THE traditional view of the Seychelles as a five-star destination with three-star accommodation is about to be consigned to history with the opening of the 88-suite Lemuria Resort of Praslin, the destination’s first five-star deluxe hotel.
Scheduled to open in December, the Lemuria Resort is the latest project from Constance Hotels Services, owners of the Belle Mar Plage and the recently opened Le Prince Maurice, both in Mauritius.
The $40m development includes a championship golf course, another first for the Seychelles and a major bonus for operators hoping to increase high-spend business.
“The Seychelles has always been popular because it is so beautiful, but people have been put off by the fact that we couldn’t guarantee five-star accommodation in the past,” said Alison Lester, worldwide manager at Elegant Resorts, which is featuring the property in its 2000 brochure.
The Lemuria is set on the Anse Kerlan coast of Praslin with individual suites with sea views. Constance Hotels Service drafted in Dale Kellar, the designer behind the Aman resorts in the Far East, to create an elegant interior using stone, marble and wood to tie in with the natural environment.
General manager Andrew Milton said:”We want to provide an extremely high level of personalised service. The ratio of staff to guests will be high – 270 staff for 88 suites.”
Since Le Prince Maurice opened in November 1998, its occupancy rates have been averaging 50% according to general manager Patrick Finet. He said he has been surprised by the much younger age profile of the clientele and will be extending the kids club to reflect demand from families.
Regional manager of the Mauritian Tourist Board, Toto Ghoorah, predicted an improvement in hotel standards across the island. Ghoorah said: “I think hoteliers who are aiming at the upper end of the market will have to improve to compete with newcomers and keep up with similar resorts in rival destinations.”