Condé Nast Traveler has announced the winners of its 2019 Hot List with Joali Maldives recognised as one of the world’s best new hotels.
The Condé Nast Traveler Hot List recognises the best hotels and cruises around the world that have opened in the past year and uncovers the top trends inspiring modern travellers. The list includes “definitive picks of the boundary-pushing properties” that “define why we travel now and where we are going next,” according to Melinda Stevens, Global Editor-in-Chief of Condé Nast Traveler.
Including Joali in its 2019 Hot List, Condé Nast Traveler recognised the resort’s emphasis on design and details.
“Joali’s strongpoint is simple: an island hotel in the relatively undeveloped Raa Atoll that’s sensible and unselfconscious, its Maldivian natural wonder combined with a Mediterranean feel (the owner is Turkish). This mood sets it apart from other Maldivian hotels, many of which scrabble about trying to reinvent the country’s Paradise Found with some trumped-up USP,” the world-renowned travel magazine’s editors said.
“… there’s been no scrimping when it comes to design: Istanbul-based architects Autoban, known for the extraordinary Baku airport international terminal and London’s Duck + Rice, have created 49 overwater and 24 beach villas that are both smart and vast, with palm roofs and rose-gold taps resembling giant pebbles. Slinky silk gowns hang in the wardrobe—a one-off print by Ardmore, which designs for Hermès—while the island is peppered with unexpected sculptures including a manta-ray tree house by artist Porky Hefer and an underwater coral garden by Misha Kahn.”
Joali Maldives is a luxury, immersive art resort located on the island of Muravandhoo in Raa atoll. The 73-villa property offers unconventional luxury in a private setting and a distinct focus on design by internationally-renowned design studio Autoban, architecture and design firm Atolye4n and Tokyo-based Studio Glitt.
Innovative dining concepts include Japanese restaurant Saoke, authentic Asian and Levant restaurant Vandhoo, Tuscan-inspired Bellinis, personalised dining and cooking school Her Kitchen, as well as numerous destination dining experiences.
The Spa by ESPA invites guests on a holistic wellness journey along with a world-class fitness centre and expert trainers.
Joali Maldives celebrates its “Joie de Vivre” philosophy through unique programming such as Maldivian excursions and one-of-a-kind on-property offerings, including an Art Studio and Gallery, Flower Garden, Manta Ray Treehouse and more.