Visiting the Seychelles: Three Stays, One Island, Countless Moments

Gulf Insider

7 days ago

If Paradise has an address, it might just be the Seychelles. Lush green hills, winding roads without a motorway in sight, and pristine, clear seas that change colour as the day shifts. It's the kind of place you let soak in slowly, over good food, quiet mornings, and the occasional surprise like a cannonball-shaped fruit growing from a tree. For anyone travelling from the gulf, the Seychelles is only a short flight away. After a quick stopover in Dubai, we flew Emirates for about five hours to get to Mahé.
Over the week-long holiday, we stayed at three Hilton properties, each one with a personality of its own. Together, they gave us a rounded picture of the island: serene, luxurious, and deeply green.
Mango House Seychelles – Intimate and Soulful
Tucked away on the southwest coast of Mahé, Mango House felt like staying at a beautiful seaside estate. It's not large – just 40 water villas – and it seems intentional. Our room opened up to the bay of Anse Aux Poules Bleues, and we'd wake up each morning to the view of the water turning from deep blue to teal before breakfast.
Evenings were best spent at Kokoye, the hotel's bar where we learned a thing or two about rum and spice during a cocktail masterclass. Dinner at Moutya was full of punchy Creole flavours – spiced fish, smoky sauces, and just enough heat to make things interesting.
Mango House Seychelles, LXR Hotels & Resorts
There's a rhythm to this place. Even the rain here seemed well coordinated. It would pour for an hour, and within thirty minutes, the ground would be dry again. The island breathes through these short bursts of weather, keeping everything lush.
Canopy by Hilton Seychelles – Energetic and Social
Our next stop, Canopy Seychelles at Anse La Mouche, had a completely different feel. More upbeat, with more people and more movement, but still, unmistakably island. The cats roaming the resort say a lot about this place: relaxed, well-fed, and not in any hurry to be anywhere else. They've made this slice of paradise home, and it seems to suit them just fine.
One of the highlights here was the Avocet restaurant, which effortlessly blends Creole and French cuisine without trying too hard. Breakfasts were generous, lunches were lazy, and the drinks always had a little kick.
Canopy by Hilton Seychelles
Afloya Spa gave us a gentle nudge into full-on holiday mode with tailored treatments, and we rounded off most evenings with a tasting experience, pre-dinner drinks, or just watching the sky change colour over the bay.
Hilton Seychelles Northolme Resort & Spa – A Serene Send-Off
Our final stay was at the Hilton Seychelles Northolme, a secluded resort nestled into the hillside with villas on stilts peeking out over the ocean. Mornings started with breakfast at Mahe Restaurant, where we'd linger a little longer just to watch birds picking at the crumbs we scattered under the table.
Snorkeling was on the cards too. The waves kept us on our toes, but the water was clear and warm, and the coral was full of life. It's one of those small moments you don't plan for but end up remembering most.
Hilton Seychelles Northolme Resort & Spa
We wandered through the resort's fruit garden one afternoon with a little map in hand. The highlight? A strange, dense fruit called the cannonball, heavier than it looks, rare even on the island, and oddly satisfying. Nature was flexing, as it often does on this island.
The Seychelles – wildly green, quietly luxurious, full of life and laid-back at the same time. Each of the three hotels felt different, but none felt out of place. Having visited the Maldives, it was pleasantly surprising to see what sets the Seychelles apart – there's more terrain, more culture, more rhythm. When you leave, you do so slower than you arrived and lighter too.
For more details on the resorts, visit: Mango House Seychelles, LXR Hotels & Resorts | Canopy by Hilton Seychelles | Hilton Seychelles Northolme Resort & Spa