Four Seasons Resort Seychelles is the strongest all-round honeymoon resort on Mahé: a hillside of private pool villas above Petite Anse, a quiet bay on the island's southwest coast. Every villa has its own plunge pool and sundeck and most are raised among the trees on the slope, so you look out over the canopy to the water. At the bottom is a curve of white sand with a beach restaurant and a grill and at the top is a spa with treatment rooms set high above the forest.
It suits couples who want Four Seasons service, real privacy and the option to explore, since Mahé has dozens of beaches, hiking trails and Creole kitchens within an easy drive. You do not need to leave, though. Five restaurants cover Japanese, Italian, Creole and grilled food and the resort runs experiences from floating breakfasts in your pool to surf lessons and helicopter trips to La Digue.
The main caveat is the hillside. Villas are linked by steep paths and buggies and the higher ones are a ride from the beach. Prices are firmly in the top bracket for the Seychelles.
Highlights at a glance
- Every villa has a private plunge pool and sundeck
- Hillside setting above Petite Anse bay
- Five restaurants, from izakaya to beach grill
- Hilltop spa with treatment rooms above the trees
- Helicopter and charter trips to La Digue and Desroches
Why Couples Love Four Seasons Seychelles
Petite Anse is one of the prettiest bays on Mahé, framed by granite boulders and green slopes and the resort makes the most of it. The beach is calm for much of the year and has the sort of clear, pale water that looks unreal in photos. Because the villas are spread up the hillside rather than lined along the sand, the beach never feels crowded.
Privacy is the other strength. Each villa is a standalone pavilion with its own pool and deck, screened by trees, so you can spend a whole afternoon swimming and reading without seeing anyone. Many couples say the villa itself becomes the highlight, especially in the evening when the bay turns gold and the only sounds are birds and the sea.
It also works as a base for Mahé. You can head out to hike or find a new beach, then come back to a quiet villa and dinner by the water.
Villas to Book
All the core villas include a plunge pool and a private sundeck. The main differences are view, size and position on the slope.
- Garden-View and Premier Garden-View Villas, about 186 and 205 square meters, are surrounded by greenery. Good value, very private, but no sea view.
- Ocean-View and Premier Ocean-View Villas share the same sizes and look out over the bay. These are the classic honeymoon choice.
- Hilltop Ocean-View Villas sit higher up with a deep sunken tub and a wraparound plunge pool. The views are the widest but you are farthest from the beach.
- Serenity Villas are one-bedroom villas surrounded by jungle with views across Petite Anse.
For most couples, an Ocean-View Villa is the right call. If you dislike buggies and steps, ask for a lower villa nearer the beach. Larger suites and multi-bedroom residences suit families or groups.
Food, Drink and the Spa
Five restaurants give you plenty of range for a week. ZEZ, on the hillside, is an Asian izakaya with ocean views, serving breakfast and an inventive sharing menu at night. Kannel, by the pool, mixes Mediterranean and Creole cooking, from ceviche and salads at lunch to seafood and pasta in the evening. Koi is an intimate Japanese chef's counter for sushi and tempura.
Down on the beach, Il Forno has an open kitchen and wood-fired oven for Neapolitan pizza and oven-grilled prawns and the Steak Shack cooks meat and seafood over a Josper charcoal oven right on the sand. ZEZ Bar does cocktails and an Indian menu cooked in a tandoor. In-villa dining runs day and night.
The hilltop spa has treatment rooms high above the trees, with side-by-side tables for couples. Ask about a Creole cooking class or a private dinner on the sand at Petite Anse.
Why guests fall for it
Things to Do
The resort's own experiences are a good start: a floating breakfast in your villa pool, surf lessons with Tropicsurf instructors, a Creole cooking class and a barbecue lunch by the pool. Longer outings include a helicopter trip to La Digue, with its famous boulder beaches and a private charter to sister resort Four Seasons Desroches Island for a day with Aldabra tortoises and a beach barbecue.
Beyond the resort, Mahé rewards a rental car or driver. Anse Intendance, a few minutes south, has dramatic surf and a wild feel. The Anse Major coastal trail is a beautiful half-day walk and Morne Seychellois National Park has cooler forest hikes. Sainte Anne Marine National Park is good for snorkeling.
Ocean conditions change with the trade winds and some beaches have strong currents in the southeast monsoon. Swim where it is calm and ask staff for daily advice. Use repellent at dusk. If you're pregnant or hoping to be soon, check CDC travel health notices.
Getting There
Seychelles International Airport (SEZ) is on Mahé's east coast and the drive to Petite Anse takes roughly 30 to 45 minutes along winding roads. The resort can arrange transfers and it is worth booking one rather than driving on your first day after a long flight.
Most routes from the US connect through the Gulf or Europe, with total journey times usually well over 20 hours. Arriving in the morning gives you the afternoon in your pool, which is a fine way to recover.
If you plan to explore Mahé, rent a small car for a day or two; driving is on the left and roads are narrow and steep. The resort can also connect your stay with Praslin, La Digue or Desroches by plane, ferry or helicopter. Bring your passport and note that entry and visa rules depend on your citizenship and can change at short notice, so check the official government website before you book.
Is It Worth It?
For couples who want a private pool villa, top-tier service and a beautiful bay in the Seychelles, yes. It combines the privacy of a villa resort with enough restaurants that you never feel stuck and Mahé's beaches and trails are right outside.
The cost is high, meals add up and the hillside layout does not suit everyone. Couples who want to walk straight from their villa onto the sand should ask for a lower villa or consider a beachfront resort instead. Those who want a single-island escape with nothing to do but swim might prefer Denis Private Island or Four Seasons Desroches Island. Couples on a tighter budget can find good-value Creole guesthouses on Mahé and spend the savings on a few nights somewhere special. If the villa and the bay are what you are paying for, though, this resort delivers.
Insider tips
- Book an Ocean-View Villa and ask for a lower position if you want easy beach access.
- Ask about combining your stay with Four Seasons Desroches for the Twice the Paradise offer.
- Reserve Koi early; the chef's counter is small.
- Hire a car for one day to see Anse Intendance and the southwest coast.
