Featured
LUX* South Ari Atoll: where ‘lighter, brighter’ luxury comes with ‘surprises’
The moment I entered the brightly lit, heavy on white lounge of LUX* South Ari Atoll at the Maldives’ main airport, I felt lighter. The comfortable and relaxing atmosphere was complemented by the friendly staff who offered LUX* signature coffee. A few sips of the freshly brewed authentic coffee, and I was taken to the seaplane terminal for boarding.
After a 35-minute scenic seaplane flight above the Maldives’ stunning islets, the LUX* experience continued with the very first step on the resort’s arrival jetty. Greeting me and a couple who had arrived in the island for their dream vacation was none other than Glenn Daniels, the energetic General Manager at LUX* South Ari Atoll.
Dotted at the water’s edge along two miles of pure white sand beach and perched on stilts above a crystal-clear lagoon, are 193 super-spacious pavilions and villas. The seductive flood-lit over-water villas promise freedom, privacy and intimacy. Forty-six Romantic Pool Villas each have private 7m suspended infinity pools, and three Temptation Pool Water Villas boast a 14m pool and this forms the resort’s adults-only sanctuary. These villas enjoy twin showers, private terraces incorporating a unique couples’ love nest, and a deck with steps down into the sea, perfect for enjoying the turquoise blue waters of the Indian Ocean.

The range of eight restaurants and five bars includes a sophisticated take on a bustling night market; guests can head to East Market where they can enjoy flavours from Vietnam, Thailand and Sichuan among others. Umami promises fine dining from the open sushi kitchen, teppanyaki and robata counters as well as the Maldives’ largest selection of sakés and Japanese whiskies. Allegria, Senses and MIXE satisfy international palates with Mediterranean to Maldivian specialities and the new Beach Rouge introduces fresh beach-club dining experience to the island.
The LUX* Me spa and its overwater treatment villas set the tone for a Zen-inspired reboot of its own. The facility incorporates a traditional Chinese teahouse, a dedicated zone for brand new skin and body care experiences and an extended lagoon-view relaxation area. For those in search of the ultimate personalised spa experience, try the once-in-a-lifetime 10 hands massage. A Zen wellness pavilion accommodate a wide range of alternative wellbeing activities including yoga, meditation, pilates, tai chi and qigong, all of which are overseen by an expert wellness concierge. LUX* Me is all about a tailored approach to your wellbeing, whether it be spa, fitness, yoga, meditation, nutrition or a unique combination tailored especially to your needs.

LUX* South Ari Atoll, run by Mauritius-based hospitality group LUX* Hotels and Resorts, has been entirely re-imagined in a chic beach-house style, and reopened late last year. The relaunched resort adopts a “Lighter, Brighter” theme, which in itself pays homage to a rare combination of elements found only in the Maldives; tropical warmth, white sand, pristine reefs, teeming marine life and a great unimpeded vault of sky. With these vast Maldivian panoramas of aquatic purity coupled with the LUX* experience, the soul begins to lighten.
But every resort in the Maldives boasts similar natural characteristics such as white sand beaches and turquoise waters as well as world-class facilities such as overwater villas and so on. This is where LUX* South Ari Atoll is making a difference by offering more Reasons To Go LUX*. Spontaneity and surprises are in the resort’s DNA with LUX* South Ari Atoll presenting a unique range of Reasons To Go LUX*.
“… It is the small surprises that truly set us apart. I want to surprise my guests. Guests can go to a resort operated by a big international chain, which deliver on their promises every single time. But as a guest, I do not want to go to a place that delivers exactly what I expect. I want to be surprised,” Glenn tells me over coffee at the resort’s beachside cafe.
“The reality is that the success of any property here in the Maldives depends on making small differences that add up to an entirely unique, personal experience for the guests. We all have turquoise waters and white sand beaches. So what is gonna differentiate us from our competitors?”

At two kilometres long and only a few hundred metres wide, the island is large enough to offer freedom and variety. Everyday, four bottles bearing messages are placed around the resort entitling the finder to a small gift: a facial, a bottle of good wine, a linen shirt or sarong, a jet-ski ride. A small, light-filled and air-conditioned Wanderlust library offers more than 120 travel books. A squat banyan “wish tree” is garlanded with the hopes of hundreds of guests inked on strips of weatherproof vermillion cloth.
The lighter and relaxed feel of the relaunched LUX* South Ari Atoll extends to the experiences offered for the artist in you as well. The resort has introduced a service called Photo Fanatics, a unique image-capturing experience that helps guests seeking to create and capture the moments that matter using a smartphone or a camera. The new Junkart Studio and Gallery, meanwhile, invites guests to have fun making one-off artworks and sustainable souvenirs from upcycled materials, providing the perfect opportunity for everyone to explore something new or revisit old skills and passions.

The reimagining of LUX* South Ari Atoll does not end with just the look and feel. The resort is one of the first properties in the LUX* portfolio to offer a unique calendar of expert-led workshops designed to inspire creativity and boost guest health and well-being. Designed in partnership with Sydney-based organisation Work-Shop, these workshops mirror latest research revealing everyday creative activities such as performing music, painting or drawing, writing short stories, songs and poetry can ward off stress, leading to an upward spiral of increased emotional well-being.
As well as being exceedingly laid back, there is very much a spontaneous atmosphere seen everywhere at the recently renovated LUX* South Ari Atoll with impromptu cinema screenings on the beach, pop-up musical performances, surprise secret bars and much more. This marrying of contemporary Maldivian hospitality with little surprises creates a new brand of “lighter, brighter” luxury, which will continue with the launching of LUX* Hotels and Resorts’ second property in the Maldives, the LUX* North Male Atoll in November.
Featured
Kandooma Maldives offers complimentary third night on premium villa stays
Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives is offering guests the opportunity to extend their stays through a promotional campaign in which every third night is complimentary across selected premium villa categories.
The offer applies to Beach Houses and Overwater Villas and extends beyond a standard Stay 3 Pay 2 structure. Guests can also book under Stay 6 Pay 4, Stay 9 Pay 6, and longer-stay formats, with every third night free for stays of up to 30 nights.
Available exclusively to IHG One Rewards members, the promotion forms part of IHG’s Asia Pacific “One More Moment” campaign. It is valid for bookings made before 1 May 2026, with travel available through to the end of the year, subject to blackout dates.
The offer also includes no upfront payment and free cancellation up to three days before arrival, giving travellers added flexibility when planning future stays.
Sharon Garrett, Director of Marketing & Sustainability at Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives, said the offer builds on the appeal of a familiar stay incentive while giving guests more scope to extend their time at the resort.
“Our members really value the simplicity of a Stay 3 Pay 2 offer, but what makes this particularly appealing is the ability to extend that benefit across longer stays,” she said.
“It is about giving guests the freedom to enjoy one more dive, one more spa treatment, or simply one more unhurried day on the island.”
Located in South Malé Atoll, around 45 minutes by speedboat from Velana International Airport, Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives is positioned as a private island resort with a focus on diving, family-friendly facilities and accessible Maldives holidays. The resort offers a range of accommodation categories, several dining venues, the Kandoo Kids’ Club, and Kandooma Spa by COMO Shambhala.
Featured
Four Seasons Resorts Maldives blend family travel with marine discovery
As family travel patterns continue to evolve, with multigenerational holidays and “schoolcations” becoming a growing part of the market, Four Seasons is positioning its Maldives resorts as destinations where families can combine leisure with learning, exploration and shared experiences. Through programmes at Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru and Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa, the brand is offering a Maldives-based approach to family travel that extends beyond the traditional resort stay.
In the Maldives, the focus is placed on experiences that allow families to spend time together while engaging with the natural environment in direct and practical ways. At Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru, marine education forms a central part of the family offering. Children and teenagers can take part in hands-on initiatives alongside experts from The Manta Trust, learning about coral restoration, manta ray research and ocean conservation. The programme gives younger guests an opportunity to understand the marine ecosystems that define the Maldives while participating in activities linked to ongoing conservation work.
At Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa, the family experience is also shaped by the surrounding lagoon and reef environment. Younger guests can take part in introductory diving, surfing and marine conservation activities designed to build early awareness of the ocean and its ecosystems. These experiences place the Maldives’ natural setting at the centre of the stay, allowing families to engage with the destination through activity as well as observation.
This emphasis on learning through travel reflects wider changes in family tourism, where parents are increasingly looking for holidays that combine recreation with educational value. In the Maldives, that approach has particular relevance, given the country’s dependence on marine ecosystems and its reputation as one of the world’s leading island destinations. By integrating conservation-focused experiences into resort programming, Four Seasons is presenting family travel not only as a period of rest, but also as an opportunity for younger travellers to develop a closer understanding of the environment around them.
The Maldives setting also supports multigenerational travel in practical terms. Resorts such as Landaa Giraavaru and Kuda Huraa are well suited to families travelling across age groups, where grandparents, parents and children may all be sharing the same holiday but looking for different forms of engagement. Accommodation, marine activities and wellness offerings can be structured in ways that allow families to spend time together while also catering to different interests and energy levels.
The family proposition is strengthened by the Maldives’ ability to combine relaxation with activities that are tied closely to place. Lagoon-based discovery, reef experiences and conservation work provide a clear alternative to more conventional beach holiday programming. Rather than limiting the stay to accommodation and dining, these activities allow the destination itself to shape the guest experience.
In this context, Four Seasons’ Maldives resorts reflect a broader shift in how luxury family travel is being positioned. The emphasis is no longer only on privacy and comfort, but also on engagement, shared discovery and experiences that carry value beyond the holiday itself. In the Maldives, where marine life and island environments remain central to the visitor experience, that model gives families a way to connect both with each other and with the destination.
Through Landaa Giraavaru and Kuda Huraa, Four Seasons is therefore presenting a Maldives offering that responds to changing family travel expectations. By combining marine education, outdoor activity and resort-based comfort, the brand is aligning its family travel strategy with the qualities that continue to set the Maldives apart. The result is a version of family travel that is shaped not only by where guests stay, but by what they are able to learn and experience together while they are there.
Drink
Sirru Fen Fushi hosts Flor de Caña mixology event with Dinesh Mondkar
The Behind The Bar Sirru Icon series recently hosted a mixology event at Sirru Fen Fushi Private Lagoon Resort, featuring Dinesh Mondkar, Flor de Caña’s brand ambassador for India.
The event gave guests an opportunity to explore a selection of rum cocktails while learning more about the craftsmanship and heritage behind the Flor de Caña brand. Set against a sunset backdrop over the ocean, the session combined cocktail-making techniques, brand storytelling and a relaxed island setting.
Guests were introduced to a range of cocktails that highlighted bold flavours and the versatility of rum in contemporary mixology. The evening also offered insight into the methods and presentation behind premium cocktail service, adding an interactive element to the experience.
The event formed part of the resort’s ongoing Behind The Bar Sirru Icon series, which continues to bring recognised figures from the international spirits industry to the Maldives. Through the series, the resort aims to expand its food and beverage offering with curated events that connect guests with global brands and industry expertise.
Such experiences are designed to complement the wider guest programme by combining destination dining and beverage concepts with the setting of the Maldives, while offering visitors a more immersive way to engage with the resort’s hospitality offerings.
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