The Hilton Northolme is reputedly the smallest Hilton hotel in the world, and it definitely has far more the feel of a boutique hotel as opposed to that of a typical large resort. It’s situated on the north-western coastline of Mahe where it occupies a gorgeously beautiful spot on a richly forested mountainside with stunning views towards the sunset and Silhouette island in the distance, as well as over the bay containing the renowned Beau Vallon beach to the south. The hotel was one of the first hotels to be established on the island when it originally opened as “The Northolme” and has evolved over the years into the beautiful eco-hideaway that it is today. Long a favourite amongst locals and tourists alike, the Northolme has quite a legacy, including famously being the place where James Bond author Ian Fleming wrote his legendary 007 book “For Your Eyes Only” !

The Hilton Northolme harmonizes beautifully with its environment, with the villas following the natural layout of the rocks and rain forested mountainside so as to disturb the site’s natural beauty as little as possible. Originally, the resort only had 40 rooms made largely of gorgeous indigenous tropical hardwoods, but in 2016, an additional 16 Pool Villas were added to add a taste of modern architectural glamour. The emphasis here though remains on being small and intimate – the perfect place to stay, in fact, for people looking for a quieter and more romantic destination (and that fact that children under 12 aren’t allowed here simply adds to this more refined and romantic feel)

All 56 villas have a quintessential Creole feel to them with tasteful decoration and original Creole art. We must confess to loving the original rooms dotted amongst the trees and looking out over the sea towards the sunset – whilst they are undeniably more old-fashioned, the hardwood floors and panelled walls are simply gorgeous, and the rooms are beautifully spacious too at around 90 sqm. The jacuzzi-style baths in the en-suite bathrooms are also a popular highlight!

The more recent Pool Villas are more chic and glamorous with their stunning infinity pools – but unfortunately quite a bit more expensive too. The trademark dark hardwood floors are also found in these newer rooms, but the walls are more conventionally  painted in white which lends these rooms a lighter and brighter ambience. Of course, being able to simply go from relaxing on your lounger whilst admiring the views to flopping into your own private pool is massively appealing! And if you are staying in one of the Pool Villas, then definitely take the opportunity at least once to enjoy the unique floating breakfast experience!

On the subject of food, the Hilton Northolme actually boasts quite a varied number of elegant dining and bar options for its size – and further good news is that this is one of the handful of resorts in the Seychelles to offer an All-Inclusive option which is generally so popular amongst South Africans! There’s the main Mahe restaurant with its Creole theme as well as the Mediterranean influenced cuisine at Wave. The Ocean View Bar with its 007 themed menu also specializes in delicious cocktails and is also the place to enjoy live music at night. But the one that we really love is the Lower Deck gin bar, a simple rustic wooden deck perched just above the ocean and with stunning views over Silhouette and North Island – this is the perfect spot to savour a gin cocktail whilst enjoying the colourful sunset!

The beautiful bay just below the Ocean View Bar and the Lower Deck offers the most amazing turquoise colour water and a myriad tropical fish can also be seen. This is one of the best snorkelling spots in Mahé - in fact, the Hilton Northolme has been in the forefront of some innovative conservation efforts with the development of an artificial reef promoting the regrowth and restoration of local corals. Led by the Marine Conservation Society’s team of experts, guests can venture on an incredible snorkelling tour of the resort’s impressive coral nursery and artificial reef, where they will have the opportunity to observe an abundance of different coral types and gain a deeper insight into the resort’s coral restoration programme.

As you can see from the pics of the Hilton Northolme, the location here doesn’t boast a stereotypical long sandy stretch of beach – instead there are a couple of small but rather gorgeous sandy coves, fringed by the massive granite boulders that the Seychelles are so famous for. The hotel does also lay on a couple of free daily transfers to the well-known Beau Vallon beach as well as to the capital Victoria for shopping and sight-seeing opportunities, should you wish to venture further afield.

Above the water why not have a bit of fun hitting “golf balls” out into the ocean (just make sure to avoid any of your fellow guests kayaking on the turquoise waters of the bay below) And don’t worry about this being environmentally unfriendly – the balls are actually compressed fish food and disintegrate on contact with the water, thereby feeding the fish! Otherwise why not relax around the hotel’s lovely infinity pool – you’ll find some large and comfy 4-post style double sunbeds on the adjoining deck, perfect for couples wanting to indulge in a bit of sun-worshipping! The nearby Spa awaits those wanting an even more relaxed experience, whilst a well-equipped “gym with a view” is also available for those guests wanting to make sure that they stay in showroom condition over the course of their holiday.