The Waldorf Astoria is the flagship hotel brand in the Hilton portfolio and is hailed as one of the most luxurious hotel chains around the world, but I’ve only stayed at a handful of them. This would be my third, the other ones being the Rome Cavalieri and Waldorf Astoria Jerusalem. For a Hyatt enthusiast, it always piques my interest to see what other hotels do in contrast. I have been to other Hilton resorts before, the most recent being the Conrad Bora Bora Nui and I didn’t have the best of experiences there. As that one was deemed to be one of the most sought after hotels, I was a little worried about this resort going into it. However, I could not have been more wrong about this property. First off the Seychelles is a beautiful set of around 115 islands of the East Coast of Africa. When I say this, I truly mean it… this country and the island that the resort was on is an absolute paradise. This resort, for lack of better terms, has almost ruined future stays at hotels and resorts. While this resort doesn’t have the popularity or clout of the Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi and the Conrad Bora Bora Nui, Waldorf Astoria Seychelles Platte Island is the epitome of a hidden gem in the Indian Ocean. As this is also a new-ish hotel that opened in early 2024, it already has been awarded a Forbes 5-Star Hotel rating and for very good reason. Please join me in this detailed review on one of my now favorite resorts that I have ever stayed at.

 

Overall Rating:

👍 Best For: Couples and families who are looking for an escape from civilization on a private island paradise

 

👎 Avoid If: Traveling on a budget, like to do things outside of the resort.

 

Pros	Cons
Impeccable service and staff hospitality	Expensive, even if hotel room is covered with points
Tranquil, beautiful, ultra-luxurious resort	Tennis Court flooring was peeling, causing a lot of dead spots.
Endless things to do at the resort	Lights in Villa periodically would go out due to power surge.
Food options were delicious at all restaurants.	Private Charter Jet was incredibly hot .

 

Stay Again? Absolutely Yes

 

Hotel Overview

Hotel Name: Waldorf Astoria Seychelles Platte Island
• Loyalty Brand: Hilton Honors
• Location: Platte Island, Seychelles
• Dates Stayed: December 2025
• Length of Stay: 6 nights
• Room Type: One Bedroom Hawksbill Pool Villa (via Upgrade)
• Payment Type: 750,000 Hilton Points (5th Night Free Award)
• Traveling As: Couple

 

The Front view of our villa!

Booking & Pre Arrival (Score: 10/10)

Booking ease and clarity
I booked this hotel using the Hilton Honors app on my phone. Like all Hilton Honors bookings, the process is rather seamless, with me being able to find the hotel of my choosing and book my stay whether it’s with cash or points.

Room type transparency
The room type transparency was clear regarding what was the standard room compared to the premium rooms which is standard for all Hilton Honors booking. I recommend just booking the Standard Room for 150,000 points per night because the premium rooms can skyrocket up to 500,000 points per night. The Standard Room (One Bedroom Hawksbill Garden Pool Villa) is more than big enough for a couple.

Upgrade communication
I had the option to request an upgrade to a bigger villa prior to arrival for a fee which I wasn’t about to since I was a Diamond member and I was hoping that I would receive a complimentary upgrade upon arrival which we did. If you are traveling as a couple, again, you really don’t have to worry about upgrades as the base room is big enough for two people… even for a family… these villas are huge!

Pre-arrival emails or messages

Within a couple of days of booking, the resort reached out to me to schedule our private charter plane from Mahe (the main island) to Platte Island. They also reached out in regard to any special requests which I said it was my Wife and I’s honeymoon and they were more than happy to accommodate for that. They were incredibly quick to respond to any messages that I had sent them. We were also greeting by our Personal Concierge (PC) via email prior to our arrival. Everyone who stays on the island gets a personal concierge and they are vital to ensuring a pleasant and smooth stay. Your PC handles everything for your stay, whether it’s restaurant reservations, setting up your stay to celebrate a special occasion, giving details on excursions that are happening that day or if you want to reserve any specific activity, and truly anything you need they will be happy to assist and accommodate!

The initial email I got from Waldorf regarding Diamond member benefits

Getting to the hotel
There is only one way to get to this hotel, and that’s by the resort’s private plane, which is a 20-minute flight to their island. As I said before, the resort reached out within a couple of days after I booked my room and we had to coordinate when our flight was arriving at Mahe International Airport. Their private plane only leaves to Platte Island once a day (at 1300) so it’s very important to book the correct international flight so it arrives before the private plane departs and therefore you won’t have to spend a whole extra day in Mahe to catch the next day’s flight. The staff at Waldorf were clear on which flight I should book:

• Emirates (EK708) arriving at 0650
• Qatar Airways (QR678) arriving at 0830

I initially had booked an Ethiopian Airlines flight (ET879) that would have arrived at 1420 but I later changed it to the Qatar Airways flight because we would have had to spend an extra day on the main island (nothing wrong with Mahe, its beautiful) and catching the flight the next day.

All aboard Qatar Airways QR678! Unfortunately they had a last minute plane change so we didn’t get our Q-Suite.

There is a fee associated with this private flight, as stated on their website, the flights go for around $650 round trip per person. However, this price will fluctuate based on what season they are in. The hotel does offer promotions for free flights as well, I was able to secure free flights round trip for my Wife and I due to their promotion of booking six nights or more with points. That was an incredible savings for us (around $1300 to use elsewhere). Be sure to be on the look out for free flight promotions on their page prior to booking at this resort, you may actually qualify depends on how you booked.

Also to note that there is a strict 50 lbs (23 kg) weight limit on checked bags for the private plane and no hard shell carry ones allowed in the main cabin as it’s a small plane. My Wife and I had two checked bags and two backpacks and a soft duffle bag to carry on and we had no issues with getting these bags on the plane.

 

Location (Score: 10/10)

Neighborhood convenience
As this is a Private Island that is 20 minutes away from any civilization and the resort is the entire island, there is no surrounding neighborhood unless you call Sea Turtles and Marine life your neighbors. This Island is truly secluded and that’s what everyone comes here for, an escape from reality.

Ariel view of Platte Island! Completely isolated from society… amazing! | Photo Credit: Waldorf Astoria

 

Walkability and transit access
The island and resort has a lot of paths that you can walk or use your bike on (we biked a lot). As there are no cars on this island, the resort has a lot of EV Golf Carts that staff use. Our personal concierge Soukaina was always so kind to come pick us up wherever we were on the island and was incredibly punctual about it.

 

Check In Experience (Score: 10/10)

Arrival experience (at Mahe International Airport)
Upon landing at Mahe International Airport from our Qatar Airways flight, we walked off the plane to immigration (it’s a small airport) and health scanner. Be sure that you have your Seychelles Travel Authorization Form approved PRIOR to entering the country. It took about a day for my Wife and I to both get approved.

After immigration and customs, we were immediately greeted by the lovely Meryl who escorted us to the Waldorf Astoria Lounge. As the private plane to Platte Island didn’t start check in until 1200 and we arrived in Mahe at 0800, we had some time to kill and the Waldorf Astoria Lounge that was located in the domestic portion on the terminal was a perfect place for us to unwind for a couple of hours. The Waldorf Astoria Lounge is a private lounge for only guests that are going to be staying at the resort. The lounge is equipped with showers, bathrooms with amenity kits, various sorts of non-alcohol beverages, snacks, lounge chairs and a beautiful view of the airport’s runway in the background. Being that this was the down season for them (only 40% capacity), my wife and I were the only ones there for the majority of the time so we were able to fully relax and catch up on a quick nap prior to departing. The Lounge Staff members Meryl and Trevor were phenomenal in making sure that we were doing okay and they also gave us great information on the resort property prior to going.

View from Waldorf Astoria’s Lounge

View right outside of Mahe International Airport! Very mountainous.

 

Check in was very smooth with the company that runs the private plane and we waited to board for about 45 minutes in the domestic terminal. The private plane is definitely small, as it is a 1-1 configuration and maybe about ten rows so you will probably have your checked bag on your lap. The flight was very smooth, albeit very hot until the AC finally kicked in but we were wheels up and arrived in Platte Island in about 20 minutes.

Our ride to Platte Island! Incredibly hot and a tight fit, but it was only a 20 minute flight and smooth.

 

Lobby atmosphere
The Lobby (and the entire resort) is an open concept with seating and tables everywhere where guests can lounge out and have a drink or relax. There is minimal “corporate hotel” desk space (really only one desk where the resort’s concierge sits” which creates a feeling of home instead of feeling that you are at a typical hotel.

Speed and efficiency
Soukaina was incredibly efficient with checking us in at our villa and made sure that all the billing information was correct.

Staff warmth
Upon arrival, the magic of staying at this resort starts even before you get off the plane. As there is a landing strip in the center of the island the plane slowly taxis right to the front lobby entrance of the resort where we see the staff all standing in a line waving at their incoming guests. It was really a great start to a week-long stay here to be greeted with such warmth.

Upon leaving the plane, we were greeted by our fantastic PC Soukaina who was as lovely and accommodating as anyone I have met in the hospitality industry. Soukaina gave us all the information up front about the resort and right there we were greeted by the resort’s Executive Chef, Chef Seb who congratulated us on our recent marriage and gave us a run down of the dining options and told us that “we will never get bored of the options”… that he was right, it really was a culinary journey. We were greeted by managers and provided with a welcome drink and cold towel that was refreshing to have after that short but hot plane ride.

Clarity of information
Soukaina was crystal clear on all information regarding the resort and things to do. She provided us with her WhatsApp number which was vital for our stay as it allowed for seamless communication if we needed to make a reservation at a restaurant or ask about activities that were happening or if we just needed a pick up with her Golf Cart. Soukaina also took us on a full resort tour prior to entering our Villa so that we were able to see everything the resort had to offer which really helped us get an idea on what we wanted to do.

Recognition of status
Soukaina was quick to recognize my Hilton Honors Diamond Status and provided me information on my benefits in paper form. It was great to see what I was exactly entitled to and we made sure we utilized all benefits. Soukaina was also kind enough to let us know that we were upgraded from the One Bedroom Hawksbill Garden Pool Villa (Standard Room) to the One Bedroom Hawksbill Pool Villa that has direct beach access (Premium Room).

 

Room Comfort & Layout (Score: 9.9/10)

Room size and layout
Simply… wow…  first and foremost, this villa was HUGE… for just the two of us, there was more than enough room for us to lounge out. Right from the start, Soukaina showed us around and my Wife’s jaw dropped on how spacious and beautiful the Villa was. The layout was divided into three rooms that could be separated with sliding doors. In the back patio, each Villa gets their own pool and I will say it was a quite a big pool for it being a private one. My Wife and I enjoyed the peace and quiet of relaxing in the sun bed and also just hanging out in the pool. The Villa felt extremely private when we were outside as we were surrounded by trees and vegetation on both sides.

In the bathroom, there were two separate sinks which we really appreciated as we were able to have our own space for our toiletries. There was a big bathtub as well in the middle which was great to use as well as the two showers (one outside and one inside). The hotel uses Aesop soaps and lotion which I personally love.

Lastly, the bedroom featured an incredibly comfortable bed that would sit on the side of the medium-firm level which is my personal preference. Behind the bed there is a whole set of closest that offer ample storage space for your clothes.

Overall, this Villa was amazing and my Wife and I definitely had a tough time leaving it when our stay was over. One of the best rooms I have stayed in for any resort or hotel. That only thing I would be mindful is keep your door to the back patio closed when you enter in and out, don’t leave it open as there are plenty of mosquitos that are eager to be in your room.

Even as the Standard Room, there is plenty of space for a couple. | Photo Credit: Waldorf Astoria

 

*Note about the Villas*
If you are expecting an overwater villas and such, then you will be disappointed as they do not offer any of those, all Villas are on land and for good reason. Platte Island is a protected island by the Government of the Seychelles and also a wildlife and marine life sanctuary. There are no buildings on the beach which means all the nature on the beach is untouched and undisturbed. You can definitely walk on the beach and lay out a towel to soak up in the sun but you might be joined by Sea Turtles who are nesting (we saw a couple) and close to the shore you will see baby sharks and sting rays. Since the water is undisturbed by buildings, the marine life is plentiful which is something I really appreciated about this resort.

As you can see, the Villas are inland! | Photo Credit: Waldorf Astoria

 

Bed comfort
The mattress in the villa felt like I was sleeping on a cloud. The linens and duvet were very soft and not too thick, so it never felt like heat was being trapped or that you were being suffocated. I would say the mattress was on the medium-firm side, which was perfect for my wife and I.

Absolutely incredible in terms of space and style. | Photo Credit: Waldorf Astoria

 

Storage and usability
As this Villa was huge, there was ample space for our luggage and enough closest space for all our clothes.

Seating and workspace
There was ample seating for the two of us whether it was inside or outside. The living room had a couch and a couple of lounge chairs where one could do work from. The outside patio had enough seating for 8 people, it was really pick and choose where you would want to sit. One could easily work remotely from this villa from a seating perspective, however, more to come on the connectivity.

Tall friendly
As I am 6 foot 2, I had no issues with bed length or ceiling height anywhere in the room or resort.

Good for couples
The room is perfect for couples as it is a completely private Villa that was separated by lots of trees and vegetation.

Cramped for luggage
There was ample luggage space for two large suitcases, one duffle bag, and two backpacks without feeling cramped.

 

Cleanliness & Maintenance (Score: 10/10)

Initial cleanliness
The resort and our Villa were meticulously cleaned to a tee. I mean when I say the property was spotless… As this was a relatively new resort, the buildings have that new build look and I could see as time passes by the buildings might get some wear and tear on them, but everything was spotless from the start.

Housekeeping
Housekeeping was just about perfect. They were very punctual and efficient with cleaning our Villa, each day they would go in when we were at breakfast and be done in about 45 minutes. They would also make sure that everything was pristine and a lot of times, they would leave handwritten notes that provided a very nice personal touch! During turndown service in the evening, they would provide us with a sample dessert of local treats that the bakery at the resort made… that was something we definitely looked forward to each time.

 

Soukaina was amazing to have housekeeping set up a “Just Married” welcome amenity! Hand crafted cocktails as well!

Bathroom Experience (Score: 10/10)

Bathroom condition
The bathroom was spotless. There was a separate and double sink set up with each person getting their own vanity. There was a big tub in the middle of the bathroom and there was a shower room as well as a separate room for a toilet. What I liked about this bathroom was there was also a private shower right outside the bathroom that one could use as well. Yes, I used the tap water to brush my teeth, but I would not recommend drinking it. Use bottled water.

The outdoor shower (obviously there is an indoor one too) was a great touch! | Photo Credit: Waldorf Astoria

Shower pressure and temperature
Both showers were phenomenal with both their pressure and water temperature. At no time did I feel there was an issue with low water pressure or temperature fluctuation. For my shower lovers out there, you will have a great experience with both showers. I highly recommend using the outdoor shower at least once as it provided an extra level of zen for me… not sure how to explain it but it was great.

Toiletries quality
This Waldorf Astoria was equipped with Aesop products, which I personally loved. They had Shampoo, Conditioner, Body Wash, and Body Lotion. Matter of fact, the whole resort was equipped with these products which was great to see. No matter which bathroom you used on the resort, each sink had Aesop products.

Aesop Products for days! | Photo Credit: Waldorf Astoria

Counter space
The separate and double sink/vanity layout provided plenty of counter space, allowing our toiletries to be spread out comfortably without feeling cramped.

The double sink layout was clutch! Tons of space. | Photo Credit: Waldorf Astoria

Lighting and mirrors
Lighting and mirrors were plentiful in this Villa. My Wife and I had no issues with lighting in the bathroom.

 

Noise, Light & Climate Control (Score: 10/10)

Soundproofing
Not sure if there was any soundproofing for this Villa because we didn’t need it. We couldn’t hear anything outside when all the doors were shut at night leading to very peaceful sleeping.

Blackout curtains
These curtains could block out the sun if they wanted to, we didn’t know it was light out until we opened the blackout curtains.

AC and heat effectiveness
The thermostat was intuitive and responsive. Each of the three rooms have their own separate AC units, which is great if you like different temperatures for different rooms. Just ensure the outside doors are shut completely and in their locked position. The specific AC in a certain room will turn off if it detects a door is opened there, even if it’s a crack. We initially though our AC was broken in our living room as it was exponentially hotter than our bedroom, turns out we didn’t shut the door “completely”… there was a tiny crack on the exterior door.

 

Wi-Fi, Power & Tech (Score: 9/10)

Wi-Fi speed and reliability
Keep in mind that since this is a remote private island, there is NO cellular service on the Island, you are solely relying on the resorts WiFi. I felt that there was plenty of coverage throughout the island. You would have to be primarily near resort buildings to get a decent connection but I never felt that there was an issue with this. After running a speed test, I was getting around 9-10 Mbps down and 3-4 Mbps up in my room. This was definitely pretty decent to browse the internet, send messages, stream Netflix, etc… don’t expect to play online video games with this connection as the latency was incredibly high. When using public Wi-Fi networks such as those in hotels or restaurants, it is recommended to protect your data by using a Virtual Private Network. A VPN encrypts your internet traffic and provides an extra layer of security, even though most secure websites and applications already use encryption.

Speeds on the island… probably can’t game online, but it was enough for FaceTime and Netflix!

Outlet placement
There were plenty of outlets throughout the room, including outlets on each side of the bed as well as USB A and C ports.

Smart TV usability
The Smart TVs (one in the living room and one in the bedroom) offered all the modern features you would expect. The one issue (not sure if it was our room specifically) but the channels would freeze for about 20-30 seconds at a time every 5-10 minutes which was a little frustrating when trying to watch something on TV.

Room controls
Just like every other hotel I have been at, it took a few minutes to figure out which button controlled what, but once we did, everything worked smoothly.

 

Food & Beverage (Score: 10/10)

Breakfast quality and value
As a Hilton Honors Diamond Member, I was entitled to complimentary breakfast for two. Breakfast was served at Le Perle, which is their main restaurant for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The hours were generous, from 7 AM to 10:30 AM. The experience was absolutely incredible, with a hybrid buffet and à la carte setup. The à la carte menu had a plethora of dishes from various cuisines such as East Asian, Indian, Middle Eastern and your classic breakfasts dishes such as Eggs Benedict and others. The buffet had a ton of different dishes such as freshly baked pastries, salad, fruits, cold cuts, dips such as hummus and different juices. Overall, this was a fantastic experience that offered incredible value for us. *As food on the island is relatively expensive, our strategy going into this was eating as close as possible to the end of breakfast service and really making sure that we got our fill so we wouldn’t have to worry about spending 100-150 dollars on a full-blown lunch.  If you have complimentary breakfast, eat a big breakfast and have maybe a small bite for lunch as you wait for dinner.

Amazing breakfast buffet and ala carte menu with a view! Also Andy would create unique Latte Art everyday for us!

 

Room service
Room service was available 24 hours a day, though we did not use it. The menu had a vast amount of dishes.

On site dining and bar
Waldorf Astoria Seychelles Platte Island has several dining options (for dinner, let your Personal Concierge know where you want to eat prior so they can book a reservation):

• Le Perle – The main restaurant that is situated in the center of the resort and next to the main pool area. For dinner they serve a dishes from all over the world, ranging from pizzas, southeast Asian cuisine, to other Mediterranean cuisines. For lunch, my Wife and I would split a pizza every time. We believe this was the best value as the pizza would range from 50-60 dollars. While it’s definitely wild for me to say that a 50 dollar pizza is “good value”, it was still big enough for my Wife and I to split it and be satisfied with our hunger. It’s a lot more cost effective than each getting your own entrée for 60+ dollars apiece! My Wife and I ate here about 3 of the 6 nights and each time, the food was fantastic! We were also given freshly baked bread and a “make your own guacamole” set. They provided us half an avocado, a soy sauce/balsamic vinaigrette mixture, salt/pepper, and a lemon… While this isn’t a true guacamole set up, it still was really tasty and a great spread to put on my toast! They have chefs that are working there who are from all over the world. Chef Amber made a PHENOMENAL Pad Kra Pow. I have been to Thailand a lot, and still nothing has come close to Chef Amber’s Pad Kra Pow, the sauce that she made, the heat level, it was something that gave me my “Ratatouille Moment” (see gif and you’ll know what I mean). If you are looking for more causal and international cuisine, this is the place to go.

 

Some of the food we got at Le Perle for Lunch and Dinner. Their Pizza is probably the best bang for your buck for a light shareable lunch!

Interior of Le Perle | Photo Credit: Waldorf Astoria

 

• Masion Des Epices – This restaurant provides an authentic Creole cuisine experience with an emphasis on spice. This restaurant is without a doubt a flavor blast in the best way possible and Vincent makes sure you have an awesome time there. The food emphasizing the use of their grill with various meats and seafood being grilled. I got the grilled octopus twice and each time it was so tasty. They gave me a chimichurri and some “spicy sauce” to go with it… listen… I love spicy food and but these sauces gave me a run for my money. When I tried the first sauce that was on the table, that one provides a decent heat but nothing too crazy… after Vincent discovered that I like the first one, he went into the backroom and brought out their “Atomic” sauce and lets just say… I almost sweated through my shirt having that… it was brutal but still super tasty. My wife did not take part in these endeavors rightfully so but she enjoyed watching me go through it. The restaurant serves delicious Creole style dishes and sides such as Pork belly, steaks, curries, etc… They also have phenomenal cocktails that I got each time. They highlighted their rum Takamaka that is housed in a barrel that sits in the middle of the restaurant and let me tell you… it was incredible (but potent). If you are looking for a great and spicy time… look no further than here. As expected as well, the prices of this restaurant are also very expensive, you are probably going to run a 200+ dollar bill if you are modest with your selections.

 

 

Delicious Grilled Octopus, Curry, Empanadas, and bread… amazing Creole cuisine experience!

 

• Moulin – This restaurant emphasizes the “Soil to Soul” concept which means using local and sustainably grown produce in their dishes. The resort has a massive garden that this restaurant uses for their meals. We ate here one night as we had to try it. For dinner, you have to select one of the various set course meals, there is no à la carte menu. We chose the cheapest option which was a 5-course vegetarian dinner that ran for around $130 a person. There was an option to add meat to the course but that was around $202. There is also a 7-course vegetarian and non-vegetarian option that runs for $195 and $246 respectively. The 5-course meal was actually plentiful, and we were definitely full by the end of it. The restaurant has an open-kitchen concept which was cool to see as the staff allowed me to film the chefs creating each dish. It is incredible how these chefs can transform meat-free dishes into something that seems like I am actually tasting meat.

 

A unique vegetarian meal at Moulin!

Moulin Restaurant | Photo Credit: Waldorf Astoria

 

 

• Peacock – This is a lounge area near the main lobby area and Le Perle. Here you can get fantastic handmade coffee creations and mocktails… Dennis and Andy, the Baristas created out of this world tasty different types of coffees, from their specialty coconut Cold-Brew to a Frappuccino coffee. Whatever you want, Dennis and Andy could create it.

First Photo: Peacock is located near the lobby! | Photo Credit: Waldorf Astoria

Second Photo: Amazing latte art created by Andy! Can you tell which one was ours and which one was his?

 

• Torti – This is the pool side F&B offering, they operate in Le Perle but they have a shorter menu that ranges from pool side drinks, small bites, and other dishes.

 

• Lalin – As they say, Lalin is the “highest” point on the island, and they are not wrong. Probably two stories up, this bar is the perfect place to catch the sunset besides the beach. I would recommend going early prior to the sunset to get a front row seat for it. The bartenders here create masterful cocktails that were tasty for each one that I got. As these were on the expensive side (30-40 dollars a cocktail), a lot of times I opted to get a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc which ran for around 70 dollars. I did this because the resort allows you to transfer your opened bottle to any restaurant you want, for instance, we got a bottle at Lalin and we only had a glass, after the sun went down, we went to our dinner reservation at Le Perle or Masion, the staff transferred our bottle of wine to the restaurant that we were at for no extra cost. You can even keep on drinking the bottle the next day if you don’t finish it which I thought was a great touch they had.

Drinks at Lalin! The Sunset was unbeatable on the “highest point” on the island.

 

Coffee availability
Coffee was everywhere, from your room and the Nespresso machine, to Peacock where Dennis and Andy were always available to make you something, and at the restaurants where coffee was an option. For coffee lovers, you will not be disappointed.

 

Amenities & Common Spaces (Score: 9.8/10)

Gym and Recreation Facilities quality
The gym was located behind the kid’s playground area. The gym was quite modern with free weights, TechnoGym Cardio machines, a cable machine, and a place that you could lay a mat for other workouts. On the other side, there was a outdoor yoga studio that can be used by yourself or you can take a yoga class with an instructor for a fee. Lastly, there were the tennis court and the padel court. You can rent rackets and balls for no additional cost if you want to play tennis or padel ball with your friends/family. You can also book a session with the on-site resort tennis pro for a cost in case you have no one to hit with or if you want to take lessons.

The one downside to the tennis court was I could see wear and tear on the surface. Parts of the court were bulging out, creating air bubbles which would create dead zones on the court. The resort should address this matter to get the tennis court back to playing quality.

The resort had its own dedicated aquatic center as well where you could take scuba diving lessons in their dedicated dive pool as well as do open water dive sessions in the ocean. You can also rent out kayaks, paddle boards, and snorkel kits (from your room) to take out and adventure in the lagoon. The center was very modern and had all up to date equipment that dive enthusiasts would be very familiar with.

Also, the resort had a Discovery Center where they have two dedicated conservationists that would teach you about all things marine and wildlife on the island. My wife and I talked to them for about 20 minutes and we also met them when a turtle was nesting her eggs on the beach! That was an incredible thing to witness and listen to the conservationist talk about the Hawksbill Turtle and their nesting habits.

Photos of the fitness center and tennis courts! Photo Credit: Waldorf Astoria

 

Pool and spa
Besides every Villa having their own pool, there was the main pool in the center of the resort. The Pool was massive and there wasn’t a time when I felt crowded. Actually, anytime we were there, there was only one or two other couples. I could see the place getting crowded during peak season and with families but this was not the case with us.

1st photo: soaking up the sun!

2nd photo: an ariel shot of the massive pool at the center of the resort! So much space | Photo Credit: Waldorf Astoria

Our villa pool…at night…

 

The Spa at the resort is its own separate building across the runway on the island. We got 60-minute Balinese massages (got an additional 30 minutes free due to Diamond status) and it was wonderful! The massage therapists were fantastic and the whole environment was incredibly calming. Prior to the massage, we spent time at their outdoor lounge where they had two pools, one with jets and one that was calm water. They had refreshing fruit infused water and changing rooms with a sauna and steam room.

1st Photo: Spa treatment room | Photo Credit: Waldorf Astoria

2nd Photo: Spa lounge for people to relax at prior to their treatment | Photo Credit: Waldorf Astoria

Lounge areas
The main lobby area hosts plenty of places to lounge around. You can sit at Peacock to grab a coffee, you can go into the library they have and conference room with a large table. This resort isn’t short of places where one can sit.

 

Miscellaneous Items

Staff and Attention to Detail

The staff here are some of the most lovely, thoughtful, genuine, and kind individuals that I have met at any resort or hotel. From the moment we stepped off the plane on the Island, we were greeted by the amazing Soukaina who was our personal concierge for the six night stay we were there for. She was absolutely incredible and handled everything logistics wise that we wanted to do on the resort whether it was dinner reservations, water activities, tennis court times, etc. She would always send us a good morning text on WhatsApp and display what activities were happening on the resort that day along with the tide information which I found to be incredibly helpful as I was able to plan my beach walks around that. Soukaina was also very punctual on all requests. She would pick us up in her golf cart at any time and would always arrive at the time she needed to. She would also check up on us to ensure that everything was going well and if there was anything we needed. She was even kind enough to set up a Honeymoon welcome display of cake, fruits, a “Just Married” banner in our room, and a handwritten note congratulating my Wife and I on our recent marriage. She also had a mixology kit and she hand made my Wife and I cocktails right in our room which we thought was incredibly thoughtful and unique. Soukaina made our stay here unforgettable, and her hospitality was second to none.

Soukaina got us signed up for Scuba Diving and while we were nervous as this was our first time diving, the two instructors Liz and Charlisie (mother/daughter duo) were phenomenal in calming our nerves and teaching us how to scuba dive with ease. Our time diving in the open ocean is something I will never forget as we saw so many different species of fish and marine life. We also went kayaking around the lagoon with JP who was great in showing me where the best snorkel spots were and filming me as I dove down to see the marine life (and all the sea turtles!)

Another highlight were the teams at the restaurants that were on the premise. A huge thanks to Vincent and Sam at the Masion Des Epices who introduced us to Creole cuisine and how hot “hot” can get (it burned pretty bad in a great way). Over at Moulin, Chef Allison and her team created a fantastic 5 course vegetarian meal for my Wife and I. I usually don’t eat purely vegetarian meals, but we had to try this out and it was a huge surprise to us. Chef Allison’s Kimchi was also some of the best Kimchi that I have tasted in recent memory.

The baristas Andy and Dennis were amazing as they taught a Coffee Master Class which allowed us to learn about different types of coffees and brews. Their knowledge and skills on making the perfect cup of coffee and expanding our palates to enjoy different flavors is something that I have been able to take back home and appreciate more. Andy would make my Wife incredible latte art coffees each morning which is something she looked forward to every time.

Lastly, how could I forget about the amazing team at La Perle. We met incredible people who were working there as we had breakfast, lunch and on occasion dinner. A huge shoutout to Nithish, Vinay, Jet, Nancy, Chef Amber and all team members as they made our dining experience one to remember. One thing that stood out to me when dining here was how interpersonal everyone was, we could talk to team members for 10-15 minutes and the conversation would be incredibly interesting.

Again, for those team members who I didn’t get their names, you guys rock and were amazing.

If you come to stay at this resort, you will not be disappointed in the staff that work here, they are some of the best that the resort/hotel industry has to offer!

On top of their attention to detail, here is a rundown list of things they did for us that stood out:

• Upon arrival to our Villa, Soukaina set up a magnificent display of different treats and a honeymoon banner in our room. She also had a mixology kit and she handmade some cocktails for us to celebrate!
• After taking the Coffee Masterclass course with Dennis and Andy, my wife noted to Andy how much she loved his latte art. Every day after that, he would create a different design for her at breakfast whether it was swans, a rabbit, two swans or some other animal. It was incredibly thoughtful for him to do.
• After learning that Andy creates a coconut cold-brew, I made sure to order it every morning. Andy noted that I loved it so much that he actually gave me a full vacuumed sealed bag of coconut shavings and his recipe to make it at home!
• Dennis gave us a bag of the coffee beans that we roasted at the Masterclass session and put it in a nice bag. We are still drinking that coffee to this date, trying to savor it as much as possible.
• After learning that we loved Chef Amber’s Pad Kra Pow so much, she not only gave us her receipe, but also she gave us a vacuumed sealed bag of her sauce that she used for her Pad Kra Pow and wrapped it so we could take it home to make our own! We just had it for New Years and the sauce was still magical.
• Once I told Chef Allison that I loved her Kimchi so much, she made it a think to give me kimchi to compliment my breakfast if I ordered something from the East Asian menu.
• When we were scuba diving, even though the dive was supposed to be only one tank, my big lungs depleted that tank not even halfway through our dive. Liz was kind enough to give me an additional tank at no extra cost. Incredibly thoughtful of her!
• We had issues with lights in our Villa going out one night. The engineering team came to fix it that night, which we were very grateful they were able to do so. However, the next day after we came back from our afternoon activities at the Aquatic Center, there was a whole spread of different Tequilas that was laid out in the living room and an apology letter from Soukaina and the team saying they were sorry about the lights and here was a way to compensate. I wasn’t expecting anything from this light issue but this is the standard that the resort has, which was if there is an inconvenience, the staff make sure it made up. The tequila was delicious by the way!
• Lastly (I am probably forgetting some), Soukaina created a goodbye kit with a couple of polaroid pictures of my wife and I, two metal luggage tags with our names engraved on them, and a goodbye note… This was really great to have as I have attached that luggage tag to my backpack that I use today. Superb job from everyone!

Things to do

 

• Scuba dive

 

Take me back to paradise…

So many colorful fish!

• Snorkel
• Sea kayak

• Paddleboard
• Play tennis with your partner or play with the on-site tennis pro
• Play Padel
• Workout at the gym
• Do yoga
• Go on an early morning wildlife walk on the beach with a guide
• Watch the Giant Tortoises eat

Huge Tortoises on Site!!

• Chill by the massive pool in the middle of the resort
• Paint on a canvas or coconut

Can you guess which one my wife painted and which one I made?

• Play beach volleyball

Could you work comfortably here?
Yes, you could easily and comfortably work remotely from this resort.

Would I Stay Here Again?

Yes, I would come back here in a heartbeat.

Same room type?
Yes, the standard room redemption for this resort is huge… I don’t think any additional upgrade requests are necessary unless you are coming with a family.

Only on points?
Yes, I would only come here if I could use points only. I used 750k points when the cash value of the base room was north of $2,000 a night. With my calculations on seeing if I get more value with my points, I looked at Hilton Honor’s Point Average which was .5 cents per point. Doing the equation to find the value of my points for this redemption (cash value of entire stay/amount of points used) x 100 = cents per point value.

So, the total cost if I paid cash for 6 nights would have been:

Around $14,000

I paid 750k Hilton Honors points

(14,000/750,000) x 100 = 1.86 cents per point

I am getting about 3.72x times the value by using points! This was a great redemption!

 

Final Verdict

One Sentence Takeaway: A truly unforgettable and out of this world experience in a private resort environment that only one can dream of.