The verdict in three sentences
In Victoria, the choice of web agencies is limited: a studio designing shops, galleries and showrooms usually picks between a Mahé freelancer, an agency in Mauritius or South Africa, and a fully remote studio. Proximity is still valuable for photos and meetings with hotel groups, but you pay for it in timelines and limited availability. A remote studio makes sense once the local photographer is booked and the contract settles site ownership and the handling of inquiry data.
What are the realistic options for a Mahé studio?
| Option | Main strength | Main limit | 2026 ballpark (USD, approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freelancer in Victoria | Face-to-face meetings, knows the market | Availability, one person | 1,400 to 3,900 (SCR 20,000 to 55,000) |
| Seychelles agency | Team on the island, photos sometimes included | Few providers, long lead times in high season | 3,200 to 8,600 (SCR 45,000 to 120,000) |
| Mauritian agency | Bilingual, same time zone | Travel billed, few visits | 3,000 to 9,000 |
| South African or Dubai agency | Large teams, hospitality references | High prices, often English only | 5,000 to 15,000 |
| Kolonell, remote studio | Fixed price, delivery in 3 to 4 weeks | No physical presence | Starter 2,900, Growth 4,900, Premium 8,900 |
Rupee amounts are converted at about SCR 14 to USD 1; these ranges come from typical quotes, not published rates. The Kolonell project manager stays reachable within your Seychelles working hours.
What should a retail interiors studio site do in Seychelles?
Your clients are hotel boutiques in Beau Vallon and along the west coast, shops on Eden Island, galleries of Seychellois artists, retailers in central Victoria near the Sir Selwyn Selwyn-Clarke Market and furniture importers based at Providence. Many decision makers also sit abroad, at a hotel group's head office. The site has to show within seconds that you can design a point of sale that copes with humidity and salt air and showcases local craft.
- Portfolio by type: hotel boutique, gallery, showroom, retail counter, tasting space. Give area, duration and constraints (climate-proof materials, pieces shipped by freight).
- Page weight: many visitors browse on mobile data or hotel wifi. Aim for 150 to 200 KB per image in WebP or AVIF, with lazy loading.
- Photo rights: a written licence and photographer credit; consent from the hotel or retailer before publishing, as brands and guests appear on camera.
- Discretion: never an identifiable private residence, nor any security features.
- Short form: type of shop, island, area, opening date, budget band.
- Method and fees explained in general terms; press only if real; links to Instagram, Pinterest or Houzz; a partners page (joiners, artisans, importers) described simply.
Do not use the title architect: present yourself as an interior design studio unless a team member is genuinely entitled to it.
When is staying local the better call?
Honestly, a Mahé provider is the best choice if you want copy in Seychellois Creole written by someone who speaks it every day, if your hotel clients expect an in-person presentation, or if you plan to film every finished shop with the same crew. It also wins when the budget is very tight and a trusted freelancer can look after the site for years.
A remote studio fits when your photos exist or are scheduled, your target clients read English or French, and you want the site live before the high tourist season.
Three-year cost: two scenarios
| Item (USD, approx.) | Seychelles agency | Kolonell Starter | Kolonell Growth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Build | 5,000 (SCR 70,000) | 2,900 | 4,900 |
| Photos, two days (local photographer, third-party cost) | 1,200 | 1,200 | 1,200 |
| Second-language translation (independent translator) | Often included | 300 to 500 | 300 to 500 |
| Support in the first 3 months | Varies | Included | Included |
| Maintenance afterwards, market assumption | 50 to 120 per month | On quote | On quote |
| Total before maintenance (upper range) | 6,200 | 4,600 | 6,600 |
Growth adds more pages and documented projects; Premium at USD 8,900 is the multilingual tier, with languages set in the quote. Compare the tiers on the international websites page.
Questions to ask every provider
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
- Will the domain and hosting be in my name?
- What is the maximum weight per image, and the load time on mobile?
- Where are inquiries kept, for how long, and who can access them?
- Does the site target WCAG 2.1 AA for accessibility?
- What do we get back if we change provider?
Local frame. Seychelles has a legal framework on personal data protection; have a local lawyer confirm the text in force and its obligations, and apply good practice as a minimum: clear information, cookie consent, limited collection and a defined retention period. This is not legal advice.
Mini case study
Illustrative example: Marie-Ange runs Studio Takamaka Interiors, a fictional three-person studio designing hotel boutiques and galleries on Mahé and Praslin. Her old site showed 20 photos of 1.5 MB on each project page, 30 MB to load, and prospects on the move gave up.
Rebuilt with 180 KB images, the same page weighs 3.6 MB, 88% less data. On budget, she compares a Victoria agency at SCR 70,000, about USD 5,000, delivered after the high season, with Kolonell Starter at USD 2,900 in 3 to 4 weeks. With two days of a local photographer at USD 600 each, paid directly, she spends USD 4,100 instead of USD 6,200, and sets the USD 2,100 difference aside for a Creole version by a Seychellois translator.
FAQ
Why prices in USD?
The Kolonell grid for Seychelles is in USD: 2,900, 4,900 and 8,900. Local rupee quotes are compared at roughly SCR 14 to USD 1.
Will the site be fast on mobile networks?
It is a target set from day one: 150 to 200 KB images, lazy loading, capped galleries. A project page then often stays under 4 MB.
Do I need three languages?
For a B2B studio, English and French cover most decision makers. Creole makes sense for local communication, in Premium at USD 8,900 or through an independent translator.
Who photographs the shops?
A local photographer you pay directly, roughly USD 500 to 700 per day as a ballpark. The remote studio provides the shot list.
Let's scope your project. Describe your shop types, islands and season calendar, and we will price Starter at USD 2,900 or Growth at USD 4,900. See the international offer or request a free quote: detailed reply within 48 hours.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.