Business
Record-setting win for Conrad Maldives at World Luxury Restaurant Awards
Conrad Maldives Rangali Island has won a record number of 22 titles at the World Luxury Restaurant Awards 2017, making it the most awards won by a single hotel or resort in the history of the awards.
In recognition of the resort’s outstanding food and beverage offerings, Conrad Maldives Rangali Island was awarded the evening’s grand award for Ithaa Undersea Restaurant named Global Restaurant of the Year — an award previously held by Jahn at Conrad Koh Samui.

The Koko Grill restaurant at Conrad Maldives Rangali Island. PHOTO/ CONRAD
Other awards won by the resort at the World Luxury Restaurant Awards gala ceremony, which took place at the JW Marriott Hanoi hotel in Vietnam on July 22, include:
- Ithaa Undersea Restaurant: Luxury Unique Experience (Global Winner)
- Ithaa Undersea Restaurant: Luxury Resort Restaurant (Global Winner)
- Ithaa Undersea Restaurant: Luxury Scenic Setting (Continent Winner)
- Ithaa Undersea Restaurant: Fusion Cuisine (Continent Winner)
- Ithaa Undersea Restaurant: Ambience/Romantic Atmosphere (Continent Winner)
- Ithaa Undersea Restaurant: Haute Cuisine (Continent Winner)
- Ithaa Undersea Restaurant: Luxury Interior Design/Architecture (Continent Winner)
- Ufaa by Jereme Leung: Asian Cuisine (Global Winner)
- Ufaa by Jereme Leung: Fine Dining Cuisine (Continent Winner)
- Ufaa by Jereme Leung: Chinese Cuisine (Continent Winner)
- Ufaa by Jereme Leung: Luxury Unique Experience (Continent Winner)
- Ufaa by Jereme Leung: Haute Cuisine (Country Winner)
- Ufaa by Jereme Leung: Luxury Interior Design/Architecture (Country Winner)
- Ufaa by Jereme Leung: Luxury Resort Restaurant (Country Winner)
- Mandhoo Spa Restaurant: Health and Wellness Cuisine (Continent Winner)
- Mandhoo Spa Restaurant: Ambience/Romantic Atmosphere (Country Winner)
- Mandhoo Spa Restaurant: Luxury Scenic Setting (Country Winner)
- Vilu Restaurant and Bar: Mediterranean Cuisine (Continent Winner)
- Vilu Restaurant and Bar: Best Wine Selection (Continent Winner)
- Vilu Restaurant and Bar: Luxury Unique Experience (Country Winner)
- Koko Grill: Japanese Cuisine (Continent Winner)
- Koko Grill: Best Food Styling/Presentation (Continent Winner)

The Ufaa by Jereme Leung restaurant at Conrad Maldives Rangali Island. PHOTO/ CONRAD
“We are honoured to be awarded the overall global restaurant of the year and subsequent 21 accolades by the World Luxury Restaurant Awards. These awards are a testament to what we deliver our guests every day; the most unique and inspired dining experiences in the Maldives and Indian Ocean,” Stefano Ruzza, General Manager of Conrad Maldives Rangali Island, was quoted in a statement as saying.
“Our team is committed to delivering the highest level of excellence, ensuring our guests experience world-class cuisine at each of our restaurants and bars. For our resort team the recognition from the World Luxury Restaurant awards, tourism professionals and guests worldwide lends encouragement to continually deliver the best for our guests each day.”

The Vilu Restaurant at Conrad Maldives Rangali Island. PHOTO/ CONRAD
With over 100,000 votes cast for 1,000 entrants in 78 categories this year, the World Luxury Restaurant Awards recognise restaurants across the globe for their culinary excellence and memorable experiences, as well as assessing the quality of the atmosphere and service. The awards aim to provide luxury restaurants with increased recognition as well as introduce them to potential new guests, both local and international. Votes come from both guests and industry experts, thus providing a balanced and unbiased outcome based on the food experience as a whole.
Consistently recognised globally for its exceptional food and beverage offerings at its 12 restaurants and bars, Conrad Maldives Rangali Island is a true gourmand’s delight, providing an array of international cuisines in a truly inspired setting. Conrad Maldives is world-renowned for setting benchmarks in resort dining in the Maldives, being the first to create an undersea restaurant, Ithaa, the first to build an underground wine cellar, the first to establish a cheese bar, and the first authentic Chinese restaurant Ufaa, spearheaded by award-winning Chinese chef Jereme Leung.

The Mandhoo Spa Restaurant at Conrad Maldives Rangali Island. PHOTO/ CONRAD
In addition to the record-breaking win at the World Luxury Restaurant Awards, the resort ‘s commitment to excellence was recently recognised at the World Travel Awards Indian Ocean Gala Ceremony early this month, where it was recognised Maldives’ Leading Luxury Hotel Villa for the Sunset Water Villa. The awards were voted for by travel and tourism professionals worldwide and recognise hotel leaders across the globe.
As one of the Maldives’ leading resorts and one of Hilton Worldwide’s flagship properties, the award-winning Conrad Maldives Rangali Island resort offers 150 villas and suites, 12 restaurants and bars, two spas — all stretched over two remote islands. It features the Ithaa Undersea Restaurant, world’s first undersea restaurant made from only glass.
Conrad Maldives Rangali Island is home to two unique spa experiences; The Spa Retreat on Rangalifinolhu Island and the Over Water Spa on Rangali Island. Combining expertise from around the world with carefully selected products and therapies influenced by the environment, the two spas offer unique and effective experiences to suit the needs of every individual.
The luxury resort also offers the popular Conrad Concierge mobile app, which gives global luxury travellers the ability to customise details of their hotel stay before, during, and after each visit via a smartphone or tablet. Whether it is pre-selecting bath amenities or checking in while in-transit from the airport, guests can access a variety of features by using the app.
Business
Feydhoo Hall opens at dusitD2 Feydhoo Maldives as new event space
Dusit International, one of Thailand’s leading hotel and property development companies, has announced the opening of Feydhoo Hall, a landmark event venue at dusitD2 Feydhoo Maldives, redefining the possibilities for meetings, celebrations, and destination events in the Maldives.
Designed to bring scale, flexibility, and creativity to island gatherings, Feydhoo Hall represents a bold step forward in positioning the Maldives as a dynamic destination for conferences, weddings, and large-scale social occasions.
Feydhoo Hall offers a versatile event complex designed to accommodate a wide range of gatherings, from corporate meetings and conferences to weddings and social celebrations.

At its core is the 390 sqm Main Hall, capable of hosting:
- Up to 300 guests in theatre-style setup
- Up to 240 guests for dining and banquet-style events
- Up to 200 guests for cocktail-style receptions
- Up to 144 guests in cluster-round configuration
Enhancing the flexibility of the venue are additional dedicated spaces, including:
- A 110 sqm Veranda Terrace, ideal for welcome receptions, breakout sessions, and pre-event gatherings, accommodating up to 100 guests for cocktail-style events.
- A spacious 1,000 sqm Lawn Space, perfect for large-scale outdoor celebrations, destination weddings, and open-air events, accommodating up to 400 guests for cocktail receptions and up to 350 guests for dining setups.
- The 55 sqm Ekugai Meeting Room, designed for smaller meetings and executive sessions, accommodating up to 30 guests in theatre or dining setup and 24 guests in cluster-round format.
Together, these integrated spaces create a seamless indoor-outdoor event experience, allowing planners to design dynamic and personalised event journeys.
True to the dusitD2 brand’s lifestyle-driven philosophy, Feydhoo Hall introduces a fresh approach to meetings and events — where productivity meets creativity in an inspiring island setting.
The venue offers flexible meeting formats designed to suit different event needs, including:
- Half-Day Meeting Package (4 hours) — ideal for focused sessions, executive meetings, and creative workshops.
- Full-Day Meeting Package (8 hours) — designed for immersive conferences, extended workshops, and large-scale corporate gatherings.
These thoughtfully structured packages provide planners with the flexibility to create impactful and seamless experiences, whether hosting intimate strategy sessions or dynamic full-day events.

Located just seven minutes by speedboat from Velana International Airport, dusitD2 Feydhoo Maldives combines accessibility with vibrant lifestyle energy, offering event planners and guests a rare balance between convenience and tropical escape.
With the introduction of Feydhoo Hall, the resort strengthens its position as a versatile destination — not only for leisure travellers but also for international conferences, creative retreats, luxury weddings, and large-scale social celebrations seeking something refreshingly different in the Maldives.
Business
BBM expands retail presence with new Hulhumalé outlet
Bestbuy Maldives (BBM) opened a new wholesale store in Hulhumalé Phase 2 on Monday.
The outlet is located on the ground floor of Lot 20286, Nirolhu Magu, and is intended to improve access to BBM’s imported goods for residents of Hulhumalé Phase 2 and for businesses operating in the area.
According to the company, the opening forms part of its plan to expand services closer to customers in line with population growth in Hulhumalé.
With the opening of the new store, BBM’s full range of imported and distributed products will be available at the Hulhumalé Phase 2 location. These include consumer goods from international brands such as Lifebuoy, Vaseline and Unilever.
The store will also stock wholesale food products from brands including Daily, Cavin’s and Redman.
BBM has supplied goods to resorts, hotels and retail outlets across the Maldives for several years.
Action
Ataraxis Grand & Spa hosts integrated work-and-dive corporate retreat in Fuvahmulah
Ataraxis Grand & Spa recently hosted a week-long, closed corporate offsite in Fuvahmulah for a US-based artificial intelligence company, highlighting the island’s growing suitability for integrated work-and-experience retreats. The retreat brought a group of 36 international professionals to the property, which was reserved exclusively for the programme.
Designed as a private company offsite, the stay combined structured daily work sessions with guided diving and beginner-friendly surf experiences, creating a balanced format that blended focused collaboration with physical reset.

A notable component of the programme was dive training and certification. During the retreat, 17 participants completed their Open Water certification, while a further six undertook the Advanced Open Water course, with training and dives scheduled alongside work sessions as part of the integrated itinerary.
Throughout the week, participants worked on-site using dedicated shared spaces supported by reliable high-speed internet, allowing meetings, informal collaboration and scheduled activities to take place within a single, uninterrupted environment. This setup enabled teams to move seamlessly between work periods and organised ocean activities without leaving the property.

Fuvahmulah’s natural and operational advantages formed a key part of the retreat’s appeal. As one of the Maldives’ largest inhabited islands, it offers immediate access to pelagic dive sites, internationally recognised shark diving and surf breaks suitable for instruction, alongside the infrastructure required to support extended group stays.

The offsite reflects a growing preference among technology and knowledge-sector teams for small-scale retreats that prioritise concentrated work environments and team cohesion over traditional conference formats. Such programmes typically involve longer stays and higher per-capita spend, aligning with sustainable, quality-driven tourism models.
The retreat also demonstrates how locally operated properties such as Ataraxis Grand & Spa are supporting this shift by delivering unified environments where accommodation, workspaces, connectivity and curated experiences operate as a single programme rather than separate services.

As organisations continue to explore alternative formats for strategy sessions, team resets and creative offsites, Ataraxis Grand & Spa’s experience positions Fuvahmulah as an increasingly viable destination for integrated corporate retreats.
Ataraxis Grand & Spa offers work-and-dive retreat programmes in Fuvahmulah that combine accommodation, dedicated workspaces, high-speed connectivity and organised diving and surfing.

Further information on retreat formats and dive-inclusive stays is available via the Ataraxis Grand & Spa website.
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