Ultimate Island Indulgence: Six Senses Zil Pasyon Review
With this being my sixth visit to a Six Senses Hotel or Resort, a visit to Zil Pasyon on Félicité island in the Seychelles was highly anticipated, and (spoiler alert for the remainder of the review) it didn’t disappoint in any way.
If Six Senses are new to you, I’ll be writing another travel blog post which focuses on all my previous visits, and talks more about the Six Senses concept. That concept, born in 1995, with I believe the first resort opening in 2004 in Thailand (Six Senses Samui), is based on (no surprise) six different senses. These are combined in the three-tiered logo, based on the blessing marks made by the fingers of Buddhist monks on special occasions in Thailand. The base of the pyramid has the three primary senses of sight, sound, and touch; followed by the second tier representing the harmony of taste and smell; with the apex representing the sixth sense, intuition.
Our amazing hilltop Panorama Villa with private infinity pool overlooking La Digue island
Exploring Six Senses Zil Pasyon: A Comprehensive Review
Spread across the stunning private island of Félicité in the Seychelles, Six Senses Zil Pasyon is a sanctuary of luxury and tranquility. This exclusive resort offers a perfect blend of natural beauty and sophisticated elegance, where crystal-clear waters, pristine beaches, and lush tropical landscapes meet world-class amenities and impeccable service. Join me as I delve into the unparalleled experience of staying at Six Senses Zil Pasyon, where every detail is designed to provide an unforgettable escape for discerning travellers.
One of many areas to chill at Six Senses Zil Pasyon
Why Book with Classic Travel and The Private Traveller?
By booking through my affiliation with Classic Travel, I was able to secure a number of additional VIP benefits with their Virtuoso rates. These included:
Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability
Complimentary Buffet or a la carte Breakfast for two daily for duration of stay
$100 USD equivalent Resort credit to be utilised during stay (not combinable, not valid on room rate, no cash value if not redeemed in full)
Early check-in/late check-out, subject to availability
Complimentary Wi-FI
One of various beaches on Felicité, the home of Six Senses in the Seychelles
Fast Facts for Six Senses Zil Pasyon
Address - Félicité Island, Seychelles
Website - https://www.sixsenses.com/en/resorts/zil-pasyon/
Group website - https://www.sixsenses.com/en/
TripAdvisor ranking - #1 of 1 hotels on Félicité Island
Contact - reservations-zilpasyon@sixsenses.com
Instagram - @sixsenseszilpasyon @sixssenses
Nearest airport - Seychelles (or Aéroport de la Pointe Larue in French) International Airport (SEZ) on Mahé. Direct helicopter with Zil Air (20 minutes), or fly to Praslin Island then onwards by boat transfer
Opened - 2016
Number of rooms / suites - 28 one-bedroom pool villas (Hideaway, Panorama for views and Oceanfront for relaxing ocean sounds, Pasyon & Signature pool villas) and 2 two-bedroom pool villas. Also 1 three (Seascape) and 2 four (The Sanctuary or Ocean Sounds) bedroom residences.
Number of floors - 1 (mainly - private residences multi-level)
Bars - 2 (Lakanbiz & Koko Bar)
Restaurants - 2 (Island Café & Ocean Kitchen). Chef’s Kitchen & Wine Vault are private dining options.
Wellbeing - Five double treatment villas (Rock, Cave, Ocean, Nature and Floating), elevated pool with sundeck, yoga, and meditation pavilion, wellness screening, full gymnasium.
Visited - July 2024
Our panorama pool villa at Six Senses Zil Pasyon
The stunning view to nearby La Digue from our private panorama pool villa
Hotel Accommodation: A stunning all villa resort
There is such a choice here of hotel villas (six different types, mainly one bedroom, but some two), 28 in total. There are also an extra three residences (one three bedroom which we saw, Seascape, but another two four-bedroom, one of which is the island owner’s private residence).
Our Panorama Pool Villa was incredible, which you can read all about below; but we were also taken up to see one of the residences that can be hired on a hotel basis. As you entered through the majestic doors into a small glass walled reception area, there was a main staircase down to the living space, with two bedrooms suites off to each side, but up some stairs from the entrance was the principle suite with a super large open-plan bedroom and living space, with a private pool terrace with the most unbelievable views. What was even better is that this upper pool has a glass base to let light through into the combined living and dining space below. Off the living space was a kitchen, if you or your private chef wished to use it (no surprise, amazing views from here too), or of course you can use all the facilities of the hotel.
The island is hilly, and as you would expect from a ‘Panorama’ villa, these were high up - buggies were freely available, either by ringing the bell outside the reception area, contacting your GEM through WhatsApp, or just by dialling zero from the villa itself. Although they would always say allow 5-10 minutes, there was usually a buggy there much quicker. We did walk down the hill a couple of times (never up!) but it is steep.
“Celebrate life as nature intended.
Discover the ecological jewel of Seychelles and the private-island home to Six Senses Zil Pasyon. Coral-fringed beaches and massive granite rocks create an air of drama and beauty in this haven of perpetual summer. ”
Facilities & Service at Six Senses Zil Pasyon
This luxury island resort is clearly designed to be just that, a real destination in itself, and it certainly was luxury. We were there for five nights, which didn’t feel too long in any way, and in fact probably wasn’t long enough. You can do as much or as little as you like on the island, or indeed there are quite a few options to visit other islands (like Praslin or La Digue with regular shuttles as part of the daily activity schedule). There was the experience centre, watersports, games on land, a regular outdoor cinema night, hiking options, the impressive gym and spa, and of course a main pool area as well as numerous beaches to choose from.
I’ve broken down the key facilities and services and shared my opinion on them below:
Our (Panorama) Villa 52
High up on the West side of the island (so perfect for sunsets, the other Panorama villas were on the East so nearer the Spa and good for sunrise), our villa was only one of a group of four as high up there directly overlooking the Indian Ocean. We would walk down from it occasionally to the main village part of the resort, or other parts, but didn’t walk up as it literally would be a bit of a hike. Buggies were freely available, either we could contact our GEM (Guest Experience Manager) through WhatsApp, or dialling zero and a buggy would be sent asap.
The villas were so spaced out, we really did feel like we were there on our own, as the villas are so carefully designed and located, with lots of the Seychelles natural granite boulders surrounding) that our only outlook was to the ocean in front, the outline of La Digue, or the adjacent jungle.
There was a great flow to the villa, which was built around a huge wooden pool and sun deck, with, at one end an outside shaded living space with daybed, a table and chairs, padded reclining loungers, and a really big plunge pool, which looked stunning at night too with small star lights illuminating the base of it. At one end of the L-shaped (inside villa) was the large bathroom, more on this next, and between that and the very large open-plan bedrooms and sitting area (and a large desk too), was the dressing room, with his and his wardrobes, seating, and another desk/vanity unit.
The majestic bedroom area of the villa, with great champagne welcome
The bed was huge, four poster and canopied with a mosquito net, albeit there didn’t seem to be that many bugs around and certainly not in the villa itself. Lighting was subtle and easily controlled and adjusted, and above the living/bedroom area was a high wood lined pyramid roof, with a fan which looked as big as the helicopter’s propellers that we arrived in! One thing though, there didn’t seem to be a way of switching off the illumination of the air con controls (without this actually being switched off), and with darkness elsewhere, you could see this illumination overnight.
I’ve never before seen an outside ice machine in a great armoire unit, which also (as we found out later ourselves) held a couple of ‘Bye Bye Mosquito’ kits to use in a terracotta burner.
What looked like a massive recessed wardrobe in the living space, was in fact the extremely well-appointed refreshment centre. There was a large fridge filled with sodas and mixers, a separate chilled wine cellar below, and a whole array of snacks and sweets, along with a range of full-size bottles of spirits. All was chargeable, other than tea/coffee making, local Six Senses bottled water, and bottles of fresh coconut water on arrival.
Aerial shot of our panorama pool villa
Levels of Comfort
The villa was serviced twice a day to perfection, and like Carana Beach where we stayed before, was always expertly timed to coincide with when we were either at breakfast or dinner. There was a great arrival welcome with a bottle of fizz, and two huge platters; one of cheese, fruit and crackers, and another of exotic fruits.
I don’t think we are messy guests, but whenever we returned the villa was immaculate, and at night it was transformed with all the blinds down and more subtle lighting, the mosquito net draped around the bed (although I don’t think we ever saw a mosquito, albeit we did have the odd bite from something).
Bathroom
Having now stayed at five other Six Senses, I always forget how well appointed the bathrooms always are. This one had pretty much glass on three sides, with the panorama view to the front with a central (and huge) soaking tub, his and his sinks on large vanity units either side, a separate WC with frosted privacy glass (and a Japanese Toto-style electric toilet), a large open-plan rainshower, and in the middle of the bathroom, a double seat swing, to take advantage of the views or whatever else you might want to make of it. I’ve seen this before in I think a couple of other Six Senses resorts, but rather than have a large mirror above the sinks to detract from expansive views, they’re built like a shallow cupboard on the side, with the mirror being able to be ‘opened’ and angled for viewing, without taking away your view.
A large bamboo towel frame had an assortment of super-white bath towels in various sizes, there were hooded bathrobes, slippers, a whole array of (The Organic Pharmacy) toiletries including refillable ceramic containers of shower gel, shampoo, conditioner, hand wash, and body lotion. There is a high degree of consistency between any of the bathrooms we have stayed in with Six Senses, albeit all different depending on the location. They usually all have something unique, like a glass floor in the WC of Laamu, or the glass bath on a suspended glass floor there too; a Japanese electric toilet, the swing of Zil Pasyon (the Island of Passion) and of course the views there, as well as the incredible James Bond island type views of green waters in Yao Noi, Thailand. The most recent bathroom before the Seychelles was Six Senses Douro Valley, where we had another amazing ‘deconstructed’ bathroom with the huge soaking tub between the bedroom and living space, a separate WC and bidet, then the bathroom itself having a huge floor to ceiling panoramic window over the gardens and vineyards beyond.
A bathroom with a view at Six Senses Zil Pasyon
Breakfast
Another thing I had forgotten about Six Senses was the usual multi-room breakfast experience, and Zil Pasyon was no different. I think the only hotel that has rivalled (or perhaps surpassed in terms of scale) was when Capella Pedregal in Cabo was owned by Capella Hotels, it’s now the Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal.
It’s hard to begin here to explain how fabulous the breakfast experience was here. Served in the Island Café, to start with there is the Rocket Fuel stand with a shot to get your digestion rocketing. On the main bar area was a selection of ready made juices and smoothies, and you would order any hot drinks or made-to-order foods from a menu, including a daily choice of the Six Senses Healthy Eating/Wellness Programme “Eat with Six Senses”. This choice could be anything from say an egg white omelette, to avocado on wholewheat toast with a poached egg. All sorts of (less healthy) options were available to order too.
If you thought that was the extent of breakfast, and indeed even with nothing else it still would have been impressive, but there were another two full rooms of breakfast goodies to explore. First up, into the dim and super-cool wine cellar, this was filled with tables of everything from fruits, yoghurts (so many different types and varieties), cheeses, salad items, meats and fish. Next door was the more open-plan Chef’s Kitchen filled with tables of breads, pastries, french toast, hot bread & butter puddings, a donut stand, cereals, milks, a press-the-button to have oranges freshly squeezed in front of you, and what we really loved was the fresh honeycomb, honey, and bee pollen from Denis (Private) Island, a resort we had stayed at a few years ago, and loved.
Restaurant & Bars
Find out more about the dining and bar options below, but basically there was the main restaurant (Island Café) where breakfast, lunch, and dinner was served daily, albeit you could also opt for room service and all the lunch menu could be served to your lounger or cabana around the main pool. The main bar was Koko Bar, next to the Ocean Kitchen (literally elevated above the Indian Ocean), which served drinks throughout the day, serviced the pool, and the Ocean Kitchen had a change of speciality dining each evening.
Spa & Wellness
Having a great spa and a focus on wellness is always a Six Senses staple, and Zil Pasyon was absolutely no different. The spa was located on the East of the island, in the most incredible collection of buildings built onto and in, the natural granite rocks of the island. There were five separate treatment suites (Rock, Cave, Ocean, Nature and Floating) in four buildings across the spa complex, albeit Cave was the lower level of the Nature building.
There was a great selection of treatment options, plus additional treatment options from both the resident and visiting practitioners. During my stay, I had a trigger point therapy massage (90 minutes), reflexology (60 minutes), and abhyanga (90 minutes). Various wellness programmes were available, covering 3,5 or 7 night stays - Discover Yoga, Yogic Sleep, Yogic Detox, or Sleep).
As well as the Alchemist Bar (where you could make your own natural scrubs and toiletries) and a small retail outlet in the reception building, there were extremely well appointed male and female changing areas, a separate sauna and steam room next to the rock infinity pool on a sun deck.
The view to one of the spa villas nestled among the spectacular volcanic rock formations
Design & Architecture
Six Senses Zil Pasyon epitomises luxury and sustainable design, seamlessly blending into the breathtaking natural landscape of Félicité Island. The resort's architecture harmoniously integrates with the lush tropical surroundings, utilising natural materials such as wood and stone to create a serene and eco-friendly environment. Each villa is a masterpiece of modern design, featuring expansive glass walls that offer uninterrupted views of the Indian Ocean, private infinity pools, and elegantly furnished interiors that reflect a perfect fusion of comfort and sophistication. The overall aesthetic is a tribute to the island’s raw beauty, combining contemporary luxury with a deep respect for nature, ensuring that guests experience both opulence and the pristine allure of the Seychelles.
I also loved the consistency of design throughout the whole resort in terms of materials and finishes, like the quirky fish shaped handles, in either wood or metal, in the spa and all resort areas. As well as lots of wood in the villa, pops of colour on (say) the sofa and chairs really helped bring the design to life.
What about the Félicité Island location?
Six Senses Zil Pasyon is located on the private island of Félicité in the Seychelles, an untouched paradise surrounded by the pristine waters of the Indian Ocean. Just a short boat ride from La Digue and Praslin, the resort offers a secluded and serene environment perfect for a luxury getaway. The island's lush tropical forests, dramatic granite boulders, and white-sand beaches provide a stunning backdrop for the resort's eco-friendly villas and amenities. You can enjoy panoramic ocean views, rich biodiversity, and the tranquility that comes with being on a private island, making Six Senses Zil Pasyon a truly unique and enchanting destination.
We opted to transfer both ways from Mahé by private helicopter with Zil Air, a company we have used multiple times before in the Seychelles who have always delivered an exceptional experience. We were island to island in less than 20 minutes, with exceptional views in between, and such a perfect way to arrive at Six Senses Zil Pasyon.
The spa pool deck, available to book before or after a spa treatment
Best things to do in and around the resort?
This blog review was going to be too long, so I’ve moved some of the ‘Things to Do’ into a separate ‘Travel Diaries’ blog. This will cover:
The various beaches on the island
Watersports / Experience Centre
Hiking
Spa, Wellness, & Fitness
Touring La Digue
And lots more….
“Enhance your stay at Six Senses Zil Pasyon by booking through The Private Traveller and unlock exclusive benefits. Enjoy complimentary upgrades, daily breakfast, early check-in, late check-out, and additional resort credits to make your luxury getaway even more memorable. Experience the unparalleled beauty of this stunning destination with VIP extras that add an extra touch of elegance and comfort to your stay. Book now to secure these premium perks and indulge in a truly exceptional vacation.”
Food and Drink at Six Senses Zil Pasyon
We’ve never been disappointed with food at any Six Senses property, and Zil Pasyon was no different, but it did also seem to be very expensive, though of excellent quality. I completely understand that remote island locations aren’t going to be easy to service from a food and drink perspective, and we’ve been to many remote island locations, but prices did seem high.
Island Café (part of Grand Kaz including Lakanbiz bar above)
This was the main (international, all-day dining) restaurant, for breakfast, lunch or dinner. The Chef’s Kitchen and Wine Cellar (which must at times be used for private dining or additional events like cooking classes) were also incorporated for breakfast.
We would usually have lunch here, and although the menu stayed the same each day, it was a different menu for dinner to give more choice. Food was extremely expensive, in all restaurant options, but extremely high quality, with excellent service and presentation.
Ocean Kitchen
This was only open in the evenings for dinner, and had daily themes including Indian Ocean BBQ, Creole Dinner, Chopsticks (Chinese), Sunday Flavours of India, and Seafood buffet. All were three or four course set menus, with optional wine pairings. We actually only went once for the Flavours of India evening, which was most suited to a vegetarian menu, but there were options on all other menus too.
Room Service
The only problem was getting access to a menu, as this didn’t show on our TV which it was meant to. It wasn’t an issue though, we were sent this by our GEM through WhatsApp, and were able to make an order for our first night here. It was delivered quickly, with good choices, good quality and presented well in our villa.
Koko Beach Bar
Next to the Ocean Kitchen, this served drinks throughout the day and provided the pool service too.
Lakanbiz
This was upstairs above the bar area of the Island Café. Having read about this on their website “At your own risk, take the stairs to our hidden honesty bar where home-infused rums, punch and cigars await. The low leather seats, sultry lighting and antique furnishing add to the mood.” It was a bit disappointing though, as I went up one day but it all looked a bit unloved and seemed to be used more as furniture storage at the back, albeit the views were stunning and there was a large drinks cabinet. When we first went into the Island Café, they did point out that upstairs was used only for wine tastings, and I think that was it - it could be an amazing space but just needed some more creative staging.
Highlights of our stay
There were so many highlights of the stay at the but here are just a few of the key points, which I hope you find a useful summary.
Location - it’s so easy to get from the island of Mahé, and the international airport - 20 minutes direct with Zil Air helicopters and you’re on the island!
There was a ‘toss-up’ disc in the villa to choose breakfast in villa or at the Island Café.
Breakfast - always such an incredible experience, with all the cold foods in the Wine Cellar, and breads and way more in the Chef’s Kitchen.
So many beaches to choose from - never busy, and always well serviced with towels and water nearby. It would have been amazing though to have an extra drinks service, perhaps on the nearer beaches to the resort itself (loved the ‘press to order’ wooden buttons at Six Senses Douro Valley last year).
The Spa - just wow, one of the best.
Food - never had a disappointing meal, always excellent, and a really decent choice at all meal times for vegetarians, vegans, or neither.
The fruit bats flying overhead. I must say I’m not a bat fan by any means (at anywhere near close quarters) but it was magnificent seeing the size of them fly overhead during the day, adding a mysticism to this beautiful island.
The icing on the cake would have been a self-drive buggy like the hillside villas at Constance Ephelia. We did ask though, and I think this had maybe previously been allowed, but being spoiled by some (inebriated) tourists not being responsible.
Cleanliness - spotless everywhere, which must be a continual job considering the island location.
Our villa - exceptional views, so much space, and so well appointed.
Getting a late check-out, albeit it we did need to leave slightly earlier than planned with the weather closing in on Mahé, for the helicopter to be able to fly. If you do have a later departure and your villa is booked, don’t worry as some of the original A-frame lodges from the resort pre Six Senses are still there, and one has been refurbished into The Studio, which can be used as a day-room if necessary.
The residences - wow, think Tracy Island from Thunderbirds, if you’re old enough to remember!
Areas for improvement
Wherever we stay, I do always like to look at the positives on any property we stay in, and airlines we fly with etc. but sometimes you can’t help but notice things that (for me, but I realise this is always personal) might have made for a better stay.
Very hard to leave negatives here, as the stay was near perfect, but a bit more explanation on arrival would have been helpful. For example, it took about a day for someone to explain to us that there was a bell outside of the reception building for when you wanted to call a buggy.
Everything was meant to be on the TV, information wise, but we could find the In Villa Dining Menu (IVD) there. We did flag to the GEM as there was only a Bar Menu and Wine List, but the TV never changed.
I had looked up the Six Senses Zil Pasyon website before we came, and had thought a day trip to La Digue would be good, with it being located only about a 10-15 minute boat ride away. We thought we had booked that experience as shown on the website with our GEM, who said she would meet us at the boat at the arranged time with towels and water for the beach. We didn’t get met, so no towels, and it was awkward in that we didn’t realise we had to pay cash only for the bikes on arrival, when it was allegedly included within the Experience. Be warned, many of the cash machines on La Digue were out of order, and those that weren’t only seemed to accept Visa cards, not Mastercard, Amex etc. When we explained this to the GEM, they seemed to maintain that it was a very old experience which is no longer offered, yet I found it again today on the website, so it didn’t look like the website was kept up-to-date.
Would I stay here again?
Yes definitely, without hesitation, and I would recommend it to anyone. Please do remember that you can book with me in collaboration with Classic Travel, for enhanced VIP benefits. I’ve loved the Six Senses concept since our first ever visit to Yao Noi back in 2015, and want to visit many more. My only hesitation in returning to Zil Pasyon would be to look for a different island experience in the Seychelles (and there are another 114 to choose from) but you never know, like the Maldives, there might at some point be another Six Senses location in the Seychelles to visit for the first time!
Sunset view from our panorama pool villa
My final thoughts on Six Senses Zil Pasyon
I’ve been to six Six Senses already, with hopefully at least another two within the year. I have Six Senses Rome already booked for 2025 when we take one of inaugural La Dolce Vita (Orient Express) train journeys, and I'm looking to stay at Six Senses London, only a short flight away for us, when it opens in the former Whiteley’s department store.
Have you stayed at Six Senses Zil Pasyon or another of the Six Senses properties before, or another property in the Seychelles? I’d love to hear your own thoughts and opinions on it as well as your impression of Seychelles as a holiday destination.
Comment below to share your thoughts and opinions.
Let me know which hotel I should review next!
Discover unparalleled luxury and serene seclusion at Six Senses Zil Pasyon, an eco-friendly haven on the private island of Félicité in the breathtaking Seychelles.