Tour 2025 – JEN Maldives

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Tour 22 - Hotel Jen

Hotel JEN (then “Holiday Inn Male”) was our first experience with the capital city and since then remained our go to pied a terre in Male. We loved its uniquely elevated perspective on the azure tapestry of the seascape as well as its tasty menu and refreshing mocktails.

This trip we decided to add an actual stay there during our 2025 Tour. While not a “resort” per se, it is one of the best value for money stays in the Maldives. $200/nt gets you 5-star room facilities, ROOFTOP infinity pool, delicious food. And while there is no beach, there is access to Maldives’ vibrant capital city.

We chilled at the rooftop restaurant and pool on a particularly toasty day. It was an especially convenient leg to our journey arriving in the afternoon with little time left in the day to get to a resort and enjoy much resort time.

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Best of the Maldives: Urban Gallery – Hotel Jen

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Hotel Jen - art exhibition 1

While the Maldives are known for their low-rise terrain and thatched villas, some gems are indeed to be found in the high-rise buildings. Hotel Jen may be sequestered in the hubbub of Male, but it too is featuring some aquatic artistry at “An art exhibition renaissance for the Maldives”:

  • “MAC curates and showcases three exhibitions on a monthly basis under an agreement it has with Le Cute and Hotel Jen… Avahteri has curated six exhibitions since its creation last year and the team wants to introduce Maldivian artists to a wider audience. ‘Even we have been pleasantly surprised by the number of Maldivian artists out there and by the diversity of their work,” says Aishath. The favoured mediums are changing. ‘Oil and acrylic paintings used to dominate the Maldivian art scene,’ she says. ‘Now we see a trend towards digital, mixed media artwork. Watercolour, charcoal and even cement and coffee are becoming popular.’ Social media has transformed the scene, helping local artists overcome the barrier of the country’s geographical dispersion. Around 85 percent of MAC’s discoveries have been through social media. Avahteri says it has revolutionised the way art is promoted and connected them to new local and foreign audiences.”

Hotel Jen - art exhibition 2

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Best of the Maldives: Skateboarding – Hotel Jen

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Skateboarding - Red Bull 1

Sadly, no hoverbords yet in this ‘Back to the Future’ era. Not even at the most exclusive billionaire hang outs in the Maldives. But the Maldives does have some kicking “boarding” spots that would charge up even Marty McFly.

The Red Bull (initial) video did include some footage of Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru, but most of it is shot in downtown Male with several pass-bys in front of Hotel Jen.

As it happens, Male features a well rated (at least by these world class pros) skateboarding bowl (see below).

Maldives gives you wings!

Skateboarding - Red Bull 2

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Best of the Maldives: Road Race – Traders Hotel

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Red Bull catch the ferry

This is a race that any seasoned traveller can relate to. Running to catch your plane, train or…ferry. I remember speeding through the French countryside trying to get to Cherbourg in time for boarding. Hence the basis for another inspired Red Bull competition “Catch the Ferry” this time sited in the picturesque Maldives…

  • “On May 31, 2014, Red Bull Catch the Ferry will challenge Maldivian endurance runners in an exciting 12.6km race around all three of Malé City’s islands – Male’, Villingili and Hulhumale’. To progress, runners need to make it around each of the routes shown on the route map and catch the ferry before it departs to the next leg of the race. Ferries leave at progressively quicker intervals as runners are filtered to the elite of the Maldivian endurance running community. The fastest female and male winner of the race will be crowned champions, with winners getting an opportunity to travel to the Almáty edition of Red Bull 400 in August 2014, the toughest 400m race in the world”

The best view of this innovative road-sea duathlon would be from the “high” rise Traders Hotel where you could watch both the Villigili legs to the west and the Hulumale legs to the north from their lovely Azur lounge, but for those of us overseas, their Facebook page has lots of good photos and commentary.

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Best of the Maldives: Biggest Submarine – Traders Hotel

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Whale Submarine 1

If you fancy an under-the-sea exploration or just a fun adventure to fill out a Male excursion, consider booking a trip on the Whale Submarine. Okay, it’s not a particular feature of Traders Hotel per se, but Traders is both the closest (one block away departing from Jetty 1) and the most tourist ready hotel in Male.

Its web site describes the vessel…

  • “If you have never been on a submarine this is your chance to go and dive in one of the most advanced passenger submarines in the world…This is your chance, whether you are young or old, able or disable, to visit the underwater world without getting wet, while enjoying the sensation of diving in a submarine…Whale Submarine is designed and constructed in Karlsrhue, Germany under the strict regulations of the American Bureau of Shipping and Bureau Veritas and is capable of carrying 50 passengers to a dive depth of 150 meters. Whale submarine is currently the world’s deep diving largest tourist submarine in existence. So far this submarine has performed more than 2000 dives safely. The cabin of the submarine is fully air-conditioned and has a normal atmospheric pressure and thus you breath normal air. Therefore you are safe to fly just after a dive. Whale Submarine has redundant safety features to ensure the safest, most comfortable ride, and is operated by a fully trained and certified team of French and local pilots. Whale Submarine carries enough oxygen, water and food supplies to support all passengers and crew for 100 hours.”

Dive, captain, dive!

Whale Submarine 2

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Best of the Maldives: Mocktails – Traders Hotel

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Traders Hotel Male Azure mocktail

How was that New Years party last night? A bit too much to drink and ferreting around for the headache tablets. For those who do not prescribe to the ‘hair of the dog’ treatment, then perhaps a more gentle ‘mocktail’ is in order for rehydration. And there are no better Mocktails in the Maldives than the Traders Hotel in Male

While all of the resort islands have special licenses to serve alcohol to guests, Traders being smack in the middle of the major population centre has not been granted this privilege. So instead what Traders have done at their rooftop Azur bistro is crafted an imposing menu of ‘Mocktails’ (alcohol free cocktails) that provide as delectable and stimulating refreshment as anything a resort barman will serve up.

I had the ‘Innocent Mojito’ which is “muddled lime, brown sugar, green tea, mint, soda water”. According to Ria (see photo below). The server (see picture above) who has been there since opening and actually served us on our first visit, told me the most popular seller is the ‘Maldivian Sun’. Others on offer include Lil Rita, Kumiko Sparkle, Byzantine, Lychee and Lime, Chili Pineapple Frappe, Melontini, Cosmo.

Speaking of cocktails, Azur also serves the best shrimp cocktail I have ever had with monster prawns (oxymoron I guess).

Traders Hotel Male Innocent Mojito

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Best of the Maldives: Donuts – Holiday Inn Male

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Holiday Inn Male Gonuts

When I came upon the Haveeru Online piece on ‘Gonuts’ (“International doughnuts cafe chain opens in Maldives”) I nearly fainted with anticipation. Okay, it wasn’t Krispy Kreme. But doughnuts and the Maldives. It’s like ambrosia and paradise mixed into one indolent concoction. So on my recent trip, I had to make a special detour to check out Gonuts. Despite my discerning palette for all things doughy and fried, I was beside myself when I got to experience them.

First, they were good. I had the ‘Chocolate Profiterole’. It appeared to be made fresh as I waited. The filling was particularly ‘creamy’ as opposed to the more gelatinous custard of conventional donuts.

Second, they were appropriately exotic. Flavours offer took the doughnut repertoire to whole new dimensions. ‘Spicy Tuna’ and ‘Sambalicious’ (with chilli pepper) were too adventurous for me even.

Finally, the dining area was a masterstroke. One of my pet peeves with resorts is when they pave over too many dining areas and don’t have enough ‘toes in the white sand’ places to eat. And yet, here in the heart of downtown Male, Gonuts’ own dining area was laid out with white sand for people to enjoy their delicacy in a delightful cafe setting.

So why do I credit the Holiday Inn Male with this ‘Best of Maldives’ distinction? Well, Gonuts has a take-away service! Which means that guest at the Holiday Inn (a few blocks down the road) can ring up for a few concoctions to enjoy with their mocktail by the roof side pool.

Gonuts with Donuts

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Best of the Maldives: Toilet – Holiday Inn Male

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Toto Washlet C110    Toto Washlet C110 2
If you are looking for an even shorter ‘pit stop’ in Male than a day stay, then the Holiday Inn Male offers distinctive facilities (to use a common euphemism) for that too.

Many of the bathrooms are distinctive with outdoor facilities or perhaps a water bungalow with the bath over the water, but the Holiday Inn Male actually has a distinctive toilet itself. It features the ‘Toto Washlet C110’ toilet which is the gadget lovers commode with NASA-like capabilities. It is the only toilet that I have ever used with a Control Panel.

  • “With the touch of a button, a nozzle extends from under the seat for soothing warm-water cleansing, virtually eliminating the need for toilet paper. The nozzle, which self-cleans before and after every use, can be set to move back-and-forth for maximum comfort and optimum cleansing. The specially designed contoured seat is also heated to provide maximum comfort.”

Holiday Inn Male - Toilet

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Best of the Maldives: Short Stay – Holiday Inn Male

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Holiday Inn Male - Pool

Most people want to stay in the Maldives as long as possible. Some friends have shared that they really downshift into super-relaxed mode after the better part of a week there making a second week all the more indolent. It used to be that two-week trips were not that much more expensive in total than the one week equivalent, but the shift to commercial flights from charter and the generally more expensive resort rates have made the costs more proportionate.

However sometimes travel logistics mean that just a short stay is called for (‘Male Short Stay Hotel’). I personally was just blown away by the Holiday Inn Male when we visited there on a day trip (Best for Pool Seating, Best for View). Now that they have made it even easier to just pitch up and ‘stay’ there, I really think it is the best option for someone with just a day to spend in the Maldives.

  • “Our hotel has developed a series of day packages, allowing travelers to use the facilities of our hotel, taking away the frustration of waiting and instead providing a pleasant and relaxing end to their stay in the Maldives.”

They have a ‘Day Use Room Package’ from $165 and a ‘Facilities Use Package’ at $75.

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Best of the Maldives: Pool Seating – Holiday Inn Male

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Holiday Inn Male - Pool Seating

I don’t usually do two ‘Best Of’ awards for the same place back to back, but this one so naturally followed last week’s that it made sense to put them together. Most resorts have the classic white plastic lounge chairs. The good resort will throw in a cushion to make it more comfortable. But no seating compares with the luxurious, giant comfort settees offered by the Holiday Inn Male at its rooftop pool deck. These lounges are like pool king-size beds with luxurious mattresses and headboard cushions. Really more like ‘pool beds’. The pool itself is a delightful infinity pool with a lovely wall fountain at one end. Poolside indolent luxury.

Holiday Inn Male - Pool Seating 2

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