Seychelles and Maia Luxury resorts star in Conde Nast Traveller |09 November 2013
The world-leading travel trade publication, Conde Nast Traveller, Russia, featured the Maia
Luxury Resort and Spa as its cover story in its November 2013 issue.
With an extensive 16-page coverage of the resort’s unique concept and philosophy, along with its world renown service standards and facilities, the story provides much exposure for Seychelles as a destination.
The following is an excerpt of the cover story.
Islands in paradise
The Seychelles, a paradise in the middle of the Indian Ocean, was the destination for Natalya Morozova who was captivated by the islands’ deserted beaches, azure sea…and a quite nut.
The nut, the coco de mer, is found only on the islands of Praslin and Curieuse and, at about 17.6kg, is the world’s heaviest seed. The Seychellois jealously protect this national treasure but are not averse to capitalising on them – they collect about 3,000 a year and sell them for up to €300 each.
Vasco da Gama discovered the islands in 1502 but it took the French to colonise them in 1756, name them after Minister of Finance, Jean Moreau de Seychelles, (and gave the coco de mer its latinised name of Lodoicus in honour of King Louis XV) before the British took control until the Seychellois gained independence in 1976.
As an independent state, reports Natalya, the islanders chose a socialist path and collectivisation which resulted in the collapse of their agricultural industry that brought about an almost total reliance on tourism for income.
“However, the proud Seychellois did not like to serve tourists and trade unions were defending their right to absenteeism so fiercely that hotel owners had to hire Balinese, Mauritians and others.
Today the economic situation is critical and tourism is the only opportunity for their country. They are doing their best to hide their socialist pride and be welcoming hosts,” writes Natalya.
It’s what adds to the attractions of picture postcard views, snow-white sands, impressive cliffs and azure seas. “All that is left for the tourist is to choose their own piece of Paradise”, she reports.
The chances are Paradise will be a deserted beach with only crabs and turtles as neighbours, easy dressing and a personal butler willing to bring any dish straight to your villa at your first request.
The general director of Maia hotel, one of the best in Seychelles, explained: “Half of our guests are rich enough to buy the whole of the hotel with all the trimmings. When we set out to build the hotel out of a small beach café we thought, what could we offer guests that was extraordinary? There was nothing. Our main advantage is simplicity”.