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North Island in Seychelles?

North Island in Seychelles?

Old Aug 7, 2008, 11:55 am
  #1  
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North Island in Seychelles?

Next year for our wedding anniversary, the wife and I are considering visiting the Seychelles. From what I understand, the two most discussed resorts there are Fregate and North Island. Fregate, however, seems to receive quite a few complaints on the web, while North Island seems to be universally loved. Therefore, we are looking mostly at North Island.

Strangely, I haven't notice much discussion about these resorts and particularly North Island on this forum. I've done a search and not much comes up. Therefore, has anyone here stayed at North Island and can you share your experiences?

Particularly, I'm interested in how it compares to the Aman experience, considering we spent our anniversary this year at Amanpulo, and loved it. I've looked at the North Island website, and the island is truly stunning, while the accommodations look superior to the casitas at Amanpulo.

However, how does the service compare? Do you get that very attentive service where it seems the attendants seem to already know what you need before you ask, or is it more a laid-back style, where you are mostly left alone in privacy?

Also, how are the activities and spa on the island, as well as the food? We are considering staying for about a week - does that seem long or will the time fly past?

Any of your suggestions or experiences will be appreciated. The rates at North Island are quite high, so therefore we'd like as much information as we can to help us decide if it might be right for us.
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Old Aug 7, 2008, 12:57 pm
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IIRC there was a mediocre trip report, ill try to find it.. initial search is unsuccessful. unfortunately the only thing is sticking out in my memory is one of the following >
- poster did not want to be woken up early for a dive, and they were
- poster did want to be woken up early, and was not
(pretty sure it was on this forum, maybe not, maybe im misremembering.)

potentially relevant >
http://flyertalk.com/forum/showpost....8&postcount=26

for USD-earners, north island is now over $5K/nt.
(most expensive hotel, beating mansion in vegas)

fregate will soon be over $4K/nt
(no other hotels besides these 3 start over $4K/nt)

why not maldives? for example the 2BR overwater at FSLG. starts around $2.5K IIRC. xracer posted great report/pics.

~$5K can do pretty well in most other resort areas, including FS bora bora for example.

Last edited by Kagehitokiri; Aug 7, 2008 at 3:59 pm
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Old Aug 7, 2008, 2:49 pm
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Originally Posted by Amanjunkie
Next year for our wedding anniversary, the wife and I are considering visiting the Seychelles. From what I understand, the two most discussed resorts there are Fregate and North Island.
I've been drooling over North Island for a few years now. The accomodations would definitely put Amanpulo to shame. Every article I've read about it has been positive but the few individual traveler write-ups I've come across have been mixed. For that kind of money, it makes me nervous.

Definitely also consider the new Four Seasons Seychelles while doing your research.

And if you go, be sure to report back for us. I don't believe anyone on this forum has been there yet. I've personally always wanted to combine a week safari with a week Seychelles.
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Old Aug 7, 2008, 3:19 pm
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I will join Erica and admit to drooling over North Island. The villas look great.
Amanjunkie North Island is closed from 1st may to 31st october '09. They are building a couple of new villas. I was considering it for 2009 but not sure about dates.
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Old Aug 7, 2008, 3:45 pm
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Originally Posted by BA Loyal
North Island, Seychelles.

No doubt - the best in the world.
Originally Posted by BA Loyal
North Island is the most wonderful place on earth, I adored Amanpulo but North was on another level in every way.
GO GO GO - it is paradise!
BTW, 2 other potential comparables to north island, both exclusive-use all-inclusive private islands >
- wadigi island, fiji - from ~$2K
- rania experience, maldives - from ~$10K

necker island runs $3.9K/nt (7 nt booking) for a villa during celebration week(s) in 2009.

re seychelles in general, IIRC from one of the last threads here, a poster was saying banyan tree and maia (on mahe) regularly discount through seychelles travel/tour companies.

Last edited by Kagehitokiri; Aug 26, 2008 at 11:02 pm
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Old Aug 7, 2008, 11:26 pm
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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.
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Old Aug 7, 2008, 11:35 pm
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worst case, can anyone comment on how wilderness safaris has been in terms of giving refund/credit/etc for return stays at same/other properties, after major service failures?

looks like they close may 4 2009. going from 11 to 14 villas. (on ~500 acres) sounds like the new villas might be larger. rates from $5450/nt after reopening.

http://www.north-island.com/rates.html
IMPORTANT NOTICE: North Island will be closed from 04 May 2009 to 31 October 2009 (both days included) for a planned expansion and upliftment process which includes enhancements to the existing villas as well as the building of three additional private villas on the island. North Island will be closed to guests during the building period and rates for the three new villas will be published in due course.

Last edited by Kagehitokiri; Aug 7, 2008 at 11:47 pm
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Old Aug 7, 2008, 11:48 pm
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I feel so fortunate to have traveled to the Seychelles in the mid-90's, when it was a relatively unknown destination. We started our journey in Kenya on a Safari and cruised on the Sea Goddess (now Sea Dream) through the Comoros Islands, Madascar, and ultimately sailed the beautiful islands of the Seychelles. There were no elegant hotels there. We just dropped anchor and swam and walked and snorkled on many islands. Each island was more beautiful and serene than the other. Having said that, I don't know that I would want to be confined to one island. Praslin was so gorgeous and uninhabited. So were others. if I decided to return to the Seychelles, I think I would seriously consider a very small cruise ship as a base.
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Old Aug 8, 2008, 6:52 am
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Originally Posted by obscure2k
We started our journey in Kenya on a Safari and cruised on the Sea Goddess (now Sea Dream) through the Comoros Islands, Madascar, and ultimately sailed the beautiful islands of the Seychelles. There were no elegant hotels there. We just dropped anchor and swam and walked and snorkled on many islands. Each island was more beautiful and serene than the other.
OK...drooling again. <Insert "smiley" wiping chin here.>

About Wilderness Safaris, we've stayed at some of their 6-paw (Jao, King's Pool) camps in Botswana and the service was perfect, friendly, etc. Very Aman-like in that regard. I actually preferred these luxury tented-camps over Singita because they really felt like you were in Africa. I'm sure they would do a great job of combining some of their safari camps with North Island, arranging transfers etc.
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Old Aug 8, 2008, 2:47 pm
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Another Seychelles question

Hopefully this isn't hijacking the thread too much. We're currently looking into the following Seychelles itinerary:

Mahe 1 day
Bird Island 3 days
Praslin (Lemuria?) 5 days
Denis/Desroches Island 5 days


Has anyone stayed at either (or both!) Denis or Desroches Island, and is there a view toward which is better? My impression is that Denis and Bird are quite similar, with the main difference being the quality of the accomodations. I also generally hear that Desroches has better diving, although I've heard mixed things about that. We'd be traveling in September 2009 (so North Island is not even an option, not that it was one before).

Also curious if anyone has any other thoughts on this itinerary in general, whether Lemuria is "worth it," etc. One fact I just learned is that I can use 25k Continental miles for each of our round-trips from NBO-SEZ-NBO; so, that saves some money.

Also, for Mahe, people have generally recommended the Wharf Hotel for a short one-night stay, like we'll be doing, but given the sorry state of the dollar, I'm considering using Starwood cash & points to stay at the Meridien Barbarons. I'm not looking for a great hotel, just something centrally located for our one day in Mahe. If I'm in the boonies and have to spend a lot on cabs, then I may not end up saving that much with the Barbarons. Any idea if this is a good location? The Starwood Fisherman's Cove hotel is too expensive for the sort of short-term stay I'm looking for.

Thanks very much.
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Old Aug 11, 2008, 1:38 pm
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Originally Posted by Kagehitokiri

Originally Posted by BA Loyal
North Island, Seychelles.

No doubt - the best in the world.
Originally Posted by BA Loyal
North Island is the most wonderful place on earth, I adored Amanpulo but North was on another level in every way.
GO GO GO - it is paradise!
It's good to hear remarks from someone that's stayed at the property. Wow, if it compares that well against Amanpulo, it should be fantastic! Can't wait to see for myself.
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Old Aug 11, 2008, 2:30 pm
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note those comments are from 4 years ago.
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Old Aug 11, 2008, 2:49 pm
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Noted. Now I wonder if vuittonsofstyle has any opinion of North Island? Haven't been seen around lately on the forum, but he/she seems exceptionally well-traveled.
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Old Aug 11, 2008, 3:03 pm
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vuittonsofstyle was last here friday, with a couple posts in capella thread and others.

oh, and it was a post from them i linked as "potentially relevant" earlier..

north island rates >
2003 - €1915 (€1532 opening)
2004 - €2190
2005 - €2470
2006 - €2720
2007 - €3130
2008 - €3380
2009 - €3490
2010 - €3670
2011 - €4230
2012 - €4570
2013 - €4570 (€3884 low)
2014 - €5164
2015 - €5530
2016 - €6100
2017 - €6710
2018 - €7230
2019 - €7784

Last edited by Kagehitokiri; Apr 3, 2019 at 3:21 pm
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Old Aug 12, 2008, 5:09 pm
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There was a small write up on page 130 of this month's Virtuoso mag. As mentioned, it confirms the price tag of the villas.

http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/virtuosolife/200807/
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