La Réserve has arrived in the Indian Ocean. On 1 October 2026, La Réserve Seychelles opened on the north-east coast of Praslin, the first address of Michel Reybier’s collection in the region. It is less a resort than a retreat: there are just six private villas, set between tropical greenery and a white sand beach. The idea behind them goes back to the myth of Robinson Crusoe, a place to return to the essentials, far from screens, noise, the rush of everyday life and the headlines of the world.
Six villas between land and sea
Praslin sits at the heart of the Seychelles archipelago, a stone’s throw from La Digue and Cousin Island. It is the island of the coco de mer, the Lodoicea maldivica palm, whose Vallée de Mai is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Every morning, guests at La Réserve look out over the nature reserve of Curieuse Island and its marine national park.
The six villas measure between 695 and 880 square metres of indoor and outdoor space, each with a private pool and direct access to the beach. The architecture borrows from the landscape: roofs thatched with latanier palm leaves, woven textures and the local pink granite. At La Réserve Seychelles, the idea is that the luxury is nature itself.
No TV, no restaurant, no spa
La Réserve Seychelles is built on reduction, and it takes the idea of a digital detox more literally than most. The villas have no television; one is available only on request. There is no large central restaurant either. Instead, every villa has a fully equipped kitchen and its own chef, who composes the menus every day from fresh produce, the local catch, the morning market and herbs from the garden. In cooking and cocktail workshops, guests learn island traditions such as preparing a curry or Seychellois chilli paste.
A classic spa is also missing, on purpose. Its role is taken by nature as a whole: the clear water, the pink granite rocks, the palm forests and the air of the Seychelles. A boathouse provides kayaks, paddleboards and snorkelling equipment. On five days a week, a wellness ritual gives the stay a rhythm: a brisk walk or stretching, at sunrise on three days and in the late afternoon on the other two, followed by fresh fruit, vitamin shots and homemade muesli bars at the beach bar. The Beach Bar & Grill changes with the day, a relaxed beach bar in daylight and a private spot for dinner by the sea in the evening.
For the whole family
Small eco-adventures introduce guests to the island’s flora and fauna, from picking mangoes to meeting giant tortoises. Children have their own programme on five days a week, with arts and crafts, an introduction to diving, playful challenges and a first look at nature conservation.
Beyond the estate, La Réserve arranges guided dives, deep-sea fishing, a round of golf and guided hikes to viewpoints and into the Vallée de Mai. On “Discover Praslin Daily”, guests join the chef at the local market in the morning, meet the fishermen and visit a traditional coconut oil factory.
A Maître de Maison for every villa
As in every La Réserve house, service is meant to be discreet, personal and intuitive. From the moment of booking, each villa has its own host, the Maître de Maison, who is the single point of contact for the entire stay.
Michel Reybier founded La Réserve in 2003. Today the collection counts four hotels and seven private residences around the world, and it has only recently added its first Italian address, La Réserve Firenze. Many resorts promise that guests can switch off and find themselves again. With six villas, no screens and a chef instead of a restaurant, La Réserve Seychelles is one of the few that is built around that promise. More information and bookings at lareserve.com/seychelles.
Roger Hohl
Roger Hohl has been at the helm of Luxvisor since 2006. From his base in Switzerland he travels to test what the luxury travel industry promises, from the seat at 40,000 feet to the last course of a tasting menu, and writes about it with an independent eye.
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