Fregate Island by Catherine Fairweather

The Seychelles, which was once the favoured holiday destination of hairdressers and honeymooners on all inclusive packages, is going posh. Islands that were privately owned or uninhabited are being developed as exquisite hideaways for holiday makers with fat wallets and a longing for the ultimate tropical island escape.

Fregate island is certainly secluded and exclusive. The owner spent £30 million converting this private 3 sq km island nature reserve into a resort with marina, airstrip and 16 secluded thatched villas of palatial proportions. These are furnished with silks from Thailand, marble from Italy, teak decking from Africa with Balinese antique four posters and Indian cotton and linen drapery to complete the sense of subtle luxury and comfort. There are outdoor day beds next to the sunken jacuzzis on the vast terraces that separate the sleeping from the living quarters and you have a choice of four different areas, both outdoor and within, to shower or bathe in. With 24 hour room service, enthralling wrap-around views of the jungly coastline and a video and CD machines to play with, one might never leave one’s hut. Many of the reclusive film-stars, models and honeymooners who are helicoptered here don’t.

Which means you will find the nine white sandy beaches, edged with pink granite boulders and coco palms , invariably empty. There are hammocks strung up between the trees and you can order a picnic in advance from the kitchen. Most guests tend to congregate around the swimming pool hewn out of the cliff face or on the shallow waters of the main beach which is safe for children too.

Aside from honeymooners children are well catered for on Fregate. There is a Kid’s Club and under-12 year olds stay free, the sofas in the living rooms easily converting into children’s beds. There are also two villas on the beach which are specially tailored to families. Children seem to thrill at the sight of the islands giant tortoises (the size of VW’s) who amble freely around the inland pathways and marshes. At certain times of the year turtles also descend on the beaches to lay their eggs. And if you care to trek up to Signal Rock with the resident ornithologist he will point out magpie robins (extinct everywhere else in the world), fairy terns and the rarest giant beetles.

The main restaurant is a bit of a disappointment, chilly atmosphere and air conditioning with stiff uniformed and contrived dishes which are seem out of place in this island idyll. Much better to stick to the sushi, the Creole buffets and barbecue alfresco on the terrace of the charming Plantation House (which is also part of the resort).