La Desirade

Guests describe the rooms as modern, well laid out, and spotless. Ioan Boca called the apartment beautifully designed and exceptionally comfortable, with a cosy bed and a spacious, modern bathroom. Maché De Jonge singled out the very big shower and a kitchen that was well equipped. Each unit opens onto a private terrace or veranda, which is where a good part of the day seems to happen.

The welcome comes up warmly. One guest wrote of a warm welcome from the lovely staff and being thrilled with a sea-view room. David Kalias described the owner, Anne Laure, as very friendly, and stayed five nights he called perfect, with parking and a clean apartment. Breakfast has its own small ritual here. Watching the sunrise over the water while eating, as David put it, is something else.

Au Cap is a calm residential stretch, close to the swimming beach at Anse Royale further south. The one honest note guests raise is the road, which runs behind the buildings. Joachim mentioned it directly and said it was not disturbing, and no one else treated it as a problem. It reflects a clean, modern, oceanfront place where the view does most of the work.

Au Cap sits on the south-east coast of Mahé, a quiet residential part of the island away from the busier north. The property has its own beach frontage, with a private stretch of sand right outside the door. For a proper swimming beach, Anse Royale lies a short drive south along the coast road. Victoria, the capital, is roughly twenty to thirty minutes north by car. The airport near Point La Rue is close, only a few minutes up the coast, so arrival is easy. Buses run along the main coast road, and a car helps for exploring further afield.