Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru opened its doors in 1995. Set in North Male Atoll, it welcomes you to a picturesque island of palm-fringed beaches and turquoise waters. With just 48 private pool villas, enjoy unparalleled seclusion in an idyllic island retreat with the…
Shahza grew up in Male in a large family with six siblings. Flying seems to run in her blood; her eldest brother, whom she looks up to is a pilot at the same company. Today, Shahza is a senior first officer at…
Technology is changing the way people travel. Or perhaps it’s the other way around. These days, people seem to like getting things done at the snap of a finger, to be able to talk to other people instantaneously regardless of where they…
Hotel Insider sits down with Ahmed Shaheer, Managing Director, State Trading Organisation PLC State Trading Organisation (STO) is the largest commercial establishment in the Maldives and has a host of firsts under its belt. Among other things, STO was the first to…
As I descend the steps, growing accustomed to the dark, the play of light by the landing arrests me. The undulation of wavy blue light is enchanting and more enchantment awaits. Pearl, the world’s first (and as yet only) underwater spa is…
Hotel Insider meets Benjamin Kreuz, general manager of COMO Cocoa Island. Benjamin has a strong background in hospitality, having worked with luxury international brands in the USA, Europe and China. Also, he is, in more ways than one, married to the Maldives.…
This time, we meet Julian Hagger (executive vice president global sales & marketing, LUX*), a young French and British national with sixteen years of sales and marketing experience with major brands like Ritz-Carlton, Marriott and Belmond. We go over how these big…
Like with most things, it’s hard to nail what a boutique hotel is exactly, yet you’d get an idea if you look at its history and contrast it with more traditional hotels. The term was coined by American entrepreneur Steve Rubell, who…
It’s like I’ve stepped back in time as I walk through Nika, a boutique resort in North Ari, run by a family of Italians. Coral stone figures prominently in its buildings, the reception, the rooms, even the low walls marking its lanes.…
