Blue Lagoon Chalets

very upset with denis island we were told the food was there superb. On my honeymoon in july i did not expect to have a buffet service as we had, then the last night they gave us a wonderful menu,on asking the staff why this was i got three very different answers..1..sfaff off sick 2...too many children on the island and they needed to eat early.......3...the management said they were just trying for that week a buffet. This is what you expect from a cheaper destination not one like this. Also no diet drinks at all were available on any of the islands and Denis island ran out of bottled drinking water and every night you had to take your water jug upto the bar to get your own water ,just what you need on your honeymoon!,I would love to hear a response from the hotel on this

I was tasked with writing an article about my experience, so I thought people might liek to see this: The tiny twin-prop Air Seychelles plane circled round giving us a clear view of the island, which lay like a triangular drop scone in an unseasonably calm sea. Fringed by white sand beaches, the island was surrounded by a strip of turquoise sea that quickly gave way to the deep blue of the ocean. And we really were in an ocean, for Denis sits alone, far from the rest of the Seychelles archipelago, a thousand miles from civilisation. Flying in a small plane where the passengers sit almost on top of the pilot and landing on a grass airstrip is an experience I never tire of. The pilot expertly banked and lined up the runway, and in no time at all we were skimming across the lagoon – was that the silhouette of a ray I saw against the sandy floor? – a flash of white sand, palm trees and then deep green vegetation. There was a gentle bump as we touched down. “Welcome to Denis!” the booming voice of Alain St Ange greeted us as we stepped out the plane. Alain, the Seychellois manager of Denis Island for the last nine years, is also a prominent figure in the Seychellois tourism industry and a knowledgeable guide to visiting guests. My wife, son, six-year-old daughter and myself were whisked off onto a waiting golf buggy. Minnie, the bubbly South African head of guest relations, offered to let my daughter drive. Hence the five-minute buggy ride to the resort was mildly erratic, but Minnie had clearly done this before, and we arrived safely. Minnie had also made a friend for life. As we stepped out of the baking sun into the cool of the reception and bar area we instantly relaxed A vast conical roof is the dominant feature of the recently rebuilt resort. The whole décor has a natural feel about it, with stone, driftwood, rattan and coral blending together in an original and understated manner. Everything felt delightfully fresh. I have been coming to Seychelles for over 30 years, and had the good fortune to visit many of its 115 islands, but never the island the Seychellois always talk about in glowing terms, Denis. Until now. Denis is named after Denis de Trobriand, who landed on the island in 1773 from the French vessel L’Etoile. He could well have been the first human ever to set foot on the island, as it is far away from the old Arab trading routes. He found it covered in a profusion of sea birds, giant tortoises and turtles. There were also “sea cows”, or dugongs, but hunted by the early settlers these mammals are no longer found near the island. (Some believe that the dugong is the origin of the myth of the beguiling mermaid who lured sailors to their deaths, although from the creature’s appearance that theory seems a bit far-fetched.) Somewhere on the island de Trobriand buried a bottle containing the “Act of Possession” claiming the island in the name of the King of France. This historical treasure still awaits discovery. The island lies 95km (59 miles) north of Mahé. It is privately owned, and has been entertaining visitors (including film stars, politicians and other celebrities) since the late 1970’s, the first of the coral island resorts in the Seychelles. It is pancake flat, with the accommodation placed in the north-westerly tip. Over 350 acres of tropical vegetation cover the island, apart from the airstrip, which forms a belt across the middle. The beach all round the island has the whitest sand you will ever see, and unlike some islands I have visited it is finely grained and soft underfoot. Swimming is safe in the warm and gentle sea, as the island is protected by reefs. Our air-conditioned accommodation was comfortable and spacious in a rustic style. A large modern bathroom with indoor and outdoor showers completed the mod.cons. and meant we would surely have a five-star experience. Every chalet has its own beach front, a spot which soon became a favourite with the family. Base camp was established for a lazy morning, the adults reading whilst the youngsters swam and rolled in the surf. I did get lured into the sea after a while, only to be ambushed with sand bombs. The resort has indoor and outdoor dining, a rambling bar and deck area (ideal for the spectacular Denis sunsets), a swimming pool, snooker area, a wine room, a media room – with internet and satellite TV – and a small boutique. The dive centre is nearby and the fishing trips start from the beach in front of the bar. Even if you are not a fisherman it is good sport just to view the day’s catch on the beach in the early evening. After a few days the island starts to weave its spell. There are no TVs in the chalets, and mobile phone addicts have to go “cold turkey”. News from the outside world comes mostly via the arriving aircraft – the biggest story whilst we were staying there was of “lots of rain on Praslin”. Hence our body-clocks wound down. Denis is for relaxing, talking, reading, thinking, and for feeling the stresses of the turbo-charged world we live in evaporate under the warm Seychelles sun. If you insist on keeping busy there is no shortage of activity. Water-sports are an obvious choice for the energetic: windsurfing, kayaking, snorkelling, sailing, scuba diving, and fishing are all easily accessible, with expert and friendly guides on hand. The resort boasts a first-class tennis court and there are nature walks through the thick forest, viewing numerous species of endemic birds whilst spotting the giant tortoises in the shade. I have got the fishing bug, so together with my 13-year-old son and two adventurous ladies from London, we boarded the Mako and were soon heading north-east out to sea. July is not the best time for fishing in Seychelles, the South-East monsoon winds whip up the water reducing visibility, and the rough seas make for uncomfortable trolling. (April/May and September/October are the recommended months for keen fishermen.) However today we were fortunate, the sea was mercifully sleepy, a pleasant swell with no white tips breaking the surface. The skipper, Rolly, has been on Denis for 14 years, so I reasoned that if anyone knew where the fish were he would. Nevertheless I was pessimistic; it was mid-afternoon, the wrong season, would we strike lucky? The photos in the snooker room showed numerous large catches; sailfish, dorado, barracuda, grouper, bonito, tuna and the undisputed heavyweight king of game fish, the marlin. In Denis the marlins come as heavy as 250 kg. We trolled for two hours. Nothing. The skipper, baked dark mahogany by years in the sun, zig-zagged across the sea. Denis was by now a small green strip on the horizon. We chased flocks of birds in the knowledge that where birds dive for small fish and tiny squid there are bigger fish around, but still no luck. Then suddenly we are snapped awake by the zing of lines reeling out, with four of the six rods on fire. Our adrenalin flowed. My son took the chair, his first game fishing experience. It wasn’t easy, but he stuck to his task and soon we were hauling in four good-sized yellow-fin tuna, the tastiest of the type. As we chugged back to shore we were treated to a trademark Denis sunset, with shafts of golden light radiating behind huge towers of clouds on the horizon. The trip, like most of those from Denis, was a success thanks to the expertise of our skipper. Later that evening we tasted our catch sushi-style, the taste heightened by the knowledge that our tuna had been racing through the Indian Ocean a few hours earlier. No report on Denis is complete without a mention of the cuisine. In comparison with many similar resorts, I rank Denis in my top three. The island has its own extensive farm, and thus produces fruit and hydroponically grown vegetables. Combine this with fresh milk, chicken, quail and duck eggs, and the full range of tropical seafood (grouper, red snapper, hump-head snapper, job, tuna, octopus, prawns and much more) and Denis has everything it needs for an outstanding cuisine. Breakfast is a riot of fruit, crepes, freshly baked bread and croissants. Lunch is buffet-style, from salads to fish grilled to order and homemade ice-cream. A creole dinner is served on Saturdays; we were treated to a choice of red snapper (bourgeois, the favourite fish of the locals), a whole suckling pig, octopus curry and lots more. The evening was rounded of with an introduction to the sega, the traditional dance of Seychelles. The days slipped by and eventually it was time to leave. We now knew Denis, but somehow it felt as if we had only scratched the surface. To really get to know Denis would take more time; a good excuse to return one day.

Our stay on Denis Island was absolutely everything we hoped it would be. And more. Just perfect. The twelve nights flew by and, quite honestly, we could have stayed another twelve nights no problem at all. In fact the longer you’re there the easier it gets to adopt the island’s rhythm – and it gives you a chance to become one of the ‘family’. Because, as Alain St. Ange, the excellent General Manager, said when we arrived, Denis is more of a home than a hotel, and the staff are more like friends, or family, than ‘staff’. And that's exactly what it and they became to us. But, there are Denis people and there are non-Denis people. Because if you’re the sort of person that thinks getting value for money in a five star resort is all about having loads of lackeys dressed up in butler uniforms clucking around after you 24 hours a day de-misting your sunglasses, a crammed minibar, DVDs, CDs, surround sound systems, internet connections, championship golf courses, spas, fitness rooms etc, all the usual 'props' found in large, anonymous resorts, all over the world - and there are loads of those - then you will HATE Denis. Denis, and there is only one Denis, is all about the gift of being left alone, with your partner, in your own private cottage, with your own stretch of beach, and your own stretch of sea, doing absolutely want you want without anyone bothering you which in most people’s case is doing nothing much other than staring at the sea during the day, staring at the stars at night - and what stars! - sleeping often something like 12 hours a day and, if and when the fancy takes you, taking a wander around the island. And it's a great little island to explore. But, yes, we did go snorkelling, virtually every day, and we did see reefs teeming with the most beautiful fish (didn't bump into any turtles but other guests most certainly did) and we did go game fishing - the boat costs 600 Euros for five hours which, yes, is expensive but the cost can be shared between three couples and it is one of THE reasons for going to Denis so, please, just do it. And we did read a hell of a lot of books. And became very adept at tracking down runaway giant tortoises… So, our thanks go to everyone there particularly Mike Rademaker, the Diving Manager, and his wife Minnie who taught a reluctant paddler how to snorkel. We hope, very much, that we will able to share 'The Blue Planet' with you once again in the not too distant future. To Jaffar Ali, the excellent chef, who pulled gastonomic marvels out of his hat each and every day often in quite challenging circumstances. And to Hugette for her smile and her spotless housekeeping - the housekeeping team on Denis are just about the best we've come across in years and years of travelling. Last but definitely not least, to Alain St. Ange for his passionate love of the island and for his vision of the future. Because with the introduction of the Magpie Robin and the Paradise Flycatcher, the bird population, already exotic, with the Seychelles Tropical Bird, the Seychelles Moorehen and the Seychelles Blue Pigeon already in situ, is going to be wonderful. A spa is due to open next year - tucked away in the central of the island, at tree canopy height, it will complement the island perfectly. Dining on lobster whilst watching turtles land on the beach? Denis, already a rare little gem, is just going to get better and better ... The Gandars

Our stay on Denis Island was absolutely everything we hoped it would be. And more. Just perfect. The twelve nights flew by and, quite honestly, we could have stayed another twelve nights no problem at all. In fact the longer you’re there the easier it gets to adopt the island’s rhythm – and it gives you a chance to become one of the ‘family’. Because, as Alain St. Ange, the excellent General Manager, said when we arrived, Denis is more of a home than a hotel, and the staff are more like friends, or family, than ‘staff’. And that's exactly what it and they became to us. But, there are Denis people and there are non-Denis people. Because if you’re the sort of person that thinks getting value for money in a five star resort is all about having loads of lackeys dressed up in butler uniforms clucking around after you 24 hours a day de-misting your sunglasses, a crammed minibar, DVDs, CDs, surround sound systems, internet connections, championship golf courses, spas, fitness rooms etc, all the usual 'props' found in large, anonymous resorts, all over the world - and there are loads of those - then you will HATE Denis. Denis, and there is only one Denis, is all about the gift of being left alone, with your partner, in your own private cottage, with your own stretch of beach, and your own stretch of sea, doing absolutely want you want without anyone bothering you which in most people’s case is doing nothing much other than staring at the sea during the day, staring at the stars at night - and what stars! - sleeping often something like 12 hours a day and, if and when the fancy takes you, taking a wander around the island. And it's a great little island to explore. But, yes, we did go snorkelling, virtually every day, and we did see reefs teeming with the most beautiful fish (didn't bump into any turtles but other guests most certainly did) and we did go game fishing - the boat costs 600 Euros for five hours which, yes, is expensive but the cost can be shared between three couples and it is one of THE reasons for going to Denis so, please, just do it. And we did read a hell of a lot of books. And became very adept at tracking down runaway giant turtles … So, our thanks go to everyone there particularly Mike Rademaker, the Diving Manager, and his wife Minnie who taught me to snorkel. We hope, very much, that we will able to share 'The Blue Planet' with you once again in the not too distant future. To Jaffar Ali, the excellent chef, who pulled gastonomic marvels out of his hat each and every day often in quite challenging circumstances. And to Hugette for her smile and her spotless housekeeping - the housekeeping team on Denis are just about the best we've come across in years and years of travelling. Last but definitely not least, to Alain St. Ange, the General Manager, for his passionate love of the island and for his vision of the future. Because with the introduction of the Magpie Robin and the Paradise Flycatcher, the bird population, already exotic, with the Seychelles Tropical Bird, the Seychelles Moorehen and the Seychelles Blue Pigeon alread in situ, is going to be wonderful. A spa is due to open next year - tucked away in the central of the island, at tree canopy height, it will complement the island perfectly. Dining on lobster whilst watching turtles land on the beach? Denis, already a rare little gem, is just going to get better and better ... Susan and Martin Gandar

My wife and I are seasoned travellers and we recently travelled to Denis Island in the Seychelles for a break. We had done all the island resorts in Seychelles but had never been to Denis and to close our love affair with the Seychelles, we decided to spend 10 days on the island. We flew straight there from the main island, Mahe, and the approach to this magical island which seemed to rise from nowhere set the tone for what turned out to be a memorable holiday. Denis is truly paradise found. Warm people, unobtrusive but attentive service, impressive beaches and truly great food, possibly the best we have had yet in Seychelles….Denis is a must and comes highly recommended…It seems that our love affair with Seychelles is not over yet …we will be back! M & R

My wife and I are seasoned travellers and we recently travelled to Denis Island in the Seychelles for a break. We had done all the island resorts in Seychelles but had never been to Denis and to close our love affair with the Seychelles, we decided to spend 10 days on the island. We flew straight there from the main island, Mahe, and the approach to this magical island which seemed to rise from nowhere set the tone for what turned out to be a memorable holiday. Denis is truly paradise found. Warm people, unobtrusive but attentive service, impressive beaches and truly great food, possibly the best we have had yet in Seychelles….Denis is a must and comes highly recommended…It seems that our love affair with Seychelles is not over yet …we will be back! M & R

We spent 4 nights at Denis in May after spending 5 marvellous nights in the lemuria resort of Praslin, where we got married. The Lemuria is very beautiful, very well integrated in the nature, the staff is very friendly and take care of any request or problem you could have, the restaurants are excellent, the 2 beaches on the property (Anse Kerlan and Anse Georgette) are beautiful.... We have been very disappointed by the staff of Denis Island the island itself, which offers nothing more than what we saw in Praslin and La Digue. Don’t go to Denis for the snorkelling from May. We didn't see any fish around the island as the water was very murky. There is nothing else to do on the island as the inner island is infested with mosquitoes ( and big spiders..) . The staff of Denis Island seems to be very happy, they have long talks and drink beers at the bar during the day....The problem is that when we requested something we had to wait or we never get what we wanted. For instance, we called the reception for a beach towel that we never get so we finally took one from another inhabited chalet! At the bar, we had to wait around half an hour to have two champagne glasses (because we had reminded them!). This is not acceptable when we pay this price!. .. They do not care to treat their guests with respect or service, the staff was never accommodating--we always had to go to them. What we really did not appreciate is that they lied to us . They had confirmed us a beach dinner for our last day on Denis island (that was included in our honeymoon package) but , 5 minutes before the dinner, they told us that it was not possible any more because of the weather. We were quite surprised as the rain had stopped for 2 hours (and it rains almost every day in the Seychelles). After our dinner, we went for a walk on the beach and what a surprise! : we saw a couple, having dinner on the beach, in a beautiful place (it was protected in case of rains) .We were really angry! We asked the staff why they were allowed to have dinner on the beach, as we had book this dinner 2 days before. The guy told us that they had insisted as it was their last evening on Denis... like us! The staff ruined the end of our marvellous trip as we got married in the Seychelles a few days before . Don’t go to Denis if you want to be well treated! Spend your time and money to another island (Desroches?) or Praslin and La Digue which are 2 beautiful islands. For Snorkelling, go to coco island or felicite from La Digue.

I'm posting this review 6 months after my honeymoon because I cannot seem to survive without thinking back to my week on denis island - it was the most incredible place I have ever been! And thats from someone who's spent a lot of time and travelled over 30 countries! The place is expensive, granted, but well worth it. Like being on a desert island paradise with no care in the world. Right from landing in the twin otter plane to exploring the island your spine is tingling The staff are amazing - you almost don't notice them, yet every need is catered to. The villas are just exquisite as well, especially the bathrooms! The island is beautiful - not one of these you can "do" in 20 minutes - takes a few hours to walk around it, and there is so much going on you'll never get bored. Inland is cris-crossed with tracks throught the jungle - way more adventurous than you can imagine! I am quite a foodie, and must recommend the food as being world-class, and the crazy French chef is a genius, and a seriously entertaining bloke! We met the complex manager on the last day, and just talking to him you realise the care that goes into looking after the guests. It really is one of those places that looks as good as it does in the magazine. VERY ROMANTIC! And the watersports are great! One thing which is good or bad depending upon your view - the place aims for tranquility - as such there are no TVs or steros in the villas - I took my ipod and speakers cos I can't live without music, but the peacefulness otherwise is a breath of fresh air! Holiday Reading : Nathaniels Nutmeg or any good pirate book! Soundtrack : Anything CHILLED! The only downside is that after Denis, we went to La Digue Island lodge, which was apparently the best hotel on the beautiful island of La Digue. Perhaps, but it was such a shocking comedown compared to Denis that we were totally depressed! Also I would recommend Northolme Hotel on Mahe -very different to Denis, but just as good.

We have just returned from our 5th visit to Denis Island Lodge. This must be one of the last few unspoiled places on earth. The setting is magnificent. Each chalet is strategically placed to offer privacy and has its own private beach complete with thatch umbrella and chaises. The accommodation is very spacious (in fact we shared with our 2 teenage boys and still had ample room) and has aircon, refrigerator, tea and coffee facilities, desk, easy chairs, large bathroom with double vanity, double shower, bath, seperate toilet and bidet, outside private shower with hot water, large veranda, bath robes and slippers, hardrier,etc. Linen and towels are changed daily. No TV in the rooms (thankfully, but one available with satelite in the residents lounge)There are 2 incredible beaches with crystal clear water and when you swim you will be surrounded by schools of silver Pompano fish. The food was excellent. Three times a week they offer a beach buffet set at the waters edge, with more choices than you can imagine. This is not a place to visit if you want nightlife and many activities. This is a get away from it all destination of incredible beauty. The staff are warm and very welcoming. On the night of my husbands birthday, they set up a private table on the beach for us and the chef and staff presented him with a specially baked cake. Although this is a very romantic destination it would suit any age.

Well recommended for a Honeymoon or just peace and quiet. We had a lovely beachfront bungalow which was huge. It had the biggest bed, a lounge area, fridge and a verandah. There was also a back yard with a shower to rinse off the sand. Overlooking the yard was your bathroom with a glass wall, a double shower, large bath and double sinks. The French chef excels himself at every meal. Don't miss the homemade icecreams at lunch. The locations is unforgettable. As are the giant tortoises. The island is pretty much self sufficient with their own animals and farm.