Best of the Maldives: Artist – Reethi Rah

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Reethi Rah Christopher Hogan

From make up brushes to paint brushes, the One & Only Reethi Rah hosts its own ‘Artist in Residence’ Christopher Hogan started this month…

“Guests can fully unwind by taking part in art therapy with renowned Australian artist Christopher Hogan while holidaying on the white beaches of The Maldives. Christopher will be One&Only Reethi Rah’s artist in residence 1 February – 28 April 2012. Known for compositions reflecting the beauty found in wildlife, such as fish skin patterns and the colour palettes of marine life, Christopher’s unique and distinctive style is stimulating to the eye. In particular, his creation of the ‘Reef Series’ propelled Christopher into international recognition. In harmony with the setting of One&Only Reethi Rah, the artist will take inspiration from his time on the island and produce new works as well as guide aspirational artists staying at the resort. Guests can book our special INSPIRATION package which includes luxury accommodations and 3 art classes with Christopher Hogan.”

Christopher has done a range of murals around the resort, especially for the Kid’s Club, as a part of his ‘Reef Series’ (see photo below).

Reethi Rah Reef Series Kids Club

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Best of the Maldives Online: Reef Regeneration – Seamarc

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Gapingvoid Hugh MacLeod Earth Day 2011

Happy Earth Day 2011!

Maldives have always been on the vanguard of promoting the thoughtful stewardship of the planet. In the spirit of the day, I thought I would highlight Seamarc who has been pioneering ‘reefscaping’ and ‘coral regeneration’ projects across the Maldives. Resorts using their reef grafting frames include Kandooma, Four Seasons Landaa Giraavaru, Beach House at Manafaru, Island Hideaway at Dhonakulhi, Reethi Rah, and Four Seasons Kuda Huraa,

“Seamarc’s unique propagation techniques; whereby broken or threatened corals are harvested, attached to portable Coral Trays and put back into the warm Maldivian waters, mean that branching corals grow faster, rapidly creating new and replenishing old habitats. The project also provides alternative employment to residents of nearby B. Fulhadhoo Island who build the structures.”

The illustration above comes from my friend and social media pioneer Hugh MacLeod. I especially like his tagline about ‘changing lives’. The more we do that for the better, the easier it will be to get everyone to agree to some difficult decisions to take care of our planet.

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Best of the Maldives: Lounger – Reethi Rah

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Reethi Rah LiLo 2

There’s pool seating and then there’s POOL seating!

I’ve already done a post on the stunning Pool Seating of the Traders Hotel (nee Holiday Inn Male). On my recent tour, I noted how the resorts we really upping their game in this regard. King-sized luxury mattresses under four-posted canopies. But the Atoll Paradise website caught my eye with what is most certainly the most perfect ‘POOL’ seating. The pictures say it all. Hat tip to TripAdvisor destination expert ICN05 for identifying the sub-aquatic lounger as Reethi Rah’s.

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Best of the Maldives: Shoes – Reethi Rah

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Reethi Rah Christian Louboutin

When I arrive at the Maldives, I take my shoes off in my room at the resort, set them aside…and don’t touch them again until it’s time to catch our departure transfer. I love spending the entire week shoeless. For some bizarre reason, on the last several trips I brought sandals thinking that I might slip those on, but they languished at the bottom of the suitcase untouched. I particularly love the resorts that have lots of lounges and restaurants set on sand instead of concreted over floors. That said, sometimes some resorts will have places where they have a shoes required dress code (typically for safety reasons around dining and drinking areas in case a glass gets broken).

But for others, a trip to the Maldives is a decadent luxury and for the Carrie Bradshaw types, luxury means great shoes. Appropriately enough, the resort that sort of wreaks ‘Sex in the City’ opulence – Reethi Rah – has set out its stall for the footwear of the atolls…

“Christian Louboutin has partnered with One&Only Resorts to create a capsule collection of espadrilles exclusively for the group’s myriad lush havens and hideaways. In designing his first-ever resort collaboration, Louboutin took his popular espadrille and re-imagined it in three styles: The Cataribbon, The Tiburon, and The Isabelle. Priced at $375.”

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Best of the Maldives: Celebrity Watching – Reethi Rah

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Tom and Katie Cruise with baby Suri arriving a Male airport

As such an exquisite destination, the Maldives have proven to be quite popular with the jet setting celebrity crowd.

For a bit of fun in the Maldives Complete resort Profiles, we have now added a section called ‘Celebrity Guestbook’ which tracks celebrity reports and spottings on the various islands if you are curious to know who visited where. If you have visited the Maldives and spotted a celebrity or uncovered a celebrity visitor, then add it to the Comments below and we will make sure to add it to the database.

While it seems that most islands have had one celebrity or another resident at one time, the resort that seems to have drawn the most over time is the resplendent Reethi Rah. Reports to date include presenter Davina McCall, Josh Duhamel and Black Eyed Peas singer Fergie, Natascha McElhone, Sienna Miller, Jodie Kidd, Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, Ashley and Cheryl Cole, Philip Treacy, Sienna Guillory and Gail Porter.

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