Jumeirah Vittaveli awarded with World Luxury Restaurant and Spa Awards

Jumeirah Vittaveli has been awarded with four trophies at the recent World Luxury Restaurants and Spa Awards Gala in Hanoi, Vietnam. Fenesse Restaurant received two accolades, while Swarna Restaurant and Talise Spa were each recognized with one award.

“This is an excellent recognition of the service provided by our teams at each venue”, comments Amit Majumder, General Manager of Jumeirah Vittaveli. “We focus on improving our facilities and offerings from year to year, but our team is the core of everything we do and I am honoured to see our efforts recognized on a global stage. We live our values on a daily basis and take pride in succeeding in our aims – to ensure our guests create everlasting memories at Jumeirah Vittaveli.”

Setting the basis for service industry standards around the globe, the World Luxury Spa Awards and World Luxury Restaurant Awards pride themselves on providing true recognition to luxury spas and restaurants in their relevant categories during its annual voting phase. Votes are garnered through various marketing channels from guests, showcasing yet again the true value of service excellence. This year’s gala was held in Hanoi / Vietnam, welcoming over 180 guests from more than 50 countries.

Jumeirah Vittaveli repeated its success from last year’s awards with a renewed win for “Best Indian Cuisine” / Continent Winner for Swarna. Swarna translates to 'gold' in Sanskrit, reflecting royalty and the rich heritage of Indian cuisine. The gold standard at Jumeirah Vittaveli, this impressive restaurant delights guests with creative flavours, complemented by an impressive arrangement of dishes. The restaurant comprises three open-air dining cabanas, one Chef's table, and a swing for after-dinner relaxation, all dotted throughout a Maharaja Style garden venue. 

The scenic overwater venue Fenesse won two awards – for “Best French Cuisine” / Continent Winner and for “Best Ambience / Romantic Atmosphere” / Indian Ocean Region Winner. Fenesse tantalises guests’ palate in an elegant yet warm setting. Featuring contemporary and classic cuisine inspired by the culinary regions of France, the dedicated team of professional chefs use only the freshest ingredients to prepare their outstanding dining menus. 

Talise Spa at Vittaveli received the coveted title of “Best Luxury Wellness Spa” / Continent Winner. The spa is inspired by the meaning of the word ‘Vittaveli’ - vastness of space and eternal light – connecting the elements of light and space with the purity and vibration of its ingredients. These ingredients are hand-harvested by local communities using traditional farming methods to ensure healing life energy held in all living things will be honoured and handed down to guests through the unique products and treatments available at Talise Spa at Vittaveli. The spa also recently introduced Aerial Yoga and offers complimentary wellness and fitness sessions every day.

Jumeirah Vittaveli offers romantic escapes as well as a host of land- and water-based activities, including a PADI Dive base, water sports centre, four restaurants and two bars. With its focus on cultural connection and organic experiences in a luxurious setting, Jumeirah Vittaveli offers guests a true Maldivian island experience. The newly opened Royal Residence was recently recognized as ‘Indian Ocean's Leading Luxury Hotel Villa’ at the World Travel Awards, only 3 months after opening its doors to guests.

Earth Hour celebrated at Jumeirah Vittaveli

Special occasion was marked at the resort with an atmospheric performance

Jumeirah Vittaveli joined in the global celebrations of Earth Hour with an atmospheric singing bowl concert performed by Winnie Rode.

Guest resident Winnie Rode is a recognised sound therapist who is currently staying at Jumeirah Vittaveli for the resort’s annual Talise Wellness Month. Until March 24, 2016, guests at the resort can join Winnie in daily group meditation sessions or experience his unique singing bowl sound massage in a private treatment.

During Earth Hour, all lights at the resort’s restaurants and public areas were switched off and candles illuminated the night. Winnie Rode began his atmospheric singing bowl concert, mesmerising colleagues and guests.

With the soft and echoing sounds of his bronze singing bowls and the low chants interspersing the vibrations coming from the bowls, Winnie delivered a relaxing and tranquil performance.

Earth Hour is a global movement by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) that focusses on climate change awareness and protecting the environment. The first Earth Hour was celebrated in Sydney, Australia, in 2007 and it has since spanned the globe each year.

MONTH OF WELLNESS AT JUMEIRAH VITTAVELI

Jumeirah Vittaveli has announced the resort’s annual ‘Talise Wellness Month,’ featuring guest resident Talise Nutrition Executive Chef Gabi Kurz.

Following the successful Wellness Month in 2015, this year’s event will take place from 15 March to 15 April 2016 and continues the tradition by offering guests exclusive programmes including meditation, yoga, fitness classes, special spa treatments and healthy nutrition cooking classes. To complement these wellness activities, the daily breakfast and dinner buffet at Samsara will include a Talise Nutrition corner.

The resort is delighted to welcome back Chef Gabriele Kurz to spearhead the Talise Nutrition Menu. Chef Gabi is the Talise Wellness Executive Chef for the Jumeirah Group portfolio of hotels and resorts and curated the popular Nutrition Menu last year. During her residency she will launch a new Talise set menu at the resort’s fine dining restaurant Fenesse. Chef Gabi

will be at Jumeirah Vittaveli from 23-30 March. During her stay, she will also host cooking classes and demonstrations. Guests can learn how to create healthy dishes out of local and international ingredients to improve their diet not only on vacation but also when at home. For more information follow chef Gabi onInstagram to see her recipe ideas or read Chef Gabi’s blog.

Jumeirah Vittaveli’s Talise Spa and Fitness will conduct daily wellness activities throughout the month. Guest Practitioner Winnie Rode, an internationally renowned meditation and philosophy teacher and sound and music therapist, will visit the resort from March 14-24. He will hold both private and group meditation classes and perform his unique singing bowl sound massages.

Winnie has been teaching philosophy and meditation for more than 20 years. He began his education as a monk in a Tibetan monastery and today, his teachings are mainly based on the Dzogchen tradition.

Jumeirah Vittaveli offers luxury romantic escapes and indulgent family retreats, as well as a host of land- and water-based activities, 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 cultural connection and organic experiences, Jumeirah Vittaveli offers guests a true Maldivian island experience.

Jumeirah Dhevanafushi sold to Singapore-based hospitality group

Jones Lang LaSalle’s Hotels & Hospitality Group has exchanged contracts for the sale of Jumeirah Dhevanafushi in the Maldives to Singapore-based CDL Hospitality Trusts for US$59.6 million.

Jumeirah Dhevanafushi is one of the Maldives’ most luxurious and highly-rated resorts, comprising 19 beach villas and 16 over-water villas. The sale includes the benefit of a long-term management agreement with Jumeirah Hotels & Resorts, one of the world’s most recognized hotel brands with a collection of iconic hotels such as the Burj Al Arab in Dubai.

The sale marks CDL Hospitality Trusts’ second acquisition in the Maldives during
2013 and follows their purchase of the Angsana Velavaru earlier in the year in a transaction also brokered by Jones Lang LaSalle’s Hotels & Hospitality Group.

“We are delighted to announce this landmark sale, the first arm’s length third-party managed resort sale in the Maldives and the second acquisition in the country by a major regional institutional investor during 2013,” said Nihat Ercan, senior vice-president, Investment Sales Asia, Jones Lang LaSalle, Hotels & Hospitality Group.

“With sound trading fundamentals and enduring strength of visitor demand, the Maldives has certainly captured the attention of the investment community across Asia and the Middle East. We are seeing significant interest and weight of capital from private investors, owner-operators, listed companies and institutional investors, and we expect this trend to continue into 2014 as further opportunities in this unique market unfold.”

Since 2012, Jones Lang LaSalle’s Hotels & Hospitality Group has exclusively brokered five resort transactions in the Maldives, representing over 350 rooms and more than US$330 million in transaction volume, underscoring the island-paradise destination as one of the most liquid investment markets in Asia.

Dine by Design at Jumeirah Vittaveli in the Maldives

From breakfast on the beach to sandbank suppersJumeirah Vittaveli, the idyllic resort in the Maldives located just a 20-minute boat ride from Male, is helping guests to further embrace the stunning surroundings with a new ‘Dining by Design’ menu.

Far from the clutches of stressful city life, Jumeirah Vittaveli is nestled in a spot of outstanding sophistication, with every detail of a stay meticulously crafted to excite and indulge. Now, guests can go one step further in personalizing their stay by choosing exactly where they want to dine. Whether an exclusive cruise aboard a luxury boat, or an Aqua Dinner for diners to sink their toes into the cool waters of the main pool as they eat, discerning diners will be able to enjoy a unique location as personal chef and server cater to their every whim.

Even the menu is personalised to perfection. Upon booking, guests are able to meet with the chef to customize a menu based on preferences. Every occasion can be catered for, whether a Sunrise Breakfast on a secluded stretch of beach or an exquisite candlelit feast underneath the stars. A Romantic Dinner for two comes complete  with beautiful flower turndown in your private villa and an intimate butler-drawn bath awaiting the couple’s return. 

Those wanting to dine further afield can opt for a Sandbank Picnic or Dinner. The experience will begin with a journey on a traditional Maldivian dhoni to ensure seclusion. Once guests have arrived at their private sandbank, they can enjoy limitless snorkeling opportunities and a gourmet picnic hamper. Or, at an evening meal, survey the surroundings as personal chef and server ensure every happiness.

Whether for an intimate escape or an indulgent family retreat, Jumeirah Vittaveli offers unmatched diversity, subtle luxury and personalised exploration. The 5-star dive centre is a veritable hive of activity for canoeing, windsurfing and diving in one of the world’s most incredible coral reefs whilst the overwater Talise Spa offers an island escape. At every turn, unbeatable hospitality and five-star amenities combine to capture the very essence of indulgence.

Jumeirah Vittaveli Opens

Jumeirah has announced the opening of Vittaveli Maldives, the ultra-luxury resort catering for couples, families and small groups.

Located a mere 20 minutes by speedboat from Malé International Airport, Jumeirah Vittaveli is a convenient option for travellers visiting the Maldives and it is the second Maldives luxury hotel opened by Jumeirah in 2011.

Nestled in a spot of astounding beauty, Jumeirah Vittaveli offers 91 villa-suites, all with their own spacious private pool. The resort introduces a variety of accommodation options on the island and over water, ranging from 184 sq. m to 800 sq. m. Other feature highlights include three restaurants, a bar, a 1080 sq. m Talise Spa and comprehensive facilities for young children and teenagers.

Every consideration has been taken for the enjoyment of the younger guests as well as preserving peace and tranquillity for the adult visitors. The resort features Sinbad's Kids Club for children from two to 12 years of age, and a teen club for those aged 12 and above, both offering interactive, fun and educational programmes for all ages. In addition a dedicated family and children's pool has been created, adjacent to the Kids and Teens clubs.

The Maldives luxury resort also offers specific children's menus in all three restaurants and throughout the in-villa dining menu. Even the Talise spa has introduced special treatment programmes for families. 'Aaila' is the Maldivian word for family; 'Aila Time' invites families to enjoy an awakening of a personal reconnection, whilst the Aila 'beyond' journey educates young adults aged between 12 and 16 about the joy of spa, preparing them for a lifetime of wellbeing.

Another major focus for the luxury hotel Maldives is its gastronomic offering. Introducing a wide variety of cuisine catering for every type of palate, Executive Chef Kai Boeddinghaus, whose work in Kameha Suite in Frankfurt previously earned him a Michelin star, maintains a culture of excellence in the resort's three restaurants, whether for relaxed al fresco dining by the sea, or cocktails and culinary sophistication within themed interiors, through his own unique style and flair combining modern Mediterranean and Asian influences.

Jumeirah Group has opened a total of six new hotels in 2011: Jumeirah at Etihad Towers in Abu Dhabi, Jumeirah Zabeel Saray in Dubai, Jumeirah Dhevanafushi and Jumeirah Vittaveli in the Maldives, Jumeirah Himalayas Hotel Shanghai in China and Jumeirah Frankfurt in Germany. With new properties opening in Dubai, Kuwait, London, Rome, Azerbaijan, and Mallorca in the coming six months, Jumeirah Group expects to have doubled its portfolio of hotels, resorts and serviced residences under management since the start of 2011.

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Jumeirah Dhevanafushi announces the opening of the Ocean Pearls

Jumeirah Dhevanafushi, Jumeirah Group's first property on the Maldives and an exclusive all-suite resort, announces the opening of the Ocean Pearls, a cluster of water villas located 800 metres from the main island, suspended on platforms above the sea and entirely self dependent.

Offering its own distinctive identity and atmosphere, the Ocean Pearls offer a unique over-water concept where guests feel as though they are truly in the middle of the ocean. Each Ocean Revive (270m2) and Ocean Sanctuary (340m2) villa has a tall living room with unobstructed views out over the ocean. Guests can relax outdoors in their sunken bathtub on the deck with direct access to their private pool, or bask on their own sun deck with a few steps leading them directly into the Indian Ocean.

The Ocean Pearls offer enough facilities to keep guests entertained, with a shared infinity pool, bar, restaurant, in-house dining, library and spa treatment rooms; guests who wish to explore the main island and the region have also full access to the facilities and a 24/7 boat limousine service at their disposal.

Johara, the Ocean Pearls' restaurant, offers guests a culinary journey with award-winning chefs and menus created using the world's finest ingredients. The concept is lounge dining contemporary cuisine with influences of Japanese, South-East Asian and Maldivian. Guests can opt for full size dishes or choose a selection and dine tapas-style.

Overview of facilities and services at The Ocean Pearls:

- 24-hour private butler service
- Exclusive suspended Talise Spa treatment room
- Two-tiered, infinity edge pool overlooking the ocean
- Elevated library for tranquil moments
- Johara restaurant, serving seafood specialties
- Circular arrival jetty, over-water hammock, day beds and service bar
- Guests at The Ocean Pearls also have full access to all of the facilities and services at the main island resort.

Jumeirah Group to open first resort in Maldives by Quarter One of 2011

Jumeirah Group has announced that the company’s first resort in Maldives; Jumeirah Dhevanafushi will be an all suite resort and is scheduled to open in Quarter One of 2011.

The property is situated in the Gaafu Alifu Atoll, 400 kms south of the capital city of Malé. The resort comprises 22 island villas, water village, called the Hermitage Collection, including 16 ocean villas. The villas, named Revives and Sanctuaries offer sea views, direct access to the beach and 24 hour butler service.

The resort also features three restaurants and a bar with a variety of culinary options and a Talise Spa. Jumeirah Group also has its second upscale family resort underway in Maldives, christened as Jumeirah Vittaveli it will be situated at South Malé Atoll and is scheduled to open in March 2011.



Related News


Jumeirah Announces Management Appointments for Maldives Resorts

Jumeirah expands in Maldives with offering of luxury resort

Jumeirah Dhevanafushi to open in the first quarter of 2011

Jumeirah Maldives opening in early 2011

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