This December, Kandolhu Maldives is set to host an extraordinary gastronomic event in collaboration with celebrated German Chef Benjamin Peifer. Recently named Chef of the Year 2025 by Gault & Millau, Peifer brings his highly distinctive culinary vision to the Maldives. His signature approach masterfully blends traditional Japanese techniques with carefully selected regional ingredients, with all dishes prepared over an open fire to create intense aromas and complex flavour profiles.

Benjamin Peifer’s journey from a baker’s apprentice to a two-star Michelin chef has forged a unique path in the world of high-end gastronomy. At his restaurant, Intense in Wachenheim, he creates an original fusion where traditional Palatinate pub fare meets Japanese haute cuisine. His goal is to deconstruct regional tastes into their core components and reimagine them, resulting in dishes that are both comforting and excitingly new.

Peifer’s culinary style is deeply connected to his personal history. After an unfulfilling start as a baker, he found his calling in the restaurant industry, drawn to its creativity and immediate feedback. He honed his skills at establishments like Zum Schwanen and Ketschauer Hof before opening Intense in 2017 with his wife, Bettina, who serves as the restaurant’s maître d’ and sommelier. He is known for reinterpreting everyday ingredients with exceptional technique and imagination, aiming to showcase the potential of what is readily available.

The collaboration features two distinct evenings of epicurean excellence, both beginning with a personal Meet & Greet. The first event on Saturday, 26 December, presents a bespoke four-course dinner, while the second evening on Tuesday, 29 December, offers an elevated five-course Wine & Dine experience. In keeping with Chef Peifer’s “no menu, trust the chef” philosophy, guests are invited to embrace a spontaneous and immersive culinary journey.

Discerning travellers and epicureans are encouraged to secure their reservations early to partake in this perfect blend of Maldives luxury and Michelin-starred artistry.

MGallery Collection has announced the opening of V Villas Maldives at Mirihi – MGallery Collection, a luxurious all-villa retreat where light, time and the ocean flow in soothing harmony. Crafted as a refined ode to Maldivian heritage and natural beauty, this property invites travellers to experience luxury, where every horizon line invites stillness, presence and awe.

An oasis of peace and calm

Cradled by turquoise waters and kissed by the equatorial sun, V Villas Maldives at Mirihi – MGallery Collection is an intimate oasis imbued with the art of quiet luxury. Located on the private island of Mirihi, one of the Maldives’ most pristine isles in the South Ari Atoll, this property is an alluring canvas of powder-white sands and crystalline blue-green lagoons. Accessible via a 30-minute seaplane journey from Malé, guests arrive in a world where time slows down and tranquillity takes hold. The property’s 42 spacious villas, including four new luxury overwater villas with expansive private pools, are spread across the crystal-clear lagoon and along the island’s pristine white sandy beach. Each features panoramic ocean views and a private butler service, ensuring utmost privacy and calm.

Ocean-inspired architecture

Created by famed experts Studio Gronda, each curve and contour of the property reflects the Maldives’ contemporary artistry. Handwoven lattices filter sunlight into soft golden patterns that dance across textured stones, while coral-inspired ceramics crafted by Maldivian artisans evoke shapes reminiscent of the reef’s living architecture.

The 42 villas harmoniously blend into the idyllic landscape, as though they have gently emerged from the sea and sand. Designed with neutral tones from local pinewood, soft linen textures and smooth timber that glows in the sun’s embrace, luxury exudes in each villa. The Mirihi Maa, the resort’s signature suite, offers expansive indoor-outdoor living with a private pool and direct access to the lagoon, making a sublime escape for families or groups in search of connection and calm.

At the heart of the property stands the sculptural masterpiece: The Coral Ceramic Wall. The Coral Ceramic Wall, glazed in shades of reef blue, celebrates the island’s artisanal spirit and coastal lineage, bringing both the island’s natural beauty and MGallery Collection’s love of design together as one. The Akoya Sea Lounge is designed in calming neutral tones, an ode to the peaceful nature of the island, magnified by the stunning rope chandelier, gently hovering above the lounge.

A culinary symphony of land and sea

Gastronomy becomes an act of storytelling at the property, weaving Maldivian traditions into every dish to create lasting memories.

At Dhonvelli, the all-day dining space, barefoot luxury meets coastal charm. Breezy interiors and open-air terraces invite melodic waves to mingle with laughter and clinking glassware, as guests enjoy delicious, fresh ocean-to-table food made from the finest locally-sourced ingredients. Over at Muraka, the main overwater restaurant, the menu celebrates the bounty of the ocean and dining unfolds as an elegant performance. The signature dish, a freshly caught Maldivian lobster, is flambéed tableside and infused with Muraka rum, coconut curry, kaffir lime, and palm sugar. The result is a sensory symphony of flame, aroma, and spice, evoking the essence of island flavours.

As the day dissolves into coral skies, the Akoya Sea Lounge welcomes guests to linger over sunset cocktails and ocean air conversation. The signature Maldivian Glow, a radiant blend of Mirihi’s own Muraka rum, coconut liqueur, and sun-dried pineapple, invites guests to unwind in the island’s golden hour.

Rejuvenating rituals beneath the island sky

Guided by the natural rhythm of the island, the Mirihi Spa is a sanctuary of stillness and renewal, where sunlight filters through gauzy drapes, setting the tone for transformation.

The Mirihi Spa offers an array of treatments that harness the botanical power of island flora, marrying ancient Maldivian wisdom with modern techniques. Guests can awaken the senses with an ocean mineral salt scrub, indulge in an intuitive body massage, or experience the infrared sea bath ritual, designed to restore balance from within. Sound healing ceremonies, guided meditation sessions, and aerial yoga overlooking the water invite deeper harmony between body and sea.The Signature Spa treatment is a transformative ritual inspired by the energy of Mirihi island, honouring the balance of the five elements through a full body massage with warm seashells.

M Moment

Each MGallery Collection property is defined by an M Moment, a singular experience that transcends luxury. At V Villas Maldives at Mirihi – MGallery Collection, this is found aboard the Mirihi Thari, a luxury yacht chartered exclusively for guests of the property. The full-day voyage across Ari Atoll is an odyssey into the Maldives’ most awe-inspiring waters. As the yacht slices through glasslike waters, guests can encounter the majestic whale shark, manta rays and graceful turtles, in their natural habitat. Between dives and snorkels, guests can enjoy shaded decks with refreshing drinks and chef-prepared canapés.

Local Commitment

Shaped by diversity and community, MGallery Collection is committed to creating purposeful connections to the people in every destination. At V Villas Maldives at Mirihi – MGallery Collection, luxury and purpose are intertwined. As part of the brand’s Committed to Her pillar, the resort is also collaborating with Mom’s Aid to support and empower women within the local community.

Rooms start from 600 USD per night and suites available from 2,100 per night. All are available for bookings here.

ELE|NA has achieved Gold Sustainable Wellness Accreditation across all its sanctuaries, marking the first time every property within the portfolio in Maldives, has attained Gold status. ELE|NA was the first spa and wellness company in the Maldives to receive accreditation from the Sustainable Wellness Group, setting a benchmark for responsible wellness practices in the destination.

Since receiving its first Sustainable Wellness Accreditation in 2023, ELE|NA has progressed from Silver to Gold across its sanctuaries, reflecting a long-term commitment to environmental stewardship, community wellbeing, ethical business practices, and responsible wellness operations.

The achievement is further distinguished by ELE|NA becoming the first wellness company within the Sustainable Wellness accreditation programme to maintain Gold accreditation continuously for three consecutive years.

Sustainable Wellness is globally recognised accreditation programme that recognises wellness and hospitality organisations committed to responsible and regenerative business practices. Through a comprehensive assessment framework, it evaluates how businesses integrate environmental sustainability, community wellbeing, ethical operations, cultural preservation, and guest experiences into their everyday practices. The accreditation aims to raise industry standards and promote a holistic approach to wellness that benefits people, communities, and the planet alike.

This milestone comes at a meaningful time as the world celebrates both World Environment Day and World Ocean Day.

As a small island nation whose future is intrinsically linked to the health of its marine ecosystems, the Maldives serves as a powerful reminder of the connection between environmental stewardship and human wellbeing.

For ELE|NA, sustainability is not simply a certification but a philosophy deeply embedded within its wellness experiences. Surrounded by the turquoise waters of the Maldives, the ocean serves as both inspiration and therapist, shaping experiences that foster a deeper connection between people and nature.

Across ELE|NA Sanctuaries, guests are invited to reconnect with the restorative power of the sea through immersive experiences including Ocean Flow treatments, Sound Healing, and signature seaweed wellness journeys, all designed to encourage mindfulness, relaxation, and a deeper connection with nature. These experiences reflect ELE|NA’s belief that nature is one of the most powerful tools for wellbeing.

Beyond the treatments themselves, ELE|NA creates opportunities for guests to immerse themselves in the healing presence of the ocean. At OBLU XPERIENCE Ailafushi, guests can enjoy treatments in a unique beach spa setting just steps from the shoreline, where the sound of the waves, fresh ocean breeze, and uninterrupted sea views become part of the wellness journey.

Selected ELE|NA sanctuaries also feature overwater treatment rooms positioned directly above the ocean, creating a sensory connection to the surrounding marine environment. In selected treatment rooms, glass viewing panels beneath the treatment beds allow guests to observe the gentle movement of the ocean below, fostering calm, awareness, and a deeper appreciation of the natural world.

As ELE|NA continues to evolve its sustainability journey, the brand remains committed to demonstrating that luxury wellness can be both transformative and responsible. By protecting the natural environments that inspire its experiences, from thriving marine ecosystems to island communities, ELE|NA continues to champion a vision of wellness that benefits people, place, and planet.