Eden Bleu Hotel 

Let's address the elephant in the room: Eden Bleu is not on a beach. If you demand to step directly from your air-conditioned room onto a stretch of pristine sand, I suggest you invest in a pair of very expensive stilts or manage your expectations. However, if you're like me, a human who appreciates a good scenic distraction, you’ll be mesmerised. My 5-star rating is due to the view. It’s like a postcard: the dazzling marina full of impossibly sleek boats dramatically framed by the majestic Seychelles mountains. It’s the kind of view that makes you forget your life problems, until you check your credit card balance. The Location: Forget distance. It's a small island that we conquered in approximately 45 minutes, travelling from south to north. That’s not a road trip, that’s a very pleasant commute. We hired a car, as Eden Bleu is essentially half way up the island so nowhere is far. The hotel is also attached to a shopping mall. This is brilliant. Nothing cures post-sunburn existential dread like immediate access to a frozen yogurt shop and several excellent restaurants. The Service: The staff at Eden Bleu were amazingly good and friendly. The service was consistently 100% excellent, 100% of the time. The Room: We were housed on the top floor in a twin room. It’s a comfortable, stylish sanctuary perfect for collapsing into after a day of exploring. The Pool: It’s gorgeous. It’s fantastic. It's the kind of pool where you feel glamorous just by floating in it. Now, for the critique. And brace yourselves, because this is the very definition of a First World Problem: They need more loungers and, more importantly, more umbrellas during busy periods. One afternoon, we faced the devastating reality of no available shaded loungers. We were ‘forced’ to use the incredibly comfortable chairs on the pool terrace. We had a spectacular view, easy access to drinks, and excellent seating, but we had to suffer the sheer indignity of not being horizontally prone with a parasol. In summary: If you don't mind driving for 10 minutes to reach paradise, and can handle service so good, and a fabulous pool with a stunning view, the Eden Bleu is your spot.