We have just returned from our honeymoon in the Seychelles and spent our last 2 nights at the Berjaya Beau Vallon Bay. We decided to stay there as it was in a good loocation and a good price. I think we had been spoilt before as we were in a top hotel in Praslin and then stayed on Denis Island, so this was a bit of a step down.
When we booked the deluxe rooms had already sold out so we booked a standard. While the room was clean, there was no balcony and the corridors felt like being in a hospital. I would definitly tell anyone going to NOT book a standard room - as we were only there for 2 nights we made do, but had we been there for 2 weeks I would have had to change rooms or move hotels.
The public areas were ok - it kind of reminded me of a cheap European package holiday resort - it didn't feel like being in the Seychelles. We were on half board so didn't have to pay for dinners, but from what we saw it didn't seem that cheap. The Chinese restaurant is really good, but on half board you are restricted to just 2 set menus to choose from (luckily we liked the food on them so this was ok). We had the buffet the 2nd night in the parrott restaurant and this was suprisingly quite good with lots of choice. The breakfast wasn't great and lots of the food looked as though it had been sitting there for hours.
One good thing is they start continental breakfast at 5am for people leaving early, which we thought was great as our transfer was at 5:30am so it meant we could have some food before going to the airport - definitly worth knowing. Another thing to be aware of (as it seemed with everywhere else in the Seychelles) is that all prices do not include tax or service charge. So for all food and drink, you have to add 10% tax and 10% service charge, so prices are in fact 20% more expensive than you see on the menus. I don't mind paying 10% service charge if the staff are worthy of it, but I didn't find them overlly friendly or helpful - the bar staff definitly needed to cheer up a bit! The prices in this hotel were all in Seychelle rupees, which we were not expecting as the hotels on the smaller islands all seem to charge euros.
The hotel was right on Beau Vallon Beach so a really good location and lots of watersports to choose from. i would say not to sit right outside the hotel though, as I thought the beach there was really dirty with lots of cigatette buts and food wrappers etc... on the floor, but if you walk along a bit it's ok. Sunsets there are nice also. The other thing that upset us was they have a small enclosure at the front of the hotel with some giant tortises, but they have hardly any room to move about, didn't look like they had enough food and we thought they all looked really depressed. We had seen a number of tortoises on the other islands that seemed much happier. it's nice to have them there for the tourists, but not if they are un-happy. Finally beware of the free cocktail voucher they give you when you arrive - it doesn't include alcohol!!
Overall the hotel was ok if you're on a budget - quite standard and I think if this was the only hotel you went to in the Seycehlles you would be disappointed. Ok for a couple of nights, but then i would either move to a better hotel or go island hopping.
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