Awards
PADI honours Six Senses Laamu with award for Outstanding Contribution to Ocean Conservation
Six Senses Laamu has announced that PADI, the Professional Association of Diving Instructors, has honoured the resort’s commitment to environmental conservation and sustainable tourism with an award for “Outstanding Contribution to Ocean Conservation”. This accolade highlights Six Senses Laamu’s ongoing dedication to preserving the unique marine ecosystems of the Laamu Atoll, Maldives.
The Outstanding Contribution to Ocean Conservation Award is presented to dive centres that demonstrate exemplary efforts in environmental education, conservation projects, and sustainable operations. Six Senses Laamu’s dive centre, Deep Blue Divers, plays an integral role in the conservation programs led by the Maldives Underwater Initiative (MUI) at Six Senses Laamu. These programs include coral reef restoration, marine life monitoring, and raising awareness, as well as community and guest education. The resort’s commitment has set benchmarks for sustainable tourism in the Maldives, earning Deep Blue Divers the distinction of being one of only two dive centres in the country to receive the PADI Excellence Award in 2024.
In addition to receiving the PADI Excellence Award, both dive centres at Six Senses Laamu and Six Senses Kanuhura, the brand’s resort in the north of the Maldives, have been officially recognized as PADI Eco-Centres. This respected status is granted to dive centers that adhere to the highest standards of environmental responsibility and actively participate in marine conservation efforts. Deep Blue Divers have been instrumental in promoting sustainable diving practices, offering eco-conscious dive experiences, including specialty courses that partner with NGOs and engaging guests in marine conservation activities.
“Receiving the PADI Outstanding Contribution to Ocean Conservation Award and the PADI Eco-Center status for Deep Blue Divers is a testament to our commitment to conserving the incredible marine biodiversity of the Maldives,” said Marteyne van Well, Regional General Manager of Six Senses Laamu and Six Senses Kanuhura. “We are immensely proud of our team’s efforts and grateful for the support of our guests and partners in driving positive environmental change.”
Six Senses Laamu continues to lead by example in the hospitality industry, demonstrating that luxury and sustainability can coexist harmoniously. The resort remains dedicated to its mission of creating out of the ordinary experiences while preserving the natural beauty of the Maldives for future generations.
Awards
Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas named to 2026 T+L 500 list
Minor Hotels has announced its most successful year to date in the Travel + Leisure annual hotel rankings, with ten properties included in the 2026 T+L 500 list of the best hotels in the world, including one of its flagship resorts in the Maldives.
Representing the Maldives is Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas, which was once again recognised among the Indian Ocean’s leading luxury resorts. The property was noted for its overwater villas, underwater dining experiences and location within the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve of Baa Atoll.
The inclusion highlights continued international recognition for the Maldives as a premium tourism destination, with luxury hospitality brands maintaining a strong presence in global travel rankings.
Minor Hotels, which manages more than 640 hotels worldwide across operation and development, said this year marked a record performance in the T+L 500, with properties recognised across Asia, Europe, Africa, the Middle East and the Americas.
Asia recorded the strongest representation, with five Anantara resorts featured on the list. Alongside the Maldives property, resorts in Vietnam and Sri Lanka were also recognised.
Dillip Rajakarier, Group CEO of Minor International, the parent company of Minor Hotels, said the recognition reflected the strength of the group’s portfolio.
“To see ten of our properties recognised in the T+L 500 underlines the scale and quality of our global luxury portfolio,” he said. “It reflects the breadth of what we’re doing in luxury today, and the consistency with which those experiences are resonating with guests across our brands and regions.”
The T+L 500 list is compiled from the results of the 2025 Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards. It features hotels and resorts that readers repeatedly select for service, quality, amenities and guest experience.
The 2026 edition appears in the May issue of Travel + Leisure, with selected highlights also published online.
Awards
Family Fun Summer returns to JW Marriott Maldives Resort & Spa
As multigenerational travel continues to influence the luxury hospitality sector, JW Marriott Maldives Resort & Spa has reintroduced its Family Fun Summer programme, aimed at families seeking more time together through a combination of accommodation, activities and dining benefits.
Built around the brand’s “Stay in the Moment” philosophy, the programme includes a USD 300 resort credit that can be used across dining, spa and recreational experiences, allowing different generations to shape their stay according to their interests.
At the centre of the offer are the resort’s Overwater Duplex Villas and Two-Bedroom Duplex Beach Villas with Pool, which are designed to accommodate multigenerational travel through larger layouts and private space. These villas are supported by Thakuru service and complimentary bicycles, giving guests flexibility in how they move around and experience the island.
Beyond the villa, the programme includes a range of activities intended to support family engagement and shared experiences. Younger guests have access to the Family by JW™ Little Griffins Kids’ Club, one of the larger children’s clubs in the Maldives, with more than 100 programmes focused on play and discovery. Families can also take part in culinary classes at the JW Garden, where the resort offers a farm-to-table experience linked to the natural setting of the island.
Mohit Dembla, General Manager of JW Marriott Maldives Resort & Spa, said the programme responds to changing guest expectations around luxury travel.
“Today’s luxury traveller isn’t just seeking a beautiful destination, they’re seeking time,” he said. “Time together, time to be present, time away from the noise. ‘Family Fun Summer’ is our answer to that, a sanctuary where every generation finds something meaningful.”
The Family Fun Summer package includes the USD 300 resort credit, which can be used for spa treatments, dining or island activities. It also includes daily breakfast, as well as three-course lunches and dinners for two adults and children under 12 at selected venues. Families will also receive a floating breakfast served in the privacy of their villa.
In addition, the package offers 60 per cent savings on dining at the resort’s signature restaurants, Hashi and Shio. Other inclusions include Thakuru service, complimentary use of non-motorised watersports equipment, and private bicycles for island use. The package also includes a 30-minute photography session and one printed photograph as a keepsake.
Through the relaunch of Family Fun Summer, JW Marriott Maldives Resort & Spa is positioning itself within the growing multigenerational travel segment, combining larger villa accommodation with dining, leisure and family-focused experiences.
Awards
InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau secures Readers’ Choice Awards nomination
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.
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