Japanese facial massage, guided hypnosis and traditional Chinese acupuncture are joining the wellness offering at Waldorf Astoria Seychelles Platte Island this winter. The setting is a private island 130km south of Mahé, with 50 pool villas and a spa whose curved architecture takes inspiration from the Seychelles’ distinctive coco de mer.
The resort has announced residencies by Vietnamese wellness practitioner Nguyen Lan Huong, known as Lan, and Danish chiropractor Dr Lars Nielsen from 20 December 2026 to 10 January 2027. Their visits coincide with the festive holiday period and complement recently expanded spa menus, plus three-, five- and seven-day wellness programmes informed by physiological screening.
For travellers considering a spa-focused Seychelles holiday, the dates bring two specialist treatment menus into a stay that can also include yoga, island wildlife walks and time by a private pool.
A personalised approach to the spa stay
The resort’s wellness screening analyses more than 30 physiological biomarkers to inform its personalised programmes. Hilton describes the established offering as combining Ayurvedic practices with contemporary wellness approaches.
The expanded treatment menus include 111SKIN facials, VOYA marine therapies and traditional hammam rituals. Guests can also book individual massages and facials independently of a multi-day programme, according to Hilton, leaving room for a lighter spa schedule within a broader island holiday.
The resort’s spa facilities include treatment rooms, a beauty salon, a hammam, a spa suite and outdoor relaxation spaces. Sauna, steam and hydrotherapy facilities form part of the established offering, alongside guided meditation, mindfulness and breathwork.
Hilton says the spa’s design abstracts the double-coconut shape of the coco de mer into curved forms. Its treatment approach also draws on ingredients including organic seaweed, locally sourced coconut and native plants, connecting the wider wellness offering to the island setting.
Lan’s hypnosis, facial rituals and assisted stretching
Lan’s visiting menu includes Past Life Rewind, a guided hypnosis experience that the resort describes as inviting deep relaxation and exploration of memories, emotions and experiences within the subconscious mind. It is the most unusual element of the winter announcement, and guests interested in the session can discuss its approach with the practitioner before booking.
Her facial treatment combines traditional Japanese Kobido massage with Vietnamese facial reflexology. The pairing brings two distinct practices into one session, giving guests an alternative to the resort’s established branded facial menus.
Thai yoga massage with assisted stretching completes the announced selection. Lan’s menu therefore spans guided hypnosis, facial work and a hands-on body treatment. When arranging a stay, ask about the format of each session and how appointments can fit around a longer wellness programme.
Chiropractic care and acupuncture with Dr Lars Nielsen
Dr Lars Nielsen joins the resort for the same winter residency window. The resort describes the Danish chiropractor as having more than 15 years’ experience and says his approach combines chiropractic care with traditional Chinese acupuncture.
Nielsen’s announced offering is distinct from Lan’s hypnosis, facial and Thai yoga massage sessions, giving guests another specialist to consult during the holiday period. Enquiries should cover appointment availability and the proposed treatment approach, particularly for anyone hoping to make a visiting-practitioner session a central part of the trip.
Pool villas with an island connection
All 50 villas have a garden, terrace, private pool and beach access, with accommodation options extending to five bedrooms. That range makes the resort relevant to couples planning a wellness escape as well as families or friends travelling together, who may want quite different schedules during the same stay.
The villas’ faceted roofs and pitched ceilings take their inspiration from hawksbill turtle shells. Hilton says the buildings were set back from the shoreline to leave space for sea turtles to nest, while coconut palms influenced the interiors. Those details give the architecture a specific relationship to Platte Island’s wildlife and vegetation.
The private pool and terrace provide space to spend time between appointments, while beach access keeps the shoreline part of the stay. Beach picnics, in-villa barbecues, floating breakfasts and in-villa cinema nights are also among the resort’s private experiences.
Sunrise walks, yoga and time on the water
Platte Island has a 3.5km shoreline and wildlife that includes hawksbill and green turtles, alongside giant Aldabra tortoises. The Discovery Centre, sunrise wildlife walks and tortoise-feeding experiences offer organised ways to explore the island beyond the spa.
Yoga and Pilates are part of the fitness offering. Tennis and padel coaching, provided in partnership with Lux Tennis, includes introductory group sessions and private classes, giving guests options for more active time during a longer stay.
Snorkelling excursions, diving courses, fishing expeditions and catamaran experiences take the itinerary onto the water. The resort says the excursions are guided by seasoned skippers and instructors certified by PADI. For guests booking several days of wellness appointments, it is worth coordinating the treatment schedule with any excursions they want to include.
Garden produce and private dining
The resort has six food-and-drink venues, with Moulin operating as a cookery school by day and a restaurant in the evening. Its food draws on produce grown in the island garden.
Moulin was also the venue announced for the resort’s inaugural Culinary Collection, an October visiting-chef programme featuring special-menu dinners, fishing and a masterclass. The winter wellness residencies continue that approach of adding date-specific specialist experiences to the resort’s permanent offering.
Private dining options include beach picnics and in-villa barbecues, useful choices for guests who want to keep some meals close to their accommodation.
Flights, festive exclusions and booking
Access to Platte Island is exclusively by plane, with a 25-minute flight from Seychelles International Airport to the island’s private landing strip. The resort offers return flights between Mahé and Platte Island, and private charters are available on request.
Before departure, an airport concierge escorts guests to the Waldorf Astoria Lounge, which sits over the domestic terminal’s check-in area. The lounge offers complimentary drinks, Wi-Fi and showers, with published opening hours of 7am to 3pm daily.
A complimentary return-flight offer covers qualifying new paid stays and Hilton Honors bookings of at least five consecutive nights, booked by 31 January 2027. The important festive restriction is that stays between 27 December 2026 and 9 January 2027 are excluded, overlapping much of the wellness residency. Guests travelling during that period should budget for transfers separately and request a complete quote.
For villa reservations, practitioner availability and programme enquiries, contact SEZPI.Reservations@waldorfastoria.com or +248 4 229 000. Ask the resort to confirm treatment charges, screening arrangements and flights alongside the accommodation booking.
