Enjoy Easter at Jumeirah Vittaveli in the Maldives

Resort invites guests to the Mad Hatter’s tea party

Jumeirah Vittaveli brings a new twist to Easter this year with an ‘Alice in Wonderland’ themed Mad Hatter’s Tea Party.

Guests can expect captivating family entertainment, a lavish Easter dinner and a mesmerising tea party under the enchanting ‘Alice in Wonderland’ theme where the Mad Hatter, Cheshire cat, White Queen and Alice come to life. The Family Fun package starts from USD 2,968 and includes accommodation in a Two Bedroom Beach Suite, daily breakfast and dinner, a family Beach BBQ, a Maldivian Cooking Class and a babysitting service. Quote the promotional code “FAMILYJV” to avail the offer.

“The famous tea party from Alice in Wonderland is a dream canvas. We have created a quirky menu for our young guests, ranging from strawberry tiramisu, cotton candy, lollies, popsicles and chocolate mousse topped by a crispy hat decoration. We are excited to surprise our guests with our Easter culinary delights – traditional and novel at the same time!” said Francis Cornelius, Executive Sous Chef, Jumeirah Vittaveli.

Easter isn’t complete without the Easter Bunny and chocolate eggs – in keeping with the tropical mood, the Easter egg hunt will be transformed into a snorkelling adventure where kids will go hunting for eggs underwater. As guests cross the turquoise waters they’ll swim by an underwater party, where Alice and the Mad Hatter will be sipping on tea and waving to passers-by.

The Kuda Koli Kids Club will host Alice in Wonderland themed games including croquet with flamingos, a jabberwocky piñata, an obstacle race and an egg hunt. After a packed morning, the afternoon brings cakes, chocolates and potions. Tea will be served to guests as the boardwalk around Samsara restaurant is turned into a Mad Hatter’s Tea Party. Poised against the rich blue ocean, gazebos will be set up as a degustation menu of chocolates, treats, snacks and drinks are served.

Kuda Koli Kids Club, Jumeirah Vittaveli

The resident musician who also goes by the name of the main character ‘Alice’ will set the mood with violin and piano performances. On Easter Sunday, a host of entertainers will perform such as the Art of Poi fire dance, a magic show, LED light show and the Melody Duo live band as guests sit down by the Samsara beach and enjoy a traditional Easter dinner. Families can enjoy the resort’s land- and water-based activities, including a PADI Dive base, water sports centre, Kuda Koli Kids Club and babysitting services, four restaurants, two bars and a Talise Spa with overwater and garden treatment rooms. With its focus on cultural connection and organic experiences in a luxurious setting, Jumeirah Vittaveli offers guests a true Maldivian island experience.

Jumeirah Vittaveli Wins ‘Romantic Hotel/Resort of the year’ at Annual AsiaSpa Awards

Jumeirah Vittaveli was awarded ‘Romantic Hotel/Resort of the Year’ at the internationally acclaimed AsiaSpa Awards, in the 12th annual awards gala in Hong Kong. Jumeirah Vittaveli was the only property in the Maldives recognised at the event.

Talise Spa, Jumeirah Vittaveli
Talise Spa, Jumeirah Vittaveli

Amit Majumder, General Manager, Jumeirah Vittaveli, said: “This is the seventh award the resort has collected this year and reflects its strong commitment to excellence in service and facilities. The awards also underlines our outstanding offerings when it comes to honeymoons and romantic escapes. The Maldives is traditionally a top destination for couples holidays, and to have been singled out in such a competitive landscape is a great honour. Couples will find the time and space here at Jumeirah Vittaveli to spend magical moments together, in an environment of astounding natural beauty.”

Jumeirah Vittaveli offers one of the most romantic villas in the Maldives with the Ocean Suites which sit majestically in the gentle lagoon, only a heartbeat away from the main island. These double-storey overwater suites are only accessible by boat and provide the ultimate in privacy and seclusion for guests. The resort recently launched a Suite Memories promotion which includes 30% discount from the Best Available Rate, as well as daily in-villa breakfast and in-villa spa bath for guests – so they never need to leave their romantic retreat until their departure day.

The AsiaSpa Awards™ were created by the AsiaSpa magazine in 2005. The prestigious accolades recognise leaders in Asia’s dynamic industry and set the benchmark for quality and innovation for spas in the region. Innovation and quality are integral to the AsiaSpa Awards, whose intent is to give credit to the spas and properties which continue to develop the industry. Now in its 12th year, the AsiaSpa Awards are respected for their uncompromised independence with a reputation for transparency and objectivity.

Jumeirah Vittaveli offers romantic escapes in villas and suites that all include private pools. The resort comprises a host of land- and water-based activities, including a PADI Dive base, water sports centre, four restaurants and two bars, and a Talise Spa with overwater and garden treatment rooms. With its focus on cultural connection and organic experiences in a luxurious setting, Jumeirah Vittaveli offers guests a true Maldivian island experience.

Talise Spa, Jumeirah Vittaveli
Talise Spa, Jumeirah Vittaveli

Jumeirah Vittaveli Appoints New Executive Committee Members

Benedict Hopkins, Lijo John and Mike Audrain join the resort’s senior leadership team

Jumeirah Vittaveli in the Maldives, an award-winning luxury island resort with one of the best house reefs in the Malé atoll, has made a number of senior leadership appointments.

Benedict Hopkins is now the Director of Finance, Lijo John is the new Director of Revenue Management and Mike Audrain has been appointed Director of Human Resources.

Amit Majumder, the General Manager of Jumeirah Vittaveli, said: “A strong team is made of dedicated and experienced professionals and therefore I am very pleased to have Lijo, Mike and Benny as part of the Executive Committee. The collective knowledge and experience they bring to the team in their leadership roles is vital in taking the resort to greater heights through enriched guest and colleague experiences.”

A native of the UK, Benedict’s career has spanned many industries and continents. He previously worked with Jumeirah as Director of Finance at Jumeirah Bilgah Beach Hotel, Azerbaijan and has worked across various industries including banking, auditing, risk management, bio-tech, mining and educational services across Russia, UK, Kazakhstan and Saudi Arabia. He entered the hospitality world as Finance Director at Soneva Fushi, Maldives.

An Indian national, Lijo began his career in Revenue Management in the Middle East where he worked with the Hilton Group of Hotels. During his time with Hilton, Lijo set up a Cluster Revenue Management Centre and developed his expertise in pricing strategy and rate structure. Lijo has worked in the Maldives before and held the position of Revenue Manager at One & Only Reethi Rah. He is familiar to the destination and unique market conditions that apply to his new role.

Hailing from the UK where he started his career, Mike’s career has given him a great insight into people management and training. He first worked with Eldridge and then with Whitbread Hotels & Restaurants. In the Middle East, Mike worked with Grand Millennium Abu Dhabi and Dusit Thani Dubai, before he moved on to his most recent role, as Director of Human Resources of the Morgan’s Hotel Group, at the Mondrian in Doha, Qatar. He has previously worked with Jumeirah, as HR and Development Manager, which was crucial in developing and implementing the expansion plan for the growth of the Jumeirah Living luxury serviced apartments.

Jumeirah Vittaveli Unveils 5-Bedroom Royal Residence

The lavish Royal Residence will be the perfect playground for the extraordinary traveller – opens on January 2017

Jumeirah Vittaveli in the Maldives has announced the resort’s much anticipated Royal Residence will open in January 2017. The 5-bedroom / 6 bathroom retreat will cover 3,500 square metres and include a private beach, two pools, and a private arrival jetty.

Amit Majumder, General Manager, Jumeirah Vittaveli, said: “The Royal Residence adds another dimension of luxury to Jumeirah Vittaveli. This completely self-sufficient hideaway includes its own arrival jetty with overwater bar, an open air kitchen, restaurant, private beach, two pools, spa and gym, separate living and dining pavilion as well as separate service quarters. Guests can enjoy unrivalled privacy while still having all the activities and facilities of an award-winning resort at their fingertips. We have put much thought into planning out each little detail of the Royal Residence and I am confident that guests will be amazed by the level of service as well as privacy that they will experience when staying at this new ultimate tropical retreat.”

Entrance, Royal Residence, Jumeirah Vittaveli
Entrance, Jumeirah Vittaveli

The Royal Residence experience will begin as soon as guests arrive in the Maldives. They will receive priority customs service and a personal welcome at the airport, followed by a 20-minute luxury yacht transfer to the island. A traditional Maldivian Bodu Beru reception awaits, comprising a group of drummers and dancers who greet guests at the private jetty. The Royal Residence Manager will take everyone on a brief tour of the luxurious residence.

The journey will lead guests past a sunken lounge surrounded by a fragrant lily pond, to a full sized swimming pool looking out across the private beach. A dining room seating 10 with adjacent living room including Bang & Olufsen™ home theatre system is connected to the pool deck, with an open air Teppanyaki style live kitchen on the far end overlooking the infinite ocean. An indoor fully stocked kitchen and wine cellar by nolte™ is the domain of the personal chef, while separate service quarters house up to four additional personnel.

The Suite Master Bedroom, Jumeirah Vittaveli
The Suite Master Bedroom, Jumeirah Vittaveli

‘The Sanctuary’ (530sqm) includes the Master Bedroom, as well as a separate indoor living area, private spa treatment room and private gym outfitted with state-of-the-art Life Fitness™ equipment. An indoor bathroom with his and hers vanities and oversized stone bathtub by Kelly Hoppen™ is complemented by an outdoor bathing area featuring a Jacuzzi with inbuilt TV. ‘The Villas’ (240 sqm & 195 sqm), one with king-size bed and one with twin bed, flank The Sanctuary and pool to the North and South – both including their own private open air deck as well as walk-in wardrobe and stone bathtub. ‘The Suite’ connects through a portico to the Royal Residence and includes one king-sized and one twin bedded room, as well as separate living room and a 49 square metre private pool.

The Suite Exterior, Jumeirah Vittaveli
The Suite, Jumeirah Vittaveli

Guests of the Royal Residence will enjoy access to all facilities of Jumeirah Vittaveli via dedicated buggy and chauffeur, including a PADI Dive base, water sports centre, four restaurants and two bars, Kuda Koli Kids’ Club with family pool, and a Talise Spa with overwater and garden treatment rooms. With its focus on understated luxury and cultural connection, Jumeirah Vittaveli offers guests a true Maldivian island experience.

Jumeirah Vittaveli Voted ‘Maldives’ Leading Spa Resort’

Jumeirah Vittaveli has won the World Travel Award 2016 for ‘Maldives’ Leading Spa Resort,’ at the Africa and Indian Ocean gala evening in Zanzibar.

Graham Kiy, General Manager at Jumeirah Vittaveli, said: “We are proud to have been awarded this outstanding recognition for Jumeirah Vittaveli and our Talise Spa, which is an integral part of the resort. Every day, our team strives to deliver superior service and an indulgent experience, ensuring our guests enjoy the paradise of the Maldives to the fullest. Part of this is providing culturally connected treatments, such as the use of pure Maldivian coconut oil within some of our treatments – produced on site and harvested from coconuts from the island, this is a favourite with our guests.”

Guests at Jumeirah Vittaveli can indulge in signature couple’s treatments such as the Vittaveli Romance which includes a full body massage followed by an intimate rich coconut milk bath. Guests can also request the spa team to prepare a romantic bath in their villa, complete with flower petals, strawberries and bubbly.

More information about the resort can be discovered on the official Jumeirah blog: ‘5 Reasons the Maldives is perfect for families’.

The World Travel Awards are voted for by travel and tourism professionals worldwide. Established in 1993, the awards are recognised as a world-class hallmark of quality. Each year a series of gala ceremonies are staged to acknowledge, reward and celebrate excellence in the tourism industry.

Graham Cooke, President of the World Travel Awards, said: “My congratulations to everybody who was nominated at the World Travel Awards Africa and Indian Ocean gala ceremony this and especially those who picked up a trophy. As the first stop on our annual grand tour, the bar has certainly been set high for the rest of the year and I look forward to greeting all of our winners from this evening at the grand final in the Maldives in December.”