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Soneva sponsors London Art Fair 2018

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Soneva has joined the London Art Fair for the first time this year, as part of the luxury resort operator’s focus on its Art and Glass programme.

In a statement, Soneva said it has sponsored the VIP stand at LAF 2018, which is being held from Wednesday to Sunday. An array of glass art works that have been created to date are being showcased at the stand, it added.

“Soneva’s Glass Studio is home to the only existing pieces that [Murano-born Lino] Tagliapietra has created from recycled glass. Guests can also watch the process of how a resort turns waste glass into art pieces whilst Soneva’s team will be on hand to speak to explain the significant role that glass and art will continue to have at Soneva,” the statement read.

Soneva is proud to be home to the only Glass Studio in the Maldives at their flagship resort Soneva Fushi, and uses 100 percent recycled glass.

Soneva sought to resolve the problem posed by waste materials such as glass bottles, and created the Glass Studio as a continuation of Soneva’s commitment to the environment and eco-credentials. Each month, up to 1,000 kilograms of glass is collected from Soneva and neighbouring resorts in the Baa atoll before being washed and delivered to Soneva’s Glass Studio by Eco Centro, Soneva’s Waste-to-Wealth team.

In founding the Glass Studio, Soneva has taken on an entire up-cycling process from start to finish: firstly crushing the glass and melting this in the state-of-the-art glass furnace, before adopting a variety of techniques such as blowing, casting and slumping the glass to create unique pieces of art.

A skilled team of glass specialists at Soneva Fushi also design and create stunning signature bowls, plates and glasses that are used at restaurants across Soneva resorts, and which perfectly complement the culinary vision of the chef teams. Guests can likewise purchase the signature collection from the glass retail boutique.

As part of the Art and Glass programme, Soneva has played host to noted glass artists from around the globe, such as Murano-born Lino Tagliapietra, sculptor Howard BenTre, and Venetian glass Master James Mongrain. Throughout their stay, each artist has been commissioned to create breath-taking artworks made entirely from recycled glass.

Soneva also champions the sharing of this time-honoured tradition, and the Glass Studio offers courses that teach guests the art of glassblowing. Guests can learn from experienced glass artists the skills required to create their very own masterpieces.

As the Soneva Art and Glass programme grows in popularity, the innovative team has also sought to work with glass in ever-changing ways.

Last year, Soneva Fushi created an inspired ‘Cooking With Glass’ dining experience, where top chefs collaborated with the resort’s Art and Glass Studio’s master glass artists: combining fine dining and glasswork for the very first time. The culinary adventure involves creating incredible dishes by cooking with molten glass, and guests are invited to take home the completely individual glass pieces forged with each course as mementoes.

A video of this event went viral on social media last year.

Soneva, a world-leading luxury resort operator, runs two resorts in the Maldives, Soneva Fushi and Soneva Jani.

Established in 1995, Soneva Fushi is the original Soneva. The No News, No Shoes blueprint for all desert island barefoot luxury hideaways is located within the Baa Atoll UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in the Maldives. Soneva Fushi inspires the imagination with 65 spacious beachfront villas, ranging in size from one to nine bedrooms, hidden amongst dense foliage.

The iconic resort has bagged several international awards for eco-friendly tourism and green initiatives, including the 2017 Green Hotelier Award for the Asia Pacific region and the Sustainable Hotel Award by the Hotel Investment Conference Asia Pacific (HICAP) as well as a spot in the Gold List compiled by Condé Nast Traveler China as the Best Hotel in the Maldives and amongst the best resorts in the world in the Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards 2017.

Opened in December 2016, Soneva Jani is Soneva’s newest property and its second resort in the Maldives.

Soneva Jani encompasses a collection of 24 overwater villas and one island villa set in a 5.6 kilometre private lagoon located in the northern Noonu atoll. The resort spans five islands surrounded by pure white beaches, covered in rich tropical vegetation, offering the ultimate in privacy and luxury.

Each of the resort’s multilevel water villas has its own private pool and a retractable roof that allows guests to sleep beneath the stars. Many villas also have slides that transport guests directly from the top level into the lagoon below. Other hotel highlights include a spa, an observatory — home to the largest telescope in the Indian Ocean — and an outdoor cinema.

Since its opening, Soneva Jani has created a lot of buzz amongst luxury travellers with its exciting features such as the retractable roofs and the water slides. It has been named the Best Over-the-Top Luxury hotel of the year by Jetsetter.com, the best new resort in the world by CNN, and the Leading Luxury Hotel/Resort in South Asia and Leading Luxury Hotel/Resort in Maldives.

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Villa Park sets holiday line-up with sunset welcome, Santa visit and NYE gala

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Villa Park has announced its Festive 2025–2026 programme, running from 20 December 2025 to 6 January 2026. The schedule moves from lagoon-side mornings to music-led evenings on the beach, beginning with a sunset welcome and continuing with beach barbecues, creative workshops, Christmas Eve dinner, Santa’s visit on 25 December, and a New Year’s Eve gala with a midnight countdown. The season concludes with programmes on New Year’s Day and Orthodox Christmas.

Daytime activities include chef demonstrations, shoreline art sessions, and live music. Evenings feature romantic tables, treetop dining for two, and simple set-ups that highlight the island setting. The programme is designed for couples, friends, and families to join as they wish.

Family programming centres on Park Players, presented as the Maldives’ largest kids’ club, with letters to Santa, gingerbread crafts, ocean-themed art, movement classes, story time, and film nights. Group sizes are kept small to ensure attentive supervision.

Villa Park’s family offering has been recognised beyond the festive season, with the resort named among the Best Resorts for Families in the Maldives at the Travel + Leisure Luxury Awards Asia Pacific 2025, a reader-voted accolade reflecting guest feedback on space, programming, and flexible pacing.

Throughout the calendar, private experiences sit alongside larger celebrations, including candlelit beach dining, treetop tastings, floating breakfasts, and open-air cinema for two. Guests can set their own rhythm, whether opting for lively beach gatherings or quiet evenings under lanterns and palms, from sunrise through to the New Year countdown and beyond.

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Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas introduces season of wellness with three practitioners

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Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas is inviting guests to embark on a holistic journey guided by three visiting wellness practitioners, each specialising in distinct approaches to healing. Drawing on traditional knowledge and contemporary practice, the practitioners will offer therapies at the resort’s overwater spa designed to align body, mind, and spirit in a tranquil Maldivian setting. Disciplines include Ayurveda, energy-based therapies, sound healing, and mindful movement, with personalised consultations and bespoke treatments available.

A fifth-generation Ayurvedic physician, Dr Jithurag continues a 300-year family lineage rooted in holistic balance. Trained within the Rameswaram Tantric tradition, he blends Ayurvedic principles with elements of Traditional Chinese Medicine, integrating marma therapy and acupuncture with Reiki and Pranic Healing. Using wellness screening technologies to assess biomarkers, he designs tailored treatment plans. Guests may book a complimentary consultation and choose from signature therapies such as TCM Acupuncture, Cupping Therapy, Marma Abhyanga, and Back Restoration Therapy.

Holistic therapist and Ayurvedic healer Sharath Ram brings more than 16 years’ experience in supporting physical, mental, and spiritual balance. His work combines Ayurveda with energy practices and therapeutic yoga to encourage both recovery and transformation. His specialities include Chakra Inner Energy Balancing, Ayurveda Deep Fusion Therapy, Visceral Manipulation, Maderotherapy, and Mind-Body Healing. He will also lead complimentary workshops, including The Art of Breathing and Dynamic Meditation, focusing on breathwork and movement to promote calm and clarity.

From Kerala, India, Vinod Narayanan offers over a decade of experience in Ayurveda, yoga, and holistic healing across Europe, Africa, and Asia, including service as a personal physician to dignitaries. At Anantara Kihavah he will provide therapies such as Himalayan Sound Healing Massage, De-Armouring Body Therapy, Abdominal Detox, Access Bars Energy Healing, and Gut-Brain Rewiring. Using vibration, touch, and energy alignment, his sessions aim to release emotional blockages, improve circulation, and support the body’s natural rhythm. Complimentary consultations are available, alongside sound-based journeys that seek to harmonise body and spirit.

Together, the practitioners complement Anantara Kihavah’s wellbeing philosophy, extending from Ayurvedic traditions to sound therapy. Guests are invited to the overwater Anantara Spa for bespoke treatments, meditative workshops, and one-to-one consultations that encourage connection with self and nature.

Further enhancing the experience, the resort has introduced reimagined Beach Pool Villas featuring natural textures, open-plan spaces, and private pools set within tropical greenery.

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Mindful festive escape: Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa focuses on connection and renewal

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This festive season, Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa will welcome guests to a celebration of warmth, wonder and mindful connection. From 19 December 2025 to 7 January 2026, the resort will transform into a serene island sanctuary where nature, gastronomy and meaningful experiences come together in harmony.

Situated in one of the most untouched atolls of the Maldives, Huvadhu Atoll, Hadahaa embodies a refined simplicity that showcases the beauty of the natural world. Throughout the festive period, guests are invited to slow down, reconnect and rediscover the joy of being fully present, surrounded by turquoise waters, lush island greenery and Maldivian hospitality.

“The festive season at Hadahaa is more than a celebration — it’s a homecoming,” said Anshul Sharma, General Manager of Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa. “It’s a time to reflect, to celebrate togetherness and to embrace the island’s timeless rhythm where nature and joy coexist effortlessly.”

Highlights of the Festive Season:

  • Holiday splendour and timeless traditions – From the twinkling lights of the Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony to the New Year’s Eve Countdown by the Beach, each event is shaped by the understated elegance that defines Park Hyatt. Familiar festive traditions are reinterpreted with authentic island touches, creating celebrations that feel both comforting and renewed.
  • Beneath the holiday surface – Adventure enthusiasts will be able to join Festive Snorkelling and Diving excursions, Turtle Quests and an Exclusive Christmas Night Dive. Each marine experience offers a deeper connection to the ocean’s vibrant ecosystem, enhanced by the festive spirit of exploration.
  • Season of renewal – Guests can restore body and mind with holistic spa journeys at The Vidhun Spa, featuring Ayurveda-inspired treatments, island botanicals and festive rituals designed to support inner balance. The resort will also host Dr Jyoti Kodwani, founder of The Sacred Chakras, for a month-long Festive Wellness Residency offering transformative healing therapies.
  • Festive flavours and family moments – From Barefoot BBQs by the Bay to elevated treehouse dining beneath the stars, dining experiences are designed to become lasting memories. Younger guests can take part in creative workshops, treasure hunts and Santa’s seaside arrival, ensuring special moments for families and guests of all ages.

This year, Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa’s festive programme captures the essence of renewal and joy, celebrating life’s simplest pleasures with a blend of sophistication and soul.

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