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VELAA PRIVATE ISLAND has a guest list that includes Hollywood celebrities, sports stars and business elites. But, as the resort’s Director of Sales and Marketing Gabriela Markova says, “This is a place where people come not to be seen or heard”. Velaa is a palm-fringed atoll in the Indian Ocean, 187 km north of the Maldives capital, Malé. “The concept of the resort is a home away from home,” she continues, “where you can do as little or as much as you like, all arranged by your own butler.” The epithet “private” is overused in luxury travel,


but Velaa is the genuine article. Czech investor Jirí Smejc, a longtime devotee of the Maldives, acquired Velaa in order to create his ideal of barefoot luxury and complete privacy (Velaa is the only island in the Maldives with a no-drone policy). After considerable investment, the architect-designed haven opened in December 2013, boasting gourmet restaurants, a Champagne bar, a Clarins spa, a 500-bin wine cellar and its own nine-tee golf course created by José Maria Olazabal. There are 47 villas in the resort, some dotted


along the beach, others, such as the Sunset Deluxe Water Pool Villas, suspended over the turquoise ocean. The Romantic Pool Residence is only accessible by boat. “Even when we are full, there are only 147 guests,” says Gabriela. “And we have a very high staff ratio per villa.” Czech architect Petr Kolár designed the entire


island complex, giving continuity to the villas and their interiors. “It allowed more space for creativity than our urban commissions,” says Kolár, “but it was challenging to find natural materials that were also durable. For the interiors, we chose colours and tones that provide a relaxing, cosy atmosphere.”


Villas and their outdoor bathrooms feature bamboo and rattan, along with wood-panelling from Borneo and stone paving from Jordan. Petr Kolár’s most striking design is the 23m-high


Tavaru tower, inspired by the shape of a cocoon and clad in undulating, perforated canvas. It houses the wine cellar, which resembles a tall, wood-panelled library, where guests can sample Old World classics including the largest collection of Romanée-Conti in the Maldives, as well as wines from boutique wineries around the world. The sommelier hosts weekly tastings as well as private wine degustation dinners. Perhaps to offset the temptations of Velaa’s


restaurants and bars, the island caters for most sporting tastes, with its golf academy, squash and tennis courts, and a football pitch. “If we have footballers staying,” says Gabriela, “we sometimes host informal matches between staff and clients!” The resort operates a PADI-certified diving


centre and its resident marine biologist offers guided snorkelling safaris. Water sports on Velaa range from wake-boarding, kite-surfing and kayaking, to the wonderfully James Bond-style two-man submarine and sea bob. “We are always looking for the newest water toys to add to our list, jetpack being our latest addition,” says Gabriela. “This really sets us apart.” Toys aren’t provided exclusively for adults on the island, however. Velaa welcomes families and provides a nanny for each child, a dynamic water- play area and activities for all ages, from pizza- making to a console-packed gaming room. Velaa Private Island offers an idyllic mixture


of seclusion and seduction and conviviality – a home from home in private luxury. — www.velaaprivateisland.com


LUXURY GETAWAYS 117


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