Four Seasons Seychelles at Desroches: the tropical island escape where you can spot giant tortoises

Think Four Seasons and maybe you picture the baby meme (”Who wants to go to the Four Seasons Florida?”). Or perhaps your mind goes to some salacious scenes unfolding in The White Lotus, as the hotels serve as the locations for the dark comedy show. But the five-star hotel chain’s Seychelles Desroches location couldn’t be further away either zeitgeist reference. The almost private island location makes for a decidedly drama-free holiday. And there are no babies — or their vlogging parents — in sight during my visit.

Four Seasons is the only hotel on the 5.5 km tropical stretch of Desroches, which is part of the outer islands in the archipelago of the Seychelles off the coast of East Africa. It can be reached only by a 35-minute domestic flight southwest from Mahe (which operate daily in high season), so is often paired with a visit to the sister Four Seasons on this larger island. But be assured, the extra air miles are beyond worth the effort.

I arrive just out of high season (which is May to October, though the weather is perfectly lovely year-round, bar a few tropical showers), and almost instantaneously I shake off my jetlagged haze and a bout of car sickness, thanks to the sight of picture-perfect palm trees lining white sands from the jetty. Feelings of glee peaks when a buggy drops me to my villa’s driveway.

There’s not really any such thing as a small room option here: all 71 accomodations are villas, suites or residences, and have a private plunge pool. My Ocean-View Pool Villas has its own garden and beach access; and there’s a giant canopy bed, walk-in-wardrobe, as well as indoor and outdoor shower rooms and a stone bath. The rooms are flawlessly laid out, with a mix of vintage Seychelles-inspired pieces and colourful, contemporary colours and textiles mingling with well-hidden techy touches.

You will never want for a space to do even the most specific of activities — there are bamboo foot baths outside your door, raised cabanas for shade next to the jade pools and a hammock to sway in and watch the stars after a few too many cocktails. Easily done at the atop The Lighthouse restaurant at sunset. The Wifi barely exists, but trust: me it’s a blessing. To keep your thumb busy in lieu of Instagram, bedtime stories about the island are left out on the covers at turndown, as are postcards to send home.

Having re-opened after renovation in 2018, the resort went relatively under the radar for several years due to its bookings being disrupted by covid, though now is thriving. But worry not, it never feels remotely crowded. Bar some long-standing locals who live in a sparse number of houses on the edge of the resort, and the presence of the Island Conservation Society, it really does have a desert island feel. In fact it has enough white sand stretches of beach to allow for the staff to pick one ‘of the day’ every day of the week. On some outings I don’t see another soul — bar the guy who drives my buggy back to base, blaring out some Afrobeats from Burna Boy, which perfectly match the seaside vibes.

If you prefer, you can traverse the jungle dirt paths by bike — they are parked in a shelter outside your suite. There are nine miles of trails to explore. Turn a corner to see coconuts fall from the many trees, or you might spot giant Aldabra tortoises roaming around (they have a larger presence than people on the island, with a head count of over 250).

These majestic creatures have been here since Charles Darwin ordered they be sent here for safety due to hunting, and are thriving around 150 years later. Guided by staff at the island’s sanctuary you can also see the adorable babies yet to graduate outside of the nursery. With the guidance of the staff you can give them strokes and scratches - which they adore based on the slow stampede they made it me once I’d master the massaging their scaly necks.

Points for sighting Jonathan on the island, who at 191-year-old-is the eldest of the tortoise crew raised here in semi-captivity — and the largest. I’m told it was a tradition for many years that newborn residences were paired with a freshly hatched legacy tortoise. So grandmas on Desroches know the age of their reptiles.

The animal residents at Desroches, its lush jungle setting and pristine, calm beaches make this place extra special, but there are also the hallmarks of the eager hospitality Four Seasons is known — and it starts from the moment you arrive and lasts until the moment you leave. Yes, the staff are lined up to wave you and you group onto the private runway as you land, and to bid you farewell with a banner reading ‘see you soon’.

The feeling of barefoot luxury extends so far enough here, that by day two I was so relaxed that I forgot to redeem my shoes from outside a suite where I took a cooking lesson before I hopped on a buggy to lunch. But not to worry: our host Maria made light work of doing a 180 turn when I realised after several minutes that I was sans shoes.

There are four restaurants; Claudine for Mediterranean fare; Ahi for mouth-watering Japanese mains and light sushi lunches; The Lighthouse offers an upscale take on a grill with deletable meat dishes; and The Bar is the perfect sundowner spot.

It’s wise to ensure you’re fully fuelled for island escapades as there’s plenty to try. As well as a tortoise adoption experience at the sanctuary, there’s the option of kayaking and stand-up paddle boarding at the beaches (they’re ready and waiting and you can use a walkie talkie for a pick-up when you’re done), or there are snorkelling excursions to see turtles and other marine life, and you can book surfing with leading teachers from Tropic Surf.

This is the sort of place where you’ll feel like your worries melt away in the (very balmy) heat or out to sea in the calm, crystal-clear waters. What a shame The White Lotus already has two tropical locations under its belt, this place would make for a breathtaking backdrop. Though be glad its gone under the radar so you can still book in and feel like you’re living the private island life. fourseasons.com

Double the island adventure...

It’s well worth doing a dual visit and spending several nights at the Four Season’s Mahe location (40 minutes from the airport by car) before or after your trip to Desroches. Set around the breathtaking private white sands of Petite Anse beach and occupying a total of 170 acres of land, the hotel’s 67 villas and suites suites are scattered above it, etched into the hillside.

This is the more family-friendly of the two resorts, though it is sprawling enough that honeymooners or groups won’t feel overlooked. Kids will love it down by the inland pool while couples line the loungers on the postcard-perfect beach. The suites are more rustic here with dark wood furnishings and local art filling the rooms. The villas come with marble baths cornered by floor-to-ceiling glass which overlook Petite Anse, so you can’t take it all in while you soak — or from your infinity pool, if you prefer.

If you’ve had your fill of the fly and flop life, head to the stunning spa, positioned at one of the highest points on the island to enjoy a massage using local oils at Le Syel Spa, soundtracked by the birds outside heard through the open windows. If you get itchy feet there’s a great TechnoGym filled fitness centre, and don’t miss snorkelling here, directly on the beach. The turquoise waters are brimming with incredible marine life: rare colourful tropical fish, from surgeonfish to rainbow, and coral brought back to life by its on-site conservation project.

The Seychelles celebrates Creole food and local produce at the main restaurant, Kannel (there are four in total). Themed nights offering up traditional curries, succulent grilled fish dishes and meats, and by day there’s also crowd-pleasing classics like Club sandwiches or burritos. The Japanese offering at Four Seasons Mahe is also exceptional and a fine dining experience in its Koi restaurant. There’s 24-hour dining available in your room in case like me, you want to eat in your bath — when in the Seychelles, eh? — though you might even come back to find a Coco de Mer (the symbol of the Seychelles) made from chocolate in your room. You will leave full and very happy. fourseasons.com