Want to take advantage of Virtuoso benefits at no extra cost, including a room upgrade, a resort credit, and more, all while paying the lowest rate? Contact Ford ([email protected]) for more details. He doesn’t charge booking fees, and may even be able to help if you already have a stay booked.
The Cheval Blanc brand has just been expanded, with the opening of a new ultra-luxury resort…
Basics of the luxurious Cheval Blanc Seychelles
Cheval Blanc Seychelles has opened as of December 2024, as the sixth location of this boutique hotel group. For context, the Cheval Blanc hotel brand is owned by LVMH (Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton), with five other locations, in Paris, the Maldives, St-Barts, St-Tropez, and Courchevel.
Cheval Blanc’s first African property is nestled along Mahe’s Anse Intendance beach, and is designed by architect Jean-Michel Gathy. This resort is in the space of the former Banyan Tree Seychelles, though most structures were torn down, so this is a new-build, for all practical purposes.
Cheval Blanc Seychelles has 52 villas, each featuring a private swimming pool and views of the beachfront, hillside, or tropical jungle. We’re not just talking about a plunge pool, as the private pools are 13 meters (~43 feet). Accommodations here are generously sized, and start at 220 square meters (~2,370 square feet), though presumably that includes outdoor space.
The property has several dining outlets, including Mizumi (an Asian restaurant), Vivamento (a pool-facing Italian restaurant), Sula (a Mediterranean beach club), and Le 1947 and Le White (the signature Cheval Blanc restaurant and bar). The resort also feature a Spa Cheval Blanc with Guerlain treatments, as well as a pool, fitness center, surf simulator, tennis courts, padel courts, and more.
For a property that has already opened, there are surprisingly few pictures of the finished product. Cheval Blanc does an amazing job with its property design, and spares no expenses in design, and I suspect this resort is no exception.
Cheval Blanc Seychelles rates & how to book
Unfortunately Cheval Blanc doesn’t belong to any major hotel group, so there are no practical ways to earn and redeem hotel loyalty points for stays here. That being said, it’s a unique luxury hotel brand that I like to keep tabs on.
What are rates like at Cheval Blanc Seychelles? As you’d expect, they vary seasonally (the Seychelles is most popular in winter), and rates seem to start at under $1,400 per night, before taxes and fees. Honestly, compared to so many other destinations nowadays, that’s not the most outrageous pricing, when you consider how large each of the accommodations is.
If you are going to book a Cheval Blanc property, I’d recommend doing so through a Virtuoso travel advisor. The rate through a Virtuoso travel advisor will be the same as you see directly online, but with the benefit of value-add perks like a room upgrade subject to availability, a hotel credit, and more (usually breakfast is an additional perk, but that’s included for all guests here).
Ford and his team are happy to help with Virtuoso requests, and can be reached at [email protected].
The Seychelles hotel market is getting competitive
The Seychelles luxury hotel market keeps getting hotter, and in some ways, it’s becoming an interesting alternative to destinations like the Maldives:
- The Seychelles has a good number of luxury properties located on the island of Mahe, from the Four Seasons, to Mango House (Hilton LXR)
- Then the Seychelles has private island resorts, ranging from the Four Seasons Desroches Island, to the Waldorf Astoria Platte Island, to North Island Seychelles (Marriott Luxury Collection), to Six Senses Zil Pasyon (okay, that’s not a private island resort, but it is located on a different island)
Bottom line
Cheval Blanc Seychelles is now open. The 52-villa property is in the space of the former Banyan Tree, and is likely the best property in Mahe. All of the property’s villas are massive, with private pools that are a minimum of 13 meters. If you’re a fan of the Cheval Blanc brand, then this is definitely a property to keep an eye on.
What do you make of Cheval Blanc Seychelles?
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