Perhaps one of the disappointing aspects for us about the Seychelles versus a destination like Zanzibar for instance, is that so many of the hotels here seem to lack any authentic local style or character – instead they are either quite bland and anonymous, or in the case of some of the more recent upmarket developments they have a transplanted Bali-style architecture and décor style.

The L’Archipel though is a lovely exception to this general rule – instead this charming and intimate property, built along a lovely stretch of golden sand on Praslin’s north shore, oozes Creole colonial style and atmosphere. The position of the hotel is also glorious with the 30 rooms lying scattered on a tree-filled hillside that forms a natural amphitheatre above the secluded and palm tree lined Anse Gouvernement beach. The L’Archipel lies at the far end of a short road leading off the northern end of the much busier Cote D’Or beach, so there’s no passing traffic to disturb the peace and tranquility and the beach is to all intents and purposes private due to the lack of public access.

Unlike most of the other Seychelles hotels where the rooms are found grouped in conventional blocks, the 32 rooms at the L’Archipel by contrast are primarily found as pairs of semi-detached cottages – some of them on the flat garden area close to the beach, with others perched on the hillside overlooking the turquoise waters of the bay below. Then there is the lovely plantation house also on the hillside looking down over the swimming pool which contains a number of suites.

The 32 rooms at L’Archipel are divided into 4 different room types – 4 Superior Rooms which are located on the ground floor of the colonial plantation house, 16 Deluxe rooms which are scattered on the hillside and gardens, 10 slightly larger Senior Suites and 2 Family Suites. As you step up the ladder so the rooms become progressively larger, but they all boast similar features and décor – the dark wood that featured prominently when we first started selling L'Archipel is now a thing of the past, replaced by lighter, brighter and more contemporary décor and colour schemes and whilst they perhaps still lack the very contemporary style of newer rivals, they do definitely have a more authentic local character. Funnily enough we really enjoyed the most common room type – the Deluxe Rooms – which had plenty of space including private verandas boasting great sea views. One thing to take note of is that (depending on exactly where your room is positioned) you could end up having to tackle quite a lot of steps, so the hotel is possibly not suited to those of limited mobility.

Moving on to the main restaurant and bar area, the feel again is very much of an authentic colonial style building - somewhat unusually, the swimming pool is located on a terrace adjacent to the bar located in the main building, rather than down close to the beach. Talking of the restaurant, the food at the L’Archipel is outstanding and definitely one of the highlights of the hotel and is probably of a higher standard than its competitors in our estimation. Service is also very attentive and professional and the ambience at night, when you dine in the upstairs La Feuille d'Or restaurant, is perhaps a little more formal than other hotels like La Reserve for instance.

Breakfast and lunch on the other hand, are served downstairs in the open-air La Gigolette restaurant with tables dotted on the deck amongst the palm trees just above the beach and are much more relaxed and casual affairs. There’s also a cocktail bar (men to wear longs only after 7 PM) located between the swimming pool and the restaurant or during the day you can order something refreshing from the beach bar.

If you’re looking for plenty of action and excitement than the L’Archipel is definitely not the place for you. Sure there’s entertainment a couple of times a week but the whole ambience here is rather one of classy, sophisticated seclusion and perfect for couples in particular - this is the perfect romantic getaway if you’re looking to simply relax in peace and quiet amidst beautiful surroundings!