We have marveled at the expansive range of bed decorating in the Maldives, but our treatments at Sun Siyam Iru Veli was the first time we were treated to a floral welcome in our spa room.
Best of the Maldives: Womens Day Bed Decoration – Vakkaru
Perhaps the most Maldivian resort celebration of International Women’s Day posted by Philippine Instagrammer Mels Rentoy from her time at Vakkaru.
Best of the Maldives: Bed Decorating Map – Bathala
Like the famous (well, in America) Reese’s commercial, “two great tastes in one”. Two of my favourite decoration motifs are (a) maps, and (b) bed decorating. Bathala has combined both for this striking creation.
Kicking Back in Paradise
A bit delayed and with a “new normal” skewed experience, both Maldives Tourism and Premiere League football have recommenced with this weekend being the starting whistle for most leagues like the Premier League. So to celebrate the return of football (albeit with a few safety tweaks), here is the Maldives Complete starting XI…
- Óliver Torres (Spain) – NIYAMA – FC Porto [ABOVE]
- Alberto Serrán Polo (Spain) – Bengaluru
- Guillaume Philippe Renault (Italy) – Atalanta BC
- Dwight Eversley Yorke (United Kingdom) – Kooddoo – Aston Villa
- Mauroi Cardi (Agentina) – Baglioni – Paris Saint Germain
- Brian Mengel (Denmark) – Kandima – Kolding
- Joel Pereira (Switzerland) – LUX North Male Atoll – Manchester United
- Marcos Llorente (Spain) – Joali – Real Madrid
- Tobias Karlsson (Sweden) – Paradise Island – Falkenbergs
- Daniel Agger (Denmark) – Liverpool
- Rio Ferdinand (United Kingdom) – Kudadoo – Manchester United
And the prize for the best football fanatic bed decoration goes to Anantara Dhigu…
Best of the Maldives: Bed Decorating Map – Kudafuhi
Two of my favourite features – island maps and bed decorating. Both are quite distinctive in the Maldives with their “all on one island” resort properties and their tradition of elaborate blossom bed creations. Kudafushi has merged the two together for a mattress-based map of the island’s landscape (thanks Paola). One of the most exquisite works of bed decorating I’ve seen.
Best of the Maldives: Competitive Bed Decorating – Vadoo
I’ve featured a number of Bed Decorating distinctions over the year and I keep a Pinterest board that includes a broader range of contenders. In fact, I first proposed holding a bed decorating competition 3 years ago. In the controlled environment of an adjudicated competition, the Maldives Housekeepers Forum Competition, it was Vadoo who took home the top prize seeing off a king-sized field of competition…
- “More than 50 housekeepers from over 25 resorts and hotel operators participated in the competition; including Mercure Maldives Kooddoo Resort, Velaa Private Island, Kurumba Maldives, Meeru Island Resort & Spa, Centara Hotels and Resorts, Baros Maldives, NIYAMA Private Islands, Bandos Maldives and Hulhulé Island Hotel. Other hotels and resorts which competed in the competition are Hotel Jen, Naladhu Private Island Maldives, Anantara Maldives Resorts, Hurawalhi Island Resort, Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces, Hideaway Beach Resort & Spa, Veligandu Island Resort & Spa, Komandoo Maldives Resort, Coco Collection and W Maldives.”
Vadoo’s gold medal team comprised of Hasaan Majeed and Ahmed Hafiz (see above). Runner-ups were Baros and Hulhule Island Hotel.
Best of the Maldives: Bed Decorating Diversity – Kuramathi
I wasn’t quite sure what to call this recognition, but I knew I need to call out Kuramathi’s exceptional touches to old fashioned relaxation. Kuramathi was the first resort that I ever posted for its distinctive bed-art marking. They have clearly made it a resort trademark, in fact taking it up a notch with the latest generation of bedroom artistes.
All of the creations shown here are the work of 24 year old room attendant Adam Naseer. Kuramathi shared these details about his work…
- “Adam has been working in another resort for about two years after he found out about Kuramathi on the internet and from some friends (who also work here) and decided to work for Kuramathi, this is now one year ago. He works at the Thundi area of the island and takes care of about 4 to 5 villas per day. His favourite part is decorating the bed or even the bath with towel art including flowers. It is his passion to make the guests happy and to see their smile on their face as he always receives a grateful feedback and the guests always want to have a picture with Adam and his designs. Mostly he likes to make heart shaped or honeymoon designs.”
My favourite is his birthday greeting complete with towel birthday cake (see photo at top).
For a gallery of Maldives bed decorating masterpieces, check out the Maldives Complete “Bed Art” Pinterest board.
Bed Decorators Need Spell-Check
Today is the International Day of Failure. Which happens to be, along with Maldives resorts, my other specialist subject. I’ve written about as much about embracing failure as I have about quirky features at Maldivian resorts. And today I get to combine the two. Enjoy!
- Helengeli – According to Wikipedia, “HANE” is either “Hereditary angioneurotic edema” or “High-altitude nuclear explosion”. Neither is probably a happy occurrence to a new bride. [ABOVE]
- Cinnamon Dhonveli – The guests weren’t being rude when they said he’d married a cow.
- Amilla Fushi – I guess at Amilla they keep track of your achievements and this guest is now at “5”
- Atomosphere Kanifushi – I’ve posted about Babymoons, Blood Moons, Full Moons, Coconut Moons and Super Moons, but somehow I’ve missed out the basic “Happy Moon”.
- Dhigufaru – Is the “Valentine 2” performing for a romantic duet?
- Hurawalhi – Wow, a baby born on the resort itself!
- J Resort Alidhoo – Unless this is some cryptic formula, this appears to be text slang for “Welcome, Oh My…”
- Kuredu – For smaller achievements, I guess this is appropriate.
- Meeru – But this one for really big, heavy achievements.
- Meeru – It’s no big holiday, it merely Christmas.
- Mirihi – I know, I know, everyone’s a chritic these days.
Best of the Maldives: Mixed Media Bed Art – Anantara Kihavah
The Maldives mattress medium just gets more and more sophisticated. The latest artistic talent to showcase is Anantara Kihavah Villas’ mixed medium artistry (thanks Paola). I’m particularly fond of their use of the pink bougainvillea, the underwater scene is especially a propos, and their towel palm tree is the first I have seen using towels in a pictorial rendition.
These bed decorations are ultimately a form of performance art. As evanescent as the blossoms which compose them.
Best of the Maldives: Bed Art – Velaa
There’s bed decorating…and then there is bed artistry. Some of the duvet ovations at Velaa are worthy of a museum. Didn’t know whether to sleep in the bed or frame it. Anantara Kihavah is also executing similarly exquisite renditions, but I gave the nod to Velaa because I have come across more examples and their peacock above is simply masterful. I particularly like the use of blue flowers. Most bed pieces are red petals, increasingly green fronds, and sometimes yellow petals. But blue is sort of the Maldives national colour (if there was one).
