Velaa Private Islands Win Coveted “Best Resort” Award at 2014 LT Maldives Awards

LONDON, February 4, 2014:

Described as “an island paradise…where lifestyle and landscape meet limitless opportunity” by founder Jiri Smejc, the opulent new Velaa Private Islands has just been awarded the title of “Best New Resort” at this year’s prestigious 2014 LT Maldives Awards, among several other categories including “Best Food” and “Best Service.”

Regarded as one of the travel industry's foremost experts in luxury travel destinations, Linara Travel is an established resource for the aspiring traveller, with Conde Nast Traveller Magazine dubbing travel agent Lindsey Wallace as one of the ‘World’s Top Travel Specialists.’ The 2014 LT Maldives Awards upholds such critical acclaim through their rigorous selection criteria, employing over 100 different standards across a total of 36 different awards, half of which were awarded to the Velaa Private Islands in a ceremony at the Maldives taking place on the 30th of January.

In addition to the distinguished “Best Resort”, “Best Food” and “Best Service” categories, the Velaa Private Islands also received awards for “Best Activities” and “Best Service” among a variety of other honours ranging from “Best Chef” and “Best Wine Cellar.” Activities included at Velaa ring true to the company’s mission that, “no request is too much, and each guest ultimately feels this is their own private island.” Indeed, guests can feel free to engage in even the most whimsical requests, from snorkelling with turtles (“Best Resort to Snorkel with Turtles”) to dining at restaurants headed by a Michelin star chef (“Best Fine Dining Restaurant”), to even utilizing their very own private recreational submarine on the premises. The opulence of Velaa doesn’t end there, however, as guests can go on to further enjoy a myriad of other activities, including a visit to Velaa’s nine-hole golf course by Ryder Cup-winning captain Jose Maria Olazabal or to Velaa’s award-winning Teppanyaki Grill for a quick cooking class.

Launched in December of 2013, the Velaa Private Islands features 45 private villas, houses and exclusive residences each with their private swimming pool, including 18 built on stilts over water. With French Michelin starred chef Adeline Grattard tucked away into one of the three on-site restaurants and a £1million stocked wine cellar for guests to indulge in, Velaa extends its offerings to also include a custom designed spa by Clarins and a ‘snow room’ to ensure the highest level of comfort is achieved for all guests in attendance.

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