By Mark Hodson, 101 Holidays editor

One of the best ways to bag a great deal at a luxury hotel is to stay in the first couple of months of opening. Admittedly, there may still be a faint whiff of paint, but the savings available more than offset any minor inconvenience.

Take, for example, the new Constance Ephelia Resort in the Seychelles. It will open next month, set on two gorgeous beaches (pictured above) on the northwest coast of the main island, Mahé.

This luxury hotel, set in tropical gardens and overlooking the Port Launay Marine National Park, will offer a range of superb accommodation including beachfront suites and family villas and four swimming pools.

If two people book a week in a junior suite in February or March the first person will pay £2,110, including return flights from Heathrow, private transfers, dinner, breakfast and use of a gym, tennis court, squash court and non-motorised watersports.

But here’s the really good bit. The second person pays just £370, saving a total of £1,700.

The reason this is such good value is that this is a “soft opening”. The junior suites, South Beach restaurants and spa will open from February 1, while the villas, senior suites and North Beach restaurants will open on March 1.

This deal can be booked with Rainbow Tours by February 28, 2010, for travel in February or March.