Featured
Przemek Sobocki brings design, colour to W Maldives
W Maldives has introduced its recent creative collaboration with Tokyo-based illustrator and designer Przemek Sobocki via a series of onsite projects.
Coming directly from Japan to the Maldives, the Tokyo-based Polish illustrator and designer Przemek brings W Hotels’ passion for design to life at W Maldives. The artist is taking his illustrator’s skills to create custom designs for the resort’s new luxury golf cars, key rings, luggage stickers and tags.

Przemek Sobocki. PHOTO/ W MALDIVES
“During my artistic residency at W Maldives in September 2017, I tried to catch the uniqueness of the Fesdu island. The inspiration came from the natural environment as well as from the intimate atmosphere of this W Hotel, which is called a ‘W Escape’ for a particular reason! I have always been attracted to the contrast of the light and shadows, and here I found stunning patterns of the shadows being cast by the rich flora of the island. After selecting eight different species of the indigenous plants, I mixed their leaf shapes with the W vibe and its bold colours. In total, eleven colour combinations were created for all eleven buggies at the resort,” Przemek was quoted in an announcement, as saying.
“The key rings, luggage stickers and tags were also inspired by the colourful fauna of the island, crystal clear water, beautiful beaches, tranquility, twinkling stars and, of course, the hospitality of the W team.”
According to W Maldives, these items will also be available for purchase in the Escape’s W The Store.
While Przemek’s background is in Interior and Fashion Design, he is dividing his professional time between Tokyo and London, where beside editorials his work also covers collaborations, packaging, murals, space and display design.
Przemek’s award-winning client list includes Louis Vuitton, Shiseido, Guerlain, Bally, Farfetch, Alain Mikli Japon as well as publications such as Numero Tokyo, Vogue Japan, Madame Figaro Japon, Elle Japan, Harper’s Bazaar (Japan, Korea, Taiwan), A Magazine Curated by Stephen Jones to name few.
For his projects for Alain Mikli Japon and Vermeerist Beams, the artist received three DSA Japan Space Design Awards in 2015 and 2017. In 2005, he won the prestigious V&A Illustration Award for Best Editorial. Przemek is also a Lecturer of Design Basics and Drawing at VANTAN Design Institute in Tokyo.
Through his haunting and soulful illustrations, Przemek is a masterful storyteller who depicts gloriously magical and cinematographic worlds that are tinged with a dash of mystery and occasional humour.

W Maldives offers 77 escapes and suites located both ashore and overwater, including 28 Wonderful Beach Oasis, 46 Fabulous Overwater Oasis, 3 WOW Ocean Escape and one Extreme WOW Ocean Haven (the W brand’s interpretation of the Presidential Suite). Each chic and spacious escape features infinity plunge pool.
There is a mixture of six bars and restaurants at W Maldives. Kitchen, the all-day dining bistro, and Fire, where guests have their choice of four different barbecues, provide menus for everyone’s palate. Swim up to the pool bar Wet and order a light lunch. There is even a dining option on the resort’s private desert island, Gaathafushi, or Fish, the resort’s specialty seafood restaurant set over the water and under the stars. Fifteen Below is the only underground club in the Maldives, with its own resident DJ and a sushi bar Sushi Beat.
Guests can also spoil themselves with a selection of over 125 treatments at the award-winning overwater Away Spa.
Featured
‘Eutopia: The Infinite Bloom’ comes to Sun Siyam Vilu Reef this festive season
Sun Siyam Vilu Reef, part of the Privé Collection within the House of Siyam, has announced its festive programme, “Eutopia: The Infinite Bloom”, which will run from 22 December 2026 to 7 January 2027.
The seasonal programme features activities and experiences for guests of all ages. Dining will take centre stage with Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve gala dinners by the water, exclusive Chef’s Table experiences and seafood barbecues on the beach.
The evening entertainment programme will include live acoustic performances, island DJ sets, aerial dance shows and Maldivian cultural performances.
During the day, guests will be able to explore the resort’s lagoon through activities such as house reef snorkelling, sunset Jet Car rides and sandbank excursions. The Spa will offer wellness rituals and couples’ therapies, while younger guests can take part in gingerbread decorating, a fashion show and Santa’s arrival on the beach.
“Eutopia is our invitation to celebrate and embrace nature, meaningful moments, and the relaxed luxury that defines Sun Siyam Vilu Reef through our festivities,” said Masdhooq Saeed, Cluster General Manager.
“From unforgettable ocean adventures to starlit beach celebrations, every experience has been thoughtfully designed to create lasting memories that will continue to flourish long after the season ends.”
The programme will culminate with a New Year’s Eve celebration on the beach on 31 December, featuring live music, midnight toasts and a fireworks display over the water.
The resort’s festive programme is available to view online, with bookings open for stays between 22 December 2026 and 7 January 2027.
Awards
Sun Siyam Iru Veli earns top wedding destination honour at TTM Awards
Fresh from being named Best Honeymoon Destination in 2025, Sun Siyam Iru Veli was recognised as Best Wedding Destination at the Travel Trade Maldives Awards & Gala 2026, held at Crossroads Maldives on 27 August. The award further reinforces the resort’s commitment to celebrating romance in all its forms.
Surrounded by turquoise lagoons and white-sand beaches, Iru Veli provides a natural setting for couples seeking an intimate island retreat. Every villa features a private pool, while secluded beaches, private sandbanks and a 24-hour all-inclusive dine-around experience offer guests privacy and flexibility throughout their stay.
The resort hosts celebrations of different scales, ranging from barefoot ceremonies by the ocean to larger events encompassing the entire island. Dedicated wedding planners work closely with each couple to personalise every element, ensuring that both the ceremony and the wider stay reflect their individual story.
This flexibility extends beyond the resort’s wedding packages. Simple Romance, Grand Gesture and Sandbank Magic provide couples with a starting point, with each celebration customisable through décor, dining, wellness, entertainment and island experiences. For occasions requiring complete exclusivity, full-island buyouts allow the resort experience to be tailored around the couple and their guests.
The celebrations can continue beyond the ceremony through candlelit dinners beneath the stars, spa rituals for two, sunset cruises and time spent together across the island. These experiences enable couples to shape the occasion around their preferences, with personal moments unfolding throughout their stay.
“Every couple arrives with a different story and a different vision for their celebration. There is no template here. From intimate ceremonies for two to full-island celebrations with family and friends, our role is to create moments that feel completely personal. That is exactly what our team does. They listen first and then create a ceremony that truly reflects the couple. This award is a testament to the dedication and care they put into making every moment memorable,” said Masdhooq Saeed, Cluster General Manager of Sun Siyam Iru Veli and Sun Siyam Vilu Reef.
The annual TTM Awards & Gala brings together travel professionals and hoteliers to recognise achievements across the Maldivian hospitality industry. Iru Veli’s latest award further strengthens its position among the Maldives’ leading destinations for weddings and romantic escapes.
Action
Chef Jake Norman and Molly O’Donoghue join Niva Dhigali for November programme
Niva Dhigali Maldives will welcome visiting chef Jake Norman and British pickleball champion Molly O’Donoghue for a curated programme of island experiences this November, bringing together dining and active wellbeing in the Maldives.
Norman began his culinary career making pizza in the markets of Guadalajara, Mexico, before working in several London restaurants, including St John, Ottolenghi and Sabor. He now leads the kitchen at Updown Farmhouse in Kent, where his cooking focuses on seasonal ingredients, live-fire techniques and Mediterranean influences.
On 18 November, Norman will host an exclusive dinner at Faru, presenting a menu that combines Mediterranean flavours with influences from Mexico and the Middle East, while incorporating ingredients sourced from the Maldives.
The shared dining experience will feature Indian Ocean produce, grilled dishes and smoky flavours, with a menu designed to reflect the setting and encourage guests to dine at a relaxed pace.
The programme will also include pickleball sessions hosted by British champion Molly O’Donoghue. A national champion in mixed and women’s doubles, as well as a European champion in mixed doubles, O’Donoghue first discovered the sport while studying in Australia. She has since competed internationally and worked to introduce the sport to players around the world.
At Niva Dhigali, O’Donoghue will conduct beginner sessions and advanced coaching, giving guests of different skill levels the opportunity to learn, play and develop their technique.
Located in Raa Atoll, Niva Dhigali Maldives is surrounded by tropical vegetation, a lagoon and the Indian Ocean. The November programme, featuring Norman’s dining experience and O’Donoghue’s pickleball sessions, forms part of the resort’s approach to offering guest experiences centred on food, wellbeing and the island environment.
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