For more than 100 years, the name has stood for VIP service, society glamour and pure luxury. But the legendary Waldorf Astoria hotel chain is now consciously focusing on more than that: at the new Waldorf Astoria Seychelles Platte Island, nature conservation is also a top priority.
Many people first think of salad. when they hear the word “Waldorf”. After all, the recipe created at the Waldorf Hotel in New York at the end of the 19th century went around the world. However, its place of origin – the first hotel in the luxury hotel chain, which opened in 1893 – became the starting point of a success story after merging with the neighbouring Astoria. One that will set a new highlight in 2024. And it will be in the Seychelles.
Waldorf Astoria invites you to the island
The first Waldorf-Astoria Grand Hotel fell victim to the wrecking ball at the end of the 1920s. It gave way to the construction of the Empire State Building. But its successor on Park Avenuealso became a famous meeting place for the “rich and beautiful”. Now comprising more than 26 hotels and part of the Hilton-Group, the legendary brand also sets other, additional and future-orientated priorities. The most recent example of this is the brand new Waldorf Astoria Seychelles Platte Island, which is dedicated to nature and environmental protection. Fortunately for the small island, which is part of the Seychelles Outer Islands and its fabulous flora and fauna.
The forested coral island in the Indian Ocean lies around 135 kilometres south of the main island of Mahé. It was given the name „Platte Island“ because of its flat topography. And it is a natural paradise that is home to seabirds and endangered species such as the hawksbill and green sea turtle.
Expert team for environmental protection
Waldorf Astoria promises to keep it that way: The new hotel complex will be overseen by an in-house environmental manager and marine biologists. And partnerships have been forged with local non-profit organisations such as the Island Conservation Society to ensure solutions for the preservation of nature.
The resort’s 2.5-megawatt solar power plant ensures environmentally friendly energy generation. This is intended to cover 95 per cent of the consumption of the Waldorf Astoria Seychelles Platte Island’s operations using solar energy. An in-house treatment plant supports the reuse of water in daily operations and serves to reduce waste water in a system that is as closed as possible to avoid waste.
With targeted environmental programmes and partnerships led by marine biology specialists, we are committed to preserving and protecting the surrounding nature and marine life.
Guy Hutchinson, President for Middle East and Africa at Hilton
Guests are also offered programmes that focus on a deeper connection with nature and invite them to actively contribute to the sustainable development of the island. These include planting corals under the guidance of experts, exploring the diverse flora and fauna and whale and dolphin watching.
It is obvious that the recently opened Waldorf Astoria Seychelles Platte Island is also – and above all – concerned with the well-being of its exclusive clientele. An important aspect of this is the architecture and interior design of the resort.
Architecture follows nature
The masterplan and the interior design were created by Ecoid Architects. The team found inspiration for the design on site. For example, the beautiful shell of the hawksbill turtle, which the designers used as a model for the faceted roofs of the main buildings.
By folding and bending, the facets combine to form large, airy canopies. This is particularly evident in the arrivals building and the centre of the resort. The “Lalin Bar” at the Waldorf Astoria on Platte Island rises up like the head of a turtle coming up for air. A design trick that opens up magnificent views of the sunset over the sea.
Beach villas in fan shape
The elegant interplay of faceted panels continues in the resort’s 50 beach villas. Their fan-shaped floor plan gives each of the rooms a sloping ceiling, directing the view outwards and opening the units upwards. All villas offer a personal concierge service and extensive gardens, which are also popular with sea turtles for laying their eggs. There is a choice of houses with one to three bedrooms and the master villa with its five bedrooms.
Inspired by the natural environment, the materials used are tactile and not over-engineered. According to the architects, sustainability also means reducing the hassle of constant maintenance and renovation. The materials used for the Waldorf Astoria Seychelles Platte Island were carefully selected to withstand the tropical, humid marine environment. And attention has been paid to details that can only be achieved through a craftsman’s approach.
Top design in “island style”
The curtains in the arrivals area, for example, do not come from a factory. They were made by hand from sustainably farmed shells. Like the wave-shaped, handmade finish on the walls, they are intended to celebrate and evoke the beauty of nature and the sea. Tactile, hard-wearing materials such as hand-glazed tiles, resin terrazzo and whitewashed wood dominate throughout the resort.
Waldorf Astoria brings its legendary culinary expertise to Platte Island with six restaurants and bars that combine the best of international and local flavours. These include the “Maison Des Epices” restaurant, whose architecture looks like an elegant interpretation of a large Creole plantation house. The building is intended as a tribute to the Creole culture of the Seychelles.
From the garden to the table
Most of the fruit and vegetables for the Waldorf Astoria Seychelles Platte Island’s restaurants come from the hotel’s own gardens. After all, sustainable “farm-to-table” cuisine is important to the hotel.
The resort’s spa also boasts local specialities: The unusual double coconut shape of the coco de mer fruit, which is only found in the Seychelles, characterises the design of the wellness temple. In addition to state-of-the-art treatment techniques, sustainable products such as organic seaweed, coconuts and indigenous plants are also used here.
VIP status for guests and nature
The new island resort is, of course, neither the first nor the only luxury destination to focus on environmental and nature conservation. Similar to the Waldorf Astoria Group’s latest hotel on the private island of Platte Island, the Patina Maldives or the Joali Being auf Bodufushi are also committed to this trend. However, anyone dreaming of the historic grandeur of New York’s poshest hotel at the time and fairytale island magic at the same time will love the legendary exclusive top service of the new opening. Provided the bank account plays along, that is.
sees the Waldorf Astoria Seychelles Platte Island as another diamond in the chain’s offering: “This debut represents an intersection between luxury, the highest level of personalised service and environmentally conscious travel.” And his colleague Guy Hutchinson, responsible for the Middle East and Africa at Hilton, praises: “With targeted environmental programmes and partnerships led by marine biology specialists, we have made it our mission to preserve and protect the surrounding nature and marine life”.
Text: Elisabeth Schneyder
Bilder: Waldorf Astoria Seychelles Platte Island
