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Wednesday, 08 August, 2018, 16 : 21 PM [IST]
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Lily Beach Resort and Spa - Ideal gateway for scenic views, leisure & a gastronomical affair
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Maldives, the south-west island nation to India is as an ideal destination,
where one can just immerse themselves in the Indian Ocean to swim
with the manta rays and whale sharks, and enjoy the distinct cuisines
from around the world in their peaceful villas of the resort. Akshay Nayak
shares how The Lily Beach Resort & Spa sets the bar high to comfort one
to delve deep into the destination’s serenity.
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With the workplace in a prime location like
South Mumbai, frequenting to and fro the
city’s coastline is just a few minutes’ walk
for one. However, while enjoying a serene
view of the Arabian Sea from the shore,
the hustling traffic swarming right behind
doesn’t please to all of one’s five senses!
India, even though having a long and
beautiful coastline, misses out on some aspects of which one includes
the beach-side’s nearness to daily commutable busy roads. Making it
difficult to hunt for places within the country for a comparatively calm
beach location, The Lily Beach Resort and Spa came to my rescue to
soothe and freshen up all the senses in the picturesque international
island destination – Maldives.
Maldives, the tropical nation in the Indian Ocean needs the least of
description for its marine beauty. One has to visit the nation to experience
its mix, right from the busy capital of Male with a bustling fish market,
and restaurant and shops on the road; to the calming resorts, spread out
distinctly on the more than 1,000-coral-island nation, that feature scenic
views of the ocean.
Beach Villa
Initiated by Explora, a boutique travel company, the four-day
familiarisation trip to the Lily Beach Resort and Spa was all about relaxing,
exciting activities & excursions, and an interesting culinary affair.
A Hassle-Free Transfer by SriLankan Airlines
Waiting for the 03:10 hrs flight from Mumbai to Colombo was a tad bit
tiring, but while entering the flight, the warm ‘Ayubowan’ (Greeting in
Sri Lanka) extended by the flight’s cabin crew, followed by the reclining
seat facing a screen for entertainment, and fresh in-flight menu. All this
ensured that the about 2.5-hour journey was a seamless one. Business
Class has its own perks. This gets even better on the Colombo-Male
bound transfer flight where I watched a movie only half-way through
while savouring the fresh fruits before I could realise that the 1-hour
flight even landed on Male International Airport.
A Rejuvenating Aura
The tiring overnight travelling had not yet ended, and the transfers
still going on, the next we waited was for the Trans Maldivian Airways
(TMA) seaplane to take us to the vicinity of the resort which was followed
by a 20-minute ‘Doni’ (sail boat) ride. However, waiting at the resort’s
VIP Lounge at the seaplane terminal was more than comforting with
adequate supplies of freshly baked breads, croissants, etc.; loungers and
Wi-Fi connectivity on the go.
The Lily Beach Resort and Spa at Huvahendhoo Island is a familyfriendly
resort marking 80% occupancy round the year in the total of 125
villas. Popularly known, for its Sunset Water Suites and Deluxe Water
Villas which boast of an overwhelming glass flooring section; the four
Sunset Water Suites – 182 sq mt each, are cozy enough to make a family
of four accommodate easily with 1 bedroom + 1 living Room on offer.
The other three categories are designed only with a bedroom. One can,
however, also opt for the fairly spacious 126 sq mt Deluxe Water Villas to
enjoy the breathtaking views while sunbathing on either of the two sun
beds. Each 68 sq mt-beach villa out of the 69, on the flip side, enjoys four
sun beds and an outside bathroom with only four walls, but no roof…
the best I could stay in to get connected almost instantly with the resort’s
calming aura.
Moving towards the culinary wonders at the resort, the three distinct
restaurants - Lily Maa Main Restaurant, Aqva, and Vibes serve the best
in their own ways. A select buffet of cuisines from around the world, be
it sushi or the scrumptious pizzas with the best toppings, the restaurant
has it all to get one’s platter piled up with each of everything on offer.
Children are on top priority with a dedicated “Kids Buffet” Section at the
Lily Maa. The delicious Teppanyaki on offer and the appetizing Teriyaki
Chicken Wings from the à la carte menu at Aqva would leave one taking
notes to try the same once they fly back home. The finger foods and B-52
shots at the Vibes Bar made the already interesting France vs Argentina
match even more lively… pushing the FIFA World Cup 2018’s to be more
unpredictable.
QWhich are the key markets for the Resort? How
do you rank India?
We see a lot of clients coming from Europe. Asia also
marks a significant share where the visitors are majorly
from Russia, China, Japan, India, etc. European clients
often choose longer stays ranging from 8-10 days.
Indian clients usually opt for 3-4 nights. Guests from
China usually stay for 4 nights, while that from Japan
prefer 3 nights. Currently, we record a minor market
share from India as they prefer accommodation closer
to Male for easy transportation.
QWhich are your target traveller segments?
Why?
The Lily Beach Resort & Spa witnesses a varied set of
patrons. Family vacationers are seen the highest round
the year. One can spot 70-80 children at the resort at
any given point of time. Moreover, the location is ideal
for the fashion industry as the resort is well-designed.
The Resort’s design aspect is also appreciated by the weddings clients
as most places of the resort act as good natural backdrops. Apart from
these, we receive a mix of honeymooners, couples and small groups of
corporate travellers too. We received groups of delegates of some car
companies last year.
QWhat are the USPs of Lily Beach Resort of Spa?
Lily Beach Resort and Spa is a family-friendly property. We have
been following various trends since 2009 in the all-inclusive Platinum
plan. Lily Beach is now known globally and people are aware about our
brand.
The Platinum Plan is an all-inclusive plan which includes assist on
arrival and departure by our airport team at Male’ International Airport;
Complimentary VIP lounge access at the Trans
Maldivian Airways seaplane terminal; selection
of 80 premium wines from all around the world
available in our restaurants and bars and four
brands of cigarettes available in all bars. Apart from
these, our restaurants and bars including - Lily Maa,
Tamarind Speciality Restaurant, The Spirit Bar,
Aqva bar, Vibes Bar, etc., serve the best of signature
dishes and beverages from across the world. One
can select from a wide variety of cuisines. The
guests can savour their favourite food and beverages
unlimited, with a serene view of the waters at each
restaurant.
QHow popular is the Resort for repeat clients
and how are you promoting it to attract more
clients globally and from India in particular?
We receive a total of 30% repeat clients from the
entire market, and 5% from India alone. In 2017, we
participated in several exhibitions including the GPS 2017 in India. We
are expecting more market share from India and hence providing yearlong
offers and promotions that are available both online and offline.
People still believe the brand is lesser recognised, but we are gaining
traction since we bagged five awards last year. At the resort, we have
various offers including several food festivals, etc.
QWhat is the peak season to visit the Resort? What occupancy does
the Resort record during this time?
We record an average of 80% occupancy round the year. The high season
for business starts from October and goes up till March-end. We have
various offers during this period and also the platinum plan complements
a calculated holiday including exciting activities and excursions.
 Aqva Bar
Marine Life
Following the good food, and
some rest at relaxaing villas, we
moved to experince the marine
beauty. The resort’s Dive Centre
is equipped with all the gear in
all sizes, be it the snorkel to fit
the face of a child, or the bigger
feet to be covered with fins,
necessary for snorkelling. With
small sharks and other fish
swimming around, the sight of
the colourful corals is what one
should experience at least once
in a lifetime.
While cruising for a detour to
Dhangethi Island - one of the most populated islands of Maldives, we
were lucky enough to snap some really close pictures of the dolphins
swimming by.
At the Resort’s shore, the fish feeding time (9 - 9:30 pm) sees the big
boys coming to fetch their share. One can spot the swarming hefty black
jack fish, sharks and sting rays swimming by at this time.
A 20-minute speedboat ride inside the ocean gave us a good view of
the enormous manta rays and a turtle.
Way Back
My legs didn’t feel like moving out of the cosy Beach Villa, but the trip
was heading to its conclusion.
With bags packed, I went right
outside of my villa to the beach
to feel the soft-textured sand,
until next time.
After checking out, we joined
at The Spirit Bar to relish on a
glass of Aperol Spritz before
hitting our way through the
sunny day. We halted at the
Maagiri Hotel in Male for lunch
and lounging before boarding
the night’s flight to Colombo.
The menu at Faru - the hotel’s
restaurant put a wide smile on
all our faces as we saw Dal Fry
and Butter Chicken.
With a bracket of about two hours handy to take a city tour, we saw the
Masjid-al-Sultan Muhammad Thakurufaanu Al Auzam, a library, and
the fish market. One cannot bat an eye to the souvenir stores here, which
have a wide range of pearl necklaces to wallets made from stingray
skin.
Back to the Male International Airport, SriLankan Airlines’ Business
Class was reverberating leisure at all the touch points, right from the
reclining seats to the tender chicken breast, while the wide screen
playing Black Panther was set right at a comfortable angle of sight.
akshay.nayak@saffronsynergies.in
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