Marriott Bonvoy points burning a hole in your rewards wallet? The worldwide hotel and resort company just debuted its first branded property in the Seychelles—Laïla, Seychelles, a Tribute Portfolio Resort. With 76 rooms and eight suites situated close to Anse Royal on the south coast of Mahé, the name’s meaning says it all: “Here it is.”
And if you’ve been waiting for a good reason to visit this Indian Ocean archipelago of more than 115 islands, this property beckons with a sense of place that’s hard to resist.
The hotel teamed up with 01-20, a firm that creates unique spaces and experiences in the hospitality and entertainment industries, to turn the resort into a “theatre of sensory experiences.” Travelers who prefer their tropical resort to connect them with something from the locale’s culture, too, will be especially pleased with the myriad amenities.
Visual elements throughout the property pay homage to the intrinsic relationship between the Seychelles and the explorers who discovered the islands, settled, and continued to come and go like the tide.
Each space within Laïla (the Arabic word for “night”) was designed to guide guests through new and old island experiences through local stories and customs that encourage them to engage with all five of their senses.
Upon arrival, for example, guests are given a moon calendar since the hotel’s location is considered among the best in the Seychelles for admiring the moonrise. As such, the hotel’s cocktail list offers moonrise libations (as opposed to sundowners) to quench your thirst.
A natural and vibrant color palette incorporates typical island hues—turquoise, sandy colors, blue and pink like bright bougainvillea–to bring a sense of peace and calm to the rooms, suites, and shared spaces.
Of particular note is how the designers have made it a goal to ensure Laïla connects to its immediate surroundings and doesn’t have the compound feel of so many other island resorts. Here, no gates or fencing separate the property from the village neighboring it and the surrounding jungle and ocean. There is seamless tropical ease as you move from space to space and off-property, too.
Resort activities are rooted with a strong Seychellois sense of place and connection and include things like Creole classes, jewelry-making from foraged shells from the beach, stargazing, and traditional weaving demonstrations.
