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Soneva Jani hosts Asia premiere of Children of Shanghai
Soneva Jani, the iconic over-water resort in the Maldives’ Noonu Atoll, celebrated the Asia premiere of Children of Shanghai with a private screening at Cinema Paradiso on May 17, 2023. The hour-long documentary, narrated by British adventurer Bear Grylls, tells the tales of the first fostered children in China whose lives were dramatically changed thanks to the Care for Children charity. The event was hosted by Chinese singer-songwriter G.E.M., a passionate patron who also donated all the profit of merchandise from her latest album Revelation to the charity.
The documentary spotlights the story of former professional footballer Robert Glover, who, together with his wife Elizabeth and their six young children, moved from the UK to China in 1998 and founded the charity Care for Children – the first to introduce fostering programmes in the country. The film follows five children who overcame many challenges to achieve success as young professionals. Care for Children has since placed around a million orphans with families.
The premiere took place in the intimate setting of Soneva Jani’s outdoor movie theatre, with all ticket proceeds from the evening donated to Care for Children. After a private screening of Children of Shanghai, a question and answer session took place with open dialogue around human compassion and the importance of coming together.
As benefactors of Care for Children, Soneva founders Sonu Shivdasani and Eva Malmström strongly believe that a single leap of faith can change the world, having achieved their shared vision of a sustainable luxury resort in a pristine location with the opening of Soneva Fushi in 1995. Committed to supporting initiatives that have a positive impact, Soneva adds a 2% environmental levy to room rates across all its resorts in the Maldives and Thailand to help offset carbon emissions and fund admirable projects by the not-for-profit Soneva Foundation. These include providing fuel-efficient stoves to vulnerable communities in Myanmar and Darfur, funding clean water projects around the world, creating one of the biggest coral nurseries to accelerate restoration and aid marine life, and many more.
For more information about Soneva, visit www.soneva.com. For more information about the documentary, visit www.childrenofshanghai.com. To donate to Care for Children, visit www.careforchildren.com/donate.
InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort has been nominated in the “Resort” category of the Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards 2026, one of the travel industry’s recognised measures of guest preference and brand standing.
Located in Raa Atoll, the resort is continuing to build its profile through its all-Club concept, service model and guest experiences shaped by both location and programme. As the Maldives’ first all-Club InterContinental resort, the property includes a set of signature benefits with each stay, including daily breakfast, afternoon tea and evening aperitif.
The resort features 81 beach, lagoon and overwater villas and residences, along with seven restaurants and bars. Its guest offering combines private accommodation with a range of tailored experiences, including manta ray encounters in the Maamunagau lagoon, customised Dining by Design experiences, visiting wellness practitioners and its Artist in Residence programme.
InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort is also positioned to serve both couples and families, through its family offering and adults-only Retreat enclave.
The nomination reflects continued recognition for a resort that combines service, experience-led programming and a natural setting within one of the Maldives’ established tourism atolls.
The Westin Maldives Miriandhoo Resort has introduced its Family Fun Summer offer, aimed at families seeking longer island stays built around shared activities and rest. The offer is available for booking from 15 April to 15 June 2026, with a minimum stay of four nights for travel through to 20 December 2026.
Located within Baa Atoll, the Maldives’ first UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, The Westin Maldives Miriandhoo Resort is positioning the offer around family wellness, marine experiences and time spent together in a natural island setting. Seasonal snorkelling with manta rays in Hanifaru Bay remains one of the area’s key attractions, while the resort’s collection of beach and overwater villas is designed to accommodate families looking for space and flexibility during their stay.
For larger families and groups, the resort also offers the two-bedroom Heavenly Beach Residence, which includes a living room, kitchen and dining area intended to support longer and more relaxed island stays.
The resort says the guest experience can be shaped around both activity and downtime, supported by Westin’s Sleep Well concept and Heavenly Bed. Children have access to the Westin Family Kids Club, which includes a children’s pool and pirate ship, while parents can make use of Heavenly Spa by Westin.
Away from the villa, the resort is also promoting shared family experiences through Good Travel with Marriott Bonvoy activities focused on the culture and environment of Baa Atoll. These include traditional lacquer craft workshops, visits to local islands and guided marine activities in surrounding waters.
The Family Fun Summer package includes three meals per day, with children under 12 dining free of charge. It also includes a one-time dolphin cruise for two adults and two children, a 30-minute photography session with one printed photo, and a USD 150 resort credit.
Reethi Faru Resort has been recognised at the 2026 Haute Grandeur Global Excellence Awards, receiving honours in four categories: Best Beach Villa in Indian Ocean, Best Pool Villa in Indian Ocean, Best Eco-Friendly Resort in Maldives, and Best Sustainable Hotel in Maldives.
The awards recognise performance across villa accommodation and environmentally focused hospitality, reflecting the resort’s emphasis on guest experience alongside sustainability and environmental stewardship.
According to the resort, the recognition supports its positioning within the Maldives market as a property that combines natural surroundings, accommodation standards and responsible hospitality practices.
Located on Filaidhoo in Raa Atoll, Reethi Faru Resort features 145 villas, including beachfront and overwater accommodation designed in a style that combines Maldivian elements with contemporary comfort.
The resort’s food and beverage offering includes six restaurants and six bars, while its leisure facilities cover watersports, diving, yoga, spa treatments and fitness activities. Surrounded by coral reefs, the resort also offers guests access to marine-based experiences in the Indian Ocean.
Sustainability remains a central part of the resort’s operations, with initiatives that include coral reef restoration and guest experiences linked to environmental awareness.
Through its recognition at the 2026 Haute Grandeur Global Excellence Awards, Reethi Faru Resort has added to its profile as a Maldives resort with a focus on both accommodation standards and sustainability.
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