News
Newly-renovated rooms increase appeal of Centara Grand Island Resort & Spa Maldives
Maldives.net.mv – Centara Grand Island Resort & Spa Maldives is set to a launch a new category of guest room, which will be called “Sunset Ocean Pool Villas.” They have also committed to an ongoing program of extensive refurbishments across the entire resort.
During the first phase of the renovation program, all of the Luxury Sunset Water Villas will be completely refurbished and redesigned and will reopen to the public in July 2015. Twenty of the existing inventory will be re-imagined as ‘Sunset Ocean Pool Villas’ while the balance of 14 villas will be renamed “Ocean Water Villas.”
During phase 2, the current “Beach Suites” on the south side of the island, together with the Deluxe Family Water Villas and the resort’s one-and-two Bedroom Pool Villas, will be closed for renovations from the 20th of June until the end of August 2015. Renovations on the resort’s Deluxe Water Villas and north-facing Beach Suites will be carried out later in 2016. All villas will receive a brand-new design, structural enhancements, all-new furniture and a new light and inviting color palette.
Available to the public on July 1, 2015, the new Sunset Ocean Pool Villas will have received a completely new, contemporary interior make-over, with brand-new furniture, doors and decking. The upper sun deck will be removed completely and the outdoor area will be extended to incorporate a 12-meter-square plunge pool, looking directly out over the Indian Ocean.
These 20 new villas will command spectacular sunset views and guests here will be eligible for full ‘Club’ access. Club guests enjoy the resort’s “Ultimate All Inclusive” cash-free plan, under which guests will find everything they desire already paid for – including champagne breakfasts, a choice of three lunch and dinner venues with themed international buffets and an open bar service which provides a scintillating array of cocktails, beers, wines and spirits.
Guests in the new Villas will also benefit from the following premium additions:
- Exclusive access to “The Club” with indoor and outdoor private lounges, free-form swimming pool, and a premium dining venue for breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Access to the Club Bar and lounge serving premium brand beverages
- Club lounge check in/out
- Private Club pool access including refreshing towels, pre-lunch snacks, afternoon fruits and pre-dinner canapés
- Mid-morning snacks
- Afternoon tea service
- Upgraded in-room minibar, replenished daily including soft drinks, juice, 4 beers, chocolates and snacks and guests’ selection of 2 spirits from the following (700ml vodka, gin, whisky, rum, Bacardi and bourbon – replenished once per week) and guests selection of 1 bottle of wine (red, white, rose – replenished daily)
- Wi-Fi and internet service in the Club Lounge
- 2 pieces of laundry per room per day
- Book and DVD library
- Priority spa and restaurant reservations at all outlets
- Daily turn-down service
- Upgraded in -room amenities
Centara Grand Island Resort & Spa Maldives is located in the South Ari Atoll, about 25 minutes by seaplane from Male International Airport, or 15 minutes by speedboat from the domestic Maamigili Airport. Surrounded by a glorious white sandy beach, it is the only resort in the Maldives designed in a colonial style, with whitewashed timber buildings and meandering boardwalks.
The resort offers guests a unique “cashless” island experience with its “Ultimate All-Inclusive programme”. “We are extremely proud of the “Ultimate All Inclusive” package and are delighted that we have now been recognized as being the best in Maldives,” commented Mr. Voytek Klasicki, general manager of Centara Grand Island Resort & Spa Maldives after receiving the Maldives Association of Travel Agents & Tour Operators (MATATO), award for Top All-Inclusive Resort. The resort also received the TripAdvisor’s award in the same category.
All guest suites have bedroom and living room, a generous private terrace, and all of the amenities travelers expect from a premier beach resort including satellite TV and high-speed internet access. Guests opting for the Club level of accommodation also have access to the exclusive Club Lounge with private pool area and complimentary breakfasts, snacks, cocktails and dinner. The resort also is unusual in that it features a variety of dining options, including the all-day venue Reef, authentic Suan Bua and Azzuri Mare Italian & Seafood restaurant, plus the Aqua and Coral Bars for nightly entertainment. For those seeking day-time activity, the Resort offers recreation options, sports and fitness facilities and a professionally-managed Kids’ Club, while those looking to relax are welcome at Spa Cenvaree.
For more active guests, there are five excursion options available which include whale-shark snorkeling, local island visits, sunset cruises and night fishing as well as other snorkeling trips. The resort is also home to floodlit tennis courts, and guests can avail themselves of W-Fi, snorkeling equipment, selected motorized and non-motorized water sports, separate teen and children’s clubs as well as each and every adult guest can enjoy one daily spa treatment per day of their holiday.
Mr. Voytek Klasicki says that he is proud to have added a new selection of freshly-renovated rooms to the resorts’ many attractions, and that he anticipates that regular visitors will enjoy their stays at Centara Grand Maldives even more.
News
Upcycled ornaments, reclaimed materials shape festive design at Six Senses Kanuhura
This festive season, Six Senses Kanuhura invites guests to celebrate Christmas through a mindful, barefoot approach where sustainability and creativity take centre stage.
Across the island, festive décor embraces an upcycled theme, with handcrafted decorations created using repurposed leftover fabrics, reclaimed wood scraps, upcycled glass ornaments and dried palm tree branches.

Plastic has been intentionally avoided, while table decorations are thoughtfully designed using repurposed fruit peels, dried fruits and herbs, reflecting Six Senses Kanuhura’s ongoing commitment to reducing waste and celebrating nature’s beauty. Guests may also purchase selected upcycled glass ornaments from the Six Senses Kanuhura boutique as meaningful, sustainable souvenirs.

Alongside this conscious festive design, Six Senses Kanuhura presents a thoughtfully curated line-up of Christmas and New Year celebrations, from tree lightings and carols to barefoot dining, wellness rituals and island experiences under the stars. Rooted in the Six Senses philosophy, the festive season at Six Senses Kanuhura invites guests to reconnect with themselves, with each other and with nature, creating moments of joy that are both memorable and mindful.

Offering exquisite palm-fringed, white sandy beaches and two additional private islands, Six Senses Kanuhura, Maldives, part of IHG’s luxury and lifestyle portfolio, opened its doors in September 2023. Set across three private islands, surrounded by turquoise waters bristling with colourful and untouched corals, Six Senses Kanuhura’s pristine shores are known for being some of the finest in the Maldives.
With 85 beachfront villas steps from the ocean and overwater villas with private pools, including 12 one- and two-bedroom Beach Retreats, and the three-bedroom Beach Reserve, Six Senses Kanuhura is ideal for both families and couples seeking quality time together. The laid-back tropical island feel has inspired the elegant architecture, while interior design takes its cue from the naturally vibrant colours of the surrounding Maldivian nature.
Entertainment
Hulhumalé’ set for New Year festivities as Visit Maldives and partners launch preparations
Visit Maldives Corporation, together with the Ministry of Tourism & Environment and the Housing Development Corporation (HDC), has commenced planning for New Year celebrations in Hulhumalé’, building on the success and positive public response of last year’s festivities.
The celebrations are expected to feature signature elements that resonated strongly with the public in 2024, including a special Drone Show, Fireworks, Food stalls, and cultural experiences designed for both locals and visitors. The initiative, running from 30 December 2025 to 1 January 2026, aims to once again create a vibrant, inclusive, and family-friendly atmosphere to welcome the New Year.
At this stage, planning is ongoing and further details regarding the programme, dates, and activations will be announced in due course.
The New Year celebrations are being developed as a joint initiative by Visit Maldives, the Ministry of Tourism & Environment, and HDC.
Organisers are also in discussions with potential partners and sponsors and welcome expressions of interest from organisations keen to be part of this national celebration.
News
Dr Aradhana Ghyas brings Shamanic rituals, energy work to SO/ Maldives this festive season
This festive season, SO/ Maldives invites the world’s style-setters, wellness lovers and holiday escapists to experience a different kind of Red Carpet moment, one that begins beneath the skin and radiates outward. From 18 December 2025 to 30 January 2026, the ultra-stylish private island resort welcomes Dr. Aradhana Ghyas, renowned holistic health expert, for an exclusive Visiting Spa Practitioner residency, adding a powerful wellness dimension to its signature festive celebrations.
Known for curating experiences that blur the lines between fashion, art and lifestyle, SO/ Maldives is redefining festive indulgence. Think less excess, more elevation. Less recovery, more radiance. This season, the resort’s Red Carpet Festivities are not only about dressing to impress but about feeling luminous, balanced and unapologetically well.
At SO/ Maldives, wellness takes on a vibrant, contemporary edge with Dr. Aradhana Ghyas. She specializes in shamanic healing rituals, therapeutic bodywork, energy balancing, breathwork, sound therapy, yoga nidra, and trauma‑informed relaxation practices. Each treatment is designed to release emotional stress, restore nervous system balance, and support holistic well‑being. With a focus on gentle physical, emotional, and energetic detoxification, Aradhana helps guests reconnect with clarity, vitality, and inner harmony.
“Today’s luxury traveller wants more than beautiful surroundings they want meaningful transformation,” said Olivier Moies-Delval, General Manager of SO/ Maldives. “With Dr. Aradhana Ghyas in residence, festive glamour evolves into a deeper, more radiant experience.”
Departing from traditional spa menus, the curated experiences are designed to intrigue, energise and deliver visible results. From sculpting facial therapies and deep detox rituals to intuitive tarot readings and shamanic cleansing, each session offers guests a chance to reset mentally, physically and energetically while still embracing the playful, fashion-forward spirit of SO/ Maldives.
Set against the turquoise waters of the Maldives, Dr. Aradhana Ghyas’ residency seamlessly complements SO/ Maldives’ festive programming, where sunset soirées, vibrant design and island glamour take centre stage. Guests can transition from red carpet moments to restorative rituals, stepping back into celebrations refreshed, radiant and fully recharged.
Special group wellness classes are also available, inviting friends, couples and like-minded travellers to glow together because at SO/, wellness is best experienced socially.
This festive season, SO/ Maldives invites guests to detox the drama, recharge the energy and glow like never before. With Dr. Aradhana Ghyas in residence, the island becomes a destination not just for escape, but for elevation.
For more information or to book your perfect getaway, please visit so-maldives.com or contact so.maldives.reservations@so-hotels.com.
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