News
Starwood debuts the ultimate new travel app on iOS7
Maldives.net.mv – Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG®), the award-winning loyalty program from Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT), today introduced an innovative and inspiring new app for iPad as well as an exciting new design to support iOS 7. The SPG App for iPad joins the SPG App for iPhone, extending SPG’s digital suite of products and gives today’s connected traveler a visually rich, personalized experience on every step of their journey from imaginative destination exploration to the details of their trip before, during and after a visit. Each new, native iOS 7 app builds on the operating system’s latest features and designs and provides guests with the beautiful, immersive travel experience Starwood is known to deliver.
“Travel is inherently mobile and the rapid advancements in technology enable us to extend the personalized experience guests receive in our hotels to their most personal devices,” said Chris Holdren, Senior Vice President, Starwood Preferred Guest & Digital. “Following our success with the SPG App for iPhone, we built the SPG App for iPad using insights we have gained from our members. The relationships we’ve built with our guests put us in a unique position to lead and win with digital by delivering the experiences they seek.”
Today’s travelers are increasingly using mobile devices to search for and explore destinations, as well as book rooms and other travel services. Industry wide, 40% of travel searches occur on mobile devices up from 25% in 2012. Starwood’s mobile bookings are growing at an annual rate of 1000% –five times greater than the annual growth rate of the web channel 10 years ago. The new Starwood apps deliver both the convenience and speed mobile travelers desire while highlighting the SPG lifestyle.
SPG App for iPad:
The new SPG App for iPad app pushes the boundaries of current hospitality apps by uniting Starwood’s unique focus on design and photography, as well as both curated and real-time social content into one mobile experience. Alongside SPG’s iPhone and Android apps, the new SPG App for iPad provides a seamless guest experience, simplifying and enriching both business and leisure travel.
Starwood’s digital design team leveraged iPad’s capacity for high resolution, immersive photography to create an editorial-like experience akin to content one might expect from high-end travel or shelter magazines.
“When we developed our iPhone App, we were focused on ease and speed, envisioning travelers engaging with the App with ‘one eye and one thumb’ in transit,” said Clay Cowan, Vice President, Global Digital for Starwood Hotels & Resorts. “We created our iPad App with a deeper, more leisurely experience in mind. We’re literally inviting people to ‘lean back’ and get lost in our destinations and hotels through fantastic photography showcasing great design, amazing locations and the unique experiences one can expect across our portfolio of nine lifestyle brands and 1,100 hotels in 100 countries.”
App Highlights:
- Explore: The “explore” section inspires travelers to dream of more vacation time with a rich mix of curated content including the more than 100 Member Favorite Resorts awarded by fellow SPG members and dynamic content generated through social interactions
- Using our guest interactions through social media, the SPG app highlights the hottest venues, as reviewed by previous guests, around the hotel right on the map embedded in the app. So when you are far from home, you can eat, drink, and travel like a local.
- SPG life: This section of the app is a hub for learning about Starwood Preferred Guest’s many benefits. Here, members can access up-to-date account information including point balance, upcoming stay information and elite benefits. Members can also take a peek at all the exclusive benefits SPG offers its members like a virtual backstage tour at one of SPG’s Hear the Music, See the World performances, soar with trapeze lessons with Cirque du Soleil or take a seat in the SPG Luxury Suite at the US Open. Users can bid on SPG Moments like these and see Instagram photos from events and live the #spglife within the app.
- Fast and easy personalized booking: A secure area stores credit card information streamlining booking to just three taps. All of Starwood’s more than 1100 properties in 100 countries are represented with full detail with ratings and reviews from verified members who have stayed at the hotel. Perfect for researching your next escape.
- Brand sections: Each of SPG’s nine brands have stunning visual content, designed to highlight each lifestyle brand’s unique attributes and social activities as well as give travelers a realistic representation of what each destination provides.
“We strive to offer our guests a great experience that is unique to them both inside our hotels and at every touch point,” said Holdren. “The experience we created with our iPad and iPhone apps combine the insights of our guests with the magic of our design-led brands. We build our apps on the newest tech in order to exceed the needs of our digitally connected guests.”
Starwood’s mobile team partnered with Bottle Rocket to design and develop the SPG apps—resulting in smart, intuitive navigation that seamlessly integrates SPG and hotel-specific branding into the iPad’s famously user-friendly interface. The SPG App for iPad will launch in both English and Chinese and will be updated with additional versions and multiple languages. The app, currently available for free from the App Store on iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad or at www.spg.com/mobileapps, is the latest development in SPG’s evolution into a hyper-personalized guest services platform.
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InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort launches ‘Swim with Nurse Sharks’ experience
Nestled in the pristine waters of the Raa Atoll, InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort introduces Swim with Nurse Sharks, a new guided marine experience offering guests a rare opportunity to encounter these gentle creatures in their natural lagoon habitat.
Located just minutes from the island, the calm, shallow waters provide ideal conditions for observing nurse sharks at rest and in motion. The one-hour experience operates three times a week by speedboat and is designed for small groups, making it suitable for families and confident swimmers seeking a meaningful connection with the ocean.
Guided with care and respect for the environment, the experience reflects the resort’s ongoing commitment to marine awareness and responsible interaction with wildlife. Guests gain insight into the behaviour of nurse sharks while exploring one of the region’s few accessible snorkelling sites dedicated to this species.
Available at USD 95++ per person, with special rates for children under 12, Swim with Nurse Sharks adds a distinctive new chapter to the resort’s immersive ocean experiences.
For more information on “Swim with Nurse Sharks” at InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort, please visit the resort’s website.
News
JW Marriott Maldives Resort & Spa invites families to celebrate Eid Al-Fitr in island luxury
This Eid Al-Fitr, JW Marriott Maldives Resort & Spa, a luxury multigenerational resort nestled on the serene shores of Vagaru Island in the Shaviyani Atoll, invites guests to celebrate Eid Mubarak through a crafted collection of experiences that honour tradition, connection, and the joy of togetherness.
To elevate the festive celebration, the resort presents its limited-time Eid Escape to Paradise offer, featuring USD 300 resort credit per stay, along with daily breakfast, a three-course lunch, and a three-course dinner for two at select restaurants. A one-time floating breakfast, served in the privacy of the villa, adds an indulgent highlight to the experience. Families travelling with children under 12 enjoy complimentary accommodation and meals, creating the perfect setting for meaningful celebrations amid refined island luxury and warm hospitality.
With 60 spacious villas, each featuring a private pool and panoramic views of the turquoise waters. Guests can choose between beachfront serenity or the tranquillity of overwater living. Attentive service by a personal Thakuru (butler), ensuring every detail is tailored to their needs. Additionally Guests are also invited to explore the natural beauty of the island by bicycle, encouraging unhurried discovery across the island’s lush pathways.
Relax, Recharge, and Reconnect
To mark the festive occasion, JW Marriott Maldives Resort & Spa invites families to gather and celebrate through moments of connection and shared experience. Festivities begin with a curated “Around the World” buffet at Aailaa, our beachfront restaurant, bringing global flavors together in a warm, intended for loved ones to come together.
Dining remains at the heart of the guest experience across the resort’s five distinctive venues, each offering a refined expression of global cuisine. From the precision of Japanese artistry at Hashi and classic Western favourites at Fiamma, to the elevated treetop Thai dining experience at Kaashi, creating meaningful moments around the table throughout the Eid celebration.
Families are welcomed at Family by JW™ Little Griffins Kids’ Club, offering more than 100 immersive weekly activities, that encourage creativity and discovery, while teens enjoy their own dedicated space at the Teen Lounge. Parents may retreat to Spa by JW, an overwater sanctuary designed to soothe both body and mind, featuring six couple’s treatment rooms and a private deluxe suite
Guided by the JW philosophy of mindfulness, the resort presents experiences that bring families together, including hands-on cooking classes using fresh produce from the JW Garden, guided snorkelling through vibrant coral gardens, beachside cinema evenings, family yoga, sandcastle activities, and Maldivian cultural dinner.
This Eid, guests are invited to celebrate togetherness, presence, and meaningful moments, set against the tranquil rhythm of the Indian Ocean and the resort’s signature understated luxury.
The Endless Summer package elevates the stay with a USD 300 resort credit per stay, complemented by daily breakfast, a three-course lunch, and a three-course dinner for two at select restaurants. A one-time floating breakfast served in the privacy of the villa adds an indulgent highlight, while a 60% reduction on food at Hashi and Shio invites guests to explore the resort’s culinary offerings. Complimentary non-motorised watersports provide effortless enjoyment on the lagoon, alongside the attentive service of a dedicated Thakuru (personal butler), complimentary bicycles, and a one-time 30-minute photography session with one printed keepsake to preserve moments in paradise.
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Avani+ Fares Maldives to host Michael Owen’s football camp for second year
Michael Owen’s Football Camp is returning to Avani+ Fares Maldives Resort for a second year, running from 31 March to 3 April 2026 as part of the resort’s Easter holiday programme. Following a strong debut in 2025, the camp will once again see children and teens join the former England striker for hands-on coaching sessions on Fares Island in Baa Atoll.
Designed for kids and teens aged 5 to 13, the four-day camp combines daily training sessions, skills development and team challenges, led by Michael Owen. The programme ends on a high with a celebratory finale, with certificates, medals and jersey signings for every participant. The camp is complimentary for all guests staying at Avani+ Fares Maldives during the event, and each registered participant will receive an official Football Kit, including two sets of customised jerseys, shorts and socks.

Building on the strong response from families last year, the 2026 Football Camp sits within Avani+ Fares Maldives’ broader Easter line-up, pairing structured sports sessions with relaxed island time. Beyond the pitch, younger guests can dip in and out of island adventures at AvaniKids and the Teens Club, with creative arts and crafts and dedicated spaces designed around their age group. Mealtimes are part of the fun too, with Petit Bistro, the resort’s kids-only restaurant, created just for younger guests.
For families keen to get out on the water together, Avani+ Fares Maldives is set within the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve of Baa Atoll, with snorkelling along the house reef right off the island and a full menu of water sports and dive experiences at this award-winning dive resort.
Commenting on the upcoming camp, Michael Owen said: “Coming back to Avani+ Fares Maldives feels like a natural next step after the energy and enthusiasm we saw at the first camp. It is a special environment for families and the camp is all about helping kids build confidence, develop their skills and most importantly enjoy the game together. I am really looking forward to being back on the island in 2026.”

Avani+ Fares Maldives is designed with families in mind, with a wide mix of accommodation styles to suit different group sizes and travel plans. Options range from interconnecting Pavilion rooms for easy togetherness, to Beach Pool Villas with outdoor space for daytime downtime, alongside over water villas set above the lagoon. For families travelling as a bigger group, the resort also offers spacious two and three bedroom Over Water Pool Residences, with generous living areas and room to spread out between activities.
Package rates start from USD 3,500 for a family of four, including accommodation, seaplane transfers and football camp registration. Based on two adults and two children sharing on a bed and breakfast basis, includes taxes and fees. To book, visit www.avanihotels.com/en/fares-maldives, email fares@avanihotels.com or call +960 660 1660.
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