Gili Lankanfushi Maldives named as one of the Top 10 hotels in the world

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The best hotels in the world have been named by TripAdvisor, with Switzerland's historic five-star Grand Hotel Kronenhof taking the coveted No. 1 position in the annual Travellers' Choice Awards ahead of Hong Kong's small luxury boutique property The Upper House, and the over-water bungalows of Gili Lankanfushi in the Maldives.

The 12th annual awards also named the best Australian hotels with the Emirates-owned Wolgan Valley Resort in NSW's Blue Mountains taking the top place.

Wolgan Valley is a conservation-conscious spa resort with 40 luxury suites. They have their own decks and pools and are in a bush setting.

Top 10 hotels in the world

1. Grand Hotel Kronenhof, Pontresina, Switzerland

2. The Upper House, Hong Kong, China

3. Gili Lankanfushi Maldives, Lankanfushi, Maldives

4. Nayara Hotel, Spa & Gardens, La Fortuna de San Carlos, Costa Rica

5. The Oberoi Udaivilas, Udaipur, India

6. Casa Gangotena, Quito, Ecuador

7. Lindos Blu, Lindos, Greece

8. The St. Regis Punta Mita Resort, Punta de Mita, Mexico

9. The Oberoi, Mumbai, Mumbai, India

10. Trump International Hotel & Tower Toronto, Toronto, Canada

Runner-up in Australia was the Gold Coast's beachfront Xanadu Holiday Resort, ahead of the Coconut Holiday Resort in Cairns.

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Queensland resorts, including Hamilton Island's Qualia, dominated the rest of Australia's top 10, as they have in previous years.

The high-end Southern Ocean Lodge at South Australia's Kangaroo Island did not figure in Australia's overall top 10, but it was prominent in a number of other categories including top luxury hotel in Australia, best hotel for romance in Australia and top small hotel in Australia.

Even the humble Morwell Motel in Victoria's working-class Latrobe Valley came out a winner. It was named the best bargain hotel in Australia and came second to Southern Ocean Lodge in the small hotel category.

"We're stoked," said co-owner/operator Grant Maddern who runs the 22-room property with Anthony Mayer.

"We bought the hotel 18 months ago. We closed it for four months and did a half-a-million dollar renovation and now we've taken it from the hotel with the worst reputation in the region to the best reputation."

Rooms at the hotel, with just two full-time staff, start from $120 and are mainly taken up by corporate travellers who enjoy the funky interiors, $9 continental breakfasts delivered to the room, free wi-fi, a Nespresso coffee machine with unlimited coffee, and a small gym.

"It's all about the service and going above and beyond," Mr Maddern said. "Last week when it was hot we went into the rooms before guests arrived and put on the air con for them. We do the same in winter, to make sure it's warm when they arrive. We provide real milk, not that s----y long-life stuff, and free bottled water."

TripAdvisor is the world's largest travel website. According to TripAdvisor, the winners of the Travellers' Choice Awards are based on millions of reviews and opinions site users gathered over a 12-month period.

A spokesperson said TripAdvisor uses an algorithm that measures the quality and quantity of the ratings from traveller reviews and opinions on the site to determine the winners.

In recent years the site has come under fire over fake reviews and its ability to make or break hotels due to its huge popularity.

Top 10 hotels in the world

1. Grand Hotel Kronenhof, Pontresina, Switzerland

2. The Upper House, Hong Kong, China

3. Gili Lankanfushi Maldives, Lankanfushi, Maldives

4. Nayara Hotel, Spa & Gardens, La Fortuna de San Carlos, Costa Rica

5. The Oberoi Udaivilas, Udaipur, India

6. Casa Gangotena, Quito, Ecuador

7. Lindos Blu, Lindos, Greece

8. The St. Regis Punta Mita Resort, Punta de Mita, Mexico

9. The Oberoi, Mumbai, Mumbai, India

10. Trump International Hotel & Tower Toronto, Toronto, Canada

Sam Worthington and Lara Bingle escape to Maldives 'honeymoon' destination

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IT'S the ultimate honeymoon destination - and Lara Bingle and Sam Worthington are there.

The hot couple, rumoured to be engaged, are in the midst of a romantic holiday, in the Maldives and are said to be staying at the luxury Sixth Senses resort.

Bingle has been uploading images of herself swimming in crystal clear water with bright blue skies as a backdrop, alongside the caption, "somewhere in the Indian Ocean".

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/entertainment/sam-worthington-and-lara-bingle-escape-to-maldives-honeymoon-destination/story-fnilxh2p-1226803281030

Around the world in 20 days - Ronan and Storm chill in the Maldives two weeks after luxury Alps break

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Wondering how to make your social media followers jealous? Ronan Keating and Storm Uechtritz have it down to a tee.

The former Boyzone star and his TV producer girlfriend are enjoying a luxury break in popular Indian Ocean honeymoon resort, the Maldives.

The couple arrived at the resort on Friday, just a week after they spent New Year’s in the Swiss Alps.

They have been posting photos to social media accounts Twitter and Instagram from their respective accounts and also their newly-created profile ‘Ro and Stormy’.

Ronan (36) is using the holiday to complete the PADI diving course as the couple posted photos of his latest endeavour with delight.

“Day 2 of my PADI diver practical done,” Ronan wrote online.

“Amazing day but seriously daunting. Turning off my air underwater was frightening but I did it.”

Later he posted; “Just passed my PADI, incredible feeling. Seriously daunting day. Second last dive was into a huge drop.

“First thing I see at the bottom is a 3-metre shark. Totally freaked me out,” he continued.

“But persevered and had Storm by my side.”

Thirty-two-year-old Storm is using her holiday to sunbathe as the tall blonde posted snapshots of herself relaxing in the sun, the results of her tanning evident in a bikini photo of herself and Ronan.

The pair confirmed they were dating in September 2012 after they met on the set of The X Factor Australia where Ronan sits as the reality show’s judge.

http://www.independent.ie/woman/celeb-news/around-the-world-in-20-days-ronan-and-storm-chill-in-the-maldives-two-weeks-after-luxury-alps-break-29919429.html

Paradise on earth: Dive into the magic of the Maldives

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The Maldives has long been synonymous with romance, laid-back glamour and luxury. Victoria and David Beckham visited the idyllic islands for their Christmas holidays, Marvin Humes and Rochelle Wiseman got engaged there in 2011 – and recently returned with their baby daughter Alaia-Mai to ring in the New Year – and the pristine coral reefs, world-class spas and promises of hazy days of relaxation in an Indian Ocean paradise have enticed everyone from Tom Cruise, Kate Moss, Jennifer Aniston and George Clooney to Mick Jagger.

For a destination with so many A-list guests and a reputation as a honeymooners' paradise, you'd naturally expect something pretty special from a resort dubbed 'the most romantic in the Maldives'. And that's exactly what you get when you visit the Jumeirah Dhevanafushi - which, appropriately enough, finds its home on an exclusive, secluded heart-shaped island in the southern Gaafu Alifu Atoll.

If you've got engaged this festive season and you're on the hunt for a dream-like honeymoon destination – or even somewhere to hold the wedding – then look no further. Dhevanafushi means 'unique island', and that's exactly what it is.

In fact, as the wind whips through your hair as you're sat in a speedboat being whisked off to a neighbouring desert island for a champagne picnic with your personal butler, it's hard to imagine a more perfect setting for romance.

Candlelit beach-side dinners under the stars, the award-winning Talise Spa – set in a water villa so that, as you receive a massage, you're staring down at tropical fish as they swim through the beautiful coral – sunset champagne cruises aboard a traditional Maldivian Dhoni and private in-villa yoga classes – this resort has it all, and then some.

"Luxury is attention to detail," explains marketing communications manager Ramesha Samarasinghe, who reveals that footballers and Bollywood stars have all paid a visit in the two years since it opened its doors to holidaymakers. "Our visitors have come so far to be with us, and there's just miles and miles of blue skies and sea. We want to deliver a real 'wow' experience."

There are just 38 suites on the island, which is a 55 minute-long domestic flight and a speedboat ride away from the capital Malé. Each one comes with personal 24-hour butler service, Apple Media Centre, complimentary wifi, a private swimming pool and a marble bath.

The suites are so luxurious and so secluded that we can almost guarantee you'll feel like the only guests on the island – and nothing is too much trouble for the staff, who almost encourage you to order meals that don't appear on the menus. By the way - make sure you try mashuni for breakfast. It's a traditional Maldivian dish made of smoked tuna and coconut.

Don't fancy an extra flight once you've made the long-haul trip to the Maldives? Jumeirah have another property, the Vittaveli, a serene island resort located in the South Malé Atoll, a mere 20 minute speedboat ride away from the airport. It's a little bigger than the Dhevanafushi, with 91 spaciously-appointed suites and villas which come with bikes, so you can explore the stunning white-sand beaches, three restaurants and spa facilities at your own pace.

It's romantic and caters for couples. In fact, the over-water Lagoon Suites offer some of the most luxurious couples' accommodation in the Maldives. But this is also the place to come if you're jetting in for a family break. There's daily manta ray feeding, a kids club, a dedicated family pool – there's a separate couples' pool nearby – and babysitting facilities, and plenty to keep the little ones entertained. Like the Dhevanafushi, there's also a 5 star PADI certified dive centre, and use of snorkelling equipment is complimentary. There are even two ship-wrecks to explore beneath the ocean...

The food at the Vittaveli is wonderful, with top chefs employed from across the world to whip up anything from Indian, Arabic, Vietnamese, Chinese or British food to traditional Maldivian cuisine.

Catch a spectacular sunset from the BAR-EE bar while sipping on one of the resort's trademark martini cocktails, enjoy a sumptuous in-villa champagne breakfast, or, for couples, make the most of dining in the pool. (Yes, they'll even set up a table in a shallow section of the pool for you to eat your dinner amongst the underwater twinkling lights.) Luxury doesn't get much better than this. It's no wonder the A list keep coming back for more.

For more information or to book a dream holiday to the Jumeirah Dhevanafushi or the Jumeirah Vittaveli click here.

Source: http://www.hellomagazine.com/travel/2014010216337/paradise-on-earth-maldives/