Featured
Sheraton Maldives announces new villa host service as part of $20 mln renovation
Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa has launched its exclusive villa host service as part of the resort’s multimillion-dollar renovation, which completed in December 2018.
Now available across all 10 luxury room categories at the newly transformed resort, each guest is treated to a private villa host who is responsible for ensuring every need is well catered for to create a tailored and unforgettable five-star experience.
Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa’s signature villa hosts pride themselves on going above and beyond all expectations and developing a personal relationship with their guests throughout the duration of their stay. Each couple, family or solo traveller is met with one villa host as their main point of contact for every requirement. As such, villa hosts quickly come to understand their guests and can often anticipate their thoughts and requests in advance. This is all carried out through a very subtle demeanour, meaning guests are still left in undisturbed privacy with the knowledge that help is at hand, should it be needed.
Every villa host is dedicated to showcasing every aspect of the island to create the most remarkable trip. This is carried out through a variety of creative and bespoke experiences which are unique to Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa. Highlights include scouting out the most spectacular snorkelling spots that day before guests set out on their excursions, creating remarkable dining experiences such as private sandbank picnics or setting up personalised surprise proposals, honeymoon or wedding dinners in the most secluded and beautiful spots on the island.
Villa hosts are also guests’ main point of contact for all practical matters. This means that ‘nervous’ travellers or families can truly unwind with the knowledge that the travel admin tasks are being dealt with efficiently and quickly behind the scenes. Services include WhatsApping guests’ pre-arrival to make any dinner or water sport bookings, greeting guests upon arrival at the resort, a private buggy service, packing and unpacking guests’ luggage, dealing with all dietary requirements, issuing phone charging cables, sorting transfers and travel changes or even gifting sun-burnt guests with an Aloe Vera plant in their room.
“At Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa we pride ourselves on our five-star service and this is perfectly exemplified through our new villa host initiative which has been implemented as part of our multimillion-dollar renovation. Unlike other Maldivian properties, this service is implemented across all of our room categories so that all guests receive the same expert treatment no matter their accommodation type,” Emilio Fortini, General Manager for Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa, was quoted in a statement, as saying.
“We are experts in being ahead of our guests’ needs and we like to be there before they ask; this comes down to the art of being invisible and yet delivering everything. All of our villa hosts are very proud of their work and through their dedicated care, charming wit and humour, they enhance every guest’s experience and reveal just how much our island has to offer.”
Following the USD 20 million renovation, Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa now exhibits beautiful Maldivian architecture with a contemporary twist, reflecting the five-star experience guaranteed at the property.
Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa is situated on the private island of Furanafushi in the North Male Atoll, just a 15-minute speedboat ride away from the main Velana International Airport.
The five-star resort offers 176 guest rooms designed to blend into the surrounding turquoise waters, pristine beaches and lush greenery. Also boasting seven unique restaurants and bars, the Shine Spa for Sheraton (located on its very own island) and three outdoor tropical fresh water pools, the resort caters for all guests and is the perfect destination for honeymooners, families with young children or teens and solo travellers alike.
Action
Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa to stage 14th edition of Surfing Champions Trophy
The Indian Ocean provides consistent surf conditions throughout the year, but each September, Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa hosts the Surfing Champions Trophy at the Sultans break. The event is scheduled to return from 4 to 11 September 2026, bringing together professional surfers, guests and spectators.
Now in its 14th edition, the Surfing Champions Trophy is an invitation-only event featuring professional surfers competing across three board disciplines: single fin, twin fin and thruster. The competition takes place at Sultans, a reef break in North Malé Atoll, with Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa serving as the base for participants, officials and attending guests.
The line-up for the 2026 edition will be announced in stages in the coming months.
The event was first held in 2011, with Mark Occhilupo winning all three divisions and the Grand Champions Final. Since then, previous winners have included Damien Hardman (2012), Taylor Knox (2013), Dave Rastovich (2014), Shane Dorian (2015), Taj Burrow (2016, 2017 and 2024), Josh Kerr (2018 and 2019), Kelly Slater (2022), and Joel Parkinson (2023).
Over the years, the competition has also featured a range of international surfers, including Carissa Moore, Maya Gabeira, Tom Curren, Rob Machado, Layne Beachley, Bethany Hamilton, Mikey February, Jeremy Flores and Jadson Andre.
The 2025 edition saw Tahitian surfer Michel Bourez secure victory despite sustaining a hamstring injury during the event. He won both the thruster division and the Grand Champions Final, achieving the only perfect score of the competition in the closing moments of the final. Other participants included Owen Wright, Jesse Mendes, Craig Anderson and Maldivian wildcard Ismail Rasheed.
In parallel with the event, the resort offers the “Surf’s Up” package, which includes coaching sessions with Tropicsurf professionals, guided surf trips, daily yoga sessions, spa treatments, and accommodation with transfers. The package is available to guests seeking to participate in surf-related activities during the event period.
Updates on the 2026 competition, including participant announcements, will be released through official channels of the Surfing Champions Trophy and Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa.
Action
JOALI brings England football legend Fara Williams to Maldives
JOALI has announced a partnership with retired footballer Fara Williams, who will visit JOALI Maldives and JOALI BEING this April to lead a series of football-related activities for guests and the local community.
Fara Williams is among the most capped players in English football history, with 172 international appearances for the England women’s national team. Over the course of her career, she represented clubs including Chelsea and Charlton Athletic, and captained Everton to victory in the Premier League Cup in 2008 and the FA Women’s Cup in 2010.
As part of the initiative, Williams will host a football workshop for girls from Dhuvaafaru Island on 11 April 2026. The session is intended to support the development of women’s football in the Maldives and reflects JOALI’s engagement with communities in Raa Atoll.
In addition, family-focused football sessions will be held for resort guests on 13 April at JOALI Maldives and on 17 April at JOALI BEING. These sessions will provide children and families with the opportunity to participate in football activities guided by Williams.
JOALI Maldives offers villas starting from USD 3,256 per night for two guests sharing a Water Villa with Pool on a bed and breakfast basis. At JOALI BEING, villas start from USD 3,162 per night for two guests sharing an Ocean Pool Villa on a bed and breakfast basis.
Featured
Grand Park Kodhipparu to host lunar-themed experiences in May
Grand Park Kodhipparu Maldives has unveiled Moon Over Kodhipparu, a month-long programme of curated lunar-inspired experiences scheduled to take place throughout May 2026. Drawing on the natural rhythm of the moon, the resort invites guests to experience the Maldives through a series of immersive activities designed to foster connection to self, others, and the surrounding island environment.
Set against the Indian Ocean, the programme structures each significant lunar phase as a distinct experiential segment. The Flower Full Moon at the beginning of the month introduces a theme of renewal, with activities including guided sound healing sessions, sunset cruises that extend into moonlit lagoon journeys, and oceanfront dining experiences.
Midway through the month, the Super New Moon presents a contrasting focus on stillness and reflection. Guests are invited to participate in beachside wellness sessions, starlit cruises under dark skies, and night fishing experiences guided by the natural rhythm of the sea.
The programme concludes with the Blue Moon on 31 May, marked by a series of experiences centred on celebration and connection, including couples’ spa treatments, lagoon cruises, and curated dining experiences under moonlight.
In addition to these key lunar events, the programme runs throughout May with a range of experiences integrated into the resort offering. Evening options include private beach lounge settings illuminated by lanterns, alongside a selection of botanical cocktails reflecting the changing tones of the night sky. The resort also offers tailored private dining and proposal arrangements, as well as a Mother’s Day concept that enables guests to arrange personalised experiences for travelling family members.
The programme reflects a broader trend in luxury travel towards experience-led stays. At Grand Park Kodhipparu Maldives, this is reflected through the integration of wellness, dining, and ocean-based activities into a structured programme designed to create continuity across the guest experience.
Guests are able to access the programme through the resort’s “Night on Us” offer, available for bookings made until 30 April 2026. The offer includes two complimentary nights on a six-night stay, allowing guests additional time to engage with multiple phases of the programme. It is valid for stays through 31 October 2026.
Located approximately 20 minutes by speedboat from Velana International Airport, Grand Park Kodhipparu Maldives offers overwater villas, a house reef, and a range of curated experiences that reflect the natural and cultural setting of the Maldives.
Through Moon Over Kodhipparu, the resort continues to expand its experience offering by aligning guest activities with natural cycles and structured programming.
-
Action1 week agoSix Senses Kanuhura participates in international COASTS Project on blue carbon ecosystems
-
Cooking1 week agoAnantara Veli Maldives continues Michelin guest chef series with female lineup
-
Action1 week agoBaros Maldives introduces ‘Lines of Respect’ fishing programme
-
News1 week agoReethi Faru Resort joins global Earth Hour campaign with conservation efforts
-
News1 week agoSun Siyam Iru Veli introduces new treatments at Ocean Spa
-
Awards1 week agoVilla Park recognised with CHECK24 Top Hotel Award
-
News1 week agodusitD2 Feydhoo Maldives observes Earth Hour with sustainability efforts
-
Cooking5 days agoSun Siyam Iru Fushi hosts Michelin-starred Chef Robin Pietsch


