There bigger…and there’s more. And when it comes to bottles of wine underground, no one has more than resort Huvafenfushi. Their cellar holds 6000 bottles which is not just the largest not in the Maldives, but in the entire Indian Ocean as well.
6000 bottles of wine on the wall, 6000 bottles of wine. You take one down, pass it around, sign for a big charge on your room bill, 5999 bottles of wine on the wall…
Grand entrance to the Huva cellar
Today’s is wine’s big day. Nevermind “Wine O’Clock’…all day is National Wine Day today. And the *big* place to drink it in the Maldives is JA Manafaru. They have the largest underground wine cellar in the country. Three entire rooms. And it is filled from top to bottom with 3,000 bottles of the world’s finest fermentation. The space is not just used for storage, but also elegantly fitted out for wine tastings and pairing meals.
Salud y amor y tiempo para disfrutarlo ! – Latin American toast meaning “Health and love and time to enjoy it.” At Manafaru, you get the space to enjoy it as well.
Some people opt for a cheese plate over pudding. In which case, Soneva Gili’s sister property, Soneva Fushi, features an extravagant cheese collection as part of its stunning wine cellar. Its 7000+ bottle collection ranks among the best in the Maldives in its own right, but the cheese is truly distinctive. I was alerted to it by a friend and Soneva Fushi regular, Mark Richardson, who raved about the cheese smorgasbourg. Contacting Soneva, their Sales and Marketing Executive Aishath Ali gave me the details…
Selections include Soumaintrain fermier, Roqueforte Artisenale, Livarot, Perail Brebis, Lanres fermier, Maroille Ferme Blanche, Blue des Causses A.O.C., L’Ami du Chambertin, Manchego, Swiss Gruyer Haut Alpage, Reypenaar.
Say ‘cheese’! At Soneva Fushi, that will definitely put a smile on your face.
Happy Valentines Day!
A meal out in a romantic venue. A box of chocolates. How about a meal of chocolate?? In paradise.
Soneva Gili has an Underground Chocolate Cave. A chocolate lair!
A fuller list is provided below, but to extend taste sensations, Soneva Gili also couples bottled treats with the boxed ones…
A sample of the confections includes…
Travelscore Magazine’s blog has a great comprehensive review of the place (where the pictures are from).
W Hotels often have the trendiest club in town and the Maldives is no exception. A far cry from a keyboard and disk-deck in the corner, the W Retreat’s ’15 Under’ nightclub features international DJs in a swish nightclub below the sands. While second-stories are pretty rare in the Maldives, underground venues are even more so. 15 Under is located 15 steps beneath the Fire restaurant.
While alcohol is forbidden in the non-resort parts of the Maldives in line with its Muslim traditions (do not attempt to bring duty free with you into the country), the resorts are granted exemption to serve alcohol to visitors. The resort with purportedly the most extensive array in the archipelago is Huvafen Fushi with its massive underground wine cellar (the only one in the Maldives). The collection is managed by what one report described as ‘its flamboyant sommelier Sonny.’ Cheers!