Soneva Jani has been crowned the World’s Sexiest Bedroom by The Mr & Mrs Smith Hotel Awards 2018.
Conferring the award to Soneva Jani, fashion designer Olivia von Halle, who served as one of the three judges for the World’s Sexiest Bedroom category, said: “One button on this retractable roof stands between you and post-coital stargazing. Did I mention you’re lying on a bed in the middle of the ocean? If that’s not sexy I don’t know what is.”
Reviewing Soneva Jani, the team at the publication described the resort as “not just a bonkers-beautiful aquatic playground for the very, very lucky (though it sure is that). The island resort has a heart, too, as evidenced by the Maldives’ first overwater ‘silent’ cinema: guests get Bluetooth headphones at the screening, so that they can enjoy whatever’s showing, without disturbing the finned and feathered locals.”
“Some places change you: Soneva Jani, for example. After our trip there, we don’t want to ever use stairs, escalators or lifts again; from now on, we only want to get from A to B by water slide. Preferably directly into a glittering 5.6 kilometre lagoon. We’ve also been left a bit spoiled when it comes to entertainment options – if it doesn’t have five private islands, an observatory, an overwater cinema, a garden with a meditative labyrinth and an ice-cream, chocolate and cheese room, we’re just not interested.”
Opened in December 2016, Soneva Jani is leading luxury resort operator Soneva’s newest property and its second resort in the Maldives.
Soneva Jani encompasses a collection of 24 overwater villas and one island villa set in a 5.6 kilometre private lagoon located in the northern Noonu atoll. The resort spans five islands surrounded by pure white beaches, covered in rich tropical vegetation, offering the ultimate in privacy and luxury.
Each of the resort’s multilevel water villas has its own private pool and a retractable roof that allows guests to sleep beneath the stars. Many villas also have slides that transport guests directly from the top level into the lagoon below. Other hotel highlights include a spa, an observatory — home to the largest telescope in the Indian Ocean — and an outdoor cinema.
Since its opening, Soneva Jani has created a lot of buzz amongst luxury travellers with its exciting features such as the retractable roofs and the water slides. It has been named the Best Over-the-Top Luxury hotel of the year by Jetsetter.com, the best new resort in the world by CNN, and the Leading Luxury Hotel/Resort in South Asia and Leading Luxury Hotel/Resort in Maldives.
Soneva also runs the iconic Soneva Fushi resort, which was also named runners-up in the Best Family Hotel category by The Mr & Mrs Smith Hotel Awards 2018.
“A clownfish-shaped pool, pirate ship, ping-pong hut, trampolines, mocktail bar, lego room, dress-up area, zip line and a water slide from the main building – there’s every chance this is the greatest kids’ club in the world. But we should also mention the on-island chocolatier, telescope-equipped observatory, enlightening eco centre and on-site reef for all ages, too. With all those distractions, us grown-ups will be in the life-affirming spa,” the publication said, about Soneva Fushi.
Established in 1995, Soneva Fushi is the original Soneva. The No News, No Shoes blueprint for all desert island barefoot luxury hideaways is located within the Baa Atoll UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in the Maldives. Soneva Fushi inspires the imagination with 65 spacious beachfront villas, ranging in size from one to nine bedrooms, hidden amongst dense foliage.
The iconic resort has bagged several international awards for eco-friendly tourism and green initiatives, including the 2017 Green Hotelier Award for the Asia Pacific region and the Sustainable Hotel Award by the Hotel Investment Conference Asia Pacific (HICAP) as well as a spot in the Gold List compiled by Condé Nast Traveler China as the Best Hotel in the Maldives and amongst the best resorts in the world in the Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards 2017.