Hotel Review: Hilton Seychelles Northolme Resort

When it comes to exotic beaches, lush green landscapes and breathtaking sea views, there are hundreds if not thousands of different hotels and resorts around the world where you can spend your next vacation, and each and every one of them aims to offer you the very best they’re capable of to make sure your trip there will be unforgettable.

Some succeed and they end up at the top of our lists for the best vacation spots in the world, but others are not so fortunate. Luckily, for today’s article we decided to talk about one place that we absolutely fell in love with and more importantly, the resort where we actually stayed in.

Why would we focus on the hotel of all things? Well, let’s just say that the destination is important, but the hotel itself is also a huge part of your overall experience there, because you can’t have a memorable vacation if you don’t have a good night’s sleep, right?

Nevertheless, the country we’re going to talk about here is none other than the magical Seychelles, and as you can tell right off the bat, it is one of those destinations in which most of the people who come will remember their vacation for the rest of their days.

So, what exactly is the Seychelles? It is basically an archipelago which is made up of 115 different islands, spread across the Indian Ocean. Because of how large this archipelago actually is, there are a ton of different islands and attractions to choose from and most importantly, they all offer a different experience altogether.

If you’re a fan of rocky giants we recommend visiting the astonishing La Digue island – there’s something so majestic about it that we can’t even explain properly so we’ll just say that it’s worth your time for now.

On top of that you also have the gorgeous white sandy beach of Anse Volbert on Praslin island, and if that sounds right up your alley then why not also give Mahe’s beaches a try to really take in the new scenery you’ve imbued yourself with? Go to the famous Beau Vallon beach and you’ll easily say it’s one of the beautiful spots in the world.

If you’re looking to spend the night there however there are a ton of different choices again, but by far the most impressive hotel on the main island was the incredible Hilton Seychelles Northolme Resort.

Often times referred to as the Northolme, this extraordinary resort offered us everything we could possibly ask for and then some. I still recall almost every minute spent there – that’s how much we liked it – and as we continued exploring the resort we found ourselves truly interested in the history of this place.

For example, did you know that it was originally built before the First World War was even a thing? Not only that but it was actually one, if not THE first actual hotel that was ever built on Mahe, which is quite significant considering how many hotels you’ll find there nowadays. Of course, the resort went through numerous updates and renovations over time, but it still kept its original charm and elegance. 

This place quickly became one of the world’s most appreciated resorts, with many people claiming that even the five stars marker don’t do it justice, because this place is a step above any other resort out there. Do we agree with this? Well, we’ve spent three days there so we had plenty of time to figure this part out for ourselves.

So let’s discuss the many positives that we encountered during our stay at the Hilton Seychelles Northolme Resort, starting off obviously with:

First Impressions

As far as first impressions go, we were instantly caught off guard by Hilton Northolme‘s sheer beauty simply because we never expected to fall in love with a hotel so early during our stay there.

We’re massive fans of wooden villas so you can probably imagine that when we first laid our eyes on the resort’s charming villas, that look like wooden treehouses, we were instantly in awe. The way they all seemed to be beautifully connected with each other, with the main building and the beach – it just felt like everything was in perfect harmony, with the surrounding landscape and the ocean in the background as well. 

There are only 56 villas on site, which apparently makes this place the world’s smallest Hilton, but each of them is beautiful in its own way, offering breathtaking views, a unique ambiance and an experience like no other. We wholeheartedly recommend you to book your room here long before you actually come to the Seychelles because this place is usually fully booked. That’s how popular it is. 

Once you’re here however you’ll realize you’ve made just the right decision, as you’re entering a tropical paradise where you’re greeted with big smiles and friendliness by everyone.

After a warm welcome and some refreshing drinks at the breezy welcoming lounge you’ll find yourself in front of the main building, that also hosts the hotel reception and most importantly, some of the restaurants and bars you’ll be eating and drinking in.

The check-in process goes in the blink of an eye and then you’re ready to discover your dream home for the next couple of days, enjoying a nice buggy-ride and a short tour of the resort on your way there. But we’ll get to that in a minute.

Another aspect of this place that we really enjoyed was the fact that this was an adult-only resort, which means there were no screaming children anywhere, no “goblins” running amok breaking everything for the sake of having a laugh, it was just adults relaxing and enjoying themselves to the fullest. It just felt right.

And since I’m a huge James Bond fan I also need to bring up the fact that this is where James Bond author Ian Fleming stayed while he was in the Seychelles and probably he got some inspiration for some of his legendary stories. So if you really want to get inspired there’s probably no better place than the Hilton Seychelles Northolme Resort.

But even if you’re not a fan of 007 movies, you can still take the time to appreciate the sublime surroundings of this resort, especially when you realize there are a ton of different views to enjoy, including the blissful Indian Ocean, the hillside and of course, the beach itself.

Accommodations

Moving on to accommodations, it’s very, very hard to find the right words to describe the gorgeous villas here. We got to spend a few days in one of the resort’s Signature Pool Villas and we were completely mesmerized the minute we walked in our new home.

Seeing the ocean as you look out the window is just a small part of the overall appeal of this place, but when you add your very own private infinity pool and a magnificent sunset to the picture.. you get a sense of perfection.

It was rather ridiculous how amazing it looked, to the point where we just stood there dumbfounded for several minutes taking it all in.

We were also quite surprised to see how big was this villa and the pool itself. Most private infinity-edge pools are ok for lounging and cooling off, apart from taking some Insta-worthy photos, but here you could actually swim a few laps.

It was definitely the perfect place to relax and unwind, but now let’s get back inside.

The villa had a massive living area and a king-size bed that was super comfortable, but the interesting part about it is that every day the staff would come in to replace the sheets and surprised us with different arrangements, from lovely “towel” animals to petals, to make it seem as though every day you slept in a different bed altogether.

It’s hard to explain, but it truly felt as if this was a charming experience that we would only get from this resort, and it didn’t stop there either.

Other than what we personally had to our villa, each and every other one that we could see was designed using a colonial Seychellois decor.

What this means is that there was a huge emphasis on wood paneling, soft ambient lighting and of course, a whole plethora of colors and even scents to match the mood of the day.

The bathroom was also startling, with large floor to ceiling windows facing the infinity pool and the ocean. We had a pretty large tub coupled with jacuzzi jets in the middle of the room and there’s even a big freestanding shower next to it.

But if you want a long lasting memory we totally recommend getting a romantic bath experience. Flower petals, champagne, lots of foam and a jaw dropping sunset, that was absolutely incredible.

Speaking of unforgettable memories, getting a floating dinner tray in that infinity pool, complemented by afternoon blues and sunset hues, is also a magical way to end the day here.

Overall though, it was a perfect blend of everything we could have ever asked for from them and more, to the point where we even considered prolonging our stay here despite the fact that we didn’t have the time to do so. But we’ll surely come back. 

Eating and Drinking

Since this resort is just a few minutes away from the popular Beau Vallon beach there are plenty of restaurants around the hotel, but by far the best of the best were the restaurants you could find on site.

We spent most of our time here at the lovely Mahe Restaurant, where their breakfast and dining options were absolutely astonishing to say the least. You even had a “make your own” type of a juice bar in the morning, which was amazing if you like to try out new things.

This restaurant offered a modern twist on Creole cuisine with locally sourced ingredients and many interesting combinations. Some dishes might seem strange to you at first glance but you will surely fall in love with them, especially if you love spicy food. Creole curries, smoked marlin in Nicoise salad, or octopus with cajun potatoes and creole sauce, these were just a few of the delicious dishes we’ve had here.

On the other hand, the Wave restaurant was also an amazing choice for lunch and dinner, especially if you want to listen to the sound of the waves crashing into the rocks below (hence the name probably) and take in the most serene Indian Ocean views, as you enjoy some delicious treats and drinks. When it came to that aspect of the journey, the ambiance, there really was no better choice for us.

And if you want to sip in some cocktails the resort’s Ocean View bar is definitely the right place to be. As the night starts to approach steadily, you’ll find yourselves yearning for the soul of the party. The only part we regret is not having tried the food here as well. Considering the fact that we spent three nights here, there was only so much that we could eat before we had to leave.

All in all, we literally have no complains here, the food was great regardless of where we actually went to eat.

Spa and Wellness

As you probably expect from such a high-class establishment, when it came to amenities the resort did not hold back in the slightest. 

The fitness center for example was surprisingly well equipped, with high quality gear that served its purpose to a tee. Working out with the ocean and some palm trees in front of you has never looked better and since there aren’t too many people who go to the gym during their vacation it felt pretty great to have the entire gym for ourselves.

But, not everyone’s interested in that part of the wellness program, as some would rather relax and spend their vacation pampered the whole time. Don’t worry, they have you covered as well. We’re talking a wonderful spa center with massage rooms and rejuvenating treatments, a massive infinity pool and a private beach that comes with all the water sports equipment you could ever ask for.

The resort’s main pool is pretty big and if you’re not as lucky as us to have your own private pool you will probably spend the entire day here, because it has many lounge chairs and cabanas which allow you to bask in the sun all day long. It’s also picture perfect, especially if you’re there when the sun sets, but it might be pretty crowded as well. 

If you’re willing to walk around in any direction you will quickly find yourself getting to a few hidden chairs or hammocks where you will be able to chill out for the rest of the day, read a book or simply enjoy the serene views, without a care in the world.

You can also take part in the daily snorkeling activities and contribute to the hotel’s very own coral restoration program. During this segment you can actually participate in the hunt for corals and you can see firsthand how you can take care of them and help restore them to their prime.

All in all though, there is no shortage of options when it comes to wellness here – they clearly know what they’re doing and they’re taking full advantage of everything that they could possibly offer.

Final Thoughts

So, would we actually recommend the Hilton Seychelles Northolme Resort and Spa to anyone? Absolutely, without a doubt. We hope that we don’t need to explain more why we’ve made this choice and instead we just hope that you got the gist of it by now.

Just to summarize what we thought about it all: it was perfect from start to finish. There is a reason why this resort is so popular and that is the fact that they have shown time and time again that they’re willing to go the extra mile for their guests’ enjoyment.

Last but not least, we should also mention that the staff here was absolutely phenomenal, they were all clearly well instructed, they always greeted us with big smiles and they knew exactly what to say and what to do in order to make us have the time of our life.

The price is definitely on the upper end of the spectrum, but in our honest opinion it’s worth every single penny and dime that you will spend here. Unforgettable memories are always priceless. 

Where: Hilton Seychelles Northolme Resort and Spa
N Coast Rd, Mahé, Seychelles
Phone: +248 4 299 000
Website: www.hilton.com