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St. Regis Maldives launches exciting new guest chef series

Published

4 years ago

January 5, 2022

Luxury resorts in the Maldives come a dime a dozen, where dazzling turquoise lagoons, plush overwater villas, and first-rate hospitality are baseline expectations. Where these five-star escapes differ, though, is the food. Since its 2016 opening, The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort set itself apart as a culinary tour de force with its selection of six gourmet, globally inspired restaurants and splashy wine cellar degustation menus. Now with a new guest chef series, foodie travelers have another delicious reason to book their next Maldivian getaway.

The resort’s rotating guest chef series rolled out in late 2021 and will continue through 2022, attracting a global roster of exceptional chefs to the five-star getaway two days per month. Early December, for instance, saw acclaimed chef Prateek Sadhu transfer his brilliant cooking techniques from his lauded Mumbai restaurant Masque to the Maldivian coastline with special dinners and intimate cooking classes. Previous headliners include chef Dharshan Munidasa, the maestro behind Sri Lanka’s world-famous Ministry of Crab, and Valencian-based chef Eduaro Torres of Molino Roca, with the 2022 line-up soon to be announced. Even if you miss out on the special guest chef dates, the resort’s bevy of restaurants and special dining experiences will still sate your gourmet appetite.

The St. Regis Maldives’ centrepiece restaurant is Alba, where a decadent buffet breakfast is served (if you’re not having breakfast in your own swish pool villa) as well as international choices for lunch and Italian for dinner. On an agreeable morning, guests enter the elegant, airy space to choose from a lavish buffet spread — from fresh dim sum and South Asian delicacies to continental bits — before settling onto beachfront tables on the sand. The breakfast à la carte menu is excellent, too, featuring sweet and savoury favourite waffle and duck leg confit and Maldivian-inspired omelets.

Tucked underneath Alba is the resort’s gastro magnum opus: Decanter, a subterranean wine cellar hosting multi-course degustations with wine pairings to a lucky few. It’s the experience to book well in advance for the chance to have executive chef Pedro Samper and Maldivian wine sommelier Ahmed Athif personally guide you through a memorable evening of food (think caviar-topped reef lobster poached in butter) and wine (a selection of vintages sourced from the resort’s 2,000-plus bottle collection).

On the opposite end of the spectrum is Crust & Craft, the designated “beach shack” pizzeria, the resort’s most casual and cost-friendly restaurant. Fresh-from-the-oven pizzas with toppings ranging from parma ham and organic basil to Maldivian smoked tuna are served here, as well as tacos, assorted bruschetta, and burgers (including the must-try Maldivian lobster burger).

Orientale, the resort’s dinner-only Asian dining space, recently removed Indian cuisine from the menu to focus on Chinese and Japanese flavors. Under its sleek open-air terrace, you’ll now find delectable sushi rolls, Wagyu beef dishes, and other souped-up classics on the Japanese list, while the Chinese menu features dim sum (some topped with caviar) and wok-fried varieties such as lobster and fiery Sichuan chicken. The special beachside Orientale Express offering takes things up a notch with an exclusive five-course Chinese omakase dinner.

For the cocktail lovers, there are few more striking places in the Maldives to enjoy a sundowner than at Whale Bar. The aptly named overwater lounge resembles a curvaceous whale shark; a pyrographic mural by artist Maya Burman depicting coral and sea life adorns the “belly” (ceiling) of the space. It’s a plum spot to try St. Regis Maldives’s flagship cocktail, the Island Mary — a localised answer to the Bloody Mary — prepared tableside and served inside a seashell.

Cargo provides a marked change of scenery from the beachfront restaurants, plopped within the island’s jungle landscape and perfect for starry nights. The shipping-container-turned-food-kiosk serves Middle Eastern staples such as hummus (their signature), falafel, and mouth-watering lamb dishes.

With its bevy of restaurants, cracking wine collection, new guest chef series, and a lengthy list of private dining experiences in special locations (from sandbank picnics to jungle cinema screenings for two), The St. Regis Maldives is your gourmet fix in the middle of the Indian Ocean — be sure to pack your appetite.

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Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa unveils family-focused Family Fun Summer package

Published

12 hours ago

May 7, 2026

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Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa has introduced its Family Fun Summer offer, a family-focused package designed to encourage guests to spend time together through dining, leisure and recreational activities in a private island setting.

Located 15 minutes by speedboat from Velana International Airport, the resort is offering the package as a year-round experience, despite its summer branding. The programme is intended for families seeking a stay that combines accommodation, meals and activities in a single offering.

The experience includes daily breakfast at Feast, where guests can access buffet selections for adults and children. Lunch is served as a three-course beachside meal, while evenings include buffet dinners, à la carte options and access to the resort’s speciality restaurants.

As part of the package, adult guests receive a USD 45 dining credit per night, which can be used at selected outlets including Baan Thai and Sea Salt. The offer is designed to expand dining options within the resort’s full board arrangement.

The package also includes activities aimed at different age groups. Children have access to the Sheraton Adventure Club, while families can take part in pool activities, water sports, sunset dolphin cruises and guided snorkelling excursions.

For guests seeking wellness experiences, Shine Spa for Sheraton offers a range of treatments, with the package including 15 per cent savings on selected services. The resort has also introduced a spa experience designed for parent and child. Additional recreational options include sunrise beach yoga, as well as access to tennis and football facilities.

Other inclusions within the offer include a complimentary family photoshoot and dining benefits for children when eating with their parents.

Family Fun Summer is available for booking until 15 June 2026, for stays through to 20 December 2026. Through the package, Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa is presenting a family-oriented resort experience centred on dining, recreation and shared time together.

Featured

InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau to mark Mother’s Day with wellness and dining offerings

Published

12 hours ago

May 7, 2026

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InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort has announced a Mother’s Day programme centred on wellness, dining and family experiences, offering guests a range of activities designed to mark the occasion in Raa Atoll.

Set within the resort’s island setting, the programme will feature a series of experiences aimed at encouraging families to spend time together through relaxation, dining and shared activities.

At AVI Spa, the Mother’s Day offering will include signature treatments focused on rest and balance. Guests will also have access to holistic sessions led by visiting practitioner Dr Afsana Aradhana Ghyas, whose work focuses on integrative wellbeing and emotional balance.

Dining experiences will form a central part of the programme. These will include floating breakfasts served in private villas, interactive cooking sessions with the resort’s chefs, and private dining experiences ranging from sunset beach dinners to sandbank dining under the stars.

The resort will also offer family-focused activities for the occasion. These will include craft sessions for children, ocean-inspired guided art activities and a family photoshoot intended to capture the day’s experiences.

Through the Mother’s Day programme, InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort is presenting a combination of wellness, dining and family activities shaped around personal and shared experiences in a resort setting.

Drink

W Maldives unveils The Wavemaker Edit with global talent collaborations

Published

12 hours ago

May 7, 2026

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W Maldives has launched The Wavemaker Edit, a new ongoing series of curated collaborations with international talent, aimed at introducing a range of guest experiences across mixology, wellness, cuisine and music.

The series is designed as a rotating programme, with each edition bringing a different creative perspective to the resort. According to W Maldives, the initiative is intended to create a continuing calendar of experiences that combine social, cultural and wellness-led elements.

The first edition of The Wavemaker Edit will run from 3 to 14 June 2026 and will feature two themed chapters, titled Island Alchemy and The Restore Ritual.

Island Alchemy will focus on mixology. On 3 June, Kwok will lead a guest shift at SIP, presenting three cocktails that explore contrast and balance, including a bespoke creation inspired by the Maldives. The collaboration will continue on 6 June at WET Deck, where a poolside day party will feature a curated cocktail menu.

The second chapter, The Restore Ritual, will centre on wellness and movement in recognition of Global Wellness Day. Led by Mumbai-based yoga and movement educator Samiksha Shetty, the programme will include sessions focused on breathwork, mindfulness and alignment-based practice.

The wellness programme will include Sunset Yoga sessions at FIRE Beach on 12 and 14 June, as well as a morning meditation session at AWAY Spa on 13 June. The main event within this chapter will take place on 13 June, when guests will be able to join a Sunset Yoga session aboard the Horizon Yacht. This bookable experience will also include healthy refreshments and a 60-minute massage at AWAY Spa.

W Maldives said future editions of The Wavemaker Edit will expand into culinary, music and art-led experiences under a number of themed series, including Flavors Unscripted, Sound Wave and Make A Scene.

Commenting on the launch, General Manager Amila Handunwala said the initiative reflects the resort’s approach to continuously evolving the guest experience through collaborations with international talent.

W Maldives is positioning the series as part of its broader effort to offer more structured and experience-led programming for guests. In addition, the resort is promoting its Original Wavemaker package, which includes seaplane transfers and a half-board meal plan for two adults with a minimum stay of four nights.