Had a lovely stay here. Great view from room. Just felt it is looking a bit tired and run down. The plastic on the roof did not look good. Clean and tidy and staff really nice and helpful.
Breakfast good and lovely views from restaurant. The meal we had of evening was not so good. Food from bar was nice though.
Bit out of the way and did feel you could not walk into Beau Vallon.
Do try the buses they are an experience and only 5 SR.

Stayed here on short notice-- decent place.

Highlight is a beautiful lobby and restaurant. Pretty beach and pool.

The room felt clean. However, the bedding was a bit cheap and there were a few tiny ants around the flowers in the room, and there was almost no water pressure.

Internet is expensive-- you can buy a SIM from C&W at the airport to get data on your phone more cheaply. The wap setting is "internet" and use #155# to change data plans.

Cabs can be hard to find-- mine from the airport was 400 rupee. Later I found a better driver: Jimmy 271-5525. He's a professional guide for Mahe and a great guy.

We went in the Seychelles for a week for our friends wedding. As they stayed at another hotel, we joined them there but we wanted to come here at least for drinks just to see this place again. Well, the place looks lovely. Everything was clean, the staff in the bar were friendly and helpful. We watched so many beautiful fishes from the bar. The cost of the drinks is very reasonable.
We visited this hotel twice during our week stay in the Seychelles and in the hindsight we wished we stayed here and only visited our friends in the other hotel. Sunset Beach is a paradise place, well kept and small, intimate. If we ever come to Seychelles again, we would definitely stay here.

Sunset Beach, Seychelles

2 stars out of 5 (but not all bad)

There is nothing wrong with this hotel. Not the most intriguing start to a 2 star review, but please bear me out. The hotel/resort (spot the confusion already) has all the makings of a great holiday centre but it just misses the point of what it is trying to be. "What it is" is obscure: not full-service enough to be 5 star; not distinctive enough to be a boutique and too expensive to be just run of the mill.

The setting is wonderful. A beautiful bay on the North-West coast of the Seychelles. The development is exquisite. A collection of rooms and suites snuggled around the bay, yet each with a feel of privacy and seclusion. Yet, that certain something is missing. It just isn't quite right.

At sunset on the third night, we retired to the bar for a sundowner. At Sunset Bay, this should be sans pareil... Drinks came, but the specials cocktail menu was a sticky laminate promising the same over-sweet rum punch "special" as the last two sunsets. Poor, but at least we could have some bar snacks? "Sorry no, the kitchen is closed", came the reply. Pleading revealed 2 options. Walk to the convenience store on the hill or share the dinner snack of the bar tender. We walked. But at least we gained an insight into the wonderful generosity of the people of the Seychelles. The barmaid doesn't want to see me go hungry, so offers her meal to fill the gap. I love the barmaid. I'm not so sure about the management...

Morning calls. Our safe is jammed. It has been for 2 days (and we have kept telling them). My companion has to work and her laptop is in said safe. Things are not going well. It's Sunday, and "having to work is no emergency" are not the most comforting of words, especially as we've had the problem since Friday. Much debate ensues and eventually a safe cracker is called to open the safe. The deed is done, but the staff somehow make us feel like we are at fault for causing the fuss in the first place.

The next day, we are offered an upgrade to a suite. We decide to accept. It's only after we move in that we discover the suite has no hot water. It has the taps, just not the connection. However, it is very nice, so we soldier on. Mistake! In the evening, the whole water system fails and we are reduced to third world levels. No showering, no brushing and no flushing! Not nice.

For 24 hours, we complain at the front desk and shower in public by the pool. Eventually we get taken seriously, and another room appears. But we don't want to move again. We're only here for one more night... A third room is not what we want! We just want to shower and go home...

As for facilities. No gym, no spa, nothing on the beach and internet access only through a shared (and extortionate) cable at reception. Breakfast barely adequate if you get up on time and other meals good but only at times set by the hotel. No 24/7 or room service here.

Our local friends tell us that the hotel is simply punching (i.e., pricing) above it's weight. That may be true. For £80 a night, this might be a good hotel. At £240 it certainly is not.

The fundamentals are right. Let's hope the owners and management can grow to match the setting with which they have been blessed.