The Residence Maldives launches a new All-Inclusive package

The Residence Maldives becomes one of the first five-star properties in the archipelago to offer an all-inclusive package, allowing guests to relax and enjoy their break without worrying about the final bill.

The brand new all-inclusive package includes, not only luxury accommodation and dining but also, the opportunity to explore the idyllic surroundings with complimentary use of non-motorised watersports such as catamarans, kayaks, windsurfs and snorkelling equipment.

Dining is a real highlight at the hotel and guests can enjoy meals across the island. The Falhumaa restaurant is a must-visit – located at the end of a 230m jetty on the edge of the house reef, guests can enjoy delicious sea-food accompanied by the soothing sounds of the lapping waves. For a particularly special evening, a romantic meal can be arranged in-villa or under the stars, at no extra cost.

The Residence Maldives’ All-Inclusive programme includes:

• Breakfast at The Dining Room and set lunch at the Pool Bar or The Dining Room. Set dinner can be taken at any of the three restaurants (supplements may apply for alternative items from the a la carte menu)
• Soft drinks and bottled water
• Unlimited draught beer, selected wines by the glass, selected spirits and cocktails from 11am to 11pm
• One picnic lunch on the hotel’s Castaway Island including transfers (the picnic replaces lunch on that day)
• Complimentary access to the gym, sauna, steam room, business centre, and use of all non-motorised watersports and snorkelling equipment
• Butler service (on request)

The Residence Maldives is located on the unspoilt southern island of Falhumaafushi in the Gaafu Alifu atoll, part of one of the largest and deepest atolls in The Maldives, Huvadhoo.

The exclusive resort’s 94 beach-front and over-water villas have been designed to complement the surroundings and provide a sense of place, using natural materials and local artefacts.

The Spa by Clarins is the first of its kind in The Maldives and offers a range of exclusive Clarins treatments, perfect for sun exposure. Diving is a huge attraction for guests at The Residence, with a large number of exceptional dive sites within a short distance, as well as the PADI 5* Dive Centre offering advice and support to all level of snorkellers and scuba-divers looking to discover the un-spoilt coral reefs and rich marine life.

The Residence Maldives is just 20km north of the Equator and is reached via a 55-minute flight to the recently opened Kooddoo airport.

Source: http://maldives.net.mv/9785/the-residence-maldives-launches-a-new-all-inclusive-package/

Cathay Pacific to begin flights to Maldives

Cathay Pacific is launching direct flights from Hong Kong to Maldives. It was confirmed that Hong Kong international flag carrier will fly nonstop, 4-day-a-week service from Hong Kong International Airport to the Malé’s Ibrahim Nasir International Airport starting from 27th October.

The route will be operated by a A330-300 aircraft, featuring business class, premium economy and economy class cabins. Flights leave Hong Kong at 1715hrs and arrive at 2125hrs. On the return they leave Malé at 2335hrs and arrive at 0855hrs in Hong Kong.

Cathay Pacific chief executive John Slosar said: “The Maldives is the perfect getaway for holidaymakers from Hong Kong and around the world. Cathay Pacific is a premium service airline and our passengers will enjoy the best products and services when they fly with us to the Maldives. The continued expansion of our network highlights our commitment to boosting Hong Kong’s place as one of the world’s great international aviation hubs.”

Cathay Pacific is the international flag carrier of Hong Kong, serving 168 destinations in 42 countries and territories on five continents, with a well-developed Asian network. The airline serves a number of gateway cities in North America and Europe, with easy connections with its Oneworld and codeshare partners, American Airlines and British Airways via Los Angeles and London, respectively. The airline also has access to over 17 destinations in China through its subsidiary, Dragonair. The airline was recently honoured with the “World’s Best Cabin Staff” award at the annual Skytrax World Airline Awards.

Rapper Eve holidays in Maldives

The Grammy Award-winning rapper was recently spotted holidaying at a luxury resort in the Maldives. She tweeted pictures including an adorable neon bandeau and leopard bikini bottom also displaying her famous paw print tattoos across her toned chest. She also Instagrammed videos of flying by a seaplane and feeding manta rays.

Eve, is an American Grammy Award winning rapper-songwriter, record producer and actress. Her first three albums have sold over 8 million copies worldwide. She has also achieved success in fashion with her clothing line, Fetish. She is the inaugural winner of the Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration in 2002 for the song “Let Me Blow Ya Mind”, with Gwen Stefani. As an actress, Eve is best known for her roles as Terri Jones in the films Barbershop and Barbershop 2: Back in Business, and as Shelley Williams on the UPN television sitcom Eve.

The queen of hip-hop has been hard at work. In May, she released the highly anticipated album “Lip Lock” (her first in over a decade). She graced the July cover of Redbook, and discussed body confidence and new music with the magazine. If that wasn’t enough, Eve also splits her time between NYC and across the pond, where she’s taken on the role of stepmom to British boyfriend Maximillion Cooper’s four children.

She definitely deserves a break in Maldives!

Source: http://maldives.net.mv/9803/rapper-eve-holidays-in-maldives/

Mfar Hotels to invest $150m to develop Kuda Villingili Resort

Indian hotel firm, Mfar Group of Hotels  will invest  $150 million to develop a high end resort for well heeled tourists in Maldives.

The Mfar Group of Hotels, which has around 700 rooms altogether in India and Oman, has recently acquired Kuda Villingili Island in North Malé Atoll from Yacht Tours Maldives Pvt Ltd for building the resort.

“We have just acquired an island measuring six hectares in land area, and we have the permission to reclaim land up to 30 hectares. We got the land on a 50-year lease from the government,” P Mohammed Ali, owner of the firm, told the Times of Oman newspaper.

Ali said Maldives has a great potential for hotel and tourism industry and provides opportunities for investment in the financial, infrastructure and tourism sectors.

The resort will be a combination of villas on the land as well as villas built on stilts in the lagoon.

Mfar Hotels currently own the Le Méridien Kochi and The Westin Chennai. Their on-going hotel projects include Kumily in Kerala and Muscat, Sultanate of Oman.

Source: http://maldives.net.mv/9807/mfar-hotels-to-invest-150m-to-develop-kuda-villingili-resort/

Four Seasons Unveils “Floating Resort”

Luxury hotel group Four Seasons has unveile a new floating resort set aboard a 128-foot state-of-the-art catamaran.

With the capacity to accommodate a maximum of 22 guests, the Four Seasons Explorer is available for three, four and seven night cruises in the ultra-luxurious Maldives islands in the Indian Ocean.

The vessel cruises the waters between Four Seasons’ two Maldivian island resorts, Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa and Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giravaaru.

Spread across three decks, accommodation ranges from ten large en-suite staterooms to the spacious Explore Suite.

A variety of activities are available for guests during their time on-board including diving, snorkelling, water skiing, fishing and kayaking.

The vessel is also manned by a dedicated crew, including marine biologists, diving experts and chefs to ensure guests get the very most out of their trip.

Four Seasons Explorer is also available for customised private charters by groups of families and friends.

EID ESCAPES: Leave reality behind with blissful break in magical Maldives

If you’re looking for an Eid getaway that really does get you away from it all, it doesn’t come much better than a trip to the Maldives.

Just three-and-a-half hours flight from the UAE, the divine tropical islands of this Indian Ocean archipelago feel a lifetime away from the hustle and bustle of city life. A natural marvel, the Maldives is made up of nearly 2,000 low-lying coral islands, with about 200 inhabited by locals and 100 transformed into luxury resorts - with more under development.

None of the resort islands are very large, but all of them are designed to provide guests with a haven of serenity and relaxation. Depending on where your resort is located in relation to Male, the capital - and home to the international airport - you will either hop on a speed boat or board a sea plane to reach it.

The sea plane trip is a truly mesmerising way to see the islands, which look like precious gems sprinkled in the azure sea as you fly over them. The aerial view also perfectly demonstrates the precarious nature of this island nation. Just a few centimetres separate sandy island and submerged reef and you can immediately see why the spectre of global warming and sea level rise looms large.

However you travel to your resort island, the moment you step onto it, you really do feel the stresses of daily life fall from your shoulders. The sea is so blue it almost looks painted in, the air is warm and sea breezes waft around you - it’s worth noting that those breezes could be more of a gusty wind in the summer months, hence the destination’s popularity with watersports enthusiasts, who come for the surfing and kite-boarding.

Hospitality is second nature to Maldivians, and this is a country where service comes with a sincere smile.

Most resorts offer a range of accommodation options from beach villas to the picturesque chalets that hover over the ocean on stilts for which the islands have become so famous.

And once you’re sat sipping a welcome drink gazing out at the azure horizon, our advice? Grab a snorkel and get in. The underwater life in the Maldives is stunning - just metres away from your sun lounger you’ll find reefs teaming with life. The water is crystal clear and mostly calm. If you wade out just a short way and stick your face under you’ll be met with a scene straight out of ‘Finding Nemo’.

Venture out a little further and you really do enter a magical world, and if you dive - or have been thinking about learning - the Maldives is an underwater adventure not to be missed, with visibility of up to 50m. And if all that exertion leaves you in need of some R&R, other signatures of the many resort islands include spas, watersports, sunset cruises and fine dining.

Source: http://www.7daysindubai.com/EID-ESCAPES-Leave-reality-blissful-break-magical/story-19569652-detail/story.html

Jamie Crisp appointed Director of Sales for Centara Maldives

BANGKOK, Thailand - Thirayuth Chirathivat, Chief Executive Officer of Centara Hotels & Resorts, has announced the appointment of Jamie Crisp as Director of Sales for the Maldives.

Mr. Crisp, who will be based at Centara’s head office in Bangkok, will be responsible for the company’s 3 resort properties in the Republic of Maldives.

“The Maldives is of great potential to us, and is an essential part of our growth strategy,” says Mr. Thirayuth. “We have 2 resort properties open in the Maldives, with a third under construction. Jamie Crisp brings great experience to this position, and we are confident he will help us achieve our objectives in this beautiful destination.”

Mr. Crisp is a British national who has been living and working in the hospitality industry overseas for the past 19 years. He worked for almost 8 years with one of the leading UK tour operators in various destinations such as the Maldives, India, Egypt, Malaysia, and Dubai. He also spent a total of 5 years in Dubai, mainly heading up the corporate sales department for Arabian Adventures, the DMC owned by Emirates Airline. 

Moving to Thailand 6 years ago, Mr. Crisp worked with Kuoni Destination Management at Asian Trails, looking after the MICE business for the Southeast Asia region. Previous to joining Centara Hotels & Resorts, he was Director of Sales for Evason & Six Senses Resorts in Hua Hin.

Centara opened its first Maldives property, Centara Grand Island Resort & Spa Maldives, in late 2009. Set in the South Ari Atoll, the 5-star resort has a broad range of leisure activities and operates under Ultimate All-Inclusive program, in which cash is not required on the island. 

Centara Ras Fushi Resort & Spa Maldives, a villa-only resort located just 15 minutes by speedboat from Male International Airport, opened earlier this year and is an adult-focused with no guests under the age of 12 years accommodated on the island. The resort has been named by TripAdvisor as the top North Male Atoll destination for honeymooners, an accolade won in the face of competition from 30 other resorts in the region. 

Centara’s third resort in the Maldives will open in 2014.

Centara Hotels & Resorts is Thailand's leading operator of hotels, with 42 deluxe and first-class properties covering all the major tourist destinations in the Kingdom. A further 17 resorts in the Maldives, Vietnam, Shanghai, Bali Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Mauritius Indian Ocean, brings the present total to 59 properties. Brands and properties within Centara ensure that specific categories such as couples, families, individuals, and meetings and incentives groups will all find a hotel or resort that is appropriate to their needs.

Centara operates 27 branches of Spa Cenvaree, one of Thailand's most luxurious and innovative spa brands, together with its newly-launched value brand Cense by Spa Cenvaree, which provides core spa services for busy travelers. The company's Kids' Club is available at all the family-friendly resorts to ensure that the youngsters and teens are taken care of. Centara Hotels & Resorts also operates 2 state-of-the-art convention centers in Bangkok, and 2 in northeastern Thailand, one being located in Udon Thani and the other in Khon Kaen.

The latest Centara brand is named COSI Hotels, an economy brand designed for travelers who predominantly make their bookings via the Internet and who want comfort and convenience at the most friendly prices available, which is under development with the first property due to open in 2015.

Source: http://www.forimmediaterelease.net/pm/9219.html

Shangri-La launches 'Shangri-La Private Jet Journey'

Shangri-La , in cooperation with Ctrip's top travel brand, HHtravel, and Private Jet Journeys, announced the launch of the "Shangri-La Private Jet Journey" programme providing a personalised, high-quality luxury travel experience to China's high-end leisure travellers. In so doing, Shangri-La aims to create a new stage for strategic cooperation with high-end travel brands.

The first flight of the "Shangri-La Private Jet Journey" series is set for the Maldives—the most favoured destination of China's affluent. The "Maldives Double Villa Luxury Journey" will take off on Golden Week in October 2013.  It will be China's first upscale travel group to enjoy a direct flight to a high-end island by private jet and the only group trip of its kind this year.

In the future, the program will introduce private jet journeys to Europe, the Americas and Australasia with travellers staying at Shangri-La's global luxury hotels and savouring local cuisines and exploring the culture and heritage of the destinations. Among Chinese luxury travellers, Shangri-La was named the most preferred hotel brand for the second consecutive year in the 2013 Hurun Report – The Chinese Luxury Traveler.

"Shangri-La has had years of strong partnership with the industry's leader, Ctrip," said Kent Zhu, chief marketing officer of Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts.  "This time, we have teamed up with HHtravel, Ctrip's subsidiary specialising in luxury travel services, to expand our cooperation to the field of high-end travel.  We wish to provide our guests with more exclusive luxury experiences featuring meticulous, distinguished hotel services; high-end, customised itineraries, and a private jet experience.  The Maldives trip is only the start of the 'Shangri-La Private Jet Journey' series.  In the future, leveraging on the close cooperation with HHtravel and Private Jet Journeys, we will continue to launch more exciting private jet trips."

Throughout the "Maldives Double Villa Luxury Journey," guests will stay at Shangri-La's Villingili Resort and Spa, Maldives. Boasting a six-kilometre coastline and two kilometres of fine white sand beach, it is the only hotel located in the southern part of the Maldives, nearest to the equator, and the only hotel in the entire country that has its own private executive airport terminal with an exclusive VIP lounge handling entry-exit and check-in procedures for guests.  Guests will stay a few nights each in a Water Villa and Tree House Villa while at the resort.

The Water Villas are built on top of the resort's lagoon. Offering panoramic views and fresh sea air, this private haven is connected to the island by a timber walkway, with azure waters in close proximity.  In contrast, the hidden Tree House Villas are built on top of trees, over waters teeming with marine life, where guest can enjoy both the privacy and beautiful scenery with sweeping sea views unfolding like a canvas.


Shangri-La's Villingili Resort and Spa, Maldives is also the country's first hotel to have a nine-hole golf course, as well as the first to offer bike tours of the surrounding islands.  Located in the southern part of Villingili Island, the golf course occupies an area of 7.5 hectares and offers breathtaking views.

A BBJ Boeing Business Jet is slated to be chartered for the Maldives trip.  The jet aircraft is a high-performing derivative of a Boeing 737 and specifically designed for VIP customers; the 150 seats of a Boeing 737 are transformed into 26 seats allowing each customer a comfortable seating experience.  Moreover, with no overhead luggage rack, BBJ Boeing Business Jet is more spacious both horizontally and vertically.

For the Maldives Resorts trip, the private jet will land directly on Shangri-La's exclusive airport strip, where the hotel's attentive staff will immediately help guests check in, saving them from the hassles of waiting in the terminal.

"The launch of the Maldives trip, the first private jet travel series product, jointly with Shangri-La, is another major innovation by HHtravel in China's high-end tourism market," HHtravel CEO Jack You commented.  "With the experience of the Maldives private jet trip, HHtravel will launch more routes in the future.  On this occasion, cooperation with Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts can be termed as a 'perfect match'—both sides have harmoniously identified proper interconnection to satisfy respective brand needs, while providing optimal services and products to our guests.  This is also an important part of HHtravel's branding strategy."

Source: http://www.4hoteliers.com/news/story/11528

Maldives resort travel video: La Carmina @ Gili Lankanfushi

Maldivian begins flights to China

Maldivian airlines has started direct flights between China and the Maldives. First flight of Maldivian took off to Chongqing China from Ibrahim Nasir Airport yesterday shortly after midnight.  The return flight arrived from Chonqing at 19:25 hrs. The maiden flight of passengers from the Chinese city of Chongqing were greeted at the Ibrahim Nasir International Airport by the Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Ahmed Adheeb, Minister of Defence and National Security Colonel (Rtd) Mohamed Nazim, the Chinese Ambassador to the Maldives Mr. Yu Hongyao, the Managing Director of Maldivian Abdul Haris, Ambassador at Large Abdul Azeez Yousuf and senior officials from Maldivian and the Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL).

Under the agreement with Chengdu Universal Travel and Island Aviation Services Ltd, Maldivian Airlines will fly twice weekly to Chengdu with A320, with 14 seats in the business class and 138 in the economy class.

Source: http://maldives.net.mv/9774/maldivian-begins-flights-to-china/