Cotswolds Lifestyle Nov - Dec 2021

eally hit the right notes in the afternoon
heat.
Knowing as they do that tourism in these
areas have hugely adverse effects on the
local environment, Sun Siyam as a group
continually look for ways to reduce their
footprint. Being an archipelagic state, the
Maldives does rely on a significant array
of food imports, but the group has its
own farm island which grows a variety of
produce, limiting the carbon impact. Guests
to the resort can visit too, for a unique farm
to plate experience.
I suppose the other big question for everyone
tentatively dipping their toes back into
international travel, is, is it safe? The major
advantage of the Maldives is the sheer space
between the islands, meaning that they
can isolate cases as and when they occur.
How this landscape will change as more
vaccines are rolled out across the globe is
still unknown, but its clear that each resort
is doing their part. As it currently stands, to
change resorts you are still required to take
a PCR test - whilst some might consider
this an unnecessary expense, I think it’s a
sensible and safe practice to make sure you
can enjoy your stay fully.
Now, if there is a spa to be found in a resort,
you will generally find me ensconced inside
it. Within a humble-looking bungalow off
one of the jungle tracks, lies Iru Fushi’s - a
world-leading spa by French brand Thalgo -
don’t be fooled by initial appearances though
- knock on the heavy black-lacquered doors
and you’ll be whisked into an exotic oasis,
where pebble-lined paths snake through
bubbling koi ponds. Massages here are on
the expensive side, but hey, you’re in the
Maldives - lean in to the luxury and enjoy
your slice of paradise, it really is worth it.
I suppose the thing that really sets the tone
for any trip, and indeed the make or break,
are the staff within the resort, and Sun Siyam
really do have a spectacularly good team.
Throughout the stay, nothing was too much
trouble. Want a pinch-me romantic dinner
on your own stretch of beach, surrounded
by the twinkle of candles? You’ve got it. In
our little quintet of ladies holidaying together,
we mentioned we would like to have a
meditation session on the beach - what
we got was a heart shape hand-dug into
the sand, punctuated with tea lights and
frangipani flowers, with yoga mats rolled out
and a selection of oils from the spa to aid
relaxation. This beautiful scene was all the
work of our dedicated butlers and could not
have been more special. This attention to
detail extends everywhere - even my own
very British sensibilities about having a butler
were eased, as the service they offered was
completely unobtrusive and very intuitive.
There’s not much I can say that you might not
already know, but that shouldn’t be a reason
to stop you getting into the Maldivian groove
and discovering it for yourself - flawless
hospitality, great food, a wealth of activities
and the unrelenting joy of the location, I think
Sun Siyam could make even the most cynical
resort-snob fall under its spell.
www.sunsiyam.com
Travelling admist COVID Restrictions means
you must be fully aware of conditions for
travel prior to your journey - you must follow
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