Marriott International's newly-opened branded hotel in Seychelles is set to present the island nation's hidden gems to its guests who seek personalised experiences and are interested in establishing a relationship with the community.

Called laïla, the resort is owned by Seychellois businessman Gilbert Frichot, and is located within the community of the southern Anse Royale district on the main island of Mahe. The name comes from the Creole phrase "la i la", which means "here it is". 

The resort faces Anse Royale beach, just a walk across the road from the hotel, and within a short distance from other services - restaurants, shops, and a pharmacy, among others - within the area. 

The resort is just a walk away from the Anse Royale beach. (laïla Resort) Photo License: All Rights Reserved

Speaking to SNA on Thursday, the resort's director of sales, Shamita Palit, explained that the "resort has all the comfort, amenities, and facilities that you would expect from a resort, as well as offers the feel and atmosphere that you would get when staying in at a more local accommodation."

"The concept of laïla is a village-integrated resort which means we are integrated into Anse Royale and this is how we pronounce ourselves. It allows us to provide our clients with the experience of how daily life in Seychelles is," said Palit.

Talking about laïla becoming part of the brand of American multinational company Marriott International, Palit shared that "when we had the opportunity to join the Marriott group we had to start with identifying which brand we would fit into."

She added that "with the project having been already in existence at the time, it was identified by us and the team from Marriott that it would fit in well within the Tribute Portfolio as it is a soft brand."

The resort offers a relaxed atmosphere with a great number of plants. (laïla Resort) Photo License: All Rights Reserved

The Tribute Portfolio allows hotels to create their own individual identity, all the while following the branding guidelines and regulations of Marriott International. Among the 33 Tribute Portfolios, no two hotels are the same.

Marriott International's vice president of the Premium and Select Brands for Europe, Middle East, and Africa, Sandra Schulze-Potgieter, shared in a recent press release that she and her team are thrilled to be opening laïla, Seychelles, and to introduce the brand to this vibrant, leisure destination.

"As the first Tribute Portfolio property in Seychelles and further growing its footprint in EMEA (Europe, Middle East, and Africa), this resort advocates the brand's passion for captivating design and sincere service, while offering unique experiences that connect guests to the spirit of the destination," continued Schulze-Potgieter.

The resort was designed by MMAC Design, a multiple award-winning interior design company based in Dubai, and built by a local construction company, Mahe Design and Build, owned by Gilbert Frichot.

The property has 84 rooms boasting nature-inspired aesthetics, with silhouettes of Seychelles' plants, as well as wall murals and natural materials, often used in the island's traditional architecture integrated into the design. The resort offers a relaxed atmosphere with a great number of plants, some of which are endemic to Seychelles, growing on all levels of the resort and its facilities.

The resort also features five restaurants and bars designed to capture the spirit of the community. (laïla Resort) Photo License: All Rights Reserved

Among the amenities guests can enjoy are a water sports centre, an outdoor swimming pool, a 24/7 gym, spa, a barbershop, and a kids recreation area. Looking to attract visitors and locals, the resort also features five restaurants and bars designed to capture the spirit of the community. 

The different restaurants have on their menus a range of Creole dishes and drinks as well as international cuisines. One of the restaurants on the laïla's list is the Kafe Kreol Beachside Bar and Restaurant, an existing restaurant that is located across the street from the resort.

The press release outlined that as a Tribute Portfolio Resort, laïla is part of Marriott Bonvoy, the award-winning travel programme from Marriott International, where Marriott Bonvoy members will be able to earn points for their stay at the new resort, as at other properties across Marriott Bonvoy's portfolio.

Currently, there is only one other Marriott International resort in Seychelles, which is the North Island resort, which falls under the company's Luxury Collection.