FEATURE THE MALDIVES
Centara Grand Island Resort & Spa
Maldives has introduced its Centara Gold plan, which, for a small surcharge, adds a range of benefits to the resort’s all-in package. This includes 60 minutes of treatments
daily at Spa Cenvaree, for adults only, a daily selection of soft drinks and beers in the mini-bar, access to 24-hour Wi-Fi internet, and complimentary snorkelling equipment. Centara Gold must be reserved at the
time of booking with operators. Set in the South Ari Atoll, 25 minutes
by seaplane from Malé, Centara Grand Island Resort & Spa Maldives features 112 suites and villas. For diving and snorkelling enthusiasts opportunities include a house reef complete with a dedicated sunken shipwreck. Thai hotel management company, ONYX Hospitality Group, is to manage Herathera Island Resort, a 273-villa property on the Maldives’ southernmost atoll, Addu. The resort will become the group’s first property outside Thailand and will undergo significant upgrades including enhancements to the beach and villas as well as the addition of sports and children’s facilities. By the end of 2011 the property will be re-launched as the Amari Addu Maldives, positioned for activity and family holidays. The resort has three natural lagoons, a
turtle hatchery and a unique 4km beach, the longest of any resort within the archipelago. Facilities include three swimming pools, a range of restaurants and bars, a spa and dive centre. The resort is a 20-minute speedboat ride from Gan International Airport. Taj, which operates two Maldives properties, re-opened its top-end Rhendi Suite at the Taj Exotica Resort & Spa earlier this year following a US$400,000 refurbishment. The re-modelled suite has created ‘elegant interiors, fittingly reflecting the name ‘Rehendi’, which translates as ‘queen’’. The Rehendi Suite costs from US$5,500 per night. Both the Taj Exotica Resort & Spa and
its sister property, the nearby Vivanta by Taj – Coral Reef, offer several underwater safari experiences, including stingray feeding and excursions aboard the world's largest deep-diving passenger submarine, ship wreck dives and visiting the Taj Coral Rejuvenation Scheme. Rates at Taj Exotica Resort & Spa start from $750 US (approx £466) for a
The Diva water village and time for a drink in one of the Maldives' Taj resort's coffee shops
18 March 2011 •
www.sellinglonghaul.com
Up Close and Personal with Gabriele Scholes "The Maldives... I’ve sold it to clients, looked at photos and descriptions and then finally had the chance to see it for myself at the end of a Sri Lanka trip. Would it be worth it? Despite only intermittent sunshine the sea - with the many atolls dotted around - really was turquoise blue and beaches powdery white as we headed for our resort by seaplane. Our bungalow was a little haven set just back from the beach, sheltered and shaded by trees, with our own swing, wooden deck, fridge, sound system and much more but above all, attached was a large outdoor bathroom. They do exist in the Seychelles and elsewhere but it's a real pleasure to enjoy the warm air while having a shower, to lie in your bath and hear the birds or see the stars at night, never being chilly or feeling enclosed. Add to that the swimming and snorkelling and the many other sports available, the sunsets and open-air bars and restaurants, not to mention the fabulous food... it really feels as if one has arrived in heaven! So yes, well worth it!"
Lagoon Villa plus 10% tax on additional facilities. Recent resort openings include, last November, the new luxury Constance Moofushi Resort on the South Ari Atoll offering 24 beach villas, 56 water villas and 30 Senior Water Villas. There are two restaurants and three bars as well as a swimming pool, gym and a full range of diving and non- motorised water sports. Constance Moofushi Resort provides a high-end all-inclusive concept for the ‘discerning budget conscious traveller’. According to Constance Hotels’
marketing manager, Jonathan King, “We have identified a gap in the market for a luxury property that offers an all-inclusive experience. We will be challenging the traditional image of the all-inclusive concept by offering premium drinks, excellent cuisine and of course first class service synonymous with the Constance Hotels Experience brand.“
Diva Island Resort & Spa – Naiade’s only five-star resort in the Maldives – has launched a Swim With Whale Sharks excursion, claimed to be unique to the Maldives. The tour allows adults and children to snorkel and swim with these harmless and magnificent creatures. Confident swimmers, including children
above the age of eight, can join a team of experienced snorkel guides who lead guests through the reefs. The excursion costs US$ 80pp. First opened in 2008, Diva is located
on Dhidhoofinolhu, one of the largest islands in the Maldives and is just 30 minutes by sea plane from Malé, It offers eight restaurants and bars, a luxury spa, an array of sport and leisure activities including watersports and world-class scuba diving plus new services, facilities and activities designed especially for families and children. And for those clients who care about
the welfare of the resort staff who serve them, the Hilton Iru Fushi is a good place to consider. It was recently voted the best employer in the Maldives by the website
www.job-maldives.com. “We are incredibly proud to have been
voted the best employer in the Maldives,” said the hotel's general manager, Jean- Sebastien Kling."
WHE R E TO BOOK IT ENCHANTING HOLIDAYS
020 8951 3837
www.enchantingholidays.co.uk Seven nights' B&B in a deluxe room in the five-star Diva Maldives costs from £1683pp, with flights by Sri Lankan Airlines for May/June departures.
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