Featured
Baros Maldives introduces exciting new changes in products, services
Baros Maldives has recently undergone a major identity enhancement, introducing impressive changes in products and services.
Accommodation
A new category of accommodation has been added and branded as Baros Suites. These Baros Suites are private, stand-alone villas providing guests with a modern, luxurious living space, complete with a spectacular, 19 ft by 10 ft swimming pool, a separate hot and cold water jacuzzi and a secluded gazebo that features a swing with a view of the ocean stretching to the horizon.
In addition, existing Baros Water Villas, Baros Pool Villas and Baros Deluxe Villas have all been upgraded with new furniture, bright colours and high-quality materials to enhance guest comfort and improve each villa’s elegant style.
Dining
The Baros dining experiences are better than ever following new designs of the Sails Bar and lagoon-side Cayenne Restaurant.
Guests can amble along a sandy trail to Sails Bar for drinks or snacks in an intimate and peaceful place. They can sway in a hammock as the lagoon sparkles beyond the trees, or relax in a lounger as smooth music melts into the starlit sky.
Intimate dining over the lagoon, the aroma of spice drifting through the night, Cayenne Grill offers al fresco à la carte dining with a hint of Indian flavour. Cayenne Grill celebrates the grilling traditions of the world, accompanied by premium wines from across the globe.
Loyalty Programme
Baros has also refined its loyalty programme for returning guests, known as Baros Elite.
Elite membership now entitles guests to free nights, spa credits, complimentary dinners and other special discounts after just two seven-night holidays at Baros.
Reef Restoration
The restoration of the house reef to its natural, pristine glory has been advanced with a new project called Coral Lines. This uses a method that is environmentally sustainable and close to nature.
Fragments of coral are collected and attached to ropes hanging in the lagoon nursery which are then nurtured for one to three years before being planted directly on the reef. This hands-on method encourages the growth of corals in their natural habitat without any artificial structures.
Baros is celebrating its 45th anniversary this year and the legacy of this bijou island is carried forward throughout the enhancement and enrichment. In celebration of the Maldivian legacy, Baros is offering a special package through its website branded as Essence of Maldives.
Only the third resort to open in the Maldives (1973) and the first dive centre to open in the archipelago (1979), Baros is situated in the central southern part of North Male Atoll, just 25 minutes by speedboat from the international airport. It is surrounded by a beautiful house reef, only 15 to 30 metres from the shore, alive with colours, fish, turtles, rays and coral.
As a small leading luxury Maldives resort, Baros offers tastefully designed beach and water villas. With beach villas of classic elegance set in lush vegetation, and secluded water villas, — many with private pools — Baros is one of the most romantic resorts in the Maldives, the perfect honeymoon getaway.
Inspired by Maldivian traditions of heartfelt hospitality, Baros is a tropical island dream come true with fine cuisine and drinks served at three gourmet class restaurants, two bars, and a cigar and shisha lounge.
The spa at Baros is located in a beautiful, lush tropical garden where serenity saturates the atmosphere, and is accessed by over-water stepping stones. It is a tranquil haven where complete well-being in body, mind and soul is made possible.
The resort continues to set the benchmark for a romantic, luxury holiday with genuine, heartfelt Maldivian hospitality. It has received countless prestigious awards from guests and the travel industry and remains a pioneer in conservation in the Maldives.
Action
SO/ Maldives introduces ‘Fight Fit’ wellness activation
On Saturday, 25 April 2026, SO/ Maldives will stage its “Fight Fit” island activation as part of the resort’s ongoing 120 Days Fitness Challenge, bringing together fitness, wellness and local collaboration in a resort-wide programme.
Developed in partnership with Fight Soul Maldives, a local fitness collective focused on combat sports, the activation is designed to offer guests both participation and live viewing experiences while also bringing a local element into the resort’s wellness programming.
A key part of the activation is the Muay Thai Guest Workshop, where guests will have the opportunity to train with fighters from Fight Soul Maldives. Open to different fitness levels, the sessions will introduce the basics of Muay Thai through drills, technique-based training and group activity.
The programme will extend across the island through a series of activities including sunrise yoga, beach combat training, aqua yoga accompanied by DJ music, and sunset fight showcases. According to the resort, the aim is to combine physical activity with the island setting through a range of structured wellness experiences.
The activation will also include a healthy menu developed to support fitness and balanced living, in line with the resort’s wider wellness focus.
Guests will also be invited to take part in a skincare workshop and ritual linked to the launch of products from Comfort Zone. The experience will introduce skincare practices based on science and sustainability as part of the broader wellness programme.
In the evening, the programme will continue with foam parties, fire dance performances, and live Muay Thai and kickboxing exhibitions featuring athletes from Fight Soul Maldives.
Through “Fight Fit”, SO/ Maldives is presenting a wellness-led island activation that combines fitness, lifestyle programming and collaboration with local talent.
Awards
Grand Park Kodhipparu retains Green Globe Certification for seventh year
Grand Park Kodhipparu, Maldives has received its seventh consecutive Green Globe Certification, attaining Gold Member status for the third time and continuing its sustainability programme across island operations.
The resort’s sustainability model is guided by the philosophy of “From Reef to Roof”, linking marine conservation with operational management to support both environmental protection and long-term guest experience.
A central part of this approach is the resort’s house reef, which supports corals, turtles and other marine life. Conservation work led by the resort’s Resident Marine Biologist includes coral restoration, reef clean-ups and guided snorkelling experiences aimed at helping guests engage more closely with the marine environment.
Sustainability measures are also integrated across the resort’s wider operations. These include renewable energy initiatives such as solar power, which help reduce dependence on diesel-generated electricity. The resort also operates an on-site desalination system that converts seawater into drinking water, alongside its own water bottling plant.
According to the resort, this has enabled the complete removal of single-use plastic water bottles since 2020, marking a step in its waste reduction efforts.
Waste management is also structured around reducing, reusing and recycling materials where possible, with composting systems in place to reduce food waste and support day-to-day operations.
Like other island resorts in the Maldives, Grand Park Kodhipparu operates independently of mainland infrastructure, producing its own energy and water while managing waste on site. The resort says this model supports both lower environmental impact and greater operational resilience.
While Green Globe Certification provides international recognition of sustainability performance, the resort describes the certification as part of an ongoing process rather than a fixed milestone. Sustainability, it says, is embedded in operations, guest experiences and long-term planning.
Raffaele Solferino, General Manager of Grand Park Kodhipparu, Maldives, said the certification reflected the resort’s long-term direction. “From the very beginning, our vision was to create a resort that works in harmony with its environment. Achieving Green Globe Gold status for the seventh consecutive year reflects the consistency of that approach,” he said.
“‘From Reef to Roof’ connects everything we do — from protecting our marine life to how we generate energy and manage resources. It is a responsibility we take seriously, for both our environment and our guests.”
Quoting environmentalist Robert Swan, he added: “The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it. That idea resonates strongly with us — we believe it is our responsibility to act, here on our island, every day.”
The resort is also promoting a “Pay 4, Stay 6” package, aimed at encouraging longer stays and allowing guests more time to experience the property’s reef, wellness and nature-based activities.
Located around 20 minutes by speedboat from Velana International Airport, Grand Park Kodhipparu continues to position itself as a luxury resort with a focus on environmental responsibility and island-based guest experiences.
Featured
ELE|NA expands sustainable wellness approach for World Earth Day
This World Earth Day, ELE|NA is placing sustainability at the centre of its wellness approach through a programme led by Sustainability Ambassadors across its spa network. Through a set of circular practices and guest-facing initiatives, the brand is linking environmental responsibility with the spa experience.
At the centre of the programme are ELE|NA’s Sustainability Ambassadors, team members based in each resort spa who promote environmentally conscious practices. These ambassadors support both staff and guests in adopting sustainable actions, from daily operations to workshops designed to encourage participation and awareness.
Guests are invited to join hands-on sustainability workshops that combine learning with practical activities. These include the Juice Bike, sessions on making natural haircare products, the preparation of coconut and coffee scrubs and oils, and the making of coconut candy. Guests can also take part in a sand bundle workshop, where used spa linen is repurposed into handmade sand bundles later used in spa treatments.
ELE|NA’s sustainability model also extends to resource use within spa and hospitality operations. Apples previously used in infused water are turned into apple chips, while orange peel waste from the kitchen is made into sweets served to guests after treatments. Used herbal tea is repurposed as fertiliser for spa gardens, supporting a circular approach to materials and waste.
The brand is also aligning its Earth Day programming with the 2026 global theme, “Our Power, Our Planet”, by focusing on nature-based healing practices. ELE|NA says this includes reducing the use of synthetic tools and instead incorporating natural materials such as bamboo and coconut shells into treatments. The approach is intended to reflect a model of wellness built around renewal and lower-impact resource use.
This philosophy is also reflected in wellness experiences including Ocean Flow, Reiki, Sunrise Yoga and Floating Sound Bath sessions, which are designed to connect guests more closely with the natural environment. Through these programmes, ELE|NA is positioning wellbeing and environmental awareness as part of the same experience.
ELE|NA has also received Gold Standard accreditation from Sustainable Wellness, a non-profit organisation established in 2020 to provide independent sustainability guidance and benchmarking for the wellness sector. The accreditation marks a step in the brand’s sustainability programme and reflects its stated focus on responsible wellness practices.
Beyond its own spas, ELE|NA is presenting sustainable wellness as an operational model that can be applied across resort and spa settings. The brand says the framework is designed to support guest engagement, brand positioning and service delivery, while also being scalable for hospitality operators seeking to integrate sustainability standards, staff training and wellness programming into their own operations.
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