Many wellness products and spa “treatments” are couched in all sorts of medical lingo to make them sound more clinical, but Velaa is taking “wellness” quite seriously with a licensed medical doctor offering consultations for things such as:
Happy Valentines! Instead of showering your beloved with gifts and tokens of love, why not let her bathe in decadent luxury to soak in all your adoration. And instead of sipping champagne, Velaa is providing a special immersive Valentines experience were you can *be* the glass of champagne:
Rates for the package start at $200,000 for the first night and $12,000 per additional night.
Happy Vellantines!
Design is about creating a feeling with ingredients. Some might consider a carpet at a Maldives resort an unnecessary extravagance. The typically stone floors feel cooler to the touch in the hot climate so why spring the expense for something so seemingly extraneous. Well, it’s all part of the Velaa vibe which is possibly the most homey of any resort we have been too. Which is not surprising since the very genesis of the resort was as the resort owner’s private vacation home that eventually grew to a resort in its own right.
Most hotel properties try to get by with spartan décor to cut costs. This approach is why do many hotel rooms seem to sterile and uninviting even if they are done with panache and style. Velaa’s villas feel like someone’s home you are visiting. Only at a home would you put so much care into adding so many details which I’ve highlighted before. The rugs are not cheap industry bulk buys, but really elegant orientals that add a distinctive touch of style as well as warmth.
Recognizing their industry partners, Velaa hosted a reception last week at the hip Mayfair venue MNKY House inviting operators, travel writers and travel agents from the area with whom they have been working (including Maldives Complete).
General Manager Mr. Michal Smejc spoke about Velaa’s personal connection to the property. The owner is his brother and the family treat it as a home that they share with guests who want to visit. He outlined their constant process on re-examining what could be improved and making constant re-investment into the island touching on some of the recent enhancements and planned refinements.
Perhaps the most striking testimony to their attention to detail and authenticity were the refreshments served during the evening. I had just assumed that they would be hiring in some caterers for a few tasty canapés, but they actually flew into London their Executive Chef Gaushan de Silva a number of their sous chefs from the resort itself to share their treats with the guests personally.
One of these delicacies was worthy of a “Best of the Maldives” itself – Mini Lobster and Langoustine Burger with Thermidor Aioli and Fried Quail Egg. Sort of a bit-sized lobster egg benedict with bonus flavours. As regular readers will know, I am an aficionado of both lobster and benedict (and Velaa has already distinguished itself with the latter).
I am the Egg Man. Well, the “Eggs Benedict” Man. And if I keep eating rich eggs benedict for breakfast, I will soon be the walrus too. Eggs Benedict Day today (yes, seriously, there is a day for this) and a chance to call out the ultimate luxury breakfast for the ultimate luxury destination – eggs benedict. I’ve had eggs benedict at fine hotels around the world. Velaa shows how little accents can turn something conventional to something exceptional with a special touch. In their case, a sliver of black truffle on top. I have had this breakfast dish at some of the finest hotels around the world, and this one was the most impressive (not even accounting for the bonus of eating it with warm sand between my toes, the sun low over the mill pond still ocean and the palms trees swaying languidly overhead).
In honor of this eggs-ellent day, I’ve added the tag “Eggs” to the site.
Nine years ago today, Instagram was unleashed on the world. Maldives Complete had already been on the web for nearly a year at the time. Instagram has come a bit further since ;-). It has emerged as the social media of choice for the celebrity and fashionista class. The photo-based platform suits the beautiful people crowd quite well.
Instagram has changed our world and even Maldives Complete. The “Celebrity Visited” field in the resort profile has been a part of the site from the get-go and was gleaned mostly from press reports and celeb sponsored visits travel pieces. But Instagram has turned both the information and photo op spigot full on. I introduced the “Fashion” section of the blog two years ago this month and it has rapidly grown to be one of the most popular features.
So who is the “Best of the Maldives” at attracting Instagram followers through its guests? Velaa – they have the largest total number of aggregate celeb guest followers (117,790,176), as well top (tied) position for most Top 20 guests (3, along with Four Seasons Landaa Giraavaru).
Here are few other fun figures about the sun-kissed figures…
|
RESORT |
FOLLOWERS |
|
| 1 |
Velaa |
130,684,342 |
| 2 |
NIYAMA |
108,835,373 |
| 3 |
Finolhu |
|
| 4 |
Four Seasons Landaa Giraavaru |
57,100,000 |
| 5 |
Cheval Blanc Randheli |
44,084,145 |
| 6 |
One & Only Reethi Rah |
43,016,283 |
| 7 |
Huvafenf |
35,564,912 |
| 8 |
Six Senses Laamu |
34,504,716 |
| 9 |
Four Seasons Kuda Huraa |
23,093,022 |
| 10 |
W Ret |
13,266,346 |
|
OCCUPATION |
FOLLOWERS |
|
| 1 |
Singer |
215,354,798 |
| 2 |
Model |
201,904,735 |
| 3 |
Actress |
125,240,233 |
| 4 | Blogger / Designer |
99,388,622 |
| 5 |
Athlete |
6,912,456 |
| 6 |
Dancer / Yoga |
6,323,516 |
|
COUNTRY |
FOLLOWERS |
|
| 1 |
|
130,684,342 |
| 2 |
|
108,835,373 |
| 3 |
|
|
| 4 |
Barbados |
57,100,000 |
| 5 |
|
44,084,145 |
| 6 |
|
43,016,283 |
| 7 |
|
35,564,912 |
| 8 |
|
34,504,716 |
| 9 |
|
23,093,022 |
| 10 |
|
13,266,346 |
| INSTRAGRAMMER |
COUNTRY |
RESORT | OCCUPATION |
FOLLOWERS |
|
| 1 | Jennifer Lopez |
USA |
Velaa | Singer | |
| 2 | Rhianna |
Barbados |
NIYAMA | Singer | |
| 3 | Shakira |
Columbia |
Velaa | Singer | |
| 4 | Cara Delevingne |
United Kingdom |
Finolhu | Model | |
| 5 | Bruna Marquezine | Brazil | Cheval Blanc | Actress | 22,600,000 |
| 6 | Huda Kattan | USA | Huvafenfushi | Blogger | 15,200,000 |
| 7 | Jacqueline Fernandez |
India |
Four Seasons Landaa Giraavaru | Actress | 13,800,000 |
| 8 | Rita Ora | United Kingdom | Palm Beach | Singer | 11,400,000 |
| 9 | Victoria Beckham | United Kingdom | One & Only Reethi Rah | Singer | 8,900,000 |
| 10 | Aum Patchrana | Thailand | Coco Palm Bodu Hithi | Actress | 7,400,000 |
| 11 | Roe Huntington-Whiteley |
United Kingdom |
Four Seasons Landaa Giraavaru | Model | 7,400,000 |
| 12 | Zoe Sugg | United Kingdom | Ranveli | Blogger | 6,800,000 |
| 13 | Park Shin-hye | South Korea | Soneva Jani | Model | 6,600,000 |
| 14 | Davika |
Thailand |
Club Med Finolhu Villas | Designer | 6,400,000 |
| 15 | Kimberley Anne Tiamsiri | Thailand | Kanuhura | Actress | 5,700,000 |
| 16 | Belén Rodríguez |
Argentin |
One & Only Reethi Rah | Model | 5,600,000 |
| 17 | Paris Hilton | USA | Velaa | Model | 5,600,000 |
| 18 | Eva Gutowski | USA | Six Senses Laamu | Blogger | 5,400,000 |
| 19 | Aliaa Bhaat | India | Four Seasons Landaa Giraavaru | Actress | 5,200,000 |
| 20 | Sveta Bilyalova | Russia | LUX South Ari Atoll | Model | 4,900,000 |
Fitnessisto and professional kite boarder Youri Zoon of the Netherlands gives the thumbs up to Velaa’s jet wakeboar. Sometimes you just have to drop the sails and go under motor. Sort of like a motorised wake skateboard. Just right for grinding the gentle rollers of the Maldives water.
If you want to live the maritime heritage of the Maldivian dhoni with all the conveniences and luxuries of this modern day paradise destination, then Velaa offers a distinctive dhoni crusing yacht, “Baththeli Anna”.
One of my biggest pastimes is the sport of rowing. The carbon-fiber sculls are the state-of-the-art, but I’m afraid that I’m still smitten by the aesthetic romance of a boat sculpted out of wood.
Specifications:
With this post, I’ve added a new “Cruising” tag as the highest end resorts seem to be extended their super-premium arms race into a naval battle of yachts.
If only the corals could push some button for a bit of cooling shade when they get too warm. At least guests at Velaa have that luxury with deck cabanas with tops that can be rolled out for a bit of shade or rolled back for sunshine (or starshine if you want to lie back on the deck lounger and gaze at the stars at night).
