Villa Chez Batista Mahe

The mango salad was good, and the shark my husband ordered was okay. The rest of our meal at the beach restaurant was a letdown, especially for the highest price we paid for food on the island. My grilled octopus was mushy and wet, almost like it came from a can. It came with a large serving of rice and sauces I didn’t want, and apparently substitutions weren’t allowed, so I ordered fries too. They were nearly orange from the used oil. The calamari came as big strands of meat instead of rings, and the piña colada tasted very strange. A disappointing meal on our last day.

The balcony in our Senior Suite was a lovely spot for sunbathing or a massage, and the room also had a bathtub, walk-in shower, and fridge. Breakfast was rich and tasty, and the restaurant staff were friendly, Marie-Anne maybe. This quiet private hotel sits on Mahé’s west coast, with a great view over Takamaka Bay and Beach, a waterfront pool, turtle rescue, and beautiful nature around it. Getting there from the airport takes a while, and the road to the resort isn’t fortified, but once there it’s a warm, peaceful place to unwind and enjoy the views.

The beach is amazing and the location is great, but the people were so unfriendly. I’ve traveled all over the world and have never experienced that level of rudeness. There was no basic hospitality, help, or kindness. It felt wrong to encounter that in such a beautiful island setting and magical place as Anse Tamaka.

The hotel works well if you’re happy spending your vacation on the property and enjoying the beach beside it. Staff are very friendly and greet you with a smile, and the food is great. They even give you a basket of garlic bread with garlic sauce for free, and it tastes excellent. The garden-view rooms are basic, old-style, with dim lighting; being close to the garden also means you might spot a few tiny spiders. The property is far south, a long way from the airport and Victoria. The island and city quiet down around sunset, and the reception closes too. With no intercom in the room and no one at reception, it can be hard to reach anyone.