Four Seasons Resort Seychelles at Desroches Island

We’ve just returned from a wonderful stay at Four Seasons Resort Seychelles at Desroches Island, and once again it exceeded all expectations. This was our 2nd visit and we've already booked our third, which probably says it all. Not only was the service superb throughout, but the quality of the cooking was outstanding, truly at an interntional level. Every meal was beautifully executed. We thank the leadership of the team, especially General Manager, Budi, and Ali, who leads food and beverage. Their care, professionalism, and attention to detail is outstanding . Our thanks go to everyone who helped make this stay so memorable. We wish the whole team a very happy, healthy, and successful 2026, and look forward to returning.

Four Seasons in general is the absolute best in customer service, but this resort blew us away. They were very responsive to inquiries, even before we arrived, always making sure we were comfortable and happy. The island is stunningly beautiful - white powder-soft sand with lush vegetation with the added bonus of friendly tortoises wandering around. All guests arrive by small plane and the staff waves hello as the plane lands. All guests are greeted by name as they off board and are whisked away in a buggy for a quick island tour and then to their villa if it’s ready. Ours was not ready since we arrived early in the morning, so they gave us a giant room in the spa where we could both shower, relax, and change clothes. The villas are gorgeous! The bed faces a big backyard with a gazebo with a mattress (which we loved to relax on) next to a small pool, and a hammock and beach loungers and access to a beach. There are 4 restaurants, but not all of them are open every day. The food was very good, especially at the Lighthouse. The included breakfast was a buffet with a wide variety of delicious options, and we could optionally order from a menu as well. The main restaurant had theme nights, such as Asian food or Indian food, which were excellent! The only restaurant we didn’t love was the sushi restaurant, Ahi. It wasn’t bad, but didn’t measure up to the price point and was a bit bland and uninspired. All staff were very friendly and attentive from the moment we arrived until our plane took off. At one point we texted guest services to see where I could buy some deodorant and some magically appeared in our room! They sent chocolate and champagne to our room for our upcoming anniversary which was very special. But the best part for us was the swimming. The island is surrounded by gorgeous beaches with no one on them, and the crystal clear, warm water is easy to swim in. There were no jet skis, motor boats, or anything else to worry about as we swam for miles among beautiful tropical fish and sea turtles along the reefs. The main beaches all have towels, cold drinking water, a shower, restrooms, beach chairs, and kayaks. Normally we were alone at any given beach or there may have been one other couple there. The included activities we did were fun and informative - a back-of-house tour, a mixology class, and a turtle feeding. We also took surfing lessons which were pricey but excellent! The island is pretty big, so the resort provides bicycles to get around, which is great. The land is very flat, so biking is easy. However, there are always staff members ready to cart you around in a buggy if you’re not into pedaling or walking. It’s perfect if you are looking for peace and quiet and beautiful beaches. This is not a party or shopping destination. We have been to a lot of beach destinations all over the world but this was the best! Start to finish it was a fantasy vacation !

I try to reserve a 5*rating for really special places and the FS Desroches definitely qualifies. We stayed here for 5 nights. From the beginning, the attention to service and detail shined. After a tour of the property with Joseph, we were dropped at our ocean villa. It was lovely-spacious, comfortably appointed and well maintained. We loved the yard with the pool and palapa with access to the ocean. It was private yet open. We spent many hours post-scuba diving sitting in the palapa and watching the waves break on the reef. If you want a quiet, still, sandy beach then book a beach room but the ocean side was breezier with more wave action. The food was good-solid. I do not expect gourmet experiences at most resorts but we had a few delicious meals (Indian buffet with wonderful spiciness and a dinner of the hot small plates at Ahi). I appreciated the variety in the menus but we sometimes asked for hot sauce to zhuzh up our meals. Highly recommend the noodle soup at breakfast as an alternative way to start your day! We had 6 scuba dives with Blue Safari which is located on premise. The dive guides, Jade and Matt, were great-attentive to our needs and safety but not overbearing during the dives. Boats are nice and our dives were all within a 10-15 minute (sometimes choppy) boat ride. We had some great dives (turtles, sharks, octopus, and fish galore). Biking around the island and discovering the different beaches was so fun. Tortoises were seen at the sanctuary and ‘ambling’ along the jungly bike roads as well. Everyone seemed to know our business (in the best possible way). For example, our coffee maker and toilet were not working properly on our arrival and I had put a request in to have them fixed. They replaced the coffee maker immediately. At dinner the GM stopped and asked us if they had both been fixed. The toilet had not but by the time we got back to the villa, the toilet had been taken care of. The next morning, another manager asked if both the coffee maker and toilet were functioning properly. Everyone seemed to know about my birthday and the surprise dinner my husband had planned for me. Really though, the staff is what makes this place special. Everyone, even the nameless/faceless folks who staff the FS app, were kind, attentive, and responsive. Additionally, the staff like Lai Lai (thank you so much for the birthday card!!), Jeff, Florence, and Cherry at the restaurants were so amazingly lovely. The buggy drivers were so great. We appreciated the conversations we had with them all. Ruth at the spa gives the best possible DEEP tissue massage if you are not a fan of swishy massages (but they are not for the faint of heart!). A five star location, to be sure.

This place is heaven on earth. We have just returned from a week at FS Desroches to end our honeymoon and it could not have been more perfect. The island is absolutely beautiful, with palm trees, giant tortoises and the bluest sea! We stayed in an Ocean view villa and it was stunning. Pure luxury, the pool and cabana area was incredible and the most glorious place to relax and read. We were welcomed with lots of treats which was such a nice touch and we particularly enjoyed the little cakes that would appear every afternoon in our rooms! The food was beyond our expectations, and we ate some of the best food we have ever eaten whilst staying here. It really is the most special place that somehow finds the perfect blend between luxury yet truly relaxed with a wild island feel. Final shoutout must go to the staff who are so friendly and welcoming and put a smile on your face every day. Thank you for the most incredible memories, we hope to be back one day!

If you are wanting a fully relaxing holiday in the most beautiful location with exceptional service then you must check out Four Seasons at Desroches Island. After visiting the island of Mahé, Seychelles twice before, we wanted to adventure and experience another island and after reading multiple outstanding reviews we decided to book a seven night stay in July at Four Seasons Desroches. Wow! What a fantastic choice we made although the only disappointment was that we wished that we had booked a longer stay here. From the moment we boarded the very small plane in Mahé, and landed on this incredibly beautiful island everything exceeded our expectations. We have been privileged to be able to stay at many wonderful hotels around the world but nothing matches the quality of service that we received from Budi and his outstanding team whilst we were guests. As we approached landing, we could see a line of staff waving and waiting to welcome us to the their island. It was so nice to be greeted in such a personalised way. The level of service from the beginning of our holiday to the end was of the highest standard that we have ever experienced from any hotel and we were so happy and thankful. No matter who you met, you were permanently greeted with a smile and everyone knew your name and preferences. We stayed in an ocean view villa which was truly amazing with access straight onto Coral beach. The beach is beautiful but it’s not advisable to swim in the sea due to the coral rocks and strong sea currents on this side of the island. However, we were not disappointed at all with our beautiful villa, its breathtaking views and its private pool and enjoyed many hours just relaxing and sunbathing by our pool. As many other guests have highlighted in their reviews, there are many other beautiful beaches that the island has to offer and we really enjoyed discovering them through bike riding each day. Our favourite beach to snorkel was Aquarium. There was a nice coral reef there and we were fortunate each day to be able to swim with turtles and stingrays. At sunset, it was a stunning location and a delight to watch the stingrays swim and play with each other. The other beach we really enjoyed was Madame Zabre. This is the only beach that is staffed on certain days and offers you music,delicious cocktails and food. There were many highlights of our visit but we would like to mention a few. It was fantastic and a great privilege to meet Nasreen who was the most kindest, knowledgeable and passionate lady who took great care of our son taking him and other children snorkelling and teaching them about island life. Christian was also very knowledgeable about the island and life on it. He kindly gave us an island tour which we’d definitely recommend at the beginning of your stay. It’s around 90 minutes. This tour is great fun as you travel around the island getting extremely interesting information about the beaches, the resident wildlife and the fauna. Another tour which we recommend as we thoroughly enjoyed it, was the Back of House tour with Terry. This tour gives you an insight into life behind the scenes of Four Seasons Desroches. Dining at Desroches was totally unforgettable. From the moment we arrived, the restaurant team at Claudine managed by Chirag were truly outstanding. The food was out of this world and truly luxurious. Chirag and his team ensured that everyone was fully catered for especially if you had allergies. We would like to thank Lai Lai, Jeff, Henry, Nader and Passant for their immaculate attention to detail each time we dined. A huge thank you also must go the the fantastic chefs who cooked the most delicious food and presented the most amazing buffets. Our favourite buffets were the Indian and Seafood ones. As my wife and I sadly suffer from allergies, the chefs met us each time we dined, showing us around the incredible buffet selection and informed us of everything that they had cooked and even created bespoke dishes for us. We would like to especially thank chef Fadhi who provided us with some amazing dishes at both Claudine and the Lighthouse restaurants. The great thing about dining at Claudine is that you have the option of dining from the A la carte menu if you don’t want to eat at the evening themed buffets. We also had the privilege of dining at the Lighthouse restaurant which was located in the most tranquil and beautiful setting. Eating underneath the stars on a sandy beach was truly remarkable and we enjoyed the most amazing grilled meats there. For those wanting to experience the spa for more relaxation, there is a great variety of treatments available. My wife booked the 90 minute Ginger and Lavender Poultice Massage and said it was the best massage that she’d ever had. Reading previous reviews about WiFi connectivity being poor, we have to highlight that we did not notice this at all but once you arrive on this beautiful island it is a great opportunity to disconnect yourself from the digital world and discover what paradise has to offer. Budi and your amazing team at Desroches, thank you for the most fabulous holiday. It was totally incredible thanks to you all! After staying at another Four Seasons Hotel, there is no comparison regarding the level of service that you and your team give. We look forward to our return soon. Next time, we plan to stay longer in your paradise!

Absolutely amazing stay, it really was pretty much perfect in every respect. The best part about this place as others have said are the incredible people working here, rarely have I stayed somewhere where every single member of staff is so friendly. We came with our toddler and baby and all the staff were so kind to them, going out of their way to help us, especially Alex and Cherry and all the other staff in the restaurants, all the buggy drivers and Masha, Nasreem and Louise. The villas are really spacious and the gardens and pools are perfect for little ones, the beaches are gorgeous (though like most places around the world these days, badly affected by seaweed some days). The giant tortoises are lovely. The food is also very good quality for somewhere so remote and any special requests are happily catered for. We stayed a week and I wish we had stayed longer. I have stayed at FS all over the world including both FS in the Maldives, the other FS Seychelles on Mahé, FS in Hawaii and many in Asia and I can honestly say this one is probably my overall favourite, in no small part because of the exceptional staff, and of course the remote, beautiful island - it really is a place to come and forget about reality for a while, well as much as that is possible with a two year old and a six months baby! I can’t wait to return one day.

We stayed for the last leg of our honeymoon and this resort and island are truly magical. The weather is always perfect, the staff is so kind and attentive (shout out Lai Lai and Christen). The beaches are amazing, stars are beautiful, you can bike around the island, snorkel with turtles and stingrays, see giant tortoises and truly relax like never before.

It’s honestly hard to put into words what this place meant to us! We stayed at Four Seasons Deroches for the final week of our 3-week honeymoon, and never in our lives have we experienced a more beautiful spot. First off, you’re in the middle of nowhere, but the hotel and villas are pristine, so thoughtfully and carefully designed down to every detail (they even provide personalized touches like postcards to send home, sunglass cloths, and bookmarks). The food was also exceptional, with so much variety. The chefs and the whole back-of-house team created some incredible dishes and fun themed nights that we looked forward to (thai, indian, seafood market..). Breakfast deserves a special shoutout - easily the best we've ever had on holiday - 10/10 every single morning. We woke up excited for it every day (special shout out to Chirag, Jeff and Raj - the best pastry chef we've ever had!). But honestly, what makes this place so special is the people. Chirag, Jeff, Lai Lai, Raj, Cherry, Mary, Florence, Annie, the list goes on, because every single person working there is amazing. From the moment we arrived until the very last second before takeoff, we were so well taken care of. The island also has some awesome activities that added a lot of fun to our stay, like a cocktail making class and rum tasting, which were both super fun and a great way to unwind and connect with other guests. The beaches were beautiful and riding bikes there was awesome and a great workout! We explored all the beaches, but our favorite was Aquarium Beach for snorkeling and seeing turtles. During the day, Madame Zabre was perfect for shade, great lunches, and cocktails. While getting to Deroches is a bit of a trek, the flight is quick and smooth (only 35 minutes!) and SO worth it. Trust me, you’ll never have an experience like this again in your life. We’re so incredibly grateful for this experience and can’t wait for the next time we’re back.

I want to start by stating the obvious, this place is utterly stunning which is clear to see from the moment that you arrive. I think the most impressive part for us though, staying on our honeymoon, is that the people that work here from top to bottom are just simply the best in their fields. Never have we ever been anywhere that has made us feel as welcome from the moment we arrived, until the moment that we left. Clearly the culture and tone here, put simply, is just right. Every single person that we came across is an absolute credit to the place, and with every bit of honesty I say that we remember our time at Desroches not only for making the most amazing memories in such a beautiful, luxurious and natural environment, but for the people that we met that work there and for how they enhanced every moment that we spent. The list could go on forever and I know I will have missed people out, but for us we can't sing the praises of Janna, Lai Lai, Kavinesh, Cherry, Eric, Nasreen, Adarsh & many, many more enough for their display of the most world class hospitality that we have ever seen, but most importantly for their friendship. I could write pages about each individually, but I hope that each of them knows just how much we appreciated and care for them, and how glad we are that we were able to be in their company for our honeymoon. I can see many other reviews on here highlight the unique setting and the tranquility of the island/hotel perfectly - our experience matched their own wonderful views so I won't repeat it all. If you are undecided about whether to travel to Desroches for your holiday/special trip, or whether to go elsewhere, I urge you to go to Desroches because you will leave having experienced something that you just can't find elsewhere. We don't tend to return to the same place more than once, but we know that we have found our exception to the rule. We will be back, hopefully sooner rather than later, and we hope to see the friendly faces that we know and love once again. Thank you for making our honeymoon the most incredible bubble of a dream that we could ever have wished for. Z & A

After a scenic 30-minute flight from Mahé, we landed on Desroches Island to a line of smiling staff waving us in—just like VIPs stepping off a private jet! From that first moment, we knew this was going to be special. We spent a week at Four Seasons Desroches celebrating our 30th wedding anniversary, and it truly felt like a second honeymoon. Budi Widodo, the General Manager, and his amazing team made us feel incredibly welcomed and cared for. This was the first stop on our three-week Seychelles adventure, and what a way to begin! The staff here are exceptional—greeting you by name, remembering your preferences, and treating you like family. A highlight was our anniversary dinner under the stars at the Lighthouse—romantic and unforgettable. Christian and Nasreen gave us a fun island tour, teaching us to climb coconut palms and introducing us to the island’s tortoises—George quickly became our favorite with his love of tickles! Ela and Henry in the restaurant made every meal feel like a special occasion. If you’re dreaming of paradise, Desroches is it. Peaceful, beautiful, and full of heart. With Budi and his team leading the way, it’s a place you’ll never want to leave. Island life here is soul-refreshing—we left with full hearts and unforgettable memories &a promise to return .

I don’t have enough superlatives to describe the week we have just spent at the Four Seasons Desroches! I have a short break before starting a new job and decided I’d like a holiday that offered my husband and me total relaxation, while still providing enough to do for our two teenage boys aged 14 and 13. The Four Seasons totally delivered on all fronts. The boys loved snorkelling - we saw an abundance of turtles and tropical fish on the coral reef, riding around the island on fast e-bikes, surfing lessons with Lainey and Sean (highly recommended - what a lovely couple!) and playing football with the staff and other guests. We grown-ups loved lazy cycle rides to secluded beaches, stumbling across giant tortoises, reading by our private poolside and the rather delicious cocktails on offer. What really made this hotel special, though, is its wonderful staff. They knew us by name from the very first day and went out of their way to make us feel special. A special shout out to Lai Lai and Ela who looked after us all wonderfully in the restaurant and the lovely lady in the bar who kept my hungry 14 year old fed between meals! Also Nasreen the hotel’s biologist who introduces us to the spectacular array of wildlife around the island. The hotel exists in a very special balance between luxury and wild nature. All the staff were truly amazing and I’d name them all individually if I could. We are already planning our return visit! Thank you to the whole team, from us all, for the most memorable and special of holidays. You have a place in our hearts forever!

In a word: breathtaking. We are seasoned lovers of luxury travel (and now regular visitors to FS resorts after switching from the Ritz-Carlton), and what the FS Desroches delivers is so unique, so personalised, and so awe-inspiring experience that we have completely reconceived our notion of the beach getaway idyll. The FS service here and general soft product is consistently impeccable (the supreme professionalism, friendliness, intimacy, and classic FS levels of personalisation the staff deliver are absolutely world-class and unmatched in our experience), with a hard product to match (we opted for a magnificently ornate sunset beach suite for our week’s stay – No.10 – and my goodness, it delivered all the majesty the images on the FS website conjured). The coral-based atoll that is Desroches island is frankly a (perfectly flat, Maldives-like) natural paradise. It is replete with unbelievable wildlife, a landscape ranging from inner coconut groves and magical forest trails, all fringed by 14km of absolutely stunning, largely-deserted Robinson Crusoe-esque powder-white beaches that, for the most parts, guests can call their own. Most of our week’s stay was genuinely filled with a sense of disbelief that an island both as castaway and yet full of hyper-luxury touches as the FS property and Desroches (more generally) actually exists. It all begins with a seamlessly-organised 35-minute intra-island transfer (run by IDC) from Mahé to Desroches. On landing, you are greeted by the GM and your own guest experience director (Anny – you read our sense of humour and our sensibilities expertly) for check-in in your suite/villa. The suite and very personalised welcome did not disappoint. The furnishings are beautifully ornate in with an understated chic, blending Seychellois touches with a timeless design. The ceilings are high, the bed and bath of a palatial size (a classically FS touch), and the outdoor pool (with steps leading down into the azure and bath-warm waters of Sunset Beach) – complete with wooden sala and daybeds – a deliciously decadent touch. The outdoor pool is generously sized, and certainly more than a mere plunge pool. Given the humidity and 30 degree temperatures, it really does not need to be heated. Amenities by Natura Bissé were delightful, as was (at Anny’s personal recommendation given how pale we are) the bottle of aloe vera by way of after-sun. The personal touches to our welcome (and throughout our stay) were magical – stories of island castaways delivered by Steve and his turndown team each night before bed, a (delicious) birthday cake for me in celebration of my 30th, gifts and cards from individual staff members (including a giant stuffed Aldabra tortoise), daily treats – the list is endless. These touches were absolutely beautiful and warmly appreciated. Budi’s team of staff here is truly exceptional, and they are the soul of what makes this island getaway so unique – Jeff, Niranjan, Passant, Ashraf, the inimitably and effortlessly brilliant Lai Lai, Ela, Anny, Joseph, Ali, Cheki, Eric, Sarah, Terence (amongst others). The staff are just wonderful – we learnt all their backgrounds, stories, anecdotes, and deep island wisdom about Desroches over our week’s stay. Nasreen in particular is an absolute credit to the island and to the FS brand – she is the brilliant, omniscient island naturalist and resident biologist, with whom we shared three brilliant (free) activities: introduction to and feeding of the giant tortoises (Big Pete and Drilling – we love you!), a private birdwatching tour, and the fabulous odyssey across the entirety of the island’s coast, which was the ‘Desroches Challenge’ (complete with a medal ceremony and all after a 14km walk beginning at 06:30 at the Lighthouse). Free daily activities are plentiful, and you are delivered a full, fresh schedule of such activities for the following week on arrival (including, inter alia, tortoise feeding, nature tours, the ‘Desroches Challenge’, cooking and cocktail-making classes, kayaking, ‘blue safaris’ at snorkelling spots). The hotel has clearly heeded comments on TripAdvisor in this regard to provide more by way of free and highly enjoyable activities that really bring out the excellence, natural and cultural, of Desroches and its highly unique topography and wildlife. The island proper is absolutely spectacular – Madame Zabre and Aquarium beaches (at this time of year) sparkle with their palm-fringed powdery-white sands and utterly still, perfectly-clear waters. Tidal and wind conditions inevitably mean that sea-grass might affect the conditions of a beach on a given day; this is no problem in practice, given the vastness of beaches from which one can choose. They feel immensely exclusive and private, and are picture-perfect in every angle (we honestly felt that we were living in a tropical screensaver). Snorkelling gear can be freely taken from the Castaway Centre, and is well worth-it: we encountered stunning Hawksbill sea turtles swimming around us at Aquarium feeding on sea-grass, baby stingrays, and sharks at Madame Zabre. For budding ornithologists, expect terns galore and the most serene, beautiful herons. The complete flatness of the terrain on Desroches lends itself brilliantly to the initialled bikes one is provided on arrival. We found ourselves easily cycling upwards of 10km per day, and getting a little lost in this paradise is all part of the fun (as is braving cycling across the resort runway). It is amazing how variable the island can be, from its coconut groves, its inland forests, to the pristinely-maintained resort grounds. It is a world of its own beckoning you for total immersion. We were generally very impressed with the food offering (albeit a more limited offering than the likes of the FS Seychelles on Mahé). Breakfast at Claudine is managed very smoothly, with Claudine also being the venue of regular (impressive) buffet offerings on various days of the week (Lebanese, seafood, and a Seychellois Creole night). Aperitifs at the Lighthouse Lounge under the expansive stars of the southern hemisphere around a fire-pit was always a highlight; and dinner at the Lighthouse was always joyous (the baba au rum is frankly to die for). AHI is the resort’s Japanese-inspired fare, and actually turned out to be our favourite restaurant. N.B. – we opted for half board in advance, and it is well worth it as one can choose three courses (plus sides) from the restaurant menus without any supplements. Emir makes a perfect cocktail, too (I would highly recommend his cucumber martini complete with his excellent anecdotes). Clearly the FS Desroches also attracts a certain kind of clientele who appreciate the serenity and tranquillity of the hotel’s surroundings and eschew gaudiness, and this is also a benefit in itself (in our personal opinion). As with any experience, we would offer the following (minor in the context of a stellar experience) comments to management to heighten the experience even further/serve as useful advice to fellow travellers: 1. Breakfast cereals – Please kindly ensure that the cereal is properly replaced daily; 2. General F&B expenses – As one must reasonably appreciate, import costs and running an operation as exceptional as the FS Desroches in such an isolated, far-flung location are high. Guests should therefore expect quite expensive F&B prices and should plan accordingly for this – either by upgrading to half or full board/all-inclusive, or using what weight you can in your suitcases to stock-up on wines and/or soft-drinks without resorting to your mini-bars. Please also note that the Lighthouse dining is typically outdoors on sand, so avoid wearing your best footwear here; 3. Weight limits on the intra-island flight (run by IDC, not the FS) – guests are restricted to bringing 30kg of luggage (cabin baggage and hand luggage in aggregate) each on the IDC flight from Mahé to Desroches. This can make life difficult in terms of pre-planning what to pack, especially if you’ve flown business/a premium cabin to the Seychelles otherwise offering significantly more weight allowance to guests; 4. Digital detoxing – we were forewarned that the WiFi at the hotel was generally slow, but in practice it really is not great at all (despite being styled as ‘complimentary premium WiFi’). WhatsApp is very slow to load/send photographs (and you will want to send these in bulk given the beauty of the island and the resort) and e-mails are very slow to load, so caveat emptor here if you need access to proper WiFi; and 5. Expectation of a single, main serviced beach (in FS Seychelles style with Petite Anse) – the FS Desroches experience is a completely different world and different ethos than a traditional beach holiday. This is not your average beach getaway. If you go in expecting a fully-serviced, single main beach, you may well be disappointed. The whole rasion d’etre of this resort is to enable you to explore the entirety of the island’s beaches (provisioned with towels, beach toys, loungers/deck chairs/cabanas on Madame Zabre) and to find somewhere secluded and untouched. In my view, criticism of the main beach/pool area by Claudine are misplaced – yes, it is not the most picturesque location (as there are metal barriers preventing sea erosion), but the island more than delivers elsewhere. In this regard, we found that our week at the FS Desroches paired perfectly with a week’s stay at the FS Seychelles which filled this apparent ‘gap’. However, watch this space – there are interesting developments coming in this area (including new facilities in the location of the Castaway Centre) in the very near future – I am very excited to see how this adds to the resort experience and in assuaging other travellers’ concerns here. Huge commendations and our deepest, warm appreciation for what Budi and team have managed to pull off here. Overall? Stunning. We will certainly be back. With our deepest thanks, Charles H. and Rhys.

It's always tricky to rate a hotel which is pretty much 100% about its location. If you're looking for a pristine and secluded beach destination, Desroches absolutely delivers - perfect sand, warm and clear water, palm trees, and stunning sunsets. The location is without doubt one of the most beautiful beach spots I've been to - it reminds me quite a bit of Amanpulo in the Philippines, although Desroches is a far bigger island. The hotel though, I found quite disappointing on many counts. My room (207) was really quite bland, even though I had been upgraded to a room on the "better" west side of the island where the water is calmer and there are more palm trees. The main lobby and pool area, where the restaurants Claudine and Ahi are located, equally just really didn't have any vibe - and everything is crammed together in one place so there are no quiet spots on the island where you can relax while still having hotel service. Amazingly, on the first day, the already charmless ambiance in the main area was nuked even further by the fact that they were playing nauseating children's music for hours on end (including bangers such as "Mummy Has Another Baby In Her Belly"), which I found totally ridiculous - if you want to cater to kids fine, but don't do it at the expense of your other guests. They have an entire island of space to play with and they decide that their kids event has to be directly in the face of customers who are there for a quiet, relaxing time! Inexcusable, especially considering how much you're paying for the privilege of being there. On top of that, the food was so disappointing, and it's the classic case where you since you have no other option, so they get away with murder charging you insane prices for mediocre food. Under ordinary circumstances, I would've quickly stopped eating at the hotel and looked for some other restaurant. My meal at the Lighthouse was probably the best I had, but none of it was impressive. The pizza was especially tragic. There are 3 marked beaches on the map they orient you with when you arrive - Madam Zabre, Aquarium, and Coral. Bizarrely, not a single member of staff knew what I was talking about when I asked them where Coral beach, despite it being clearly labelled on their own map. The beaches are abandoned most of the time, so if you want service - to get a drink, a bite, some insect repellent, you're out of luck. Certain areas of the island (especially when the tortoises are around) are absolutely overrun by mosquitos - you will get annihilated and they don't seem to be doing much to control their mosquito situation, which you would think is pretty easy given they're on an island. To get around you're given a bike, which is a nice touch, and they personalise it by putting letters with your initials on them so you can keep track. Clever, you think at first, until you realise that the letters aren't held in place in the display in any way, and will fly out on multiple occasions as you traverse the uneven roads, forcing you to stop, turn back and pick them up numerous times. Super annoying. I wasn't the only one this happened to, I saw a letter from someone else's bike on the floor at some point. The metal basket will also make a constant clanking sound as your phone, key etc bounce around in it which becomes very grating after a while. They could make the experience so much better by improving the bikes a bit given how much you use them - a basket which has a bit of upholstery to cushion the noise of contents moving around, no holes for things to fall through, and while they're at it they should stick a map of the island into the interior of the basket so you can conveniently glance at it while you get around. The biking is also made worse by the fact that some members of staff drive around way too fast on the golf carts, especially at nights when the bikes are not easily visible. I saw one golf cart run over a lizard - that's how fast it was going. Appalling. The staff are nice and eager to help, but I still came away with the impression that this hotel is entirely coasting on its unbelievable location, without much else to recommend it. As a result, it will probably be my only visit.

I have been lucky to travel to a lot of the islands off Africa - Maldives, Mauritius, Seychelles etc but the amazing thing about the FS Desroches Island is the exclusivity and service that stands out the best. We arrived on a small private plane from Mahe which was a 30mins flight. As soon as we disembarked we had one member of staff assigned to each family and a buggy was waiting on hand with fresh cold towels and a welcome drink. Adarsh who was assigned to our family was amazing and knew our names and all our requests. We were given a quick tour of the island showing us where everything was. We were given an upgrade on our room upon arrival which was a welcome touch. Service from all the staff was the highlight - special mention to Chef Viveck as he catered for us as being vegetarian we requested food a few of the days for dinner and was great quality. Apart from Chef Viveck a big shoutout to Florence, Aadarsh, Ramy, Manish, Lai Lai, Kareeem and Christian (plus all other staff) The services at Blue Safari was excellent as well - they are a 3rd party company that deal with the water activities onsite.

We spent two weeks in this beautiful resort. It’s difficult to mention something in particular as everything was exceptional. We will begin by the most important: the service. Le level of service here is high above expectations and my husband and I are frequent travelers throughout the world: Fidji, French Polynesia, Maldives, New York, London, Paris, etc, always five stars hotels. All the staff are there for you, they anticipate all your needs each time and this has no value. The food is amazing everywhere with our preferences for the the Japanese and Lighthouse. The staff is so kind and are really there for you. The Spa is perfect and the therapists amazing. The room was perfect and the staff taking care of them did a perfect job. The bikes were so useful and we used them to go around the island, snorkeling from each of the different beaches, going to breakfast, gym and dinner. The snorkeling was amazing. We saw: turtles and rays (a lot), octopus, box fishes, sharks and a lot of different fishes. The beaches are beautiful and ypu feel like being alone on them. Usefully, we never travel twice in the same place but we will definitively come back to Desroches. the only thing I missed were some tables to eat outside at the Japanese restaurant. Thanks to everyone for having made it possible. we were in paradise for two weeks

Just got back from 2 1/2 weeks in the Seychelles! Spent a week on Platte Island and a week on Deroches. Deroches is an absolutely beautiful island. The beaches are beautiful and it feels very isolated and quiet. We saw other guests at breakfast and then the rest of the day we were on our own. We had an ocean view villa which was well appointed and opened up right to a nice stretch of beach. There’s lots of wildlife on the island including tortoises and of course George-The patriarch. The food was excellent from breakfast to dinner. Dinner at Claudine and Light House were excellent. The Light House is a really cool place to spend an evening. The number one asset of this resort are the people. Everyone we encountered was genuinely kind and extremely helpful. A special thank you to Vivek, Cherry and Lai Lai who took such good care of us. Deroches Island is a truly a special place and will definitely plan a return trip.