Hoteliers’ Travel Journal

Day 1

Exhausted after the long journey, we received a very warm welcome at the hotel with refreshing towels and freshly squeezed juices. Our room, a ‘family suite with separate bedrooms’, was located in the heart of the grounds, overlooking the hotel restaurant and pool, although it was not noisy. The large apartment consisted of a huge master bedroom with access to a very comfortably furnished balcony, a smaller room with 3 beds, a large bathroom, a second toilet and a small kitchenette. The rooms could have been a little more inviting and the bathroom cleaner, but overall we felt comfortable there.

Naturally, the beach was our first port of call. To reach it, we had to walk a short way through the grounds and the hotel’s beachfront restaurant. None of the rooms are directly beside the sea, and I actually think hardly any have a sea view. One highlight on the way to the sea was a small enclosure with the famous giant tortoises. They are very trusting and enjoy being stroked.

In our opinion, the section of beach in front of Le Duc is the loveliest in the area! During our holiday, we walked along Anse Volbert (Cote d'Or) in both directions and also visited the next bay, but nothing could match ‘our’ beautiful beach. The water is very warm and remains only knee- to hip-deep for quite a long way – you have to wade out fairly far before you can swim. However, you do need to be careful! There are stingrays that bask in the shallow water. They are not aggressive and swim away if you get too close, but they have sharp barbs on their tails and backs that can cause nasty cuts. My boyfriend ran into the water too quickly on the first day and stepped on a ray – fortunately, nothing happened.

Stingray in the shallow water (Cote D’Or) Beachfront at Le Duc Hotel (Cote D’Or) Later that afternoon, we met a member of staff from Creole, who explained the island’s sights, answered our questions and offered various excursions. Before dinner, we took a short walk in the warm rain to the nearby beachfront promenade, where there are a few small shops. Directly on the beach is ‘Cafe Des Arts’, which serves an excellent lunch in the afternoon (salads, sandwiches, burgers and curries) and offers more upmarket dining in the evening. We had a truly excellent meal there on our first evening – the raw tuna was particularly good – along with South African wines from Stellenbosch. The service was very friendly and professional – you could tell that the restaurant management really knew their trade. Both the food and service were comparable to those of a two-toque restaurant.

Dining at Café des Arts (pan-fried foie gras with poached egg and apple and vegetable salad) Day 2

Breakfast at Le Duc is a dream! There was plenty of fresh fruit, vegetable salad, fresh croissants and pastries, unsalted butter – not something you can take for granted – a small selection of cold meats and cheeses, fresh orange juice and a very friendly chef who prepared every kind of egg dish and pancakes. Best of all was the outstanding coffee – we had not expected to find such a good caffè latte on the island. The atmosphere in the restaurant was delightful, and we usually sat right beside the water channel with its many beautiful koi and orchids.

We used the cloudy afternoon for our first attempts at snorkelling. However, we saw only a few fish, the aforementioned stingrays and lots of seagrass. The more interesting spots are probably much further out. It rained on and off in the afternoon, so we retreated to our comfortable balcony and read. Thanks to the rain, we were suddenly treated to a spectacular sunset complete with a rainbow. You have to be quick if you want to enjoy the atmosphere on the beach, though, as the sunsets do not last long. We had dinner at the ‘Chil Out Lounge’, the club above Cafe des Arts, with cocktails and tapas. The prawns in tempura batter and the tuna were both very good.

Day 3

At 9 am, we were delighted by the slightly cooler sea and the beautiful light for taking photographs. The weather is generally much better in the morning, and the sea is calm and clear. In the afternoon, we hired a paddleboard so that we could get further out for some snorkelling – our original plan was to paddle to St Pierre. The little island does not look far away from the beach at all. Halfway there, however, we had to admit that it was too far. Instead, we simply paddled around the nearer island. Beside it is a lovely cluster of granite rocks in the water, with fish below and crabs on the rocks.

Day 4

We had booked a day trip to La Digue directly through the hotel for today. We were driven from the hotel to the next bay, where a small boat took us to La Digue. First, we had a close-up view of Curieuse, as another family was being dropped off there. During the 20-minute journey to La Digue, we travelled straight through a huge rain shower. The highlight of the trip was a flying fish that leapt out of the water beside the boat and glided away alongside us. On La Digue, we were immediately given bicycles and instructed to ride on the left.

Our first destination was Anse Source d'Argent, so that we could arrive before most of the tourists. We did not mind paying the admission fee for L’Union Park, as the park is beautifully maintained and there is quite a lot to see. The beach really is a dream – it feels as though you have stepped into a ‘Photoshopped’ travel magazine. We found a flat rock and set up our base there. I had expected more people; every now and then, we saw a wedding couple having their photographs taken on the beach. The reef just offshore is good for snorkelling, and there are lots of fish to see. Unfortunately, we had no luck spotting sea turtles throughout our entire holiday. Fairly high waves break beyond the reef, so we did not dare venture too far out. There is a pleasant little beach bar right there, although the drinks are not chilled.

In the afternoon sun, it becomes too hot for us, so we head back to the bicycles. There, we find a small restaurant serving surprisingly good food (the place itself certainly does not look like it would). Back at the harbour, we have one of the best vanilla milkshakes ever at a fish restaurant (you can really taste the island’s vanilla plantation), buy a few souvenirs and set off back at 5 pm. Unfortunately, the return journey does not go smoothly – the hotel gave us the wrong information: we have to pay for the excursion on the boat rather than at reception, so we do not have enough money with us. However, he also wants to drop us off at the boarding point from that morning, in the next bay. There is no sign of a hotel car anywhere (if it had not been for the problem with the money, we would have paid and then found ourselves stranded on the wrong beach with no way of getting back). So he takes us to the hotel beach, we fetch enough money from our room and everything is sorted. In the evening, there is a Creole buffet in the hotel restaurant, which I cannot recommend highly enough. Sensational salads & starters! There is also very good live music.

Day 5

We spend our final day on Praslin taking it easy. The famous Valleé de Mai is really the only thing missing from a full sightseeing itinerary, but as I am struggling with a sore throat, we save that and plenty more for our next holiday here. We also have a look around the boutique at Cafe des Arts, which has some delightful dresses, swimming trunks, beach bags and souvenirs. The beach is a little busier today; there are not only hotel guests here, but also people who have arrived in hire cars. Later in the afternoon, a German tourist has a rather unfortunate encounter with one of the stingrays – he comes limping out of the water, which he had sprinted into earlier, with a deep cut on his foot.

To conclude our stay, a brief summary of the staff at Le Duc

As well as everyone here being exceptionally friendly, the management places great emphasis on professional service. The two restaurant managers can be found in all 3 restaurants, keeping an eye on their staff and lending a hand themselves. Even in stressful situations, everyone remains cheerful! Overall, our impression of Le Duc is that everything is done with a great deal of attention to detail. You genuinely feel that you are being looked after personally, rather than being just another faceless guest in a large resort. We felt very, very comfortable here.

Day 6

One final wonderful breakfast, then it is time to move from Praslin to Cerf. We take the ferry back to Mahé and are then driven by bus to Eden Island, where the hotel boat is already waiting for us. When we arrive at Cerf Island Resort, a member of staff shows us around the entire property and explains everything. We are even driven to the helipad by golf buggy so that he can point out the surrounding islands to us. Our large villa is the closest one to the lobby, so we do not have far to walk up the hill. The two-bedroom villas are spread across the hillside, and some may involve quite a long uphill walk, although a golf buggy is available as a shuttle.

Our villa stands on stilts in the forest and resembles a colonial house. It is spacious, with 2 very attractive (and clean) bathrooms, 2 bedrooms and a wonderful terrace. In the evenings, there is a chorus of birds and flying foxes – a true jungle atmosphere! On our first walk, we stroll along the jetty and spot a delightful eagle ray and a large shoal of colourful fish by the landing stage (the shoal is always there). Apparently, a small lemon shark also visits regularly, but unfortunately we never see it.

Wi-Fi is only available in the hotel lobby; in our case, we have no internet at all for most of our stay because a thunderstorm the previous night had knocked everything out. The half-board food is mediocre – not bad, but not outstanding either. There is a set menu with soup, a choice of 2 starters & 2 main courses, and a dessert. In general, it is wiser to choose the fish dishes, as the meat is usually overcooked and therefore tough and dry. The sauces are good. Although the types of meat & fish are varied, what we particularly miss at dinner is seafood!

Woodland surrounding our villa at Cerf Island Resort Day 7

The breakfast itself is not bad, but the buffet is small and rather carelessly presented, and the staff do not seem bothered that birds are perching on it. (I realise that this is the fault of guests who feed the birds, but still...) Some dishes can be ordered from the menu. The egg dishes are good, while the fresh fruit is sometimes very good and sometimes unripe. The pancakes are all right too. The only juices available are pre-made ones that taste very sweet. We cannot stomach the filter coffee at all; cappuccino and similar coffees can be ordered for an additional charge. However, we have to explain to the breakfast attendant what a café latte is, even though it is listed on the menu. In general, the service staff are very pleasant, but also very slow. It is clear that they lack the appropriate training. While chatting to the barman, we learn that most people here have 2 jobs – office work during the day and hospitality shifts in the evening.

In the afternoon, we take a trip to Victoria because the weather is cloudy and I need medication for my sore throat. The hotel boat takes us across free of charge at set times. Victoria is surprisingly small; 3–4 hours are enough to find a pharmacy (not easy!), have a bite to eat and stroll around the market (fish & fruit) and shopping streets. We buy some very attractive pearl earrings and some nice, inexpensive clothes.

Day 8

We decide to follow the staff member’s suggestion and take a pedal boat to explore the other islands. As we load our swimwear and towels onto the large pedal boat, we immediately notice that it is listing to one side. After a short trip out, we abandon the idea and turn back; the pedal boats are in far too poor a condition for 3 people. A short distance offshore, roughly level with the hotel’s landing stage, there is a small coral reef (mainly sponges; I have hardly seen any colourful coral during the entire holiday, nothing like the Red Sea!).

Day 9

After our unsuccessful pedal-boat excursion, we book a trip to Moyenne Island. When we arrive, we stand on the beach feeling a little unsure of what to do – we want to see the national park and the tortoises, but do not want to carry our snorkelling gear around with us. A very friendly local approaches us, asks whether he can help and says we should simply leave our things on the beach, as no one will take them here. So we spend 1.5 hours walking all the way around the island on a small path. Here, we experience what we probably missed by skipping Valleé de Mai: palms, mango trees and ferns – a typical island jungle with a narrow trail running through it. Every so often, there are views of small, secluded coves and granite rocks. We can easily imagine this island having been the inspiration for ‘Treasure Island’. We walk completely alone, occasionally encountering a tortoise along the way. When we return to the beach, our belongings are still there. We find a shady spot and go swimming/snorkelling. I swim a long way out and see hardly any fish. To finish, we visit the Jolly Rogers beach bar. They serve a very good Creole barbecue!

Back on Cerf, we get a gin and tonic from the bar and are driven up to the helipad to watch the sunset. In the evening, there is a Creole buffet (very good red snapper) with live music. Everyone is dressed in traditional clothing for the evening, and the usually rather uninviting dining room is finally beautifully decorated with flowers. We meet the restaurant manager and chat with him for quite a while. He tells us that they take great care to buy only fresh produce, but the problem is that they have to import almost everything. There are also very strict quarantine and environmental regulations. We arrange with him to have a seafood platter with lobster for lunch on our final day.

View of the surrounding islands of St. Anne Park from the helicopter landing pad Day 10

The previous day, the 2 men from the hotel boat offered to take us snorkelling. We booked it straight away and set off for St Anne Marine Park at 10 am. The coral there is the most beautiful we have seen so far, although unfortunately you can also see what El Niño has done. There are lots of colourful fish, and the zebrafish are incredibly trusting and circle around us – unbelievably sweet! I can even touch one.

Day 11

Departure day! We have booked a late check-out and can stay in our room until 5 pm. At 2 pm, our eagerly awaited seafood platter arrives! The table is decorated with flowers and the food is very good; the lobster in particular is sensational. The restaurant manager explains that it is a native species with long, pointed antennae instead of the usual claws. They really should promote the seafood more! Despite the hefty price, we would have ordered it more often, and the German couple at the next table also ask us where they can order it.

Conclusion on Cerf

Cerf Island Resort is a very beautiful, well-maintained property, the rooms are a dream, and the island itself is definitely worth visiting! The staff are friendly and helpful, although there are a few weaknesses when it comes to the service and food. On the one hand, you can tell that they lack the relevant training (which is understandable when they have 2 jobs!), but on the other hand, things improved noticeably when the restaurant manager was there. Perhaps we were simply a little unlucky because he was on holiday for a few days. A few decorative touches are often missing that would help complete and improve the overall impression. However, I can recommend staying there overall! When reading my criticism, please also bear in mind that, because of our work, we notice many things that other tourists might not even pick up on