Cote D'Or Lodge

The rooms are cosy, clean bungalows dotted through the gardens, many just a short stroll from the beach, and guests write of arriving to a free upgrade and a sea view over that famously light-blue water. The buffet dinner draws real praise and good value, and the location could hardly be better, right on the beach, walking distance to the little town and the jetty for boat trips, with a bus stop out front for exploring Praslin.

Guests name the director and the team by name and describe constant smiles, kindness and staff who are always there when something is needed. It is that impeccable, personal service, on one of Praslin's best beaches, that turns a good stay into a memorable one.

Côte d'Or, or Anse Volbert, is the liveliest beach on Praslin, a long, sheltered bay of pale sand with calm, clear water that is safe for swimming, and the launch point for many of the island's boat trips. Shops, dive centres and restaurants line the bay, and Anse Lazio and the Vallée de Mai are both a short drive away. Praslin is reached by a quick flight or the fast ferry from Mahé. For a warm, beachfront hotel in a superb spot on Côte d'Or, Côte d'Or Lodge is one we are glad to recommend.

Côte d'Or, also known as Anse Volbert, is the main beach on the north coast of Praslin and the island's most sociable stretch, a long, gently curving bay of pale sand with calm, clear, swimmable water. Behind the sand runs a friendly little strip of shops, dive centres, cafés and restaurants, and a small island sits just offshore for an easy snorkel. This is the hub for Praslin's boat trips, out to Curieuse, Saint Pierre, La Digue and beyond, and the island bus stops along the bay. Anse Lazio, one of the most admired beaches in the world, is a short drive north, and the Vallée de Mai, the UNESCO palm forest of the coco de mer, is inland. Praslin is reached by a quick flight or the fast ferry from Mahé, and a hire car or the bus makes getting around easy.