North Island

Location

North Island Hotel is secluded within a private tropical island, where there is a rich and varied landscape of tropical forest, lush gardens, granite rock formations, and four dazzlingly white powder-sand beaches. Accessible only to hotel guests and staff, the island is peaceful and very private. What’s more, North Island is car-free, reinforcing its reputation as an eco-friendly destination. Protected by conservation efforts, the island is home to a fantastic kaleidoscope of flora, fauna and animal species, from tropical mango trees to the Seychelles’ famous giant tortoises.

North Island can be accessed by a 20-minute helicopter transfer from Mahé, or by boat trip from Silhouette Island. Each villa comes with its own buggy and bike, allowing you to explore the island at your own will.

Rooms

There are ten two-bedroom Presidential Villas sized at 450m², while the decadent and secluded North Island Villa is a generous 750m² and exclusively available to couples. Tastefully appointed in the hotel’s signature “barefoot luxury” style, each villa pairs comfort with indulgence, while the sophisticated yet relaxed décor blends seamlessly into the natural surroundings. On top of this, the open-plan design of each villa creates a wonderfully airy space perfectly acclimatised to the tropical setting.

Aside from an en-suite bathroom with an indoor and outdoor shower, a dressing room, lounge, and large outdoor decking area, each villa comes with a private plunge pool and an in-room cinema complete with surround-sound. Each villa is provided with a personal attendant equipped to organise activities based on your preferences.

Communal Areas

The East Beach piazza is made up of a number of rustic stone buildings, which house the resort’s boutique, library, and PADI dive centre. Alongside these facilities there is a communal lounge area, restaurant, bar, a gym, spa, and a 45m infinity pool with scenic ocean views. Each aspect of the hotel is subtly decorated in island style, using natural driftwood, coral, granite and the native takamaka trees as its main materials.

North Island’s restaurant is headed by South African chef Farrel Hirsch, who has years of experience working in Michelin-starred restaurants. His exceptional dishes are light, inventive and use high-quality ingredients. Individually-tailored menus can be arranged that cater to your culinary preferences. For after-dinner drinks, head to the Sunset Bar, where sundowner cocktails are made using the island’s own fruit. Guests should also be aware that North Island offers an array of atmospheric locations for private dining, whether that be on the beach, poolside, or in-room. For a supplementary fee, you can even delve into the hotel’s vintage wine cellars.

Activities

Tempting though it is to spend is to while away the hours on the beach or by the pool, there is

no shortage of activities for you to choose from at North Island. Built into the hotel’s inclusive rates are a good range of water-sports that includes kayaking, diving and snorkelling as well as surfing and stand-up paddle boarding. Half-day fishing trips are also complimentary. Each guest in the presidential villas has one complimentary 30-minute spa treatment, upgraded to 60 minutes for each guest in the larger honeymoon villa.

Guided hikes and eco-tours with the island conservationist are a great way to explore the island’s varied landscape while learning about the efforts being made to protect the natural environment. A sunset cruise is a spectacular way to bring the day to a close, as the imposing summits of Silhouette Island make for a dramatic backdrop against the region’s famous sunsets.