Some vacations are one thing, but then you come across a spot where vanishing for a week is the only sensible course of action. Raffles Seychelles is such a place. Nestled in the verdant hills of Praslin, it is hard to argue with its appeal.
Below you have the Indian Ocean and in every direction tropical foliage, with a beach of some repute just a short walk off. It has all the makings of a fantasy island, yet Raffles Seychelles is appealing in part for how unpretentious it is. The luxury and the service are present enough, but what you will find most attractive is the freedom to put your feet up.
A Different Side of the Seychelles
Praslin has long been the quieter option in the Seychelles, away from the more developed areas. Here the day proceeds at a languid sort of pace, dictated by the jungle, the water and the beaches. Raffles is right at home in that setting.
You are not far from Anse Lazio, a white-sand expanse that gives those “best of” lists their credibility. Head inland and you will find the prehistoric palms of the UNESCO site Vallée de Mai. But then again, there is no obligation to go exploring. One can come to Raffles and be quite content to let one’s plans for the next few days be confined to the villa, the infinity pool and the shore.
86 Villas and a Pool of Your Own
Privacy is the name of the game at the resort’s 86 villas. You have your own plunge pool and an outdoor pavilion, with vantage points over the ocean or the gardens. The floor-to-ceiling windows make for little separation between inside and out, and between the deep soaking tubs and the rain shower outside there is no hurry to be anywhere.
The decor is contemporary and uncluttered, leaving the view to do the talking. A personal butler will see to things with the kind of unobtrusive polish you would expect from Raffles; if you prefer dinner in the villa, it will be taken care of. Once you are by your private pool, you may well decide to stay put.
Dinner Can Come to You
Should you feel like putting in an appearance, the food is good. Losean offers a Mediterranean slant on all-day dining and Curieuse Restaurant is inspired by Asia. The Pool Bar is fine for a cocktail after a long afternoon.
But this is the Seychelles, so a formal dining room is not always necessary. We can have a meal arranged on the beach or back at the villa for an experience that puts a restaurant reservation to shame. There is no need to be watching the clock here.
Do Everything—or Almost Nothing
If you cannot abide being still for a week, Praslin has its distractions. There is snorkelling and kayaking, or a hike to see an interior as remarkable as the coast. Or you might visit the spa for something more indulgent; the treatments at Raffles Spa are rooted in local tradition and make a nice change of pace from the outdoors.
Start the morning with yoga by the sea, spend the hours after lunch at the infinity pool and perhaps make a trip to the beach your grandest undertaking of the day. Either way, it feels right.
There is a certain draw to putting a few thousand miles between yourself and home in the fall, once the summer is done and before the holiday rush sets in. Raffles Seychelles is hard to resist in that regard.
It is not for those who want to tick boxes on an itinerary. It is for waking up amid the greenery and having a swim before breakfast, then deciding on a whim whether to head for the Indian Ocean or your plunge pool. You realize it hardly matters which.
Raffles Seychelles makes a compelling case for the disappearing act. After all, sometimes the finest luxury is having nowhere else to be.