DOUBLETREE BY HILTON OPENS IN SEYCHELLES
(Posted 17th January 2014)
With the opening of the DoubleTree by Hilton Allamanda Resort and Spa on the Seychelles’ main island of Mahe has Hilton become the international hotel group with the most resorts on the archipelago, now numbering three in total. Described as a four star resort with a 5 star service, the Allamanda now offers 30 rooms and suites, sitting on a 2.5 hectares beach side location along the South-East shoreline of Mahe.
The Allamanda joins sister properties Hilton Northolme Resort and Spa, also on Mahe and the Hilton Labriz Resort and Spa on the small island of Silhouette and tells the story of Hilton’s lasting and growing commitment towards the Seychelles.
The opening of the hotel, which was closed for several months for extensive renovations and modernization after Hilton had taken over the property, was witnessed by the Seychelles’ Minister for Tourism and Culture Alain St. Ange, Seychelles Tourism Board CEO Sherin Naiken, Claus Steiner of Hilton Worldwide, John Stravens, Chairman of the Seychelles Hospitality and Tourism Association and other invited guests. Said Minister St. Ange before cutting the ceremonial tape: ‘You started off with the Hilton Seychelles Northolme Resort & Spa, then you moved to open the Hilton Seychelles Labriz Resort & Spa on Silhouette Island and now this Hilton Double Tree Seychelles-Allamanda Resort & Spa property. As a country we value the International Hotel Chains operating in Seychelles. You and our Home-Grown properties are today the backbone for the tourism industry, the industry that remains the pillar of our island’s economy. The Ministry of Tourism and Culture, and its Seychelles Tourism Board will continue to work with you, continue to support you and continue to ensure that your operation is the success you had expected it to be, but we also expect you to continue to operate within the parameters of the laws of the country. Our country today proudly says that it has all the best in hotel chains and bands. They are all well established in Seychelles and their hotels and resorts are delivering returns for their respective companies. This situation is set to continue when the year on year official statistics of visitor arrival numbers are analysed, but we need to do more as a country to increase the yield from our vibrant tourism industry. We need more facilities, and we need more activities geared towards our visitors so that they can spend their budgeted tourism dollar for their Seychelles holiday. This is the only way we can increase the yield from tourism and this is the only way to make our tourism industry work for Seychelles and for the People of Seychelles’.
The Seychelles’ only last week announced a new visitor and revenue record established in 2013 and has since then been named by Lonely Planet as one of the global guide books’ top ten destinations, further adding to the growing appeal the archipelago now has around the world among the discerning travellers. With 115 islands, several of them uniquely featuring only one single resort on them to uphold the country’s environmental policy of minimizing the impact of tourism developments on the flora and fauna, have these mid Indian Ocean islands established themselves over the years as one of the most talked about tropical paradises, offering a permanent summer climate to visitors year round.
For more information about the resort visit http://doubletree3.hilton.com/en/hotels/seychelles/doubletree-by-hilton-seychelles-allamanda-resort-and-spa-SEZDTDI/index.html and destination updates can be found through the Seychelles official website via www.seychelles.travel
(Minister St. Ange, second from left, with Hilton and owner’s representatives. Picture by Nessa’s Photography courtesy of Seychelles Tourism Board)
