(Seychelles News Agency) - Seychelles’ CaranaBeach Hotel is back in business with a modern Creole architecture, a four-star status and five-star service.

Closed for over 12 years, the family-owned CaranaBeach Hotel opened officially on Thursday.

The director of the parent company, Alan Mason, said his family wanted CaranaBeach to stand apart from other hotels in the 115-island archipelago.

“We wanted a niche, and when coming to the hotel a few words would come to mind: wild, allure, lush,” said Mason.

Seychelles’ Minister for Tourism and Culture Alain St. Ange visited the hotel before its opening and said that "CaranaBeach has privacy, comfort and this idea of simple elegance.”

The official opening of the new CaranaBeach hotel was held on Thursday. (Patrick Joubert, Seychelles News Agency) Photo License: CC-BY

Built on around seven acres on the coast in the northeast of the main island Mahe, CaranaBeach has 20 chalets with two bedrooms each and 12 of them with their own small swimming pool. All the chalets overlook white sandy beaches and turquoise coloured waters and carry a standard rate of $338 to $676 per night.

The Creole touch is in every facet of the hotel including the architecture and the services.

Mason said: “We’ve done so with the hope that our guests would enjoy a much more rewarding holiday and understand why our country is so unique. We strive to give our guests a place that is authentic to our island, a true Seychellois experience envisioned by Seychellois.”

All the chalets overlook white sandy beaches and turquoise coloured waters. (Patrick Joubert, Seychelles News Agency) Photo License: CC-BY

The Seychelles’ archipelago in the western Indian Ocean relies heavily on tourism, the top pillar of its economy.  CaranaBeach is marketing for clients from traditional markets like UK, Germany, France and Italy as well as emerging ones from the Middle East, Asia and China.

With a four-star status, Carana is ideal for clients with a taste for a small hotel with high-level service and this is in demand on Mahe, Seychelles' most populated island. The hotel is currently employing 89 staff mostly locals with foreigners in the security department.

“Often we pitch ourselves at five- or six-star level, and we forget about the clients looking for a normal four-star with all the thrills of a five-star. This is where Carana has been able to come in and fill the void on the main island of Mahe,” said St. Ange.

The Villas have been built to blend in with the natural environment. Carana is ideal for clients with a taste for a small hotel. (Patrick Joubert, Seychelles News Agency) Photo License: CC-BY

The Mason family has two other tourism establishments on Denis Private Island and Island Lodge on Praslin and their clients can benefit from a combination. 

“There will be the opportunity for clients to get a combination as Seychelles has an island hopping concept where you stay a few days on Mahe and then go to other islands. This is what makes us different from other countries in the region like Mauritius. This gives our clients the real Seychelles experience,” said Mason.

The opening of the hotel coincided with the start of the edition of the Carnaval International de Victoria from April 22 to 24, and Mason said this is bringing forth the cultural aspect of tourism which often gets lost in the natural beauty of the islands.   

The Mason family obtained coverage from international journalists who are here to cover the sixth Carnaval International de Victoria. (Patrick Joubert, Seychelles News Agency) Photo License: CC-BY

CaranaBeach Hotel: http://caranabeach.com/