Best of the Maldives: Long Stay – Gili Lankanfushi

Gili Lankanfushi - Private Reserve

 

 

 

If all you need to relax is one treatment…the Maldive environment around you and you want as much of it as possible, many of the super premium resorts feature the rather grand room (well, ‘suites’) of ‘Residence’. Gili Lankanfushi’s Private Reserve in its ‘Residence’ collection takes this moniker seriously though. It has had one guest stay there for 9 months!

Best of the Maldives: Most Spa Treatments – Sun Island

Sun Island Araamu Spa

From multiple golf simulators, to many multiple rolf stimulators. Holiday Island’s sister resort Sun Island features the largest of the spa in the Villa properties – 105 different treatments in their phone-book-thick menu.  The Starbucks of Spas.

I also love the word ‘Araamu’ in the spa name. It is the Maldivian word for ‘Total Relaxation. They say that Eskimos have a hundred different word for ‘snow’, and the Japanese have a hundred words for ‘rice’, so I guess it is only natural that the Maldivians would have different words for ‘relaxation’.

Best of the Maldives: Golf Simulator – Holiday Island

Holiday Island golf simulator

Despite the limited hectares for full fledged golf courses (for the time being), you can still get in some coaching on your shots with the high tech golf simulators available. The Beach House at Iruveli features one (as noted before), but Holiday Island has *two* for twice the fun as well as the opportunity to bring a partner to share the fun and tips with.

Best of the Maldives: Wedding Coach – LUX* Maldives

LUX Maldives orchid

Most couples coming to the Maldives have a different sort of ‘elegant reception’ on their minds either having just arrived from one at their wedding or planning a special one at the Maldives. Some people like to have everything done for them by a wedding planner and others like to do all the preparation themselves. But sometimes, you want something in between. A personal touch of hands-on with the guidance of an expert who can spur ideas and thwart rookie errors.

My sister Sharyl Stropkay offers that sort of service for interior design for people who want to lend their own touch and apply their creativity, but need guidance about fundamentals as well as tricks and tips and it is very popular.

LUX* Maldives offer sjust such a ‘wedding coach’ service…

“Rather than rely on a professional wedding planner, some couples may prefer to use their own talents to produce a creative and more personal wedding. LUX* will support such individuals by helping them to imagine a design their own unique celebration.”

For example, LUX* Maldives have an orchid nursery so that you can go into it and design your own bouquet. They also once cleared one of their main island bars to create a special beach disco because that was the couple’s dream.

Best of the Maldives: Elegant Reception – Sun Island

Sun Island lounge 2

The fashion is all minimalist modern style in the Maldives as the moment. It does suit the diminutive and natural ambience of the islands natural beauty. But Sun Island’s old school rococo elegance of its reception evokes a bygone subcontinental era of Rajs and palatial splendour. Their sofas exude this opulence as do the other rich décor in their air conditioned lounge. When my wife and I arrived, it took us by surprise for its unconventional luxury and we thoroughly enjoyed this twist on sumptuous reception. It’s not classic Maldives, but it is classic.

Best of the Maldives: Bath Decoration – One & Only Reethi Rah

Reethi Rah bath decoration

 

The latest celebrity Maldives visit (also in a ‘family way’) is Marvin and Rochelle Humes. No surprise that they too are staying at Reethi Rah. Daily Mail coverage included a pic of their bath decoration. Petals in the bath water are de rigeur for romantic spa experiences, but Reethi has gone a step further applying this time honoured bed decoration to the other most relaxing (and at time romantic) part of a villa.

Not All Sunsets and Bed Petals

Divorce Day

Unhappy Divorce Day?

“Divorce day is the lawyers’ nickname for January 3 when unloving couples return from the compulsory cheerfulness of Christmas holidays determined to seek new and separate lives in the New Year.”

Normally, I try to focus quite strongly on the resorts in the Maldives and not get into current affairs, culture, history or other aspects to this distinctive nation. Only the bits that the visitors face. If you want some insights into these other areas from a real insider, then, conversely, these subjects are precisely what Adrian Neville does focus on in the blog on his resort site Seven Holidays). But this recent news items, tweeted by Island Chic, was just too intriguing in its irony not to mention.

Apparently, the most romantic place on earth, where every day is a honeymoon in your backyard, is no guarantee to marital bliss. Not even the cupid’s arrow of sumptuous sunsets can guarantee nuptial eternity. The article ‘Top 10 Countries With The Highest Divorce Rate’ reports that the Maldives is not just the highest divorce rate in the world, but it beats out the runner-up (Belarus) by over a factor of two!

I suspect that part of the reason is the distortion of small numbers (when you have such a small population sample, then minor deviations have big effects on the percentages).

 

Best of the Maldives: Photo Shack – LUX* Maldives

LUX Maldives photo shack 1

You don’t have to be a pro to set, shoot and share this Kodak beauty spot at LUX* Maldives. They have installed a ‘Photo Shack’ which is completely automated (and free of charge) if you prefer a more multimedia greeting. Set at a picturesque part of the island, covered in palms to shade the eyes, it’s like a photo booth that takes free photos.

“We all love a bit of nostalgic fun especially when we’re at the seaside, so we’re inviting you and your family to squeeze into one of our digital photo booths for a spontaneous, happy snappy photo shoot. But don’t expect the grubby metal boxes that you are used to in shopping malls and railway stations. Houses in chic wooden shacks, our booths are painted in vibrant colours, so when you happen across one, be prepared to relax and pull some silly faces. You can print your photos too and this very clever photo shack will even send the photo to your Facebook account to share with your friends.”

Easy holiday greetings all year round. And, you have an option to post them to Facebook. Like!

LUX Maldives photo shark 2