North Island Beach

The beach is absolutely amazing with its perfect location, making it a small island resort paradise. It stretches out for a long distance and is incredibly clean, giving you the feeling that it's all yours to enjoy. You'll also find an abundance of tropical fish swimming around. If you're a fan of coral, there are even better spots near Praslin island, but overall, this place is the ideal destination for a relaxing island getaway.

I made a reservation at the North Island Hotel using 2,600,000 Marriott Points for a 2 bedroom oceanfront villa that can accommodate 4 guests. However, after making the booking, the hotel contacted me to inform that there would be an extra charge of 16,940 Euro for the 2 additional guests staying for 7 nights. I am confused as to why the hotel is asking for this additional payment, considering that I have already paid 2,600,000 Marriott Points for the villa. Is this charge for breakfast? It seems that this resort is not all-inclusive. When I booked the reservation on Marriott's website, I specifically selected the 2 bedroom oceanfront villa for 4 adults. I did not come across any information or wording indicating these extra costs on the website or in my email confirmation. Typically, when booking a room, you are unable to book for more guests than the room capacity allows, and there are usually disclosures and terms and conditions outlining any additional charges for extra guests. However, in the case of North Island, a luxury collection resort, there is absolutely no mention of additional fees for extra guests in the points redemption section of Marriott's website.

The resort is highly overrated, I visited in 2015. There are a total of 11 private villas, most of which have outdoor seating. The interior of the villas is quite old and in need of an upgrade. At night, you will encounter many insects in the villa, so it is necessary to spray insect repellent. The bathroom is nice, but the toilet area is outdated and not up to high standards. The pool in the villa is circular and not very inviting. There is only one butler assigned to serve your villa, and no other staff available to assist you, so it can be challenging to get what you want quickly. The food is basic, and they provide a daily set menu, so ordering what you desire is not possible. I once requested lobster, and it took them two days to deliver it. The wine selection is limited to only one brand of red and white, and it is very basic. There is no variety to choose from unless you are willing to spend more money to buy from the cellar. The main pool is quite small and located near a hill, so it doesn't receive much sunlight. The resort's main attractions are the two small mountains that you can hike in 40 minutes and the four beautiful beaches. However, you can find similar experiences on other islands like Prislan or other private islands that are more affordable or accessible by boat rides. Considering what you receive in return, this resort is ridiculously expensive. They charge per person rather than per room, which amounts to approximately $2500 per individual. The pictures of the resort are very misleading, as it is not as glamorous as it appears once you arrive.

I visited this place last year and the island is stunning, offering breathtaking scenery. However, our bags got misplaced during our departure and were mistakenly sent to the airport, and the staff wasn't very helpful in resolving the issue. Apart from that, the island is pleasant and the staff is satisfactory. It doesn't meet my standards for a 5-star experience. During our visit to the restaurant, we were served a bottle of wine, but the server accidentally gave us a bottle that was $100 more expensive. As I was about to take a sip, the server promptly took it back from my hand. I believe that with improved staff and better management, the overall experience could be enhanced.

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