North Island, a Luxury Collection Resort, Seychelles

They cancelled our reservation exactly two weeks before check-in because the owner wanted the entire island. I’d spent a year and a half planning the perfect Africa trip for our daughter, so this was especially upsetting. The cancellation came after I asked the week before whether we could postpone. I was concerned about customer service during their transition away from Bonvoy. They told me changes or cancellations would mean a full charge, as stated upfront in the booking, and we understood, though I thought it was worth asking. But I’ve worked in travel for years and have never encountered customer service this terrible, especially from such an exclusive luxury resort. I won’t book a client there again, and I’ll go out of my way to tell people not to stay. This is unacceptable.

Being here touches your heart before it catches your eye. Everything is set up to make you feel comfortable without any effort.

The island’s best features are its two small mountains, which you can hike in about 40 minutes, and its four beautiful beaches. You can find similar scenery on other islands like Prislan, on cheaper private islands, or by taking boat rides. The resort itself is ridiculously expensive for what you get, charging around $2,500 per person rather than per room. The photos are misleading too. In person, it isn’t as glamorous. There are 11 private villas, most with large outdoor seating areas, but the interiors felt dated and needed an upgrade when I visited in 2015. Insects came into the villa at night, so spraying was needed. The bathroom was nice, though the toilet area was outdated and below a high standard. The circular villa pool wasn’t very inviting. You get one butler for your villa and no other staff available to help, so don’t expect to get what you want quickly. The food was basic, with a daily set menu, so you couldn’t really order whatever you wanted. I asked for lobster and it took two days to arrive. Wine choices were limited to one basic red and one basic white, with more options only if you paid extra from the cellar. The main pool was very small, tucked near a hill, and didn’t get much sun.

North Island is a privately owned luxury resort island northwest of Mahé, near Silhouette Island. You can reach it by helicopter. There are 11 villas set along the beaches, with exclusive hotel offers and a range of services in a very private setting. The price may be around $10,000 or more per villa per night.