Tips for booking a stay at North Island Seychelles

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At the moment: Ideas for reserving a keep at North Island Seychelles

Often known as the holy grail of luxurious journey, North Island Seychelles is without doubt one of the world’s most unique getaways (together with the Soneva Resorts within the Maldives & Thailand, Time + Tide Miavana in Madagascar, The Brando in French Polynesia, and Laucala Island in Fiji). You’ll be able to learn my evaluate of North Island right here, or watch my YouTube video beneath.

Positioned 30 km (18 mi) from Mahé (the principle island within the Seychelles), North Island occupies its personal personal island. There are simply 11 ocean-view villas hidden amidst 201 hectares of beautiful pure magnificence, every with personal plunge pool and direct entry to the seaside. The granitic island can also be a sanctuary for endangered species: luminous seashores and clear blue seas welcome nesting sea turtles, and the palm forests are house to massive Aldabra tortoises and uncommon Seychelles white-eye birds. Actions on North Island Seychelles vary from snorkeling, diving, kayaking, paddle-boarding, fishing and sundown cruises to exploring tropical trails by foot, bicycle or personal buggy. The resort is magnet for the wealthy and well-known since Prince William and Kate spent their honeymoon on North Island in April 2011.

North Island Seychelles enjoys a stellar fame and it’s priced accordingly, making it simply one of the crucial costly accommodations on the planet. Charges begin at a hefty $6,000 USD per evening, excluding 21% in VAT and repair fees. You’ll be able to even go for costlier bundle charges that embody half or full board, drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) and water actions. On high of the nightly price, you’ll nonetheless must pay further for the transfers by helicopter (from Mahé), most spa remedies, and full-day excursions. Nonetheless, there are some methods to avoid wasting cash when you think about reserving a vacation at North Island Seychelles, and surprisingly, you’ll be able to even keep right here at no cost.

BOOK WITH MARRIOT BONVOY POINT

In 2019, administration of North Island Seychelles modified from Wilderness Safaris to Marriott’s ‘The Luxurious Assortment’ model. On the time, North Island’s Managing Director, Bruce Simpson, had the next to say about this deal: “We’re delighted to affix the unique assortment of properties below The Luxurious Assortment. North Island is the proper match for a model that stands for such unique luxurious, whereas recognizing the significance of sustainable improvement, and we sit up for constructing on the place of the island as one of many world’s most aspirational private-island locations.”

Sadly, I respectfully disagree since I don’t contemplate North Island to be an incredible match for The Luxurious Assortment, because it gives a scale of luxurious and exclusivity far above all different accommodations in Marriott’s portfolio. Additionally, The Luxurious Assortment model isn’t as luxurious nor unique because it pretends to be. Seeing North Island Seychelles develop into a member of Marriott makes me wonder if the resort will lose a part of its attract in the long run. I can solely hope that the island will sooner or later return to the portfolio of Wilderness Safaris (which was an ideal match) or select one other lodge group that higher matches its distinctive and unique character (e.g. Soneva, Oetker Assortment, Aman, or Rosewood).

The one benefit of Marriott’s takeover is that North Island now additionally participates in Marriott’s loyalty program, Marriott Bonvoy (which I reviewed right here). Marriott’s high accommodations are labeled as Marriott Bonvoy class 8 accommodations, which require 85,000 factors for a free evening, which is the place most The Luxurious Assortment properties sit. Nonetheless, North Island Seychelles is in a class in its personal: the nightly award price begins at 365,000 factors, and contains breakfast, complimentary use of an island buggy, morning yoga, youngsters actions and extra. Members can discover the award charges when looking on Marriott’s reserving channels after they click on “Use Factors.” Given the individuality of the property, North Island isn’t taking part in Money + Factors or Pointsavers, and also will not seem on the Marriott Bonvoy class chart like different properties which high out at 100,000 factors.

BOOK VIA VIRTUOSO

North Island Seychelles is a member of Virtuoso. Virtuoso isn’t your traditional lodge reserving engine web site. It’s the business’s main, invitation-only community of the world’s greatest luxurious journey advisors, spanning over 26 nations and 9,000 journey advisors. So if you e book a lodge by way of Virtuoso, more often than not, you may be in contact with a Virtuoso journey agent who will make the reserving for you. There are some Virtuoso journey companies although that supply a web-based reserving software, similar to Basic Journey, which has a superb web site and is my general most popular Virtuoso journey company for reserving luxurious accommodations. The only greatest cause to e book a lodge by a Virtuoso journey agent is that it means worth for cash as you’ll get entry to complimentary VIP perks, similar to room improve, versatile check-in and check-out occasions, day by day breakfast and a resort, spa, or meals credit score (or one thing else).

At North Island Seychelles, the Virtuoso price contains:

Improve on arrival, topic to availability
Complimentary breakfast day by day (already inclusive in charges)
Complimentary 60-minute therapeutic massage for as much as two folks, per villa, as soon as throughout keep
Bottle of champagne on arrival
Early test in and late try, topic to availability
Complimentary Wi-Fi

These perks and facilities are solely accessible if you e book your keep by a Virtuoso journey advisor. In different phrases: the Virtuoso charges are precisely the identical because the charges supplied on North Island’s official Marriott web site, however will get you some extras like a bottle of Champagne and a complimentary spa therapy for 2. Reserving by way of Virtuoso can even earn you Marriott Bonvoy factors, so reserving North Island Seychelles by way of Virtuoso is at all times preferable over the Marriott web site (in any other case, you’re leaving cash on the desk).

I at all times use Basic Journey, a Virtuoso company, for my very own travels and I’m very proud of their service. In order for you, I can at all times introduce you to one among Basic Journey’s journey brokers (simply despatched me an e-mail at information@theluxurytravelexpert.com).