News
Shangri-La launches ‘Shangri-La Private Jet Journey’
Maldives.net.mv – Shangri-La , in cooperation with Ctrip’s top travel brand, HHtravel, and Private Jet Journeys, announced the launch of the “Shangri-La Private Jet Journey” programme providing a personalised, high-quality luxury travel experience to China’s high-end leisure travellers. In so doing, Shangri-La aims to create a new stage for strategic cooperation with high-end travel brands.
The first flight of the “Shangri-La Private Jet Journey” series is set for the Maldives—the most favoured destination of China’s affluent. The “Maldives Double Villa Luxury Journey” will take off on Golden Week in October 2013. It will be China’s first upscale travel group to enjoy a direct flight to a high-end island by private jet and the only group trip of its kind this year.
In the future, the program will introduce private jet journeys to Europe, the Americas and Australasia with travellers staying at Shangri-La’s global luxury hotels and savouring local cuisines and exploring the culture and heritage of the destinations. Among Chinese luxury travellers, Shangri-La was named the most preferred hotel brand for the second consecutive year in the 2013 Hurun Report – The Chinese Luxury Traveler.
“Shangri-La has had years of strong partnership with the industry’s leader, Ctrip,” said Kent Zhu, chief marketing officer of Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts. “This time, we have teamed up with HHtravel, Ctrip’s subsidiary specialising in luxury travel services, to expand our cooperation to the field of high-end travel. We wish to provide our guests with more exclusive luxury experiences featuring meticulous, distinguished hotel services; high-end, customised itineraries, and a private jet experience. The Maldives trip is only the start of the ‘Shangri-La Private Jet Journey’ series. In the future, leveraging on the close cooperation with HHtravel and Private Jet Journeys, we will continue to launch more exciting private jet trips.”
Throughout the “Maldives Double Villa Luxury Journey,” guests will stay at Shangri-La’s Villingili Resort and Spa, Maldives. Boasting a six-kilometre coastline and two kilometres of fine white sand beach, it is the only hotel located in the southern part of the Maldives, nearest to the equator, and the only hotel in the entire country that has its own private executive airport terminal with an exclusive VIP lounge handling entry-exit and check-in procedures for guests. Guests will stay a few nights each in a Water Villa and Tree House Villa while at the resort.
The Water Villas are built on top of the resort’s lagoon. Offering panoramic views and fresh sea air, this private haven is connected to the island by a timber walkway, with azure waters in close proximity. In contrast, the hidden Tree House Villas are built on top of trees, over waters teeming with marine life, where guest can enjoy both the privacy and beautiful scenery with sweeping sea views unfolding like a canvas.
Shangri-La’s Villingili Resort and Spa, Maldives is also the country’s first hotel to have a nine-hole golf course, as well as the first to offer bike tours of the surrounding islands. Located in the southern part of Villingili Island, the golf course occupies an area of 7.5 hectares and offers breathtaking views.
A BBJ Boeing Business Jet is slated to be chartered for the Maldives trip. The jet aircraft is a high-performing derivative of a Boeing 737 and specifically designed for VIP customers; the 150 seats of a Boeing 737 are transformed into 26 seats allowing each customer a comfortable seating experience. Moreover, with no overhead luggage rack, BBJ Boeing Business Jet is more spacious both horizontally and vertically.
For the Maldives trip, the private jet will land directly on Shangri-La’s exclusive airport strip, where the hotel’s attentive staff will immediately help guests check in, saving them from the hassles of waiting in the terminal.
“The launch of the Maldives trip, the first private jet travel series product, jointly with Shangri-La, is another major innovation by HHtravel in China’s high-end tourism market,” HHtravel CEO Jack You commented. “With the experience of the Maldives private jet trip, HHtravel will launch more routes in the future. On this occasion, cooperation with Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts can be termed as a ‘perfect match’—both sides have harmoniously identified proper interconnection to satisfy respective brand needs, while providing optimal services and products to our guests. This is also an important part of HHtravel’s branding strategy.”
Awards
The Nautilus Maldives named to Condé Nast Traveler Gold List 2026
The Nautilus Maldives has once again earned a place in Condé Nast Traveler’s The Gold List for 2026, standing as the only destination from the Maldives to receive this prestigious recognition. Curated by the publication’s global editors, The Gold List honours destinations that set new benchmarks in luxury and celebrates places that leave a lasting imprint on discerning travellers.
This latest distinction reflects Condé Nast Traveler’s continued recognition of The Nautilus’s singular character and its commitment to crafting unscripted, deeply meaningful journeys. The private island’s captivatingly free-spirited ethos, where moments unfold without hurry and guests embrace a world unbound by schedules, has long drawn admiration from international tastemakers and influential editors. The philosophy of Freedom Unscripted continues to define the island today, evolving through thoughtful craftsmanship and an intuitively personalised approach to luxury.
Since its debut, The Nautilus has emerged as a powerful voice within the ultra-luxury landscape. Its rise was first marked by its success in Condé Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards, followed by further acclaim through honours such as Tatler’s Best Private Island Retreat and its earlier inclusion in The Gold List. With only twenty-six beach and ocean houses, the private island has since become an unexpected yet compelling benchmark for privacy, individuality and the art of unscripted luxury.
Today’s inclusion in The Gold List 2026 reflects not only sustained excellence but also the private island’s ongoing evolution. From pioneering marine conservation programmes and curating world-class Masters for Masters residencies to elevating its culinary, wellness and personalisation frameworks, The Nautilus continues to shape a new narrative of experiential luxury in the Maldives.
General Manager Adan Gomez shared, “We are honoured to be named once more in The Gold List. Very few resorts have the privilege of receiving this recognition twice in such a short time. It speaks to the passion of our island family and the trust of the guests who choose The Nautilus as their home in the Maldives. The Gold List recognises destinations that are truly exceptional. To be acknowledged again reinforces The Nautilus’s place among the world’s most inspiring luxury resorts. It is a moment of great pride, and a meaningful affirmation of our philosophy rooted in freedom, individuality and authenticity.”
As The Nautilus looks ahead, this accolade strengthens its resolve to remain a place where time slows, creativity thrives and every journey is curated entirely around the guest. A world shaped by them, and for them.
News
Serenity Spa at Baros Maldives introduces new rituals, multi-day wellness journeys
Baros Maldives unveils a renewed Serenity Spa menu this season, marking a thoughtful evolution of the island’s wellness offering. Designed for travellers seeking restoration with tangible results, the new menu positions Baros as a refined glowcation destination — where meaningful relaxation meets visible, lasting wellbeing.
Set within the lush heart of the island, Serenity Spa is reached by a winding sandy path, accompanied by birdsong, palms and the soft scent of tropical blooms. Here, wellness moves beyond passive pampering. Baros blends time-honoured Asian healing traditions with modern techniques, advanced skincare and potent natural actives, creating experiences that restore balance, enhance radiance and invite deeper rest.
Central to the new menu is a curated collection of island-inspired signature rituals. Baros Forest Therapy draws on the calming power of nature, combining grounding essential oils, guided inhalation, flowing massage, a mineral-rich mud mask and a soothing scalp massage to ease stress and reconnect body and mind. The Serenity Green Signature and Walk in the Garden rituals further reflect Baros’ forested landscape, using botanical actives, aromatherapy and intuitive bodywork for deeply sensory renewal.
Serenity Spa’s enhanced product portfolio brings together globally respected wellness brands. Natura Bissé introduces science-led facial and body therapies, while Aromatherapy Associates offers mood-enhancing massages designed to support sleep, relaxation and emotional wellbeing. Obsidian for Men delivers focused, mineral-rich treatments and Margaret Dabbs elevates hand and foot care into restorative rituals.
“Each product has been carefully selected for its efficacy and its ability to work in harmony with our nature-led environment,” says Tri Wardani, Cluster Director of Spa at Baros Maldives. “This allows us to offer treatments that are both sensorial and results-driven, without losing the calm, understated essence of Baros.”
Complementing the menu are two wellness journeys, offered over three, five and seven days. Each combines personalised therapies, advanced facials, daily movement practices and time in nature, designed to be experienced at a personal pace.
“This new chapter at Serenity Spa is a natural evolution of what Baros has always stood for,” shares Ibrahim Shijah, the General Manager of Baros Maldives. “It is about deepening the guest experience, with wellness that feels natural, intelligent and entirely in tune with our island.”
Please contact reservations@baros.com or +960 664 2672 for booking enquiries.
Love
Month of romance: Dusit Thani Maldives sets out Valentine’s dining, private experiences
This February, Dusit Thani Maldives invites couples to celebrate love through a thoughtfully curated Month of Romance, where intimate island settings, refined dining, and heartfelt moments come together in one of the Maldives’ most captivating natural environments.
Set on Mudhdhoo Island in Baa Atoll, a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve, Dusit Thani Maldives transforms the spirit of Valentine’s Day into a month-long celebration, offering couples the opportunity to reconnect through meaningful experiences designed to be savoured at an unhurried pace.
Throughout February, guests are invited to enjoy bespoke romantic experiences across the island, from secluded beachfront moments to sunset settings overlooking the Indian Ocean. Each experience is carefully designed to celebrate togetherness, guided by the resort’s signature blend of Thai hospitality and Maldivian island warmth.
Whether shared beneath starlit skies or surrounded by tranquil lagoon views, the Month of Love Escape offers couples the space to pause, connect, and create lasting memories.
At the heart of the celebration is a collection of Valentine’s dining experiences, crafted to elevate the art of romantic dining through refined flavours and immersive settings.
Overlooking the ocean at sunset, Sea Grill presents A Truffle Romance, a five-course set menu inspired by the rich aromas and textures of truffle, available from 7 to 21 February. Thoughtfully curated to complement the restaurant’s panoramic views, the experience offers a sophisticated celebration of flavour in a relaxed yet refined setting, with optional wine pairing available.
Set against the raw beauty of a secluded sandbank, this intimate dining experience invites couples to enjoy an unforgettable evening surrounded by the stillness of the ocean. Featuring a discreet sunken table setup on powder-soft sands, the experience unfolds with a thoughtfully curated multi-course menu highlighting premium lobster and caviar, complemented by elegant wine selections and champagne. With attentive private chef service and the open sky above, the evening is designed to be unhurried, personal, and deeply atmospheric, allowing couples to savour both the flavours and the moment.
For a timeless expression of romance, couples may enjoy a four-course set menu served directly on the beach. Surrounded by soft candlelight and the gentle rhythm of the waves, this intimate dining experience is designed to capture the essence of a classic Valentine’s evening in the Maldives.
Beyond the dining experiences, the natural beauty of Dusit Thani Maldives provides the perfect backdrop for romance. Lush tropical gardens, expansive beaches, and tranquil lagoon vistas set the stage for moments that unfold effortlessly, guided by the island’s serene pace and sense of privacy.
At Dusit Thani Maldives, romance is found in the details, in the settings created, the flavours presented, and the moments shared together. The Month of Romance is designed to offer guests meaningful experiences that feel personal, intimate, and truly memorable.
The Month of Romance and Valentine’s dining experiences are available throughout February, with advance reservations recommended.
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