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Soneva Fushi welcomes two world-famous American contemporary glass artists
Soneva has welcomed two of America’s most creative glass artists to Soneva Fushi as part of the recently launched Festival of Colour.
Paul Marioni and Richard Meitner are in the Soneva Glass Studio from March 15 to April 6, where they will draw inspiration from the natural beauty of Kunfunadhoo island and the surrounding Maldivian seas.
A founding member of the American Studio Glass movement, Paul Marioni is an internationally recognised artist known for his ingenuity and his willingness to push the traditional limits of art. He is the winner of the Glass Art Society “Lifetime Achievement Award” and a three time recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship.
Richard Meitner is originally from the US, but moved to the Netherlands in his early years and is now based in Amsterdam. His work changes constantly, he can be quite easily counted as among the most eclectic of all artists working in glass internationally. A retrospective show of his work was held in 1981 at the Musee des Arts Decoratifs in Paris and museums have devoted solo shows to his work in the Corning Museum of Glass and the Tacoma Museum of Glass in the U.S., among other places.
In February, Soneva 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. 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.
Soneva’s Festival of Colour runs from February 2018 to February 2019.
As part of Soneva’s sustainability initiatives, the waste glass at Soneva Fushi is upcycled. Soneva also collects waste glass from neighbouring resorts in the Baa atoll. Anywhere between 500 to 1,000 kilograms of glass is collected, crushed, washed, and delivered to Soneva’s Glass Studio each month by Eco Centro, Soneva’s Waste-to-Wealth department. It is then melted down in the company’s state-of-the-art glass furnace. From there, techniques such as blowing, casting, and slumping are used to create pieces of art that are of a much higher value than the glass was in its original bottle form.
During their three to six week stay at Soneva Fushi, visiting artists embark on projects to create artworks in Soneva’s fully equipped interdisciplinary art studio, where they are encouraged to create works from waste materials accumulated, and/or natural materials collected, on and around the island. Each artist’s project culminates in an exhibition of the created artworks which is held in the Soneva Art Gallery.
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.
Soneva also operates the Soneva Jani resort and Soneva in Aqua luxury yacht in the Maldives.
Kuda Villingili Resort Maldives has been nominated in the Resorts category for the Condé Nast Traveller Readers’ Choice Awards 2026 (UK) and the Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards 2026 (US), marking a further development in the resort’s international recognition.
The Readers’ Choice Awards are based on traveller feedback and are considered a key benchmark within the global travel industry. The dual nomination reflects the resort’s presence across international markets and its engagement with guests from different regions.
The nomination follows a series of recognitions for the resort. In 2025, Kuda Villingili was ranked among the Top 5 Overseas Leisure Resorts Worldwide in the Condé Nast Traveller Middle East Readers’ Choice Awards, placing fifth globally. It was also listed among the Top Resorts in the Indian Ocean in the Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards 2025 (US). The resort was similarly recognised in the 2024 edition of the awards.
Located in North Malé Atoll, approximately 30 minutes by speedboat from Velana International Airport, Kuda Villingili Resort Maldives offers 75 villas and residences, each with private pools and views of the surrounding ocean.
The resort features eight restaurants and three bars, including Japanese-Peruvian dining at Mar-Umi and Teppanyaki by Mar-Umi. Other dining options include Asian cuisine at East and grill offerings at Fire. Additional facilities include a cigar lounge, a large swimming pool, a spa with overwater treatment villas, and a range of wellness and recreational activities such as yoga, sound therapy and surfing.
Amjad Thaufeeg, Commercial Director at Kuda Villingili Resort Maldives, stated that the nominations reflect feedback from guests across international markets and noted the importance of maintaining consistent service standards.
Voting for the Readers’ Choice Awards 2026 is open until 30 June 2026, with results scheduled to be announced in November 2026.
Baros Maldives is set to host a curated Earth Day experience titled Earth Day in Bloom on 22 April 2026, offering guests an evening programme centred on sustainability, nature and locally sourced ingredients.
The event will begin at 6:30pm at the resort’s Chef’s Garden, where guests will be welcomed with a Garden Spritz before taking part in a guided tour of the garden. The tour will introduce participants to local herbs and island-grown produce cultivated on the property.
As part of the programme, guests will be invited to plant their own herb, contributing to the garden while engaging in an activity aligned with environmental awareness. The experience will continue with a garden dinner starting at 7pm, featuring a menu designed around fresh, seasonal ingredients sourced from the island.
An optional pairing of organic wines will also be available, providing an additional element to the dining experience.
The event is priced at USD 175 per person, excluding applicable service charge and taxes. Reservations can be made through the resort’s butler service.
The initiative reflects Baros Maldives’ focus on sustainability-led guest experiences, integrating environmental awareness with culinary offerings and on-island activities.
Cinnamon Dhonveli Maldives has been recognised as a Quality Winner at the TUI Global Hotel Awards 2026, an accolade based on guest feedback from travellers worldwide. The recognition reflects the resort’s delivery of guest experiences shaped by service standards, facilities and alignment with evolving traveller preferences.
Located in North Malé Atoll, Cinnamon Dhonveli Maldives offers a range of accommodation options, with more than 140 units including overwater suites, beach bungalows and duplex garden bungalows. The resort is designed to accommodate couples, families and groups.
The resort features seven dining venues offering a mix of international and local cuisine. Tex Mex serves Mexican and Spanish-inspired dishes, while Dalchini offers an Indian à la carte menu available for lunch and dinner. Raalhu Bar provides a setting for evening refreshments, with views of the sunset.
Cinnamon Dhonveli Maldives is also known for Pasta Point, a surf break recognised for its left-hand waves. The resort attracts surfers from international markets who travel to access the location. Surf operations at Pasta Point are managed by Atoll Adventures, with bookings handled through Atoll Travel to ensure a structured approach to surf access.
The TUI Global Hotel Awards are determined by guest reviews, making the recognition an indicator of guest satisfaction. The resort’s inclusion as a Quality Winner reflects its performance in meeting guest expectations within the Maldives tourism sector.
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