This year in March, we stayed six nights at Waldorf Astoria Seychelles Platte Island. The new luxury resort of Hilton’s high-end brand opened in January 2024 on the small private island. How was our experience?
Arrival and Private Plane Transfer
After our stay at Hilton Labriz, we returned to Mahé International Airport by car, where we were already expected. This well-organized service made for a pleasant start to our stay. We were promptly escorted to a private lounge one level above the departure hall, where we enjoyed drinks and snacks while watching local arrivals and departures.
Our private plane to Platte Island departed at 11 AM, taking just 30 minutes. The private plane costs:
€700 ($763) per adult
€350 ($381) per child (ages 2-12)
Complimentary for children under 2
Currently, there’s a promotion running until early October 2025: stays of 6+ nights include complimentary flights, except for blackout dates (mostly bank holidays).
💡 Pro Tip: Before booking, we recommend checking directly with the resort to confirm flight schedules, as there is usually only one flight per day, which can impact your travel plans to and from Seychelles. Our flight departed at 11 AM, so careful planning is essential.
Pricing & Maximizing Hilton Honors Points
The Waldorf Astoria Seychelles Platte Island is among the most expensive Waldorf Astoria properties worldwide. In the Hilton Honors app, rates for 2025 start at $1,100 per night.
This resort is an excellent candidate for redeeming Free Night Certificates or Hilton Honors points:
130,000 Hilton Honors points per night
Even better: Use the “Pay 4, Stay 5” promotion to maximize value
Our Booking Experience
We booked six nights using Free Night Certificates from our Hilton Honors Amex cards. However, Hilton Honors customer service informed us they could not process the reservation as one and instead split it into two separate bookings.
Unfortunately, this led to a billing issue regarding the complimentary private plane transfer. The resort initially refused to waive the flight cost due to the separate reservations, even though we stayed six nights in total. After multiple discussions at the front office, they eventually removed the charge, but it required extra effort on our part.
💡 Pro Tip: When booking with Free Night Certificates or points, always try to ensure your stay is under one continuous reservation to avoid potential issues with resort benefits.
Platte Island: A Private Slice of Paradise
Platte Island is a true hidden paradise, sitting 81 miles (130 km) from Mahé. It’s tiny—just 1 km (0.62 miles) long — and very remote, making it feel like your own private getaway. Once a coconut plantation, the island has remained largely untouched, with thriving marine life and stunning biodiversity. One of the most magical moments of our stay was witnessing hawksbill sea turtle hatchlings making their way to the ocean—a truly unforgettable experience! You’ll also spot sea birds, crabs, hermit crabs, sharks, manta rays, stingrays and other fish.
Upon arrival, we were warmly welcomed by the staff and enjoyed a refreshing welcome drink with our private concierge, Dominic, before setting off on a resort tour by buggy.
Throughout our stay, we stayed connected with Dominic via WhatsApp (as there’s no GSM signal on the island). He kept us informed about everything—from resort details and daily activities to special events. He also handled our reservations and was always available to assist with any requests, making our experience seamless and stress-free.
The property is breathtaking, featuring 50 villas, ranging from one-bedroom suites to the five-bedroom Eagle Ray Pool Villa, each secluded, featuring a private plunge pool and lush surroundings.
Our Stunning Villa Experience
The villas are undoubtedly the highlight of the resort. We were lucky to receive an upgrade from a One-Bedroom Hawksbill Garden Pool Villa to a One-Bedroom Hawksbill Pool Villa—a small but meaningful difference, as it gave us direct beach access through our private garden.
Our villa was stunning—spanning 1,518 sq. ft. (141 sq. m), it felt spacious yet cozy, blending warm wood tones with African-inspired decor. Thanks to the floor-to-ceiling windows, natural light flooded in, and we had gorgeous views of the lush greenery surrounding us.
Some of our favorite features:
✅ A spacious living area, separate from the bedroom
✅ A walk-in closet tucked behind the bed
✅ A huge bathroom with a freestanding bathtub, rain shower, outdoor shower, and double vanities
✅ A private deck with a plunge pool, round daybed, swing sofa, dining table, and sun loungers
Just a few steps from our villa, we found ourselves on a stunning white-sand beach, with the crystal-clear waters of the Indian Ocean stretching out before us.
One thing we noticed in Seychelles is that you often have to walk a long distance in the shallow water before reaching a depth suitable for swimming, especially during low tide. Sometimes, sharp stones or coral fragments make the walk more difficult.
One downside was the amount of algae on the beach. We were lucky that the beach in front of our villa was relatively clean, but other parts of the island were much more affected.
Exploring the Island & Resort Activities
Each villa comes with personalized bicycles, making it easy to explore the island. Our Villa No. 7 was conveniently located, just a five-minute walk from the reception.
The resort offers a range of activities for both relaxation and adventure. Dominic provided us with a daily activity schedule, which included options like aqua aerobics, beach bowling, table tennis, pétanque, and coconut painting. During our stay, there was also an outdoor movie night under the stars and a beautiful Moutya dance performance at sunset, accompanied by complimentary cocktails, mocktails, and snacks.
If you don’t want to stay in your villa or private garden, you can enjoy sunbathing at the main swimming pool. There are also sun loungers and cabanas, but during our stay, we rarely saw anyone using them.
The resort offers a well-equipped fitness center, as well as complimentary tennis and padel tennis. The spa compex offers an extensive spa and beauty menu.
In the middle of the island, there is a giant tortoise sanctuary, where we enjoyed walking and observing these extraordinary animals.
For families with small children, the resort has a well-equipped kids’ club.
Dining at the Resort
Breakfast is included in all rates and served at La Perle restaurant. It’s à la carte only, which, while offering quality dishes, felt a bit limited—by the end of our stay, we had tried nearly everything on the menu.
Service could be a bit slow when multiple guests arrived at the same time, but the food itself was excellent. We especially enjoyed the fresh fruits and bakery selection, paired with butter, hummus, salmon foam, cheese, and marmalade. Along with the delicious menu items, it made for a relaxing and satisfying start to the day.
We had one dinner at La Perle, which specializes in Mediterranean cuisine. The service was excellent, the ambiente as well and we had a very pleasant time, but the food did not fully meet our expectations. The fattoush salad ($33), wild mushroom soup ($28), and shakshouka flatbread ($45) were fine, but the wagyu beef flatbread ($57) was quite bland and could have used more seasoning. Given the high prices, we expected better.
Another dinner at Maison Des Epices, which serves Creole cuisine, started with the waiter listing all the menu items that were unavailable. The already short menu became even more limited, but what we did try was delicious: homemade bread with butter and two types of spreads, grilled breadfruit and cauliflower ($63), and paprika-smoked baby chicken ($77).
Our dining highlight was lunch at Moulin, which included a tour of the organic garden. Chef Muhamed welcomed us with a fermented lemonade before guiding us through the garden, explaining the ingredients they grow. The meal included pickled vegetables, homemade sourdough bread, pumpkin soup, a fresh mixed salad with chicken or prawns, and dessert. Everything tasted excellent, and the service was outstanding. This was one of our favorite experiences. The cost was $80 per person.
We were pleasantly surprised by the in-room dining—it really exceeded our expectations! Besides the classic Caesar salad and club sandwich, we decided to try a few mini portions of spaghetti Bolognese, mac and cheese, and chicken nuggets. Turns out, we ordered way too much for just two people, but everything was delicious. As a nice touch, we were also given two complimentary fresh coconuts, which made for a refreshing drink.
Another highlight of our stay was afternoons at Peacock Alley, the open-air café. They serve a fantastic selection of teas and coffees, along with irresistible desserts. We absolutely loved unwinding here, sipping on our tea or coffee, and chatting with Dennis, our waiter, his service was exceptional.
Billing Issues & Service Concerns
On our last evening, Dominic sent us our bill online for review. We noticed two issues, so we headed to the reception to clarify them.
The first issue was regarding the complimentary plane transfer. Since we stayed six nights, and our dates weren’t blacked out, we expected the flight to be covered. However, the receptionist informed us that because we had two separate bookings, we had to pay for the transfer. We explained that Hilton Honors customer service had split our booking and couldn’t process it as one. After checking with the manager in the back office, she returned with good news: we wouldn’t be charged for the plane transfer.
The second issue was a $200 minibar charge that wasn’t ours. That day, we had taken only one Coke from the minibar, yet the bill included additional items. The receptionist showed us two separate receipts—one for our Coke and another for the extra items. We refused to pay since we hadn’t consumed them, but unfortunately, there was no real way to prove it since the minibar was restocked daily.
On our last day, we spoke with the front office manager, who apologized for the mistake with the minibar billing. Regarding the plane transfer issue, we suggested that they send guests a personalized pre-arrival letter. We had received a general information letter before our arrival, but it wasn’t customized. If they had informed us in advance that having two separate bookings would affect the complimentary transfer, we could have resolved the issue beforehand and avoided the confusion.
At the very end of our stay, Dennis surprised us with a thoughtful gift: personalized metal water bottles with our names, along with locally produced fruit tea and high-quality coffee beans, it was very nice gesture from the hotel.
💡 Pro Tip: Always review your final bill carefully before making payment. If you notice any unexpected charges, address them immediately at the hotel. Human mistakes can happen anytime and anywhere, and resolving billing issues after you’ve returned home can be much more challenging.
Conclusion
We enjoyed our stay at Waldorf Astoria Seychelles Platte Island very much. The beauty of the island, the luxurious and private villas, and the rich wildlife made it a truly special experience.
However, there were some downsides. The resort is undeniably expensive, even when using Hilton Honors points, as the cost of the plane transfer and dining can add up quickly. Additionally, we encountered some billing and reservation issues that could have been handled better. While the à la carte breakfast was delicious, a buffet option would have provided more variety. We also felt that La Perle’s cuisine could be improved to better match the resort’s luxury standards. Another minor inconvenience was the algae on some beaches, although we were fortunate that the one near our villa remained mostly clear.
Despite these few drawbacks, our experience was unforgettable, the island and the resort is fantastic place to relax.
2 Comments
Brenda Byrd
I am currently experiencing that (one booking fiasco) with my reservation. Why can’t Hilton just combine it? The reservation agent also said he could not combine the stay but could offer a free flight if we opted for an all-inclusive package (Roughly $1000 / day / couple ). Very irritating.
Marcela
Hi Brenda, I completely understand your frustration — it honestly feels a bit like you’re being cornered. While meals at the resort definitely aren’t cheap, $1000/day for a couple on an all-inclusive package seems excessive. I think your best bet is to contact the hotel directly and be firm. You could explain the situation and let them know that if the complimentary plane transfer isn’t honored, you’ll have to consider canceling. Sometimes a direct conversation with the hotel gets better results than going through the general reservations line. Fingers crossed they come through for you! Marcela