Sea Monkey villa – Seychelles’ sumptuous sanctuary for the senses
As is the case with legendary Shangri-la, discerning travellers who take the trouble of keeping abreast of the finest things in life (and where to find them), may have heard rumours of Sea Monkey’s existence, yet most are still uncertain about exactly where to find it. Not surprising, really, because it’s not until you enter this extraordinary domain, perched on a secluded Jurassic outcrop overlooking (with a full, uninterrupted 180+ degree panorama) north Mahé’s sapphire ocean that the full realisation of what you have just discovered strikes you.
Located equidistant from the capital Victoria (20 minutes distant) and the bustling tourism hub of Beau Vallon (15 minutes away) with its beautiful strand and full complement of tourism facilities, Sea Monkey takes the already legendary Seychelles island lifestyle to a whole new level.
As its very name suggests, Sea Monkey, named after a particularly mischievous character in local folklore, is no ordinary luxury villa – not by a long shot – as owners Marcel and Corinna Frichot have taken every pain to ensure. The location, even in a country renowned for its surreal natural beauty, is simply stunning: nestled between a verdant mountain backdrop and an unimpeded view of the Indian Ocean. It’s almost as if one were on a secluded island with nothing around for miles, the almost palpable peace and tranquillity cocooning the villa from the world beyond the waves.
With their background as professional hoteliers and owners of a number of top-drawer UK hotels and restaurants such as Scotland’s Knockinaam Lodge; the Elms- a Queen Anne styled manor house deep in the Worcestershire countryside; Cheltenham’s stunning Lypiatt House Hotel and the Daffodil, the famous restaurant housed in Cheltenham’s famous 1922 picture palace – it’s without question that much from their illustrious career has rubbed off on the sublime aesthetics of Sea Monkey.
The villa, whether in terms of its masterful construction, refined interior decor and discreetly-understated, elegant ambiance, capitalises perfectly on its unique location with a 450 sq. metre sanctuary that is the epitome of what Seychelles offers as a unique holiday experience. As one might expect, nothing in the realisation of this dream home has been left to chance with every facet thought through and realised in minute detail.
The overall effect is far from one of opulence or overstated luxury – just high levels of comfort and convenience underpinned by exquisite taste and elegance with a most endearing twist of tropical, barefoot chic. From the outset, the Frichots brought the very best on board: Jean Marc Eynaud, a well known architect with a reputation for designing tropical buildings over a period of 30 years in both Mauritius and Seychelles and specializing in hotel and leisure architecture offering personalized services to its clients and exclusivity in its designs.
Their philosophy of design in a tropical environment is to integrate buildings within the natural setting and landscape by making use of mainly natural materials, using water as a strong element in the design process.
As interior decorator, they turned to Julie Paul, former head designer at world-famous Oka, and later with her own company, Julie Paul interiors, well-established and widely respected companies working on both residential and commercial projects both nationally and internationally and with a proven track record for excellence. Their forte is in the creation of beautifully designed and functional spaces to reflect the characters of those who live within.
Entering the world of Sea Monkey via its main gate, one cannot help but remark on the levels of security in place to protect this gated villa which consists of 24-hour monitoring with multiple CCTV cameras in place, all backed up by the live-in staff. Just inside, is a spacious parking which gives off to the main residence via paths meandering between the tidy gardens and imposing, ancient granite boulders which have been retained as attractive features of the villa.
Once inside, one’s view concertinas outwards across the characterful wooden flooring, taking in the extravagant, wooden beamed ceilings and imposing glass doors framing a stunning panoramic view of the ocean, not to overlook the choice, artfully placed objets dárt and soft furnishings which together betray the expert hand of a top drawer interior decorator, brought in specially to finish the job. Situated between the villa and the ocean right on its front doorstep is oh-so-inviting 60 sq. m infinity pool giving onto multiple levels of ocean-side decking. For those who are looking for that special beach, there is one right in front of the villa and another private strand a 4-minute walk away, or even shorter by kayak.
Down a few steps to your left lies a tastefully decorated gazebo complete with lounge, bar, BBQ and dining area, built around a massive granite boulder, standing like a sentinel overlooking this magical slice of tropical heaven. The villa’s perimeters, meanwhile, are detailed with attractive floral margins and, in places, by fruit bearing, tropical trees: avocado; banana; chili; snake gourd; papaya; red coconuts (excellent for drinking); citronelle and lime, all of which inevitably make their way into the kitchen as tasty, organic additions to the menu.
Equipped with high-speed Wi-Fi with a booster in each room, wireless Sonos sound system and Cable TV/ Netflix, Sea Monkey’swell-appointed interior features three air-conditioned bedrooms with sumptuous ocean views (even from the bathrooms) and private balcony, all exquisitely decorated and providing Italian cotton towels, Egyptian cotton sheets and top of the range, luxury bathroom cosmetics. The villa also offers a detached guest room in identical style while the well-equipped inside kitchen and another outside will ensure that all guests’ culinary requirements are catered for in style. The design is such that the villa features many cosy nooks and crannies where guests may be assured of privacy in grand comfort.
The villa, which is Seychelles’ only exclusive, high-end villa currently available, comes fully-staffed with two house boys and staff for shopping, daily cleaning and laundry requirements, a private chef on request and villa manager – all trained in the art of delivering discreet, efficient service. Recreational facilities include table tennis, paddle boards, kayaks, snorkelling equipment and casting rods to supplement the menu with fresh catch from the ocean. The villa provides a full bar and freshly-made cakes with afternoon tea.
Staff will be delighted to organise car rentals, excursions, fishing and diving trips and can also arrange for in-house yoga sessions and spa treatmentson request, making Sea Monkey your ideal stepping-stone to all of Seychelles’ cultural and touristic attributes.
Sea Monkey, which was the proud recipient of the 2016 Boutique Hotel Awards for Africa’s Best Beach Hotel or Villa,provides guests with a truly exclusive, seamless taste of Seychelles and the very best that the islands have to offer to clients seeking an other-worldly experience.
[Overheard from a recent visitor: ‘I can’t imagine what they were thinking? There’s no monkey business here – this is the real deal!]
Sea Monkey offers accommodation on both full and bed & breakfast rates.
For further information on prices, please visit our website: www.seamonkeyseychelles.com
Geographical coordinates are: longitude East 55.442589, latitude South -4.564169
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Over the years, we have specialized on ‘HOTEL & LEISURE ARCHITECTURE’ offering personalized services to our clients, thus achieving exclusivity in our designs.
Our philosophy of ‘design’ in a tropical environment is to integrate the buildings within the natural setting and landscape by using mainly natural materials together with ‘water’ as a strong element in our design e Jean have been actively involved for the past 30 years designing ‘tropical buildings’ mainly in Mauritius and the Seychelles.
Over the years, we have specialized on ‘HOTEL & LEISURE ARCHITECTURE’ offering personalized services to our clients, thus achieving exclusivity in our designs.
Our philosophy of ‘design’ in a tropical environment is to integrate the buildings within the natural setting and landscape by using mainly natural materials together with ‘water’ as a strong element in our design process.
an Marc Eynaud Architects have been actively involved for the past 30 years designing ‘tropical buildings’ mainly in Mauritius and the Seychelles.
Over the years, we have specialized on ‘HOTEL & LEISURE ARCHITECTURE’ offering personalized services to our clients, thus achieving exclusivity in our designs.
Our philosophy of ‘design’ in a tropical environment is to integrate the buildings within the natural setting and landscape by using mainly natural materials together with ‘water’ as a strong element in our design process.