Hilton Labriz

Twenty kilometres away from Mahe sits the Seychelles’ most undeveloped inhabited island, Silhouette. It is the 3rd largest Seychelles island. Home to hundreds of endemic birds, reptiles and plants and of course the Hilton Seychelles Labriz Resort and Spa. The 40-minute boat ride was a of a tummy rocker with the waves but as we arrived, we were warmly welcomed by the staff. It seemed that at least 20 staff as well as mangers were standing and waving for our arrival with welcome signs and two dancers. Once off the boat we were escorted to Gran Kaz, the Creole restaurant. At Gran Kaz we received a complimentary welcome drink of champagne. We were then taken by golf buggy for a tour of the resort then to our beachfront villa. The villa was amazing with a lovely sun deck and an unobstructed view overlooking the sea. The beach is literally footsteps from the villa and even though you have villas lined up on either end of you, it feels very private somehow. We loved using our beach front area to enjoy the sunrise with a cup of coffee or just chill in our private hammock. You can lay in bed and watch the ocean, no need for TV in this stellar location. The bathroom was spectacular with a huge bath that is parallel to a floor to ceiling window. There is even an outdoor shower with hot water. There are cleaning staff that came by two times a day, however we just opted for once a day.

The lunch was only free for our children, so we fed them upon our arrival but were pretty disappointed with the options. Due to food sensitives we do not feed our kids chicken nuggets and fish fingers, so we requested they just do plain grilled fish and veg which they did do for us. We’re grateful they could accommodate our kids but also feel that there should be an option that is simple nourishing foods for children. The next day our kids had the same thing as there was no other options, so for anyone travelling long term, I would think this would be challenging if you wanted to add variety to your child’s diet. With no shops on the island it is a bit frustrating for long time stays!

After lunch we were able to use the stunning pool which is huge, and overlooks the sea. There is a shallow area for kids and it is just as beautiful as the main pool so you’re not missing out by hanging in the kids area.

The first night we ate at Gran Kaz which we absolutely loved. The actual restaurant is the restored home of the Dauban family from the 1800s. They have turned it into a museum and restaurant so you can read about the history which is very interesting. The restaurant has a modern take on Creole favourites and we loved the palm heart salad, fish salad, and octopus curry the best. Would highly recommend eating at Gran Kaz for delicious and authentic dining.

The next day the breakfast at the restaurant was very disappointing to say we had such a beautiful meal the night before. The staff seemed busy, although they were very kind and eager to please. The food was really mediocre, eggs, packaged bread, packaged juice, etc.

The Hilton property dominates the island, as it’s pretty much the only man made place on Silhouette Island besides a few houses which are all at the jetty area, and a guesthouse for Seychellois Nationals. Silhouette is mostly a National Park which covers 93% of the island. There are several hikes on the island, and one of the best in the Seychelles is Grande Barbe. We would have loved to have done Grande Barbe but this hike is at least 8 hours total, therefore it was a no go with our two small children. You can however see the lagoon (from the boat) by taking the Hilton Sunset cruise. There are a few other hikes that are not so lengthy, such as Anse Mondon, and Mont Dauban (done with a guide).

I was fortunate to try a massage with my eldest daughter as a Mother’s Day special which we had booked previous to Covid and were able to use thereafter. The spa feels very organic as it is built uphill, nestled between volcanic granite. The view from the spa rooms are facing the tropical jungle which was very refreshing. The staff at the spa were so friendly and kind, we really enjoyed our time there. We liked this area of the Hilton so much so that we came back to book some time just at the spa pool to take in the lovely views and chill nature vibes.

Our second night for dinner we ate at Portobello. The food was really basic and not as creative and interesting as Gran Kaz. The salad was very basic, and my chicken with vegetables was exactly as stated. The atmosphere in the restaurant itself felt really stuffy, we were so relieved to sit outside and overlook the pond area. The outside is actually very nice and romantic, especially if there are not a lot of people as the lit-up bridge is very elegant at night.

The staff for the kids club were super kind to our kids and our children loved doing the t-shirt painting. We loved that when we left they gave our children each a stuffed animal for doing the Hilton treasure hunt, it was a nice touch.

We really enjoyed the fresh water that is bottled on site in glass bottles with fill up stations dotted all over the premises. This was a really eco-friendly initiative and we were relieved to not be buying water in plastic. The Hilton promotes their organic farm but at this point I wouldn’t say it is booming, though I am sure at some point there will be more veggies growing.

All in all, a lovely place for a few days of rest and relaxation.