Gili people

At Select we have for years confidently recommended Gili (formerly called Soneva Gili). Keeping up the quality and spirit of the Gili we love, here are some managers and staff at Gili Lankanfushi:

Director of Sales Roberto Arganese and
Resort Manager Alexander Blair

Our man Waheed, bringing service and smiles
 

See my last blog for people delivering the best in food & wines at this overwater and underwater paradise. A rustic haven perched over a turquoise lagoon, delivering personalized luxury, peace, harmony and well-being.

Walking to the end of the pier to our villa suite number 38 

 

Magical Gili

Three wonderful nights and days at Gili Lankanfushi. One of our Select Collection favourites for many years, Gili is as lovely as ever. From a warm welcome to a nostalgic goodbye, great people, crystal turquoise waters, luxurious villas. And meals and other perfect moments to remember ...

A warm and delicious welcome to Gili

.

The lunch restaurant - perfect grills and brilliant views

From over the water, down into the magic of  the wine cellar, where wonderful tasting sessions are held:

Our degustation menu

Duncan sommelier and magician among wines
 

Tasting menu with Duncan

More melting moments with Duncan
 

Not to forget culinary mastery at restaurant By The Sea:



Comfort, views and ambience at By The Sea
 - fusion Peruvian-Japanese culinary adventure

Friendly staff at restaurant By The Sea

Executive chef Stefan Göhcke

 

 

 

More magic: sensational spa for peace and wellbeing. Like our Select Collection spa the Gili spa uses Voya products

The magic of Voya from Ireland

And finally goodbye to Gili with warmest thanks...

Director of Sales Roberto Arganese and
Alexander Blair Resort Manager

My last breakfast, dazzling beauty, feet in the sand

 

Wonderful Viceroy Maldives

 

Today leaving Viceroy, full of impressions. This new resort is so hi-tech, so stylish and yet so friendly, with perfect service and lovely people. A home from home in one of the world's most unspoilt and beautiful places.

 

Looking back, I will never forget the people:

 



Jaufar office supervisor, always
 helpful and smiling

 

General Manager Mark Sterner and
Ashley Lester Executive Housekeeper
I enjoyed our dinner together so much

 

Certainly I will remember:

 

Best Purebred Wagyu Beef Strip I ever had,
cooked to perfection

 

 

The out-of-this-world facilities:

 

The sublime spa

The gym: sheer pleasure each morning;
all work goes out of workout
in this stunning environment

 

A stylish miniworld for the kids at the kids club,
with vanities scaled down to size

 

The fabulous pool area

 

The stunning accommodation:

 

My stylish room

 

 

 

And the total pampering:

 

The romantic turndown

 

 

 Thank you lovely people at Viceroy...

 

Saying goodbye to the lovely team at the jetty
before stepping onto the seaplane 
 



 

 

 

Lifestyle and sophistication

Now at one of the brand new resorts in our Select Collection, Viceroy Maldives. Viceroy is pure lifestyle, pure sophistication against a dazzling backdrop. Natural materials have been used in a very modern and stylish way, with a kind of minimalism that makes the clear water and beautiful nature more outstanding.

Steps down to my private lagoon haven



Water villa / lifestyle on the turquoise lagoon

The accommodation is stunning / 61 beach and water villas. All have private pools in case you don\t feel like stepping down to swim in the dazzling lagoon. The beds are super comfortable, and the rooms very high tech with CNN, films, music etc. You don’t give up any home comforts but get them all in paradise.

Viceroy lies in Shaviyani atoll, 55 minute seaplane flight from Male.

Here we waited in comfort  for our flight to Viceroy.
.

On my arrival at Viceroy Christine met me
and showed me round.

There are five restaurants including the Treehouse restaurant, where we enjoyed sunset and Arabic mezze.

The treehouse, mezze and sunset

And the lush tropics

Dazzling pool area with bars and restaurants

My first breakfast

My first lunch at Viceroy

More perfect meals to come...

Soneva secrets...

A few heavenly days to remember at Soneva Fushi, with the Soneva team and founders Eva and Sonu.

Fresh food creatively spiced tastes even better in good
company - here with the team from Soneva Fushi

Ewa - a glowing inspiration for healthy, fresh
yet delectable cuisine at Soneva Fushi
with Fredrik & Lars from Select Collection

From the wonders of sizzling locally sourced food, we went on to discover the flavours of cocktails and mocktails mixed from freshly picked organic fruit, sipped over water.

Then we went underground to discover more about wine.  The Soneva Fushi wine cellar has 7000 bottles of great wines including champagnes, vintage cognacs and organic and biodynamic wines. Guided by the sommelier, we tasted our way to new secrets.  I discovered Burgundy, which is now hot on the heels of Bordeaux as THE red to enjoy....

Jasper Kok, Food & Beverage Manager
in the wine cellar



Jasper explains a little about his favourite Burgundies and recent top vintages: 2002, 2005, 2009, (2008) 2010

His top list of producers of the red are:

Beaune: Domaine Joseph Drouhin and its Clos de Mouches

Volnay for its elegance: Domaine de la Pousse d'Or, Nicolas Rossignol, Comtes Lafon

Vosne-Romanee for power with feminine edge: Domaine Anne Gros, Domaine de Eugenie 

Musigny for longevity and texture: Comte George de Vogue

Antony Paton Managing Director of Soneva Group
with my Friday and Guest Relations
A fond goodbye to the lovely people at Soneva Fushi

Glorious slow life...

Soneva Fushi. We have had days of inspiration in paradise. Thanks to the passionate engagement in the environment of founders Sonu & Eva, Soneva Fushi is a beautiful example of “slow life” (Sustainable-Local-Organic-Wellness Learning-Inspiring-Fun-Experiences). Experiences are created to make guests fall in love with enlightened luxury. It starts with the food...

In paradise with Sonu

A special dinner

This is not just creative cuisine, it comes from the earth in the most sustainable way possible.

Crushing all branches and coconuts to make humus
that nourishes the plants

The lush organic garden

As fresh and nutritious as can be

Just getting to the restaurant is a reminder of where it all comes from:

Bridge over the organic garden to the
Fresh in the Garden restaurant

On a hotel inspection - a walk through paradise



One of our meetings was here...
Just perfect for incentives

Meeting here, paradise feels like it will go on forever.  You even get to see the heavens ...

The Soneva Fushi observatory