous spa with indoor and outdoor treatment rooms (imagine tropic birds soaring by as you get a massage), activities include a full range of water sports, and a gym offering various yoga classes.Two giant pools—one of which is a 40-meter infinity—and a small but lovely piece of beach are where you will laze away the day. Three restaurants, a beach bar, and two stylish lounges—one of which is a rooftop shisha lounge, where you can best enjoy a cocktail and the sunset—provide plenty of choices when your appetites get the better of you.

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Discovered in 1773 by Denis de Trobiand, this coralline island served as a farm from 1845 to 1982, only becoming a resort in 1978. Entirely rebuilt in 2006, the resort is now a spectacularly elegant yet unpretentious setting for 30 deluxe cottages on the beach (staggered for privacy, some sit partially behind the true beachfront units) that boast features like private sea-facing salas with daybeds, gorgeous outdoor bathrooms, iPod docks, king-size beds, and private beachfront. The tasteful decor takes an elegant view on the au naturel theme, and the lack of TVs and Internet is intentional: you are here to (comfortably) commune with nature (a TV, computers, and free wifi are available in the library). A lovely reef just off the restaurant beach, great spa treatments, an excellent dive center, and, of course, postcard-perfect, powder-white-sand beaches are part of the package. The owners also turned the island into a conservation site in 1998, eradicating human-introduced predators and introducing rare endemic birds from nearby islands (including the Seychelles fody, Seychelles warbler, magpie robin, and paradise flycatcher), thus encouraging seabirds to use the newly safe (no rats, cats, or dogs) terrain to breed and nest. As a result, the birdlife is wonderful (though don't expect the insane numbers of seabirds that you'll encounter on islands like Aride or Cousin). The main areas of the lodge itself are beautifully designed, the food is generally excellent, and the service genuinely friendly.

Arguably Mahé's best resort, this stunning property provides exquisite service, fine dining, great activities, and a perfect beach surrounded by a forested natural amphitheater. The 62 villas dotting the hillsides are breathtaking: spacious, modern, and yet imbued with Creole style and original artworks by Seychellois artists. The water in Petite Anse's protected bay is clear year-round (rare in the Seychelles), and offers some of the best snorkeling on Mahé. An incredibly well-stocked activity center (good-quality kayaks, snorkeling gear, etc.) and kids' programs, along with cooking classes (highly recommended if you're fond of Creole cuisine) and a library, mean you'll never want for things to do. The stunning spa at the top of the hill is probably one of the best places on Mahé for sundowners, not to mention fabulous treatments and yoga classes with a view. Both restaurants are excellent and deserve a visit in their own right.

Brought to the world's attention as the honeymoon destination of the likes of Prince William and Kate, this private island takes the wow effect to new levels. The only property on Seychelles' third largest granitic island, the resort's breathtaking villas are the size of most people's houses, and unlike most abodes, include a private plunge pool, deck, sun pavilion, butler, and sea views from every angle. With its "any menu any venue any time" attitude toward food, guests are welcome to put chefs to the test if not enticed by the daily gourmet menus, though bear in mind that your vision of the perfect lobster thermidor may differ from that of the chef. Use of your own golf cart and bicycles allow freedom to roam the island. There is something amazingly decadent about being able to cycle to the "wilds" of West Beach (one of the island's two main beaches), order a fancy fruit shake or cocktail from the bar, grab a fluffy towel, and nest on a comfy daybed. If you hang out long enough, treats from the informal restaurant there—seared tuna, homemade pizzas, grilled veggies, and pork-belly morsels—will doubtless tempt. The fine-dining restaurant on the other beach is gourmet all the way, and set in a magical environment of driftwood, shells, and water features. Great hiking trails that wind through granite hills and rehabilitated palm forests are thick with fruit bats and other wonders like giant tortoises. Total ecological rehabilitation of the island–rats and cats were removed several years back and various endangered Seychelles endemic species introduced–is the goal at this high-class "Noah's ark." With its own dive and activities centers boasting great boat dives, fishing, kayaking, and even surfing, a gorgeous hilltop spa with insane views and yoga classes, beautiful library filled with books about the Seychelles, and incredible wine cellar, you could easily spend a month here if your bank account could handle it.

Set on 370 acres of scenic palm groves, the Lemuria was Praslin's first five-star resort and remains a favorite luxury destination. With 105 rooms strung along on both Grand Anse Kerlan and Petite Anse Kerlan, the resort developers did a great job of ensuring that structures are invisible from the beach, thus maintaining a sense of pristine privacy. However, some of the lodging feels stacked too close, and the decor is in need of an update. All three restaurants are excellent, though, and with several great bars, a beautiful pool complex, lovely spa, the only 18-hole golf course in Seychelles, a kids' club, and a well-stocked activities center, you will never want for things to do here. Enjoy access to Anse Georgette, a famously gorgeous crescent of undeveloped white sand; the hotel provides a buggy shuttle service to this private beach throughout the day, or you can walk through the golf course.

With only four villas, this resort is a birder's and naturalist's paradise. Villas in French colonial Seychelles style—all blue and white Chinese porcelain, antique wooden furniture, and lacy white trim—are spacious and well decorated. Unfortunately, tile floors and pedestrian fittings lack the accompanying charm. However, such details can be overlooked in light of the truly breathtaking reality of the island itself. A rehabilitated conservation zone, Cousine is home to more than 100,000 sea birds that wheel and dive through the sky 24 hours a day. Get up close and personal with chicks nesting on low-hanging branches and the nooks of trees, or sitting on the massive pink granite boulders that loom like surreal sculptures all over the island. Totally private powder-white-sand beaches, wonderful and inventive cuisine, and extremely friendly staff complete the experience and ensure many repeat visitors. As if all this weren't enough, all proceeds from the lodge go back into the continued conservation of this sea-bird sanctuary.

The only resort on the Amirantes coral island group (and situated within an entire atoll), Desroches will fulfill all your coconut-fringed, white-sand-beach-paradise fantasies. Twenty-six double villas are located around the main lodge area, which includes the spacious and airy Veloutier Restaurant, a very hip bar with great cocktails, a gorgeous pool area, a small shop, and the reception area—all graced with comfortable couches in whites and beiges, elegant displays of shells, and a convenient Wi-Fi connection. Farther afield, 23 stunning four-bedroom pool villas are the ideal family vacation or reunion spot. Each gorgeous villa—styled between Seychelles and Southeast Asia—has its own pool, kitchen, and villa assistant. All villas (family or doubles) lay claim to their own piece of white sand shaded by coconut palms, outdoor showers, and views of tranquil turquoise water. Add to all this one of the best activities center in Seychelles—kayaks, surf skis, paddle surfing, surfing, snorkeling, pedalos (a peddle boat), and fly-fishing equipment are all free of charge and of excellent quality. Motorized sports like diving and deep-sea fishing enjoy some of the finest sites in the Indian Ocean. Guests can visit the tortoises, the lighthouse at the northern end of the island, or one of several snorkeling locations just offshore. Be sure to take advantage of the picnics delivered to various idyllic beach locations (nothing like returning from a snorkel to find a picnic with a cooler of ice-cold beer).