Canopy by Hilton Seychelles

Well, that was a disappointment 😧

I rarely review mid-stay, but the service frustrated me enough that I wanted to note it while it's fresh — and to save other guests some hassle.

Bottom line: the setting, pool, and rooms are genuinely lovely, but the service undermines almost everything else, and it got worse the longer we stayed. As a Diamond member I was told at check-in to keep asking about an upgrade over the coming days. I did, repeatedly, and was always told nothing was available — yet the app showed plenty of rooms across several categories openly bookable for those exact nights. Being strung along like that, rather than getting an honest "no," set the tone for a stay where the service consistently fell short.

Arrival & Check-in: The One Smooth Part Welcoming, at least. We arrived early and the room was ready sooner than expected. Nice touches on arrival: an ice cream, a welcome basket with fruit, a coconut, and a bottle of wine, and a transfer lounge to change, shower, and repack. Tip: you can get the concierge contact's (Jemmy) WhatsApp number to sort communication, transfers, and trips in advance — handy for organising things before you arrive.

Rooms: Nice, but Small and Overpriced Attractive and well equipped, with a pool view and a small balcony, and a lovely "welcome" spelled out in flowers on the bed. But the room was far too small for around €350 a night — and with no upgrade forthcoming despite Diamond status, that stung. Tip: on the walk back to your room, look down — you'll often spot crabs or even baby rays. Another letdown: in-room dining is poor value, with a Caesar salad for almost €25 that isn't worth it.

Pool & Beach: The Best Reason to Come The strongest part of the property. Plenty of loungers, a larger and a smaller pool, plus a separate kids' pool. The beach alongside is beautiful and rarely crowded, and you can spot little fish and rays in the shallows. Tip: for a cheaper, better bite, there's good local food (burgers, wraps, pizza) a 6–7 minute walk away.

Kids' Club: A Genuine Highlight Honestly one of the best parts of the stay — which says a lot. It's a small but well air-conditioned room where children can play, with some organised activities; under-5s need a parent present. Telling that a kids' club stood out most when the service everywhere else disappointed.

Sega Pool Bar: Fine for a Drink, Avoid for Meals During the day it works if you order at the bar — nice cocktails, mocktails, juices, and fresh coconut, and Deepak is the strongest person behind it. But anything involving food or table service falls apart. At lunch a pizza took over an hour. Dinner was the worst meal of our entire three-week trip across Mauritius and the Seychelles: the wrap was worse than the cheap takeaway around the corner, the BBQ wings were poor and left unfinished, and the carrot salad was so sour I had to spit it out. I used a Diamond voucher and specifically asked for the cocktail shown on the menu in the special cup — it came in a normal glass. No high chair, and the second cushion promised for our child never arrived. No one asked how the food was.

Breakfast (Avocet): Mostly Average, Two People Excepted A buffet plus a limited à la carte egg menu. A few dishes are good but most are average, and service is inconsistent — long queues at peak times, no one asking about drinks, and a wait for the previous setting to be cleared. Two people save it: Vishal, the MVP from the kitchen, the one truly guest-focused person I met here, and Julia in service, warm and attentive. Tip: go early to beat the queues.

Service & Reception: The Core Problem Beyond the upgrade saga, service is slow and rarely proactive. I asked for a plaster for a bleeding finger — they didn't have one, it took a while for anyone to come, and even then they couldn't help. On the loyalty side, my rate already included breakfast, so in practice Diamond status gave me almost nothing beyond a set of vouchers — and those felt more like discount coupons to drive extra spend than genuine benefits: two cocktails (mediocre and not as requested), 30% off the spa (fine), a balcony breakfast (unused, as the restaurant selection is better), a tasting (no use travelling with a small child and no alcohol), and a laundry rebate. Steering guests toward the spa, laundry, and restaurant is not the same as looking after loyal customers, and that's a real shame.

Concierge & Activities: Decent, but Not Honest About Kids The concierge was helpful and full of useful advice. We booked an activity directly; the Amex terminal didn't work so we charged it to the room, which took a while. The organised tour itself was well structured and enjoyable, but far too long and exhausting for our three-year-old. We specifically asked beforehand whether it would be too much for a small child and were told no — while other tour agencies told us plainly it would be too much. If you're travelling with a toddler, get a second opinion before booking through the hotel.

Would I return? No. The longer we stayed, the more the service wore on me — the Sega Bar was the low point. The grounds, pool, and beach are beautiful, but they don't make up for service this inconsistent, or for loyalty benefits that barely exist in practice.

Best time my life and the front office didi an amazing job, i was well taken care of.