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Soneva launches ‘A Festival of Colour’ campaign to celebrate rare experiences

Published

8 years ago

February 21, 2018

Soneva has launched its first ever year-long campaign known as a ‘Festival of Colour’ to celebrate the diverse array of guest activities and experiences on offer this year, ranging from visiting Michelin-starred chefs and astronomers, through to authors, champion free-divers, artists and more.

For a year starting this February, each month of the year is associated with a different colour and theme, which will be brought to life at Soneva’s resorts in the Maldives through special on-site events and collaborations.

Underscoring the Festival of Colour is a series of short “colour” films created by the renowned French film director Bruno Aveillan. Bruno visited Soneva Fushi and Soneva Jani in early 2017 to shoot the films, which were inspired by the different colours he found at the resorts. Soneva plans to release one colour film each month during the campaign on its website and on social media.

As part of the Festival of Colour, Soneva has confirmed a huge line-up of visiting experts, including chefs, authors, wine producers, world-champion free-divers, astronomers, artists, wellness practitioners, tennis coaches and more at all resorts.

Fine dining experiences are a pivotal part of Soneva’s Festival of Colour, and the company has so far confirmed 28 of the world’s top chefs, many of whom have at least two Michelin stars and above or are included within The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list, for exclusive dinner events.

Confirmed chefs include:

Chef Tom Aikens, the youngest British chef to win two Michelin stars
Chef Andre Van Alten, from the one-starred Restaurant La Provence in Driebergen- Rijsenburg, Netherlands
Chef Jean-Christophe Ansanay-Alex, a two-Michelin starred chef from Auberge de l’Ile Barbe, France
Chef Wilco Berends, of the two Michelin starred Restaurant De Nederlanden, Netherlands
Chef Tim Butler, of Eat Me, Bangkok
Chef Benoit Dewitte, the head chef and owner of the Michelin-starred restaurant Benoit Dewitte in Belgium
Chef Andre Van Doorn, from the one-starred Restaurant Kasteel Heemstede, Netherlands
Chef Jarno Eggen from the one Micheline-starred Restaurant De Groene Lantaarn, in Zuidwolde, Netherlands
Chef Jos Grootscholten from the one-starred Old Town Hall of Capelle aan den Ijssel, Netherlands
Chef Kenji Gyoten the youngest Japanese chef with three Michelin stars
Chef Michael Husken, who heads up the kitchen team at Sophia’s restaurant at Rocco Forte’s “The Charles Hotel”, Munich
Chef Mark Lundgaard a one-Michelin starred chef of Restaurant Kong Hans Kaelder in Denmark
Chef Gert De Mangeleer, a three-Michelin starred chef who co-runs Restaurant Hertog Jan in Belgium
Chef Max Mascia of the two-Michelin-starred San Domenico Imola (Italy)
Chef Claus Meyer, co-founder of Noma in Copenhagen, of Bolivia’s best restaurant GUSTU and of the one-Michelin-starred Agern and Great Northern Food Hall in New York City
Chef Kiko Moya, a two Michelin-starred chef from L’Escaletta, Spain
Jean Baptiste Natali, a one-Michelin starred chef from At the General’s table, Colombey-les-Deux-Églises, France
Chef Bruno Oger, a renowned two-Michelin-starred chef from Le Cannet, France
Chef Pere Planaguma, 2 Michelin Stars. He is the head chef of Les Cols of Olot from Girona, spain
Chef Tim Raue, from the two-Michelin starred restaurant TIM RAUE in Berlin, Germany
Chef Prateek Sadhu of Masque, one of Mumbai’s most acclaimed restaurants
Chef Dmitry Shurashov, a Russian celebrity chef
Christian Le Squer, a three-Michelin-starred chef from France
Chef Ton Tassanakajohn of Le Du in Bangkok; one of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants
Chef Edwin Vinke from the two Michelin-starred Restaurant De Kromme Watergang in Hoofdplaat, Netherlands
Chef Michael Wignall, formerly at Gidleigh Park, UK, with two Michelin stars and five AA rosettes
Chef Lu Yao, the head chef at the Relais & Chateaux property Yihe Mansions in China
Chef Eric Yu, the head chef at the Relais & Chateaux property Seven Villas Hangzhou, China

“We’re really focused on crafting these beautiful, beyond bespoke experiences where discovery is a way of life. With our expert hosts as personal guides, we invite our guests to explore and delight in experiences that will last a lifetime. Soneva has never been so full of LIFE*,” Sonu Shivdasani, Founder, CEO and Joint Creative Director of Soneva, was quoted in a statement, as saying.

In addition to chefs, other experts include the renowned British historian Andrew Roberts, the world-champion free-diver Umberto Pelizzari, the astronomer Massimo Terenghi, plus glass artists James Devereux and Louis Thompson, among many others.

Guests who visit any Soneva property during the Festival of Colour will be treated to special colour-themed movie screenings, cocktails, canapes and more. There will also be announcements over the next few months linked to new restaurant openings and new guest experiences, all linked to different colour themes.

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 now accessible via new Villa Air seaplane route

Published

15 hours ago

November 23, 2025

m@ldives

Villa Resorts has launched a new Villa Air seaplane service to Villa Park Maldives, offering an arrival experience that begins in the air with views across the Maldivian archipelago.

Operated by the sister brand Villa Air, the seaplanes serving Villa Park are fitted with some of the widest panoramic windows used in the Maldives. This allows passengers to observe reefs, sandbanks, and islands almost continuously from take-off to landing. Travellers see the colours of the ocean shift from deep blue to lighter turquoise and can trace the shape of atolls and lagoons well before reaching the resort.

The size of the windows ensures that most seats offer wide views, enabling couples, families, and groups to experience the scenery together without needing to change places. Capturing photographs and short videos becomes straightforward, and for many visitors this forms their first impression of the Maldives while still above the islands.

A notable feature of the Villa Air service is the experience of taking off from and landing on water. The gradual ascent from the lagoon near Malé and the final descent beside Villa Park bring a sense of calm and mild adventure, particularly for those new to seaplane travel. The sound of the floats touching the water and the sight of the resort appearing ahead create a natural transition to the island.

With unobstructed views, a relaxed pace, and the experience of stepping off an aircraft that has just landed on the ocean, the new Villa Air seaplane connection ensures that a stay at Villa Park effectively begins from the moment passengers depart Malé and follow the chain of islands south.

Featured

World-first overwater padel tennis court launched at Meyyafushi Maldives

Published

3 days ago

November 21, 2025

m@ldives

Meyyafushi Maldives, a new five-star premium all-inclusive boutique resort, has introduced what it describes as a world-first in resort recreation: a fixed overwater padel tennis court. Positioned above clear lagoons and framed by sweeping sunset views, the court offers guests an opportunity to play and unwind in a distinctive setting surrounded by panoramic ocean vistas.

Located in the Lhaviyani Atoll, the overwater court allows players to take part in a match while immersed in the natural calm of the surrounding seascape. Guests staying at the resort are offered one hour of complimentary padel tennis as part of the premium all-inclusive package. The setting provides a secluded and tranquil space for both beginners and experienced players to practise with the sound of the ocean beneath.

“Padel tennis has become one of the fastest-growing sports in the world, and we wanted to bring it to life in the most spectacular way possible,” said Ahmed Siaar, Cluster General Manager of BeKind Hotels & Resorts. “Playing on water, surrounded by endless blues, transforms the game into something transcendent – it’s active luxury at its finest.”

The overwater court forms part of Meyyafushi’s wider range of facilities, which include an underwater dining restaurant, an overwater wine cellar, water pool suites with slides, a mini bowling lane, and an adults-only sky bar featuring a glass-bottom infinity pool. Each facility has been created to offer experiences that encourage connection, exploration and wellbeing.

With uninterrupted sunset views and a distinctive overwater location, Meyyafushi Maldives’ padel tennis court marks a global first for the sport, bringing together physical activity, landscape and design in a single setting.

Featured

Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa unveils ‘White Shores & Golden Lights’ festive season

Published

3 days ago

November 21, 2025

m@ldives

This festive season, Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa invites guests to rediscover the joy of togetherness in what it calls the world’s gathering place. From 1 December 2025 to 7 January 2026, the resort will transform into a luminous sanctuary under its signature theme, White Shores & Golden Lights – a palette of shimmering whites and sunlit gold inspired by the purity of the season and the golden glow of new beginnings.

The festive spirit officially begins on 1 December with a Tree Lighting Ceremony, setting the tone for a season of warmth, celebration, and community. Following a period of serene island relaxation, the programme resumes in full from 21 December onwards, offering a vibrant calendar of curated experiences that continues until the Orthodox Beach Buffet Dinner on 7 January.

Guests are welcomed into an atmosphere where refined island living meets festive cheer. The line-up includes festive aqua aerobics, barefoot beach games, Gingerbread House Decorating, and the energetic Colour Run & Paint Me Wall Marathon along the shoreline. Younger guests can enjoy themed pyjama parties, while those seeking adventure may explore a variety of water sports and wellbeing rituals.

The highlight of the season is the Christmas Eve Gala Dinner, presented along the oceanfront where waves meet the shore and golden lights illuminate the evening. With live music, seasonal cuisine, and candlelit elegance, the event combines the island’s natural beauty with cherished festive traditions.

On Christmas Day, Santa makes a memorable arrival at Kakuni Beach, delighting guests of all ages. Throughout the festive period, in collaboration with Reefscapers, the resort offers coral frame-building workshops, giving guests the opportunity to support reef restoration efforts and contribute to the preservation of the Maldives’ marine environment.

As the year comes to a close, guests are invited to welcome 2026 beneath the stars. Night Under the Stars, the resort’s New Year’s Eve celebration, features a coastal gala with champagne, gourmet dining, fireworks, and live entertainment that continues well past midnight.

From peaceful mornings at Shine Spa to evenings sampling global flavours accented with Maldivian character, Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa offers an elevated festive experience. Whether travelling as a family, as a couple, or alone, guests will find each day filled with moments to remember and each evening touched with a sense of magic.

“We are thrilled to welcome guests to experience the magic of the festive season with us,” says Greg Allan, General Manager of Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa. “Each moment of our festive programme has been thoughtfully designed to reflect Sheraton’s ethos of heartfelt hospitality – bringing people together through meaningful experiences in one of the world’s most extraordinary destinations.”

Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa is also presenting a Festive Special Offer for this season. Guests may enjoy exclusive savings on beach or overwater accommodation, along with daily breakfast, lunch, and dinner, return speedboat transfers, and access to selected festive events and activities. Bookings made before 30 November 2025 will be eligible for stays between 20 December 2025 and 10 January 2026.