Featured
Seaside Finolhu appoints new Executive Chef, Food and Beverage Director
The newly redesigned five-star Seaside Finolhu resort will reopen on November 1, as the first member of the Design Hotels in the Maldives.
Bolstering the already impressive ranks of talent at the hotel will be two newly appointed members of staff: Memo V. Hernandez, Executive Chef, and Benjamin Gouet, Director of Food & Beverage.
Together, they will reinforce Finolhu’s outstanding levels of gastronomy and service. Rounding out the offering of culinary craftsmanship and international flair – from traditional Maldivian fare, to modern Japanese cuisine, or flavours of the Middle East and North Africa – will be a focus on handmade produce, crafted from fresh ingredients.
Memo V. Hernandez, Executive Chef
Bringing more than 16-years’ experience in managing restaurants and hotel kitchens internationally, Hernandez joins Finolhu following his previous role as Executive Chef at The Nautilus Maldives.
The Costa Rican native brings a wealth of luxury experience, including training at the three Michelin-starred Quique da Costa Restaurant, Valencia.
Hernandez has as a passion for the traditional, including farming, local produce, and the rustic production of cheeses. This is coupled with a modern outlook towards keto, superfoods, wellness, and vegetarianism and veganism – this includes ambitions to create a variety of dishes where the vegetable is the star.
With ecological and environmental awareness at the forefront, he is looking forward to putting his touch on the menus, including a focus on seasonality, wholesome breakfasts, and plans to grow thyme, rosemary, basil, mint, and coriander on the island.

Benjamin Gouet, Director of Food and Beverage
French-born Gouet has more than 15-years’ experience in the food and beverage industry, and previously held the position of Director of Food and Beverage at Bandos Maldives Resort.
His earlier work experience in senior roles has taken him to key luxury hotels across the world, including the Sheraton Club des Pins Resort, Algeria and Le Barthélemy Hotel & Spa, French West Indies.
Gouet will manage the resort’s overall food and beverage service operations, ensuring the highest of standards are met across Finolhu’s six food and beverage outlets – each with its own distinct personality and aesthetic to accentuate.
As a wine lover and cocktail connoisseur, he will enhance the culinary journey with beverage pairings for each cuisine, ranging from wines and whiskeys to specialty teas.

Finolhu was opened in June 2016 and consists of four islands with long beaches. It has 125 beachfront and overwater villas — more than half with private pool — and four restaurants.
While popular with honeymooners, the extensive resort is also very family-friendly, with a kids’ club, a wide choice of activities and world-famous entertainment.
Owned and managed by Seaside Collection, a Europe-based hotel group with an exclusive portfolio of high-end resorts and city hotels, Seaside Finolhu Maldives is a luxury island resort.
“Finolhu”, which is a direct translation of “sandbank” in Dhivehi, is located in Baa Atoll, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in the Maldives
Featured
Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa unveils family-focused Family Fun Summer package
Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa has introduced its Family Fun Summer offer, a family-focused package designed to encourage guests to spend time together through dining, leisure and recreational activities in a private island setting.
Located 15 minutes by speedboat from Velana International Airport, the resort is offering the package as a year-round experience, despite its summer branding. The programme is intended for families seeking a stay that combines accommodation, meals and activities in a single offering.
The experience includes daily breakfast at Feast, where guests can access buffet selections for adults and children. Lunch is served as a three-course beachside meal, while evenings include buffet dinners, à la carte options and access to the resort’s speciality restaurants.
As part of the package, adult guests receive a USD 45 dining credit per night, which can be used at selected outlets including Baan Thai and Sea Salt. The offer is designed to expand dining options within the resort’s full board arrangement.
The package also includes activities aimed at different age groups. Children have access to the Sheraton Adventure Club, while families can take part in pool activities, water sports, sunset dolphin cruises and guided snorkelling excursions.
For guests seeking wellness experiences, Shine Spa for Sheraton offers a range of treatments, with the package including 15 per cent savings on selected services. The resort has also introduced a spa experience designed for parent and child. Additional recreational options include sunrise beach yoga, as well as access to tennis and football facilities.
Other inclusions within the offer include a complimentary family photoshoot and dining benefits for children when eating with their parents.
Family Fun Summer is available for booking until 15 June 2026, for stays through to 20 December 2026. Through the package, Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa is presenting a family-oriented resort experience centred on dining, recreation and shared time together.
Featured
InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau to mark Mother’s Day with wellness and dining offerings
InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort has announced a Mother’s Day programme centred on wellness, dining and family experiences, offering guests a range of activities designed to mark the occasion in Raa Atoll.
Set within the resort’s island setting, the programme will feature a series of experiences aimed at encouraging families to spend time together through relaxation, dining and shared activities.
At AVI Spa, the Mother’s Day offering will include signature treatments focused on rest and balance. Guests will also have access to holistic sessions led by visiting practitioner Dr Afsana Aradhana Ghyas, whose work focuses on integrative wellbeing and emotional balance.
Dining experiences will form a central part of the programme. These will include floating breakfasts served in private villas, interactive cooking sessions with the resort’s chefs, and private dining experiences ranging from sunset beach dinners to sandbank dining under the stars.
The resort will also offer family-focused activities for the occasion. These will include craft sessions for children, ocean-inspired guided art activities and a family photoshoot intended to capture the day’s experiences.
Through the Mother’s Day programme, InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort is presenting a combination of wellness, dining and family activities shaped around personal and shared experiences in a resort setting.
Drink
W Maldives unveils The Wavemaker Edit with global talent collaborations
W Maldives has launched The Wavemaker Edit, a new ongoing series of curated collaborations with international talent, aimed at introducing a range of guest experiences across mixology, wellness, cuisine and music.
The series is designed as a rotating programme, with each edition bringing a different creative perspective to the resort. According to W Maldives, the initiative is intended to create a continuing calendar of experiences that combine social, cultural and wellness-led elements.
The first edition of The Wavemaker Edit will run from 3 to 14 June 2026 and will feature two themed chapters, titled Island Alchemy and The Restore Ritual.
Island Alchemy will focus on mixology. On 3 June, Kwok will lead a guest shift at SIP, presenting three cocktails that explore contrast and balance, including a bespoke creation inspired by the Maldives. The collaboration will continue on 6 June at WET Deck, where a poolside day party will feature a curated cocktail menu.
The second chapter, The Restore Ritual, will centre on wellness and movement in recognition of Global Wellness Day. Led by Mumbai-based yoga and movement educator Samiksha Shetty, the programme will include sessions focused on breathwork, mindfulness and alignment-based practice.
The wellness programme will include Sunset Yoga sessions at FIRE Beach on 12 and 14 June, as well as a morning meditation session at AWAY Spa on 13 June. The main event within this chapter will take place on 13 June, when guests will be able to join a Sunset Yoga session aboard the Horizon Yacht. This bookable experience will also include healthy refreshments and a 60-minute massage at AWAY Spa.
W Maldives said future editions of The Wavemaker Edit will expand into culinary, music and art-led experiences under a number of themed series, including Flavors Unscripted, Sound Wave and Make A Scene.
Commenting on the launch, General Manager Amila Handunwala said the initiative reflects the resort’s approach to continuously evolving the guest experience through collaborations with international talent.
W Maldives is positioning the series as part of its broader effort to offer more structured and experience-led programming for guests. In addition, the resort is promoting its Original Wavemaker package, which includes seaplane transfers and a half-board meal plan for two adults with a minimum stay of four nights.
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