Follow us on:

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn YouTube

Archive - Archive 2004 - July 2013

Berjaya Praslin Resort honours ‘loyal’ client on her 26th visit and 60th birthday |03 December 2011

Berjaya Praslin Resort honours ‘loyal’ client on her 26th visit and 60th birthday

Enjoying dinner in the company of the hotel’s management staff

Seychelles Nation photographer, Joena Bonnelame, and I took a taxi to our destination: Berjaya Praslin Resort, Côte D’Or, where we were to cover a magnificent dinner held for a very special and endearing guest, Evelyn Eppert.

“Whenever Mrs Eppert visits Seychelles, she decides to stay at the Berjaya Praslin Resort,” said Churchill Gill, the hotel’s general manager, who added that this time round marked Mrs Eppert’s 26th visit to the hotel!

“She is a very loyal client and even asks to stay in the same room – room number 408 – each time she visits,” he said smiling.

Mr Gill said he would love to make it known that Seychelles, especially Praslin, still has tourists who are in strong solidarity with our islands “and Mrs Eppert has been such a great example in that respect.”

The dinner itself coincided with a Creole activity which the hotel was hosting which included a group of traditional dancers, Kato Nwanr, who kept the guests entertained with sega, moutya, kanmtole and mardilo dancing among other forms for the night.

“We thought it was the best way to make Mrs Eppert and all our other guests feel the authenticity of the Creole culture and incidentally, dinner coincides with Mrs Eppert’s 60th birthday,” said Mr Gill, looking positively delighted.

“I’m glad that she appreciates Seychelles so much that she has come back here to celebrate it.”

Mrs Eppert, who comes from North Germany, has come to Seychelles this time with two friends – also German – who’s last trip here was 14 years ago.

In an interview by Seychelles Nation in 2005 on her 15th trip to Seychelles, Mrs Eppert said A delighted Mrs Eppert cutting her birthday cakeshe first came here in 1991.

"It was my birthday and I was thinking of what to do for the special day and since I knew a little bit about Seychelles, I said, 'why not come here.' And even my colleagues encouraged me to come.”

Even if she knew where Seychelles was located, Mrs Eppert pointed out that at that time she did not know much about the islands and this encouraged her to come and see for herself and apart from Praslin in general, Mrs Eppert said she enjoys the quietness of Anse Lazio beach and has been to Silhouette and Bird, among other islands.

Mrs Eppert said this time round nothing has changed and that she loves Seychelles just as much as the first day she came here.

“I have so many friends here now so it’s definitely a reason to come back again and again,” she said, adding that she is in complete shock about the surprise dinner.

“I was not expecting such attention and I am overjoyed to see all these warm-hearted people tonight,” she said beaming.

“I work for a travel agency and all my clients – when I say I am going on holiday – tell me, ‘Oh, so you’re going back home then?’”

On the subject of room 408, Mrs Eppert said she enjoys the view from there.
“There is a big tree just outside which I enjoy looking at – I hope Mr Gill never cuts it down – plus it’s 408 – it’s mine and it’s like coming home.”

Mrs Eppert, along with other guests at the hotel enjoyed a delicious seafood menu of mussels in creamy ginger sauce and crab coconut curry among other famous local dishes followed by mouth-watering locally made trifle, ice cream cake – flambéed mind you – and an abundance of fresh fruit after which Mrs Eppert cut her beautiful pink and white birthday cake and everybody joined in for a toast to the wonderful night ahead.

When dinner was over, the Kato Nwanr crew branched out among the guests pulling whoever they could onto the dance floor for a memorable night of traditional dancing followed by the popular à la queue leu leu – enjoyed at Seychellois parties – till late into the night.

The night was a great success, especially for the Berjaya Praslin Resort management team who “always do our best to make our guests feel that their presence is valuable.”

‘Kudos to that,’ I thought later that night as I snuggled under the plush white duvet of the hotel room and sunk into a comfortable sleep. 

By Rebecca Chang-Tave

» Back to Archive