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Amilla Maldives Resort’s Trailblazing Menus Win Top Prize at the Destination Deluxe Awards

Amilla Maldives Resort’s Trailblazing Menus Win Top Prize at the Destination Deluxe Awards
Amilla Maldives is celebrating after winning the Wellness Cuisine of the Year 2021 prize in the Destination Deluxe Awards.

Amilla Maldives Resort and Residences is celebrating after winning the Wellness Cuisine of the Year 2021 prize in the prestigious Destination Deluxe Awards. The five-star Maldives resort also came third place in the Hotel of the Year 2021 category and was a finalist in Eco-Hotel of the Year 2021 and Spa of the Year 2021.

The Wellness Cuisine of the Year 2021 accolade was bestowed upon Amilla Maldives in recognition of the resort’s trailblazing Wellness Your Way (WYW) programme. Although Amilla is not a wellness resort, General Manager, Jason Kruse, and Sustainability and Wellness Mentor, Victoria Kruse, recognized that a truly contemporary five-star resort should fully cater to all the dietary requirements of its guests – not only for those with food intolerances but also for those who follow ‘eating lifestyles’. So Victoria devised a series of WYW menus encompassing a variety of keto/paleo/low carb, gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan/vegetarian dishes.

Every dish at the resort can also be customised to each guest’s precise desires, and all the staff at every single one of Amilla’s restaurants have been educated about dietary preferences and intolerances or allergies. This helps to ensure they offer accurate advice to guests and requests for alterations are always greeted with understanding.

This project has been a labour of love for us. We personally follow our own path to wellness through a ketogenic diet and we want to ensure that any guests coming to Amilla can do the same. We want it to be effortless on the part of the guests, as well as delicious to continue – or even start – an eating lifestyle at Amilla.

Victoria Kruse, Sustainability and Wellness Mentor at Amilla Maldives

Amilla’s innovative Wellness Your Way programme, thought to offer the widest variety of speciality dishes in the Maldives, is complemented by two additional wellness cuisine programmes (also the brainchild of Victoria) – Homemade@Amilla and Homemade@Amilla.

The Homegrown@Amilla initiative sees many different types of products grown in the surprisingly fertile soil of the island, including sweet potatoes, herbs, bananas, lettuce and mushrooms – fresh eggs also come from the resort’s new ‘Cluckingham Palace’ coop.

Homemade@Amilla utilises many of the Homegrown products plucked from the resort’s new fruit and veg gardens, as well as items from neighbouring islands and beyond, to create Homemade@Amilla kefir, kimchi, yoghurt and more.

The Destination Deluxe Awards are highly revered in the travel industry as they feature a professional judging panel of 18, with no payments accepted from competitors for tables or to be part of the awards ceremony. Competition is fierce for these much-desired awards.

We are so grateful to win this award. As a boutique five-star Maldivian-owned resort, we are so grateful to Destination Deluxe to have been selected. I can not express how much this means to our team and how much additional motivation it gives us to continue upon our journey. After all the challenges of COVID, reopening during the pandemic and being a stand-alone property, we are so grateful to receive such an award. We really value the award as we know it is ‘real’.

Jason Kruse, General Manager at Amilla Maldives

Feature image by Amilla Maldives

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Raise a Glass: Champagne Guy Charbaut Celebrates Five Years of Collaboration with THE OZEN COLLECTION

Champagne Guy Charbaut partners with THE OZEN COLLECTION, offering exclusive events and rare vintages at Maldives’ luxury resorts.

A luxurious Champagne and fine dining experience returns to the Maldives as Champagne Guy Charbaut and THE OZEN COLLECTION celebrate five years of their signature collaboration. From 20 to 26 October 2025, guests at OZEN LIFE MAADHOO and OZEN RESERVE BOLIFUSHI will enjoy a week of exclusive events. These experiences celebrate rare vintages, gourmet cuisine, and island elegance. The collaboration brings together the rich heritage of Champagne Guy Charbaut. A family-run house from Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, France with the curated luxury of THE OZEN COLLECTION.

What Makes This Partnership So Special?

Founded in 1936, Champagne Guy Charbaut has spent nearly a century perfecting its craft. The winery creates elegant cuvées shaped by the limestone terroir of the French countryside. Meanwhile, THE OZEN COLLECTION delivers immersive hospitality in some of the world’s most stunning settings. When you bring these two together, you get something pretty special.

That’s exactly what happened here. This partnership blends Champagne, culinary artistry, and island luxury into a one-of-a-kind annual tradition.

Xavier Charbaut puts it perfectly:
“We have discovered something extraordinary with THE OZEN COLLECTION. What began as a meeting of philosophies—our devotion to terroir, their dedication to moments—has blossomed into a tradition that reinvents itself each year. These shores have become a second home for our champagnes. The salt-kissed air seems to amplify their vibrancy. As we raise our glasses to five years of shared excellence, we see not an endpoint, but a horizon brimming with possibilities.”

And that’s not all. Looking ahead, he adds:
The next chapter will unveil even more daring pairings. More intimate encounters with our rarest vintages. And perhaps a few surprises we’re still carefully guarding in our cellars.”

Where and When: Event Highlights at Both Resorts

OZEN LIFE MAADHOO: 20–22 October 2025

First up, Maadhoo kicks off the celebration with three days of indulgence:

20 October – Underwater Dining at M6m
To start things off, guests will enjoy lunch and dinner in the iconic underwater restaurant. Each course comes paired with exclusive Champagnes chosen for the occasion.

21 October – Champagne & Spice Dinner at TRADITION INDOCEYLON
The celebration continues with a bold and flavour-packed Franco-Indian dinner. Here, vibrant spices meet refined bubbles in a pairing that’s full of surprises.

22 October – Champagne Brunch Royale at THE PALMS
To wrap up the Maadhoo leg in style, guests can unwind at a breezy Champagne brunch. The pours and the vibes are equally generous.

OZEN RESERVE BOLIFUSHI: 24–26 October 2025

Next, it’s Bolifushi’s turn to pop the cork:

24 October – World Champagne Day at ORIGINƎ
What better way to celebrate World Champagne Day? This over-water dining experience pairs ocean-inspired dishes with some of the house’s finest vintages.

25 October – Champagne & Spice at SAFFRON
Back by popular demand, this flavour-packed dinner returns with a fresh round of Indian warmth and French finesse. If you missed it at Maadhoo, now’s your chance.

26 October – Sunset Pool Party at OZAR
Finally, the week winds down with a golden-hour pool party. Chilled Champagne, music, and sunset views take centre stage. It’s the kind of farewell you won’t forget anytime soon.

A Shared Commitment to Craft and Experience

Of course, the collaboration doesn’t stop when the week ends. Champagne Guy Charbaut’s bottles remain available across both resorts throughout the year.

Whether you’re sipping the Cuvée de Réserve ‘Old Vines’ Brut or the vibrant Rosé 1er Cru Brut, each bottle offers a new reason to celebrate.

Nicolas Laguette, Director of Wines at Atmosphere Core, sums it up well:
“The union between Champagne Guy Charbaut and THE OZEN COLLECTION represents the very essence of what modern luxury should be. A harmonious dialogue between heritage and innovation, where every detail is considered and every moment is elevated.”

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