Checking into a stylish Seychelles arrival
Mango House opened last year as part of Hilton’s fledgling LXR brand, and is one of few contemporary-looking high-end options on the island of Mahe.
This newcomer in the south of the island on Anse Aux Poules Bleues brings a fresh boutique feeling to the hotel landscape, one sometimes guilty of spending too much time stuck in a tropical-style cul-de-sac.
In addition, new openings don’t come up among these beautiful islands very often – unlike over in Indian Ocean cousin, the Maldives – and Mango House opened when not that much was happening during the pandemic, so it’s naturally attracted even more attention.
Designed by JT+Partners as lead design consultant with some impressive interiors by Dsgn, it’s the former family home of celebrated Italian fashion photographer, Gian Paolo Barbieri, and now operates with 41 keys, with guest rooms clustered in houses, which makes them easily combinable for families and groups, or bookable separately.
These buildings include the impressive Cliff House, a self-contained mini resort for those who want to book its 13 rooms, hence making it the largest villa in the Seychelles, complete with its own pool, making it perfect for groups and families. If clients are travelling with kids, then the Mango Pips programme awaits, along with kids welcome packs and a dedicated children’s breakfast and other kids amenities.
There is a dedicated welcome pavilion where guests arrive and check in, and the original plot of Barbieri’s house is now the core of the Main House, and the core of the hotel action. Its huge airy lobby leads out to an inviting infinity pool that juts onto the peninsula with a million blues all around and plenty of Seychelles’ iconic granite jungle shoreline to gaze at.
From this artfully designed lobby, the friendly guest services team despatch help and advice on whatever guests need, and upstairs from here, lies a small, but perfectly-formed spa, Anpe – meaning ‘at peace’ in Creole, and featuring locally-inspired products and treatments.
Also upstairs, is the beautifully-designed Kokoye bar, with its feature wall covered in an eye-catching tropical print, and from where you can enjoy sunset cocktails on the terrace.
Also at the heart of the hotel is Moutya, said to be one of the most authentic Creole restaurants within a hotel on Mahe: if my completely delicious Creole curry was anything to go by, I’m sold. The restaurant has a cute beachside setting, with a grill using sustainable coconut shell charcoal.
The more sophisticated Azido is a Japanese option only open for dinner, and serving up a smashing combination of many dishes across the day is Muse, home to tasty fresh breakfasts, healthy lunches by day, and Italian dining at night.
Around the resort’s second pool, there’s a completely different atmosphere again at Soley, with high-octane cocktail-making at the bar, loud music, fun “build-your-own” bento box and healthy poke concepts for the food, and colourful striped FatBoys to collapse into.
My first-floor twin-bed premium room was closest to this area. The room felt really calming, and romantic with the draped beds and a sun terrace, while the bathroom’s smooth cream lines and palette was punctuated by the pops of colour from beautiful kimonos created by local artist Alyssa Adams, who also created beach bags for hotel guests. The hotel can also arrange painting classes in the studio of famed local artist, Michael Adams.
A lot has been crammed into quite a tight space between the jungle and the beach, which is quite small, and obviously recedes as the day goes on. But, for those fashionable guests who value contemporary interiors and great food, this is a welcome addition to the Seychelles scene – and after all, the lack of a big beach of its own will naturally push guests to go out and discover more of Mahe, which is definitely not short of gorgeous dramatic beaches elsewhere.
How to book it
Prices for a deluxe ocean-view room start from €741 per night, including breakfast.
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