Luxury Hotels Private island
Rank 03
North Island
Eleven villas and a helicopter from Mahé still beat every larger island that only markets itself as private.
Why it is here
World Travel Awards records North Island as World’s Leading Luxury Private Island Resort in 2020, 2022, 2023 and 2024 — four of the last six editions — even after the 2025 title moved to Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi. Condé Nast Traveler’s Gold List 2020 / RCA 2023 hotel page still treats the 11-villa granitic island as the Seychelles private-island reference, with helicopter arrival from Mahé rather than a ferry queue. Noah’s Ark conservation (giant tortoise, bird restoration) is the operating brief, not a CSR footnote. Held above 25- and 35-villa ‘private islands’ because inventory here is actually villa-scarce.
Who it is for
UHNW couples or two-family takeovers who will helicopter from Mahé and pay for 11-villa scarcity rather than a branded Maldives house reef.
Sources
- World’s Leading Luxury Private Island Resort 2025 (award history)North Island won the title in 2020, 2022, 2023 and 2024; 2025 winner Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi, with North Island still nominated.
- North Island — Seychelles hotel reviewGold List 2020 / Readers’ Choice 2023 stack for the 11-villa Inner Island.
