Family
From Michelin-starred chefs to the Greatest Easter Egg Hunt, Soneva announces huge line-up of Easter experiences
Soneva has announced details of its Easter programme across its two properties in the Maldives, featuring Michelin-starred dining, exquisite wine tastings and a focus on family-friendly activities.
The World’s Greatest Easter Egg Hunt continues this year at Soneva Fushi and Soneva Jani on Easter Sunday morning (April 1, 2018), with grand chocolate prizes to be won.
At Soneva Fushi, embark on culinary adventures and dance to the grooves of the renowned French-American party band ‘The Phly Boyz’ with three of the world’s finest chefs: Chef Kenji Gyoten of Restaurant Sushi Gyoten, the youngest Japanese three-star Michelin chef; plus Chef Claus Meyer, co-founder of Noma in Copenhagen, of Bolivia’s best restaurant GUSTU, and of one-star Michelin Agern and Great Northern Food Hall in New York City; as well as Chef Max Mascia, of the two-star Michelin Ristorante San Domenico Imola, Italy.
Guests will also get a chance to participate in a one-of-a-kind dining experience that involves cooking over molten glass in So Glassycle, the only glass studio in the Maldives. Other highlights include the papier-mâché egg making, games in the huge Children’s Den, a children’s Mocktail Party in the Observatory, a magician, ventriloquists and much more.
At all properties, guests are invited to participate in Soneva’s acclaimed Easter Food Journey; a gastronomic voyage from one length of the resort to the other. Other experiences on offer include private astronomy sessions, Easter egg decorating, paper-mache classes, and a Cocktail Journey followed by a Maldivian cuisine Pop Up at Soneva Jani.
Peruvian dinners, wine tastings and cocktail and pizza making classes and more are also on the menu at Soneva Jani, Soneva’s newest overwater resort in the Maldives. Other activities include water polo, night paddle-boarding, Indian cooking classes and guided snorkelling. For the children there will be cookie making classes, Easter egg, gift and card making at the Den, as well as a pyjama movie night and dance party.
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.
Family
Outdoor adventures, football sessions planned for Velaa Kids Week
Velaa Private Island will host Velaa Kids Week from 3 to 9 August 2026, bringing together outdoor activities, team challenges and sports sessions for young guests.
The programme will be delivered in partnership with Sharky & George, which specialises in activities and experiences for children. It has been designed to encourage creativity, curiosity and confidence through games and island-based exploration.
Activities will include outdoor adventures, interactive games, team challenges and opportunities to discover the resort’s natural surroundings. The programme will also provide children with opportunities to form friendships and develop teamwork skills during their stay.
World champion freestyle footballer Tobias Becs will join this year’s event, adding a sporting component to the programme. Becs will conduct sessions and demonstrations in which children can learn freestyle football skills, take part in physical activities and try new techniques.
His involvement is intended to introduce young guests to freestyle football in an accessible format, with sessions combining demonstrations, participation and play.
Velaa Kids Week forms part of the resort’s family programming and will offer a scheduled series of activities throughout the seven-day event.
Family
Where families come together: Alila Kothaifaru Maldives’ luxury villa experience
As travellers increasingly prioritise meaningful time together, multi-generational holidays and private group escapes are reshaping the luxury travel landscape. Responding to this growing demand, Alila Kothaifaru Maldives, a Hyatt resort, offers thoughtfully designed two-bedroom accommodations that combine generous living spaces with the resort’s signature understated luxury, creating an idyllic setting for families and friends to reconnect amidst the natural beauty of the Maldives.
While the Maldives has long been synonymous with romantic escapes, today’s travellers are embracing a different kind of luxury—one centred on shared experiences, quality time, and the freedom to travel together without compromising privacy. At Alila Kothaifaru Maldives, the Two-Bedroom Beach Pool Villas and the exclusive Boduge Residence have been designed to support these evolving travel preferences while remaining deeply connected to the island’s pristine environment.

Space Designed for Togetherness
Set along the island’s powder-soft shoreline, the Two-Bedroom Beach Pool Villa offers 265 square metres of thoughtfully planned indoor and outdoor living. Featuring one king bedroom and one twin bedroom, spacious living and dining areas, an enclosed bathroom with separate bathtub and shower, and a lush private garden with swimming pool and sun deck, the villa provides ample room for families to spend quality time together while enjoying moments of quiet retreat. Every stay is complemented by the attentive service of a dedicated villa host, ensuring a seamless and personalised island experience.

A Private Residence for Life’s Special Gatherings
For milestone celebrations, extended family holidays, or intimate group escapes, the Boduge Residence offers Alila Kothaifaru Maldives’ most exclusive accommodation.
Spanning 395 square metres (4,251 sq ft), the residence features 235 square metres (2,530 sq ft) of elegant indoor living space with two beautifully appointed bedrooms—a king-bedded master suite, a twin bedroom and a dedicated service room with twin bedding, expansive living and dining areas, a kitchenette, maid’s room, premium amenities, and dedicated villa host service.

Its 160-square-metre (1,722 sq ft) outdoor sanctuary is designed for effortless island living, complete with a 45-square-metre private pool, spacious sun deck, outdoor dining area, wooden swing, and poolside BBQ—inviting guests to linger over shared meals, celebrate special occasions, or simply enjoy uninterrupted time together beneath the Maldivian sky.
For larger groups, the Boduge Residence can seamlessly connect to a neighbouring villa, creating a spacious three-bedroom retreat while preserving the privacy and tranquillity that define the Alila experience.
“Luxury today is increasingly defined by the quality of time we spend with the people who matter most,” says Thomas Weber, General Manager of Alila Kothaifaru Maldives. “Our two-bedroom accommodations were created to give families and groups the space to reconnect naturally, while immersing themselves in the calm, simplicity, and extraordinary beauty of our island. It’s an experience that reflects Alila’s philosophy of thoughtful luxury—where every detail is intentionally designed to foster meaningful moments.”

Rooted in Nature, Guided by Design
Home to 81 private pool villas, including 41 Beach Pool Villas, 36 Overwater Pool Villas, three Two-Bedroom Beach Pool Villas, and the exclusive Boduge Residence, Alila Kothaifaru Maldives is defined by architecture that complements rather than competes with its surroundings.
Designed by Singapore-based Studiogoto, the resort embraces clean architectural lines, natural materials, and open spaces that blur the boundaries between indoors and out. Every accommodation has been carefully integrated into the island landscape, reinforcing Alila’s long-standing commitment to sustainability, mindful hospitality, and a deep respect for place.

Beyond the Villa
Surrounded by the vibrant marine life of Raa Atoll, guests enjoy direct access to exceptional snorkelling and diving, immersive wellness experiences at Spa Alila, and thoughtfully curated Alila Moments that celebrate Maldivian culture and nature.
Families can also enjoy quality time beyond the beach through the resort’s padel tennis court, outdoor game area, and Play Alila activities designed for younger guests, creating fun shared experiences for every generation.

Whether discovering local traditions, exploring the island’s rich biodiversity, or enjoying the resort’s signature Shack Sundowner on a secluded sandbank, every experience is designed to encourage genuine connection—to the destination and to one another.
For more information or to book your stay, visit www.alilahotels.com/kothaifaru-maldives.
Awards
Fashion Travel Awards name Villa Park Maldives’ best family island resort
There are family resorts, and then there are islands that seem to understand how families actually travel. Villa Park, set in the whale shark waters of South Ari Atoll, belongs firmly to the latter. Named Best Family Island Resort in the Maldives at the Fashion Travel Awards 2026, the resort has been recognised for an experience that feels generous, unforced and made for every generation.
Organised by Fashion TV Russia, the awards took place in Moscow in aboard the Radisson Royal Flotilla, bringing together tourism leaders, media, tastemakers and international travellers to celebrate standout names in global hospitality.
At Villa Park, the luxury is not only in the setting, though there is plenty of that. It is in the space to spread out, the ease of moving through the day, and the rare feeling that no one has to compromise. Children have the world of Park Players Kids’ Club, teens can cycle, snorkel or head out on the water, while parents find their own rhythm between the beach, Araamu Spa, long lunches and quiet moments by the pool.
Set on one of the largest natural islands in the Maldives, Villa Park has the scale to keep a holiday interesting and the softness to make it feel simple. Days move from palm-lined cycling paths to white-sand beaches, from watersports to whale shark excursions in the marine protected waters of South Ari, from casual family meals to evenings by the ocean. Polished, but never precious.
The recognition reflects Villa Park’s growing reputation as a Maldivian resort that does family travel with both style and substance, creating holidays that feel adventurous, easy and deeply shared.
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