Banyan Tree
Banyan Tree, is set on a cliff high above the beach located at the north end of the remote Intendence Bay in the southwest of Mahe. Accessed by a small dead end road through a small village, the resort has a remote, peaceful feel and a wonderful beach more or less to itself.
There are 60 villas in several categories that each have their own advantages. The beach-front villas are at the bottom of the hill closer to water and the views from the hillside villas are fabulous. All the rooms are quite large and we really like the amount of outdoor private space at each villa including a private pool. There are huge swimming pools in the main area as well, along with a lovely spa and several excellent dining options including, international, Creole and Thai.The oriental feel to the décor while not unique, is tastefully done and the layout of the rooms adds to the peaceful, private feel of the property.
The food at Banyan is stellar. Their breakfast rivals the Cape Grace in Cape Town which is one of the best anywhere in Africa!
The biggest downside to the Banyan Tree is that it is less sheltered than somewhere like the Four Seasons. This means that while the beach is beautiful, the water can be quite rough and un-swimmable at times.
All in all we really like Banyan Tree. While the service and experience are not quite as tight as somewhere like Raffles or the Four Seasons, it is a beautiful property and good value for money.