Contact a luxury hotel specialist at 1 877 999 0680, chat below or email us

Travel Diaries

Going All-in at MAIA Luxury Resort

by Rhiannon Taylor of In Bed With Me

Flying in to Mahé, Seychelles, I “oooh” and “ahhh” looking out the window. A smattering of pristine islands fringed with white sand are dotted in the ocean and stretch out as far as the eye can see. My partner and I race off the plane, pick up our rental car and bump along the sleepy roads to the secluded paradise of MAIA Luxury Resort.

Nestled in a lush 30-acre garden filled with tropical flowers and cinnamon trees, this exclusive property is situated on the quiet beach of Anse Louis. Greeted by beaming staff and our butler, we’re quickly whisked off to our villa. My jaw drops as I’m met with unparalleled views over the bay and Coldplay hums faintly in the background (they take your music preferences very seriously on your guest registration form). Our butler serves us with champagne before we take a dip in our stunning infinity pool.

Our villa has a sumptuous bed that sits in front of double doors with ocean views. The stone-clad bathroom is stocked with Hermès products and opens to an outdoor bath that overlooks the bay (the tub will be filled and accompanied by canapés in the evening if you so wish). There’s a deck which adjoins to our butler’s quarters which is where he cooks breakfast, serves drinks and preps for in-room dining. MAIA has an anywhere, anytime, anything policy and is all-inclusive. There are five menus to choose from focusing on Creole, Indian and western food. We order a pasta and a local curry for lunch and it’s promptly served after our late-morning swim.

A plethora of activities are on offer at MAIA. Snorkeling, paddle boarding and even diving is included with your stay. After a quick snorkel, we book in for a massage and are whisked to one of the spa’s Balinese-inspired treatment rooms. Using Omorovicza products, expert therapists move with your body in a tailored massage that bucks traditional methods. I quickly find myself in a deep sleep hoping it will never end.

Post-treatment, we pop down to the bar and pick up a cocktail before taking a stroll along the beach for sunset. The sky turns cotton candy pink and we think, yes, this truly could be the most beautiful place in the world. After sunset, a buggy awaits to take us somewhere mysterious. Our butler has planned dinner on the helipad and we’re greeted with twinkling lanterns and a vista of rolling hills and waves below. It’s beautiful, as is the feast that accompanies it. The butter chicken is outstanding, whilst a truffled quinoa salad is decadent and surprising. We sigh as our butler tops up our glasses with champagne, feeling not only thoroughly spoiled but also nurtured and restored.