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Anantara Maldives resorts renew focus on comprehensive wellness
Anantara Dhigu and Anantara Veli Maldives Resorts are renewing their focus on wellness with the introduction of nutritional therapy, wellness cuisine workshops, and health and nutrition seminars.
The addition to the team of an on-property Nutritionist, combined with the resorts’ comprehensive spa, wellness, and medi-spa facilities, gives Anantara Dhigu and Anantara Veli guests a truly immersive wellness experience equal to that of many leading destination spas.
The arrival of resident Naturopath and Nutritional Therapist Kelly Manning gives guests staying at Anantara Veli and Anantara Dhigu, along with those at sister resort Naladhu Private Island, the opportunity to focus on their nutrition to help overcome stress, sleep issues, and unhealthy eating patterns, including those which may have built up over the past year, as well as helping with immunity, digestion, weight management, hormones, skin and blood sugar balance.
Kelly, who is from the UK, trained at the College of Naturopathic Medicine in London.
She offers 90-minute nutrition and lifestyle consultations that include anthropometric testing using a Tanita scale monitor and tape measure to assess the guests’ body composition, particularly looking at body fat, cellular hydration, muscle mass and metabolic age.
She will also check the guest’s eyes, fingernails and tongue for signs of any other health issues. She will then apprise which systems of their body require nourishment and support to achieve overall balance.
Guests receive a tailored diet, lifestyle and supplement plan with a handful of practical achievable recommendations to get them started during their stay and a more detailed plan to continue at home.
The resorts have introduced new wellness breakfast and beverage menus, which have been developed by Kelly and the resorts’ chefs, with healthy dishes for lunch, dinner, and snacks coming soon.
Guests at the three resorts can also join Kelly’s health and nutrition seminars.
“Simple Tips for Eating Healthily” is designed to end mealtime chaos, offer quick-fix options, and develop a planned balanced diet; “Nutrition; Sleep Health and Creating Evening Rituals” looks at the correlation between nutrition, sleep, and overall wellbeing and “Peak Performance Nutrition” identifies nutrition strategies through diet, vitamins, minerals and herbs to increase immunity and energy levels and reduce stress.
The seminars include cooking demonstrations and tastings and can be attended as a group or booked privately for a personalised session.
Family-focused Anantara Dhigu, adults-only Anantara Veli, and the exclusive 20-villa Naladhu Private Island are each on separate islands just minutes apart by boat across a stunning natural lagoon in the South Male Atoll.
Just a 30-minute speedboat journey from Male airport, guests can share the facilities of the resorts, which between them offer one of the broadest spa and wellness offerings in the Maldives.
As relaxation and ‘me time’ have become even more important over the last 12 months, the overwater Anantara Spa at Anantara Dhigu offers a newly refreshed menu with four new signature journeys, including the Sundari Sunset spa ritual, which is a deep relaxation massage on a floating platform, followed by champagne whilst watching the sun go down.
Once darkness has fallen, the Moonlight Reflections healing ritual encompasses meditation and a healing massage on a private beach under the night sky.
The recently opened Cocoon Medical Spa located at the Balance Wellness by Anantara facility at Anantara Veli offers the highest level of aesthetic and wellness treatments performed by medical professionals.
Whether guests require a vitamin IV infusion after a long flight for an energy boost or wish to turn back time with a Cleopatra 24 Carat Gold and Collagen Facial, using diamond microdermabrasion and LED Light therapy, the highly trained staff have the expertise and knowledge to formalise a program specifically tailored to each guest.
Other treatments include diamond microdermabrasion to exfoliate and increase blood flow to the skin, velashape fat blast to reduce body fat, and oxygen therapy to boost energy levels.
The resorts’ overall offering comprises an impressive range of body experiences, facial treatments, Ayurvedic therapies, and wellness programmes. In addition to complimentary daily yoga sessions with the yoga guru, movement therapy and fitness sessions can be booked with the resident personal trainer.
A calendar of Masters of Wellness in residency during the year is in place at Anantara Veli.
Claude Simard is an internationally acclaimed Psycho-Energetic Massage specialist, using his highly developed sensitivity and intuition to combine therapeutic massage with Inner Child work.
Claude will join the team from March 15 to the end of April.
During the same period, Jill Banwell will guide guests in Crystal Healing, Yoga, Massage, Meditation, and Tarot.
In residency from May to the end of October, Dome Srisawat is a certified Physiotherapist, specializing in Myofascial Release, a unique muscular manipulation technique to resolve acute pain and continuous aches by releasing energy blockages in the connective muscle tissues.
To wrap up the year, Muayad Najemeddin will be returning from December until the end of January 2022, practicing Reiki and the healing art of Tibetan Singing Bowls.
Prices for a 90-minute nutrition and lifestyle consultation start from $305.
Seminars and cookery demonstrations start from $50 USD per person for 90 minutes.
Prices for a stay at Anantara Veli start from $475++ for an Overwater Bungalow with breakfast and at Anantara Dhigu from $535++ for a Sunrise Beach Villa on half board basis.
The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands, is preparing to welcome guests to a week-long Autumn Festival with Halloween-themed celebrations running from 30 October to 5 November. The programme features a variety of activities designed for families, couples, and individual travellers, with events ranging from treasure hunts and creative workshops to wellness sessions and exclusive dining experiences.
The celebrations begin on 30 October with a beachside Tabata workout followed by a pumpkin carving workshop at La Locanda. Activities for children and teens include the Magic of Mantas virtual reality exploration, Haunted Brick Builders, and the Autumn Costume Fashion Show. Parents are invited to a cocktail gathering on the shore before the evening concludes with a Culinary Maestro dinner by Michelin-starred Chef Max Strohe, as part of the resort’s Masters of Crafts series.
On 31 October, guests may join a morning Dynamic Flow Yoga session in the Mystique Garden or take part in a turtle snorkelling excursion. Children between four and twelve are encouraged to join the Flying Fox Quest, a Halloween-themed nature walk, while older children embark on an Island Treasure Quest. Seasonal workshops such as wreath decoration and creative pumpkin carving are available, and the day concludes with a Trick or Treat Treasure Hunt across the island and a Halloween Feast at La Locanda.
As the week progresses, the festival highlights wellness and creativity. Under the Masters of Crafts programme, mobility coach Anthony Green will host sessions on posture, flexibility, and spinal health. Seasonal crafts for younger guests include galaxy-themed pumpkin art, Halloween decorations, wand-making, and mask workshops. Family activities extend to Autumn Carnival Stalls, Magic Hat bowling, and themed cooking sessions. Evening entertainment includes a magic show, a piñata party, and further culinary experiences led by Chef Max Strohe.
The festival concludes on 5 November with a Vinsaya Flow Yoga session in the Mystique Garden, an art class featuring batfish designs on tote bags, and a children’s treasure hunt. Families are invited to join the Boos and Brews Halloween Dhoni Cruise before the celebrations end with a Luxury Sunset Cruise.
Through this programme, The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands, combines seasonal festivities with wellness, creativity, and gastronomy, offering guests a diverse celebration of autumn and Halloween in the Maldives.
Soneva Fushi, situated within the Maldives’ Baa Atoll UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, has been named winner of the SeiBellissimi Art of Hospitality Award as part of The World’s 50 Best Hotels 2025. The accolade is one of two special awards announced ahead of the official ceremony on 30 October. The award is based on votes from more than 800 members of the Academy, who were asked to identify the hotel where they experienced their single-best hospitality moment within the two-year voting period.
The award recognises the quality of service that ensures guests feel cared for throughout their stay. It celebrates the work of a property and its entire team, acknowledging excellence in areas ranging from reception and housekeeping to amenities and food and beverage services. Voters were asked to consider ambience, unique experiential elements, and the warmth of the hospitality on offer.
Soneva Fushi, the original Soneva resort and regarded as the model for barefoot luxury, is located on one of the Maldives’ largest and least developed islands. The resort comprises 71 private villas, either set amidst dense jungle or positioned above the ocean. Guests are invited to embrace a slower pace of life, with experiences ranging from deserted island picnics and wellness treatments at Soneva Soul to curated events under the Soneva Stars calendar.
Emma Sleight, Head of Content for The World’s 50 Best Hotels, said: “This award celebrates the foundation of hospitality and honours the emotional connection that guests have with a hotel and its team. For three decades, Soneva Fushi has been delivering memorable service at the highest level that puts the guest at the heart of every interaction. A mainstay of The World’s 50 Best Hotels list since the awards’ inception, Soneva Fushi is a worthy winner of the SeiBellissimi Art of Hospitality Award, setting a benchmark of all-encompassing excellence one stay at a time.”
Each villa offers extensive indoor and outdoor living space, private pools and ocean views. A distinctive feature of the resort is its Barefoot Guardians – dedicated butlers assigned to each villa to provide personalised service. Available at all times, they arrange every aspect of the guest experience, from zipline adventures and snorkelling at Hanifaru Bay to stargazing at the observatory or dining in one of 14 restaurants. The Barefoot Guardians also manage the Soneva Stars calendar, which hosts international chefs, wellness specialists and sporting figures.
Antony Paton, General Manager of Soneva Fushi, said: “This award belongs to the entire team at Soneva Fushi. It is a reflection of our shared purpose to create moments of joy, connection and wonder every single day. Being recognised by The World’s 50 Best Hotels affirms that the quiet magic we strive for is not only felt by our guests, but remembered. And that, to us, is the greatest reward.”
Giancarlo Mancino, Chief Executive Officer of SeiBellissimi, added: “At Soneva Fushi, hospitality is a seamless extension of a lifestyle deeply rooted in sustainability, wellness and mindful luxury. Founded with a slow life philosophy, every experience here is a tribute to living in harmony with nature, honouring health-conscious principles, and crafting each moment with genuine care. This devotion to sustainable elegance and the art of well-being is the perfect mirror of SeiBellissimi’s own values: Italian craftsmanship, conviviality, and a respect for quality that goes beyond the ordinary.”
The World’s 50 Best Hotels 2025 ceremony will take place at Old Billingsgate in London on Thursday 30 October, where Soneva Fushi will formally receive the SeiBellissimi Art of Hospitality Award.
Minor Hotels, a global hospitality group operating nine resorts in the Maldives, has announced that three of its properties were recognised at the Travel Trade Maldives (TTM) Awards 2025. The annual awards celebrate achievements across 28 categories, with winners selected through votes cast by guests and travel partners.
Niyama Private Islands Maldives received the award for Best Family Resort. The property is known for offering experiences for all ages, with facilities including a playground, splash park, and gourmet kitchen at its children’s club, alongside an extensive schedule of activities. Young guests are provided with age-appropriate experiences such as snorkelling safaris, cooking classes, surf lessons, and outdoor cinema evenings.
Accommodation includes a variety of spacious villas and pavilions, such as the newly renovated Deluxe Family Beach Pool Villa. Combined with diverse dining options, recreational activities, and personalised service, the resort seeks to provide both adventure and relaxation for families.
Avani+ Fares Maldives Resort was named Best Beach Resort, reflecting its setting of white sands, turquoise lagoons, and coconut groves within Baa Atoll, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The resort offers contemporary villas, including Beach Pool Villas and Two-Bedroom Beach Pool Villas, with direct beach access.
Since opening in 2023, Avani+ Fares has aimed to introduce a laid-back approach to Maldivian holidays, combining modern design with the natural environment. Guests can participate in activities ranging from water sports and wellness to dining and cultural programmes.
NH Collection Maldives Havodda Resort was awarded Best Dive Resort, recognised for its accessible house reef and marine biodiversity. Located close to the shoreline, the reef offers opportunities for snorkellers and divers of all levels, with frequent encounters with species such as reef sharks, turtles, rays, and tropical fish.
The resort also provides access to the dive sites of Gaafu Dhaalu Atoll, where PADI-certified instructors guide guests through channels, thilas, and reef walls.
In addition to these three awards, Minor Hotels’ properties received 12 finalist nominations across seven categories. These included its newest addition, NH Maldives Kuda Rah Resort, which was shortlisted in three categories.
The group’s nominations at the TTM Awards 2025 were:
- Best Beach Resort: Avani+ Fares and NH Collection Maldives Havodda
- Best Family Resort: Niyama, Avani+ Fares, and NH Maldives Kuda Rah
- Best Boutique Resort: NH Maldives Kuda Rah
- Best Culinary Resort: Niyama
- Most Picturesque Resort: NH Collection Maldives Havodda
- Best Surf Resort: Niyama
- Best Dive Resort: Avani+ Fares, NH Collection Maldives Havodda, and NH Maldives Kuda Rah
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