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Man City boss Pep Guardiola in Maldives for league break getaway
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola is in Maldives for a much-needed getaway, as English Premier League breaks for the upcoming international friendlies.
Guardiola arrived in the Maldives Monday morning. He reportedly travelled to the ultra-luxury Cheval Blanc Randheli resort.
Accessible by a scenic 40-minute seaplane flight from the main Velana International Airport, Cheval Blanc Randheli is one-of-a-kind exclusive property from the luxury fashion group Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy (LVMH). Designed by Jean-Michel Gathy, the creative mind behind some of the world’s most stunning resorts including the Chedi Muscat and many Aman resorts, Randheli marries contemporary aesthetic with the traditional Maldivian craftsmanship.
The multi-award-winning resort offers 46 villas in three different categories to choose from; Island, Water or Garden. They have a variety of contemporary design elements, high doors and ceilings, outdoor areas for relaxation, pool terraces, a 12.5m long private swimming pool and lagoon-side pontoons.
The award-winning Owner’s Villa at Cheval Blanc Randheli sprawls across its one-hectare dedicated island, and is accessible from a private berth and jetty. This four-bedroom villa is the epitome of exclusive privacy with unique facilities including its own spa, oversized 25-metre long outdoor pool, pristine beaches and exotic gardens.
The resort’s award-winning Le 1947 fine dining restaurant offers an exceptional nine-course culinary experience, which pays tribute to French cuisine, interpreted with delicacy and creativity in a Maldivian setting.
The Cheval Blanc Spa offers exclusive Guerlain treatments in special treatment villas, whilst the Hair Spa by Leonor Greyl doubles as a beauty studio and barber shop. For guests with children, there is a Le Carrousel Kids Club and Le Paddock Teens Club on the premises to keep them occupied.
Guardiola’s arrival in the Maldives comes after his team’s shock 2-0 defeat on Sunday.
Despite being a master of finding solutions, Man City has been hit by an injury crisis. The team has suffered major defeats during this season.
Considered to be one of the greatest managers of all time, Guardiola holds the record for the most consecutive league wins in La Liga, the Bundesliga and the Premier League.
As a player, Guardiola was a creative and technically gifted defensive midfielder who usually played in a deep-lying playmaker’s role. He spent the majority of his career with Barcelona, forming a part of Johan Cruyff’s Dream Team that won the club’s first European Cup in 1992, and four successive Spanish league titles from 1991 to 1994. He later captained the team from 1997 until his departure from the club in 2001.
After leaving Barcelona, Guardiola had stints with Brescia and Roma in Italy, Al-Ahli in Qatar, and Dorados de Sinaloa in Mexico. He was capped 47 times for the Spanish national team and appeared at the 1994 FIFA World Cup, as well as at UEFA Euro 2000. He also played friendly matches for Catalonia.
After retiring as a player, Guardiola briefly coached Barcelona B, with whom he won a Tercera División title, and assumed control of the first-team in 2008.
In his first season as the first team manager, he guided Barcelona to the treble of La Liga, Copa del Rey and UEFA Champions League. In doing so, Guardiola became the youngest manager to win the aforementioned European competition. The following campaign, he led Barcelona to four trophies, including winning his second Spanish league title as manager.
In 2011, after leading the club to another La Liga and Champions League double, Guardiola was awarded the Catalan Parliament’s Gold Medal, their highest honour. The same year, he was also named the FIFA World Coach of the Year. In Guardiola’s final season at Barcelona, he again won four trophies, before departing in 2012. He ended his four-year Barcelona stint with 14 honours, a club record.
After a sabbatical period, Bayern Munich announced Guardiola would join the club as manager in 2013. In his first season at the club, he won four trophies, including the double of Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal. Guardiola won seven trophies during his three-year tenure in Germany; winning the Bundesliga every season he was there, as well as two domestic doubles.
He left the Bavarians for Manchester City in 2016, and guided them to a Premier League title in his second campaign in charge, breaking numerous domestic records as the team became the first to attain 100 league points. He won a second consecutive Premier League and EFL Cup the following season, as well as the FA Cup, to capture an unprecedented domestic treble in English men’s football.
Maldives is amongst the most sought after destinations by high profile personalities and celebrity travellers from around the world.
Oscar-winning actor Leonardo DiCaprio and American TV personality Paris Hilton have partied in the Maldives. The likes of English singer and television presenter Rochelle Humes and her husband Marvin, and British TV personality Billie Faiers have all declared the Maldives as their favourite part of the world for a relaxing getaway. Another British singer Perrie Edwards and English actress Millie Mackintosh have also fell in love with the white sands, turquoise waters and the blue skies of the Maldives.
Hollywood actress Gal Gadot and Lindsay Lohan along with Bollywood personalities such as Salman Khan, Hrithik Roshan, Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor Khan, Alia Bhatt, Priyanka Chopra, Parineeti Chopra, the Bachchan family and Neha Dhupia and Angad Bedi, as well as world-renowned music artists such as Robin Thicke and Justin Bieber have declared their love for the Maldives.
Sports personalities, including the likes of David Beckham, Carlos Tevez, Arjen Robben, Miroslav Klose, Franz Beckenbauer, Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima, Cristiano Ronaldo, Marcel Desailly and Mohamed Salah have also spent their hard-earned vacations in the tropical paradise.
Featured
Villa Nautica’s festive glow: Yoga at sunrise, fireworks at midnight
Villa Nautica will embrace the festive spirit from 20 December 2025 to 6 January 2026, offering guests an easy island rhythm that flows from bright mornings by the water to music-filled evenings on the sand. The season begins with illuminated beaches and relaxed barbecues, gradually building through creative afternoons and live performances. Christmas Eve will feature a gala dinner, followed by Santa’s arrival on 25 December. The celebrations will culminate in a vibrant New Year’s Eve countdown with fireworks, before settling into a calm reset on New Year’s Day and concluding with Orthodox Christmas.
The programme balances practicality with a relaxed, unpretentious atmosphere. Mornings will bring sunrise yoga, family pool activities, and interactive cooking sessions, while evenings will feature poolside soirées, wine-paired dinners, and sunset cruises. With simple yet photogenic settings, the lagoon and sky take centre stage in shaping the mood. Guests—whether couples, friends, or families—can participate freely without losing the island’s easy pace.
For younger visitors, the festivities will centre around the kids’ club, where cookie and cupcake decorating, beach games, origami and craft sessions, storytelling, and cosy movie nights will take place. Small groups and attentive care ensure that creativity and play remain the focus, allowing parents to enjoy uninterrupted moments around the island.
A highlight of the season will be the Champagne Lucky Draw & Disco. From 1 to 31 December, each bottle of champagne purchased at resort bars or restaurants will serve as an entry to the draw. Guests are advised to keep their entry stubs for the live draw, held at 01:00 during the New Year’s celebration, where the prize will be a seven-night stay in a Water Villa for two.
Throughout the festive period, private experiences will feel as memorable as the larger celebrations. Guests may enjoy candlelit dinners on the sand, floating breakfasts, or early morning snorkelling sessions to begin the year anew. Whether seeking a lively shoreline celebration or a quiet evening stroll beneath lanterns and palms, Villa Nautica offers an atmosphere where every festive moment can glow in its own way.
Featured
JOALI BEING launches global campaign ‘Joyful Journeys of Well-Living’
JOALI BEING, the world’s first well-being island, has announced the launch of its new global brand campaign titled “Joyful Journeys of Well-Living.” The campaign celebrates the art of self-discovery, inviting travellers to reconnect with their inner selves through bespoke and transformative experiences.
Building upon JOALI BEING’s core philosophy of the “Joy of Weightlessness,” the campaign embodies the essence of harmony between mind, body, and spirit. It encourages guests to explore holistic pathways designed to restore balance and inspire personal growth.
Joyful Journeys of Well-Living serves as an invitation to travellers seeking meaningful change and renewal. The campaign narrates stories of individuals discovering joy through purposeful living, mindful connection, and immersive well-being experiences at JOALI BEING.
The visuals capture the island’s tranquil landscapes and nurturing spaces — from oceanfront sanctuaries to treetop villas and transformative healing sessions led by resident experts. The campaign presents JOALI BEING as more than a destination; it is a journey towards well-being, creativity, and self-transformation.
Each guest journey at JOALI BEING is founded on the resort’s Four Pillars of Well-Being — Mind, Skin, Microbiome, and Energy. Through tailored programmes, guests can embark on integrative wellness experiences encompassing sound therapy, movement and fitness, hydrotherapy, nutritional guidance, and energy-healing sessions curated by specialists.
The island features a series of advanced well-being spaces, including:
- CORE: a movement and fitness zone
- AREKA: a transformative treatment centre
- KAASHI: a hydrotherapy hall
- SEDA: a sound-healing room
- Ocean Sala: an open-air meditation and relaxation deck
Each space is designed to nurture a profound connection with nature and the self.
The Joyful Journeys of Well-Living campaign has been conceptualised and produced by JOALI BEING’s in-house team in collaboration with creative partners and visual storytellers from across the globe. The multi-platform campaign integrates film, digital, and print media to convey JOALI BEING’s ethos — a celebration of joy, transformation, and harmony.
The visual narrative draws inspiration from the natural beauty of the Maldives, reflecting JOALI BEING’s immersive design philosophy. The imagery captures the rhythm of the ocean, the play of light, and the flow of energy that define the spirit of the island.
Awards
Coco Bodu Hithi wins Best Waterside Hotel at Condé Nast Johansens Awards 2026
Coco Bodu Hithi has been recognised on the global stage, winning Best Waterside Hotel (Riverside, Lakeside, Seaside) at the Condé Nast Johansens Awards for Excellence 2026, held on 3 November 2025 in the UK. It is the second consecutive year the resort has been honoured by the publication, following last year’s win for Best Service, reaffirming its focus on heartfelt Maldivian hospitality and refined island living.
Described by Condé Nast Johansens as an “over-water, over-indulgent Maldivian island outpost,” Coco Bodu Hithi offers an intimate retreat of comfort and calm. The resort’s 32 Water Villas and 24 Coco Residences, each measuring 184 square metres and featuring private pools, provide secluded spaces set above the lagoon, where nature, design, and comfort come together to reflect the island’s romantic ambience.
Known for contemporary design infused with Maldivian heritage, the resort continues to welcome travellers seeking time by the sea, complemented by culinary collaborations with celebrity and Michelin-starred chefs. The experience balances privacy and comfort throughout a guest’s stay. With turquoise waters, quiet spaces, and experiences designed for connection and shared discovery, the resort presents a considered take on island living.
Located 35 minutes by speedboat from Velana International Airport, the island combines accessibility with seclusion—close enough for convenience, yet removed for privacy and serenity. As part of Coco Collection, the resort offers bespoke experiences, attentive service, and sustainable practices, shaping stays that feel personal and reflective of relaxed, authentic island life.
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