Thanks everyone for the replies! Kagehitokiri, you're always great at coming up with alternatives. The other resorts look great, and certainly we intend to visit the Maldives sometime, but North Island really has our interest at the moment. As I wrote in the PM, we seem to be running out of beachy Amans to try, after our planned trip to Amanwana (combined with Amankila) this coming New Year's. Amanwella would be nice one day, but visiting Sri Lanka doesn't seem like a good idea at the moment. Amanyara would be nice too, but we're looking to combine that with a bigger trip once our daughter is a few years older. Hotel Bora Bora should be much improved after the extensive renovation, so there is time for that later. So North Island seems quite fantastic now, and we've never been to Seychelles to boot.
Ericka, yes, North Island has been in our sights for a while now as well. Like you, the lack of information does concern us. The reviews at TripAdvisor are almost uniformly excellent, though I would put a lot more weight into an opinion from someone on this board. With the rates as high as they are, it could either be a dream holiday or a very expensive mistake. Particularly, being used to the "Aman experience", I'm concerned about the service. From the photos, it seems I don't have to worry about the island itself or the accommodations, but service is the x-factor, so would definitely like to learn more from someone that's been there. I agree a visit to Seychelles combined with a safari in Africa would be ideal. Can you imagine spending a week at North Island with a week in a couple of Singita lodges? Wow, that would really be a dream holiday! ^
Pauldublin, thanks for the notice about the closing dates. Well yes, our anniversary is smack in the middle of that period.
So perhaps not for our anniversary in 2009, but a future one, or maybe just a "normal" holiday in between. If there will be a renovation to the existing villas as well, perhaps it would be advisable to go afterwards.