Review: Four Seasons Resort Seychelles at Desroches Island

Jurassic Park.  Scientists have described it as the most meaningful event since the Big Bang. It’s also become synonymous with describing tropical islands in this way, where man hasn’t come in and wrecked it, like everything else we do.  Four Seasons Desroches is one such island, boasting over nine miles of beaches and a mostly untouched landscape.  It is exactly the feel of Jurassic Park, just minus the man-eating dinosaurs and catastrophic computer meltdown.  Well, except the internet speed, that felt similar to a manmade disaster.

Setting

Getting to Desroches Island is a straightforward 35-minute flight from Mahé.  Upon landing on the island’s private airstrip, which occupies just a small portion of this large island, you’ll find yourself on a vast stretch of land spanning 5 kilometres from end to end.  The island is so expansive that scheduled buggy services, like a local bus, are available to shuttle you to the beaches.  Surrounded by clear turquoise waters and lined with swaying coconut palms, Desroches, as a coral atoll, offers impressive underwater landscapes, ideal for snorkelling and diving.  The vibrant coral reefs are home to an array of marine life, including colourful fish, turtles, rays, and even sharks – all of which we witnessed.  The island’s interior is lush and green, with dense coconut groves and native vegetation.

With miles of mostly uninhabited beaches, you’d think you’d have it all to yourself—and you pretty much do.  Every day, the staff gives you the scoop on which beach is worth visiting, depending on the tides and wind, and then you’re left to fend for yourself. There’s no signal on most of the island, just the option of radios for communication.

The main beach by reception is covered with sandbags everywhere and is more seaweed than sand, and during high tide, it practically disappears.  But for a more tranquil experience, there’s a private beach about a 10-minute bike ride from the resort, equipped with kayaks, shaded cabanas, a water station.  There are no staff on any of the beaches (except between 12-3 at one beach, on some days), but some beaches even have toilets—so don’t ever accuse them of not knowing what luxury means.

However, the beaches are beautiful and I think it’s fair to say private, seeing that we never saw anyone.  One beach was so flat, it looked like the ocean had been painted onto the sand. It’s not what I would expect from a luxury resort, but after breathing into my panic bag for at least thirty minutes, I came to appreciate that this created a wonderful experience that I’m glad existed.

We loved cycling around, whether by ourselves or on some of the activities they offered.  We loved the openness to explore without any restrictions or feeling you’re one wrong turn from ending up at someone’s villa.  And if you’re into wildlife, like we are, you’ll be thrilled to know over 200 wild tortoises roam the island.

The island is the star of the show.  Unfortunately the supporting cast were less John Hammond and more Dennis Nedry.

Facilities

I’m fine with them imposing a digital detox around most of the island, but let’s be clear: it’s not so much about “disconnecting” as it is being disconnected.  Even when you manage to get a signal, loading a web page feels like a greater accomplishment than making it through the first chapter of Moby-Dick.  Suffice to say, it is amongst the worst internet connectivity I’ve had in a long, long time.

Practice makes perfect, which is why Waldorf Astoria Platte Island, with the same government owners, is miles ahead of anything Desroches offers. It’s like they used Desroches as the trial run, then took notes and perfected everything on Platte Island.

One thing they managed to nail here, though, is consistency—just not in the way you’d hope.  The design is bland across the entire property.  Sure, there are plenty of facilities, including a chapel and a cemetery, so you can tie the knot and then immediately regret it and head straight to the afterlife.  The main area, with its small, unappealing pool and uninspired décor, feels outdated and barely worth a snapshot.  And if you know me, I’m always looking for a good photo op—but this place tested my skills.  Even I couldn’t make it look like luxury.  The toilet was so disgusting that even my 3-year-old refused to use it, and she’s used to sharing with other toddlers… and me.

Further out, there’s an activity centre focused on surfing, a nearby conservation area, plus a tennis court and gym. They’re functional, sure, but they look like someone dusted off a medieval toolkit and gave the place a half-hearted restoration.  If you’re planning to visit, do yourself a favour and don’t visit the Waldorf first—you’ll see just how much better things could look with a modern touch.

The tortoise sanctuary, a 2-kilometer bike ride from the rooms, is the highlight.  Not for the aesthetics or the smell, mind you, but because spending time with these gentle giants is genuinely a joy.

The spa is similarly underwhelming.  The entrance is architecturally dull and small, with a steam room that doesn’t even work.  There are five treatment rooms—spacious with baths, but nothing extraordinary.  Rooms are scattered around the beach area rather than facing the ocean, missing the chance to capitalize on the island’s best feature: its stunning views.  One nice feature is the “silent garden” a Japanese zen garden.

The gym is equipped with TechnoGym machines, but it’s just a single room, with cardio facing outwards and strength equipment tucked in the back.  It is probably the most modern and feature rich part of the property.

Room

The villas, suites and private residences are scattered around the island. They’re designed to blend seamlessly with the island’s natural surroundings, and in their defence, they do a much better job of this than Waldorf Astoria Platte Island.  They have been modernised as part of the Four Seasons take over and combine a mix of contemporary and traditional elements, featuring natural wood, light tones, and large windows to let in plenty of natural light.

We stayed in Villa #10, a Sunset Villa that offered a charming and authentic experience with its thatched roof and little sand pathway through the shrubs leading to the entrance and bike storage area.  The villa itself is modern and perfectly pleasant, benefiting from 1.5 bedrooms, with the a separate office area with a TV and a sofa bed, which is handy, especially if you appreciate having a desk.  Though nothing particularly stands out about the design, practically it works.  The room felt private, but the proximity to your neighbour means you might need to whisper your inner most secrets.

You enter into a living/dining area, which felt a bit sparse.  There are two toilets (none of the fancy Toto kind), two indoor showers, and a large outdoor shower.  The large, enclosed outdoor area offers garden and ocean views, complete with a hammock and a table with chairs.  The villa’s large pool is oddly positioned just about 5 meters from the room and a few meters from the deck. They’ve thoughtfully put up a gate around the relaxing area beside the pool to make it harder (though certainly not impossible) for children to get in.

The bedroom is on the smaller side, with the bed facing outwards towards the garden and beach.  Again, practical.  The light switches can be a bit of a puzzle, but at least they have plugs beside the bed and decent air conditioning, even if the sight of the units on the walls is pretty ugly. There’s also a separate storage area where you can leave your luggage open, along with additional wardrobes, providing plenty of space.

Activities

The activities at Desroches Island are varied and offer a good mix of adventure and relaxation.  Each week, guests receive a list of available activities, including scuba diving, snorkelling, fly fishing, surfing, and sunset cruises or trips to nearby islands.  Cycling around the island, which takes about two hours, was a particularly enjoyable experience, offering a great way to explore and take in the scenery.  Feeding and adopting baby tortoises was another highlight, although I think that now means I have two more mouths to feed.

Nasreen, in charge of the conservation activities, was particular outstanding.  As the island wasn’t busy, almost every trip felt like a private tour.

Food

When it comes to the food, it’s more of a survival game than a gourmet experience.  For lunch, you can choose between the Deli (Japanese) or Claudine (Mediterranean)—assuming the Deli is actually open.  Deli is “often open” but not always, whatever that means.  For dinner, the Lighthouse opens on most days, and a blackboard charmingly informs you which restaurants are open each day.  They offered a private garden BBQ, but we all know how those usually go—about as well as a DIY haircut.

Sushi here is a tragic downgrade from FS Mahe, with rice that could double as a paperweight.  Desserts are equally underwhelming.  For breakfast, the buffet is a scavenger hunt for anything remotely appealing, with just-okay pastries, a skimpy fruit selection, and a few a la carte dishes that sound more interesting than they taste.  They sent us a “floating tray menu” for a floating breakfast.  Just… yuck.

The Lighthouse, despite being a cool structure with decent island views, doesn’t save the day.  You can dine downstairs, have drinks midway up, or book a table at the top for a nice sunset view.  The setting is pleasant enough, with twinkling lights and all, but the portions are so tiny that you’ll wonder if you accidentally ordered from the kids’ menu.  The only place that resembled good food and they avoid giving you any.

The Lighthouse was the only meal where I encountered anything edible that didn’t make me nostalgic for airline food.  After I complained, they ended up comping a meal for us, but that is like being poisoned so they compensate you by changing the dosage.  All I really wanted was a decent meal—which, unfortunately, still didn’t materialise.  Perhaps they should rebrand as a wellness retreat for those looking to lose weight.

The menu reads like a dream, but the execution is so off that you’d think the head chef passed away and someone with zero culinary skills decided to give it a go to continue his legacy. It’s the kind of place where you eat because you have to, not because you want to.

Service

Upon arrival, the girls were greeted with personalised plates made of chocolate, though interestingly, one side had the wrong name on it.  We were also given some coconuts, banana bread, a coconut dome, jelly, and a welcome drink of lemon iced tea.  However, it seemed like the hotel had relied on old preferences, as none of the updates I sent were applied—they even set up two cots in the room and provided nappies for a newborn, which I told them not to.

Service was mixed.  I used to appreciate the Four Seasons app, but it’s clear it’s a downgrade compared to the personalised service at Waldorf, where you have a dedicated host. It’s not that anything was much in the way of wrong – except sometimes having to ask multiple people for the same thing, over and over again – it was more the absence of anything great.  Housekeeping were impressive in some areas, but our welcome amenities stayed in the room for three days, gathering an army of ants.

The breakfast staff stood out; they knew the girls’ names and were incredibly helpful and lovely.  A waitress made an effort to bring Isabelle something special every morning, like a paper fan or a boat, which was a lovely touch.  Although they never managed to get my Greek yogurt, they did give us a thoughtful goodbye gift—a plate with a sunset on it, which was a nice touch.

Kids Friendly

The Kids Club at Desroches Island is open from 9 to 5, with an inconvenient closure from 12 to 1, just when you might need it most.  But then they’re saving you from the indignity of your kids spending any time here.  The facility boasts a large sand “pitch” with a trampoline, mini goals, and tiny bikes for safe riding, along with an outdoor playground and climbing frame. There’s also an outdoor covered area with table football and arts and crafts tables, plus a BMX circuit on the sand for more adventurous play.  So far, so good.

But from the moment we arrived, it was clear this wasn’t going to be a highlight.  The introduction was about the cost of hiring a babysitter before we could even introduce our children.  Unlike the welcoming atmosphere at Four Seasons Mahe, where they eagerly assured us they’d take care of everything, here it felt more like we were a bother.  One day, we showed up at 4:30 to be told they were closing at 5, and the staff sat inside on their phones while we played with our kids outside. It’s baffling that anyone working with children could be so disengaged.  We never saw any other children here, which was not surprising, as leaving your kids here may be considered cruelty.

The staff, clearly uninterested, couldn’t wait for us to leave.  Their attitude was reminiscent of lacklustre service in the Caribbean, where enthusiasm for the job seemed nonexistent.  Isabelle ventured into the BMX jungle area only to be swarmed by mosquitos, leaving her skin red and irritated as if she’d had an allergic reaction.

To top it off, the Kids Club itself was in a poor state, clearly not cleaned properly, and often had no lights or air conditioning on, somehow making it even less inviting.

At least something on the island liked the kids.

The Good

• Activities
• Accommodation

The Bad

• Kids club
• Basic facilities
• Food
• Mosquitos.  From day one, we all were suffering.  Normally I’m the human shield, but this time my daughter was massacred by them.

The Luxurious

• The island
• Nature

Conclusion

This is now the second location, after the Maldives, where Four Seasons, despite its prestigious name, now lags behind the newer Waldorf Astoria.  You can tell the difference the moment you arrive at the Waldorf—the hardware is better, as it should be for a newer property.  But everything else is better there too.

The island of Desroches is the main draw here, but it falls short in almost every other area.  There’s so much potential, yet it’s wasted on lousy food, lacklustre facilities, dated design, a poor main beach, and a terrible kids club.  Despite the lovely setting and joy of cycling around to explore, the whole place still manages to create an unappealing vibe. There’s only so long you can cycle around with your kids before you need to return to civilization, but then where do you go?  For lunch?  No thanks.  To the main area?  Pass?  Kids club?  Definitely not.

The irony is that the owners are the same as Waldorf’s, so all the money goes into the same pot, yet the experience couldn’t feel more different.