Where to eat and drink
There are six places to eat and drink, all run by the resort. Dinner gets busy in high season, so book Ahi and The Lighthouse when you arrive. We can request tables before you fly.
- Claudine
- The all-day Mediterranean restaurant by the main pool. Your breakfast is served here, with a buffet plus dishes cooked to order.
- The Lighthouse
- The island grill, open for dinner only, at the foot of the old lighthouse. Ask for a table outside by the waves, and have a drink first at the bar on the first floor.
- Ahi
- A Japanese izakaya serving sushi and sake, dinner only. There are only 24 seats inside, so it's the hardest table to get.
- La Riva
- Italian, at the Castaway Centre, with pizzas from the oven. It's mostly open for lunch, with dinner on a couple of nights a week.
- Gou Zil Koko
- A small lunch spot right on the beach, with sunbeds for about twenty people. Cycle over and make an afternoon of it.
- The Bar
- The all-day lounge next to Claudine. It's where everyone ends up for a sunset cocktail.
What to do on the island
Desroches is about 6 km long, and there's a bike at every villa. Most people spend the first day cycling the island and finding the beach they like best, and on most days you won't share it with anyone.
- Snorkelling, kayaks and paddleboards
- Gear is free, and you can take it from the beach whenever you like.
- Diving
- Blue Safari runs the dive centre, with more than a dozen sites around the island, including caves and tunnels along the old volcanic rim.
- Surfing
- Tropicsurf runs a surf school with jet-ski assists and more than 20 waves for beginners and good surfers alike. November to March is the best time.
- Tortoises and the Conservation Centre
- The island has a giant tortoise sanctuary, and children can help feed them.
- Circle of Connection Spa
- Five treatment rooms. On full-moon nights there's a sound bath out on the runway, which is as surreal as it sounds.
- Kids For All Seasons
- A supervised kids' club with a playground, a BMX track and children's bikes, plus daily nature walks and island tours.
When to go
- October to April
- Warm and humid, with the calmest seas at either end, in April–May and October–November. November to March is surf season.
- May to September
- The south-east trade winds blow. It's breezier and a little cooler, some beaches get choppy, and the flight runs once a day.
- Christmas and New Year
- Flights go up to twice daily, but fares rise, there are minimum stays and the all-inclusive isn't offered. New Year's Eve has a gala dinner charged on top. Book these dates up to a year ahead.
Getting there
Fly into Mahé (SEZ), then take the resort's flight from the domestic terminal next door. A return seat is roughly €550 to €650 per adult for most of the year and around €900 over Christmas and New Year. Children under two fly free on a parent's lap. Someone from the resort meets you at the plane with a cold towel and a drink, and you're at reception within minutes, since the runway runs right past it.
If the schedule doesn't suit you, the resort can arrange a private charter. Plenty of people pair Desroches with a few nights at Four Seasons Resort Seychelles on Mahé, and we can book both with the same benefits.
Questions people ask
What's the best way to book Four Seasons Desroches Island?
Through a travel advisor in the Four Seasons Preferred Partner program, like us. You pay the same rate as booking with Four Seasons directly, and you get daily breakfast for two, a US$100 credit, an upgrade request and early check-in on top.
Does booking through you cost more than booking direct?
No. The rate is the same as on fourseasons.com, we charge no booking fee, and you pay the hotel as usual. Four Seasons pays us, so the benefits cost you nothing.
Is Four Seasons Preferred Partner an official program?
Yes. It's run by Four Seasons for an invited group of travel advisors, and the benefits are attached to your reservation by the resort itself.
Is the flight from Mahé included in the room rate?
No. It's booked separately through Four Seasons reservations, and we arrange it at the same time as your villa. A return seat is roughly €550 to €650 per adult for most of the year, more over the festive season.
Is Desroches all-inclusive?
Not by default. Rates include breakfast when you book through us, and an all-inclusive plan can be added most of the year. It isn't available over Christmas and New Year.
Which villa is the best?
For most couples, an Ocean View Pool Villa with an upgrade request is the best value. If you'll swim every morning, go for a Beach Pool Villa. A Sunset Beach Suite works best for a family of four.
Is it good for children?
Very. There's a supervised kids' club with a BMX track, children's bikes, tortoise feeding and nature walks. And on an island with almost no cars, older children can cycle around on their own.
How does this compare with Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts?
If you hold an Amex Platinum card, Fine Hotels + Resorts gives a similar package. Booking with us doesn't need the card, and we also handle the island flight, your timing on Mahé and any second hotel.
Can I combine Desroches with Four Seasons Mahé?
Yes, and with one flight a day it often makes sense to. We can book both with Preferred Partner benefits at each hotel.
I've already booked direct. Can you add the benefits?
Often, yes. Send us your Four Seasons confirmation number. If the booking was made directly with Four Seasons and hasn't been prepaid through a third-party site, we can usually take it over and add the benefits.
How to book
- Send us your dates, who's travelling and the villa you have in mind.
- We come back with the rate, the flight times and the benefits in writing.
- You confirm, and pay the hotel's deposit as you would booking direct.
- Before you fly, we pass on your requests: early check-in, dinner tables, spa times, dives.