Ralu Overwater Restaurant and Baani at Heritance Aarah have both earned Wine Spectator’s 2026 Award of Excellence, recognising the strength, quality and depth of their wine programmes.

The Wine Spectator Restaurant Awards, launched in 1981, celebrate excellence in restaurant wine service across three categories: Award of Excellence, Best of Award of Excellence and Grand Award. In 2026, a total of 4,012 restaurants around the world were recognised, with 2,083 receiving the Award of Excellence.

Ralu Overwater Restaurant and Baani received the Award of Excellence, which recognises restaurants whose wine lists offer at least 75 selections, with a well-chosen assortment of quality producers and a thoughtful match to the menu in both price and style.

“Congratulations to the restaurants that earned a Restaurant Award and continue to elevate the wine experience for guests around the world,” said Marvin R. Shanken, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Wine Spectator.

“We are delighted to see Ralu Overwater Restaurant and Baani recognised by Wine Spectator, a global authority in wine,” said Upul Gedarakumbura, General Manager of Heritance Aarah. “These awards reflect the care, knowledge and passion behind our wine programmes, as well as our commitment to creating dining experiences where cuisine, wine and setting come together beautifully. At Ralu, every bottle is selected with purpose, complementing our Mediterranean-inspired menus and the relaxed elegance of our overwater island setting, while at Baani, the wine programme enhances an intimate fine dining experience shaped by modern global gastronomy, personalised service and refined lagoon views.”

Set above the Indian Ocean at Heritance Aarah, Ralu Overwater Restaurant draws inspiration from the relaxed elegance of French and Italian Mediterranean brasseries along the Riviera coast. The restaurant offers an inviting yet refined dining experience, where Mediterranean cuisine, considered wine pairings and panoramic lagoon views come together in an overwater setting.

Baani, located within the resort’s overwater enclave, represents one of the most intimate and refined dining experiences at Heritance Aarah. Designed for guests seeking thoughtful gastronomy and attentive personalised service, Baani presents modern global cuisine through a five-course dinner menu that evolves daily, with each evening offering a singular menu concept shaped by contemporary techniques, clarity of flavour and harmony at the table.

Ralu’s and Baani’s wine programmes feature 175 premium wine labels sourced from 12 leading wine-producing countries, with vintages ranging from 1990 to 2025. The selections have been curated to complement each restaurant’s culinary identity, from Ralu’s Mediterranean classics and contemporary interpretations to Baani’s modern fine dining approach, while offering versatility across styles, regions and guest preferences. The wines are stored in Vinocave and Tecno temperature-controlled cellars and served in Spiegelau crystal, supporting careful preservation, presentation and service.

Highlights at Ralu include Armand de Brignac ‘Ace of Spades’ Gold among its Champagnes, Chavy-Chouet Meursault 1er Cru Les Charmes from Burgundy among its whites, and Tenuta San Guido, ‘Sassicaia’, DOC, Super Tuscan, Tuscany Italy among its reds.

At Baani, the cellar includes Louis Roederer Cristal Millésime Brut among its Champagnes, Chavy-Chouet Puligny-Montrachet Les Enseignières among its whites, and Château Mouton Rothschild Grand Cru Classé among its reds.

Wine Spectator’s special Restaurant Awards issue will be available on newsstands on July 21. This year’s winners will also be featured through Wine Spectator’s Restaurant Search and Restaurant Awards app, where restaurants can be explored by name, location, award level, cuisine, wine specialties and pricing.

Dusit Thani Maldives has entered a fresh chapter with a resort-wide refresh focused on newly refurbished villas, updated lifestyle imagery, a new Dusit 3.0 website experience and refreshed resort collateral, creating a more polished and seamless journey for guests and partners.

Set on Mudhdhoo Island in Baa Atoll, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, Dusit Thani Maldives continues to celebrate the natural beauty of the Maldives with its lush island setting, 360-degree house reef, Thai-inspired hospitality and spacious villas designed for privacy, comfort and connection to nature.

The villa refresh covers selected categories including Overwater Pool Villas, Overwater Pavilions, Beach Residences, Two-Bedroom Beach Pool Villas, Beachfront Pool Villas and Beach Plunge Pool Villas. The updated spaces bring a brighter and more refined island living experience, while preserving the sense of space, privacy and tropical warmth that has long defined the resort.

“This refresh marks an important moment for Dusit Thani Maldives,” said Jean-Louis Ripoche, Area General Manager, Maldives. “The resort has always been loved for its natural beauty, generous space and warm Thai-inspired hospitality. With these enhancements, we are building on that foundation and creating an even more refined experience for our guests, while staying true to the spirit of the island.”

To support the refreshed guest journey, the resort has also introduced new lifestyle imagery, capturing the renewed villa experiences, island living, dining moments and the natural setting of Mudhdhoo Island. The launch also includes the resort’s new Dusit 3.0 website experience, offering guests a smoother and clearer way to explore the resort, discover experiences and plan their stay. Alongside the website update, Dusit Thani Maldives has rolled out refreshed collateral across guest-facing and partner materials, creating a more consistent presentation across every touchpoint.

“For us, this is not about changing who we are,” added Jean-Louis Ripoche. “It is about presenting Dusit Thani Maldives in a fresher and more complete way. From the villas and imagery to the website and guest materials, every update has been made to support a better experience before, during and after the stay.”

The resort will also continue its refresh journey with planned enhancements to its dining outlets. These future updates form part of the wider plan to uplift the guest experience across the resort, while continuing to celebrate the familiar dining venues and island atmosphere that guests know and enjoy.

Located just a short journey from Malé by seaplane or domestic flight and speedboat, Dusit Thani Maldives offers a blend of natural beauty, wellness, dining and meaningful island experiences. Guests can snorkel directly from the island’s house reef, explore the rich marine life of Baa Atoll, enjoy treetop wellness journeys at Devarana Wellness, and discover a variety of curated experiences across the resort.

With this resort-wide refresh, Dusit Thani Maldives strengthens its position as one of Maldives’ leading luxury island resorts, offering a renewed experience for returning guests and a fresh discovery for new travellers.

Vakkaru Maldives is set to welcome acclaimed Danish Chef Jesper Koch from 16 to 28 July 2026, marking the beginning of a collaboration that will continue with an expanded programme later this year.

Regarded as one of Denmark’s most influential gastronomic figures, Chef Jesper brings more than three decades of experience spanning hospitality, gastronomy and entrepreneurship.

During his July visit, Chef Jesper will work closely with the resort’s culinary and service teams through a series of training sessions, workshops and hands-on experiences, ahead of his return with a broader culinary programme later this autumn.

The programme includes kitchen training sessions, service workshops, coffee and hospitality training, and collaborative sessions alongside Vakkaru’s chefs. Through these exchanges, Chef Jesper will share insights built on his extensive experience as a restaurateur, entrepreneur, mentor and judge at leading culinary competitions.

While the primary focus of the visit is team development and the exchange of culinary expertise, guests staying at Vakkaru Maldives during this period will also have the opportunity to enjoy a preview of what lies ahead. Exclusive guest cooking classes hosted by Chef Jesper will take place on 22 and 25 July, while a management cocktail reception will offer a further opportunity to celebrate the collaboration.

Ahead of his visit, Chef Jesper Koch shared his thoughts on the collaboration: “Vakkaru Maldives brings together exceptional gastronomy, authenticity, and world-class hospitality in an extraordinary setting. I’m looking forward to experiencing the natural beauty of the Baa Atoll and working alongside the talented culinary team to share ideas inspired by Nordic traditions while creating memorable dining experiences for Vakkaru’s guests. I am delighted to be part of this collaboration and look forward to connecting with guests while creating memorable moments together.”

Commenting on the upcoming partnership, Teddy Susanto Wiryawan, General Manager of Vakkaru Maldives, said: “At Vakkaru Maldives, we believe exceptional dining begins with curiosity, learning and a genuine passion for hospitality. Chef Jesper’s visit provides a valuable opportunity for our teams to exchange ideas with one of Scandinavia’s most respected chefs while offering guests an early introduction to his approach to cooking. This is the beginning of a collaboration with real depth, and we look forward to welcoming him back for the next chapter.”

Known for his dedication to exceptional ingredients and his ability to reinterpret Danish culinary heritage with a modern sensibility, Chef Jesper has been recognised as one of Scandinavia’s most decorated culinary figures. Having led restaurants that earned Michelin recognition, he has also been named Danish Chef of the Year, represented Denmark at the prestigious Bocuse d’Or competition, received an Honorary Diploma from the Danish Gastronomic Academy, and been recognised as “Chef’s Chef” by the Danish Gastronomy Foundation. He is also widely known as a long-standing judge on the Danish edition of MasterChef.

When Chef Jesper returns to Vakkaru Maldives later this autumn, guests can look forward to a more extensive programme inspired by his Nordic approach to cooking. Further details will be announced in the coming months, with a series of dining experiences planned across the resort.

For further information about the resort, please visit vakkarumaldives.com or contact reservations@vakkarumaldives.com to make a reservation.