Mango House: your luxury Seychelles beach home

Mango House is the luxurious former home of an Italian photographer, set on a white-sand bay in Mahé. Gian Paolo Barbieri built the sprawling property back in the 60s, naming it after the huge mango tree at the front. Although it’s now managed by the Hilton group, it retains its original soul and has a homely feel. The number one comment from guests is that they feel so welcomed by our team, most of whom are from the Seychelles and love sharing their culture with guests.

We’re set on a little sandy bay called Anse aux Poules Bleues, which translates to blue chicken, named after a native variety of bird with blue-tinged feathers and eggs. The bay has pale sand and shallow, clear water that’s brilliant for snorkelling. You can spot eagle rays and baby sharks – we’ve even had turtles come onto the beach to lay their eggs. Then, of course there’s the resident fruit bats, who flock to our mango tree.

There are just 41 rooms, suites and villas at Mango House, all with ocean views. Our décor is peaceful and natural, with blond wood and floor-to-ceiling windows that draw the outside in. We chose colours that reflect nature, such as muted greens, blues and whites, so it’s very soothing. We like working with the community, so all of our artwork comes from a local called Alyssa Adams and all of our toiletries and spa products are made on the island, presented in handmade porcelain crafted by a local potter.

Guests love our spa, Anpe, which means ‘at peace’ in Creole. It has a steam room and two beautiful treatment rooms which overlook the ocean. As well as the beach, we also have three pools, one is family-friendly, then there’s an infinity pool where you can spot dolphins jumping in the ocean at sunset. The third is a small, romantic pool next to the cliff house, which has trees that drop pink flowers into the water.

Our three restaurants are a big highlight for Mango House. We have amazing chefs both local Seychelloise and from around the world who’ve worked in Michelin-starred restaurants. You can enjoy everything from authentic Creole food and beach BBQ to traditional Italian and Japanese – our sushi chef spent 12 years working in Japan and one of our cooks is Italian.  We also have some talented mixologists who work in our two bars, infusing their own gins. The whole concept of Mango House is luxury – luxury food, personalised service, products and attention to detail.