Inauguration 01-09-2014 An enchanted shelter by night Enchanted Island resort was officially opened last Friday following a soft-launch in April. The property belongs to the Shah family and is run by Dubai-based JA resorts. By DB While some promoters are currently making the choice of land reclamation to build their hotels, Dubai-based JA resorts and hotels decided to keep it simple: one island, one hotel. A business meeting between JA resorts’ chief operations officer (COO), David Thomson, and the Shah family eight years ago in Mahé was brought to fruition last Friday when the Enchanted Island resort on Round Island was inaugurated. The event was a big one in many ways. As the Minister of Tourism, Alain St Ange, put it, the opening of a Seychellois-owned hotel means that “we are claiming back the industry”. A tourism industry that is dominated by foreign promoters and in which locals find it hard as a general rule, to thrive. “When Seychellois are involved, they will defend and protect the industry and we will work together to consolidate the industry”, Alain St Ange said, adding that the Shah family “has done us proud because you are putting your money where your mouth is and you are investing directly in the pillar of the Seychellois economy”. Without tourism, the Minister further said, “we can’t deliver for the people of Seychelles but for it to work, we must work together”. Minister St Ange said he was of the opinion that the country will never “attain the million tourist mark – we don’t want that and we don’t want charter flights here because we need to protect and preserve the destination”. And this is where the Enchanted Island project is interesting. The resort boasts of only ten villas spread over the island. The luxury is understated and is hidden behind more than 20 000 endemic plants. In fact, one of the first things Sunil Shah, the hotel’s owner, did after he first consulted architect Tony Joseph for the project, was to order a topographical survey of Round Island. “Every mature tree and rock was mapped and we designed the hotel according to the terrain and the vegetation that we had on the island. “Tony Joseph told us that no architect in the world can outshine the natural beauty of the island. All he can provide, he said was a shelter by night”. A nursery on Mahé was then set up and 20000 plants cultivated and planted on the island. The rest of the story is that of a long and arduous journey; a “poor choice of contractor” delayed the project as it involved a lawsuit and the ensuing issues that crop up in such cases. In the meantime, the business relationship between the Shah family and the JA resorts executives turned into one of friendship. Patience, determination and willpower did the rest. As well as deep pockets. Sunil Shah in fact laughingly thanked his father for “trusting so much of the family fortune to this project”. Enchanted Island was given a soft launch in April 2014 and has hosted many customers before Friday’s official opening. Two honeymooners from the UK, currently residing at Enchanted Island told this newspaper they loved the architecture of the hotel. Again, in contrast to many other hotels, Enchanted Island aims to recreate the Seychelles of old. The idea for the architecture came from an off the cuff remark by Mr Shah Senior, his son recounted. Mr Shah was musing about the fact that one couldn’t see any of the old-style buildings in Seychelles anymore. “I then said, Papa, you’ve given me a great idea – we will re-create the old Seychelles on Round Island!” Sunil Shah says that he wanted two things to happen when guests walked in – “that people feel they are in Seychelles and that they can go back in time”. The concept has been successfully realised if feedback from the guests is anything to go by. JA resorts’ COO David Thompson recounted that he first set foot in Seychelles eight years ago “looking for prospects on behalf of JA resorts”. The meeting with the Shah family did the rest. Now, Sunil Shah says, “we’re not just business partners; we are part of the same family”. Mr Shah also said he was very grateful for the help and support that he received from the authorities – starting with the fact that the Seychelles government had entrusted Round Island to his family. Minister St Ange affirmed the Shah family would continue to get that support. “You are caring for the property that government has leased to you and you put your heart and soul in the project and you can count on us – as Minister of Tourism, I will be here to help and my colleague Minister Joel Morgan who is in charge of Transport will also work with you and support you”. The Enchanted Island is the Shah family’s first venture in the tourism industry. Sunil Shah is a chartered accountant by trade who converted to property development. The opening ceremony on Friday was a very emotional one for members of the Shah family and their emotions bubbled forth as they shared their happiness with friends and family on Round Island on Friday evening.
Posted on: Tue, 02 Sep 2014 06:16:04 +0000
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