Snow in the Maldives

Now leaving the remarkable Velaa Private Island. A fortune was spent to make this island into the ultimate hideaway. It is all very tasteful – no gold and diamonds flashing except for those its elite clientele have left in their safes back home.

Part of the costly tab is that Velaa offers facilities not usually found in the Maldives like a golf academy, squash, and a covered tennis court, along with a full watersports centre, a spa with a snow room and extraordinary Cloud 9 reclining pods, four top quality restaurants and a wine cellar, and accommodation that is simply designer ... 

Some of my snapshots...

Tropical beauty

Well-being

Entrance to the spa

Cloud Nine - cloud-shaped reclining treatment pod by Klafs & Sha

The only snow in the Maldives - all for beauty treatments at the Spa

Plenty of sparkle when it comes to pools, beaches and turquoise water...

Signature restaurant Aragu

Dinner at Aragu with GM Igor Dolezel and marketing manager Alexander Kharabadze

In front of the restaurant

Breakfast

Gorgeous water villas...

Our beautiful water villa

Normally I prefer beach villas - but I loved our big water villa...

Now for sporty stuff

Lush golf course

Tennis under cover

The people are great.

Our lovely waitress

Our new Italian friend Remy - a chef who makes fantastic food

And its butlers have been recruited from among the best employed all around the Maldives.

Management and our butler saying goodbye

Time to go...

Our seaplane waiting 

Beautiful scenic flight - 45 mins by seaplane to Male

This wonderful Mauritius...

Inspired cuisine, sandy beaches, watersports, golf and tennis – and lovely friendly people. For Select Collection customers Mauritius also means luxurious accommodation and VIP treatment.

I have enjoyed all this and more at Dinarobin and Le Paradis the last few days. Here are a few glimpses of this wonderful life…

Great watersports!

 

Waterskiing at Le Paradis went very well for
me on Friday, although I haven't done it for
years... I will practice a bit more before
publishing any more pix :)

 

Great tennis...

 

...great tennis every day for me
in spectacular surroundings

 

 

Great accommodation! Lots of news in this area as Mauritius is investing more in top luxury accommodation…

 

New 4 bedroom villas at Dinarobin -
on a beautiful beach

 

Great seafood...

 

 

And great people...

 

One of the reasons we confidently recommend Mauritius for holidays is that we also have such special people looking after you at our hotels. And not only that –  we have Mautourco…

Mautourco are our people on the ground in Mauritius, who arrange all the transfers, VIP welcomes, and extra tours if you wish. They also help you if you have any problems. I always meet  with our vital contacts when I travel…with these wonderful people on Mauritius it is only a pleasure...

 

Special lunch with Mautourco on the beach
at Dinarobin

 

Jean Paul Poussin, the commercial manager
with Shalina Ruhee and Sonia Parmessur,
Commercial Executives at Mautourco

 

More about wonderful Mauritius - next blog...

 

 

 

 

Comeback for Mauritius

On my way to Mauritius, and thinking about tennis among other things. Yesterday we were at the Stockholm Open at Kungliga tennishallen, and saw Czech Tomas Berdych beat top-seeded Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in an exciting match.

I look forward to playing tennis in Mauritius with my son, especially at the beautiful courts of Paradis and Dinarobin.

But there will be a lot more things to experience for me and my travel companions. The fabulous thing is that Mauritius is making a comeback.

 

Among paradise islands, Mauritius has seen fierce competition in recent years. But now our beloved Mauritius is fighting back. Five star properties are being built or upgraded, and popular properties that were looking a little sunbleached are being smartly renovated to lure back top luxury customers. There will also be a lot of new flights to the island next year.

Select has been selling trips to Mauritius ever since we opened 20 years ago. It is a very loved island among my customers, and many have been waiting for this...

My mission on this trip is to find out more about the comeback of Mauritius… Watch my blog for news on the exciting developments on that warm and hospitable island. Some of the places I will visit:

 

Paradis & Dinarobin, Le Morne Peninsula

 

 

Constance Le Prince Maurice

 

Four Seasons Anahita

 

One&Only Le St Geran

 

 

 

Ravishing Reethi Rah...

Since May 2005 when One&Only Reethi Rah opened, it has grown more beautiful year by year. Money is lovingly lavished on this property. Constant upkeep holds back the wear and tear of the tropics, while the gardens have flourished, including the organic garden...

Organic gardening is one of the many little secrets behind the stunning fusion food at Reethi Rah, especially vital in this restaurant: 

Chef's Garden organic restaurant

Breakfast starts the day perfectly, before our wonderful activities.

Breakfast at Reethi Rah

A fantastic buffet breakfast

Continuing with an excursion...

... to the reef
and nearby sandbank

We saw eight turtles

 

Picnic after snorkelling -  the white
area above is sand!

More water. Afternoon surprise by
the butler Linsley

Petals floating in the bath

Reethi Rah activity is not all about water. For those like me who love tennis…there is another reason to call this paradise:

 

Wonderful tennis courts! Super quality and
lovely colour

   Getting out and about is also quite heavenly...

Reethi Rah has a big fleet of beautiful boats, here are  a few

And now after all that activity time for some sensual pampering in one of the world’s top hotel spas. One&Only Spa by ESPA not only has wonderful therapists, it also has sophisticated equipment: swirling vitality pools, crystal steam rooms, saunas and ice fountains. In case the sun is getting you down, the Lifestyle showers offer a refreshing burst of tropical rain. Then we could hang on a while here to enjoy exotic spa cuisine, tropical juices and relaxation in a beautiful pavilion.

With Spa manager Sabrina

I had a great spa treatment, and am now looking into the possibility of introducing one of their treatments to the Select spa. You will certainly hear more if this happens.

Some vital statistics of this marvellous climate

One&Only Reethi Rah offers 13 wonderful beaches, partly due to land reclamation. So the spacious beach and water villas all enjoy an unusual amount of privacy. See my last blog about One&Only Reethi Rah.