Bailey Robinson March 2008 enewsletter - Indian Ocean award winners

In 2007 the Indian Ocean resorts swept the board when it came to winning luxury travel's versions of the Oscars, Golden Globes and Baftas. While award ceremonies can be somewhat subjective we list below those that, in our eyes, have truly deserved recognition.

Huvafen Fushi Maldives
Best Beach Hotel
Harper's Bazaar Travel Guide
Harper's think it's the best, and so do we. This top selling Maldives beach resort generates endless praise from our guests year upon year. It is now complete with five new luxury dhoni boats and one luxury cruiser to explore the atoll.

Soneva Fushi & Six Senses Spa Maldives
Best Villa - Jungle Reserve
Luxury Travel Reader Awards
Eco-luxury at its best, this vast 1,710 square meter villa offers a huge swimming pool, master bedroom, tree house for children and its own spa treatment room and gym.

Shanti Ananda Maurice Mauritius
Most Heavenly Hideaway
Tatler Travel Guide Awards
The only destination spa in Mauritius, the treatment packages offered here, such as the seven night Wellness Bliss package, will take you even closer to heaven than its lofty sister resort, the award winning Ananda in the Himalayas.

Cousine Island Seychelles
Indian Ocean Leading Ecotourism Destination
World Travel Awards
All revenue from guests staying at the four villas at Cousine is pumped into conserving the endangered endemic birdlife, giant Aldabra Tortoises and turtles that inhabit this pristine island. Perfect also to take on an exclusive basis.

Banyan Tree Seychelles
Best Spa Resort
Luxury Travel Reader Awards
Eight luxurious hillside spa pavilions, nestled in virgin jungle, offer a range of exotic treatments to relax body and soul. New additions to the resort are the two bedroom, double pool beachfront villas and a third restaurant.

OUR FAVOURITES...

One&Only Maldives at Reethi Rah
No. 1 in the World, Best of the Best
Condé Nast Traveller
With the best public areas of any resort in the world Reethi Rah boasts stunning infinity pools, show kitchens, amazing recreation facilities, outstanding kids' club and beautifully designed villa accommodation.

North Island, Seychelles
Most consistently brilliant hotel
Tatler Travel Guide Awards
They couldn't give North Island the best hotel in the world award again, since winning it consecutively in various award ceremonies since opening in 2003, so this year they made up a category, 'Most consistently brilliant hotel', which is apt; North Island is more than worthy of this outstanding accolade.

Le Touessrok, Mauritius
Indian Ocean Leading Golf Resort
World Travel Awards
Le Touessrok offers the only golf course in the Indian Ocean to be situated on its own island. This outstanding Bernhard Langer designed 18 hole par-72 course is challenging, however a state of the art Golf Academy is at hand to prevent you from losing too many balls.

THE BEST FOR VALUE...

...FOR HONEYMOONS

The Residence Mauritius
Valid year round (except the festive season) this is the best value for money honeymoon anywhere, and what is more it is on the best stretch of beach in Mauritius. The bride gets free accommodation, only paying for meals. From £3,280 per couple for 14 nights in a Colonial Ocean View Room on a half board basis with direct economy flights, taxes and executive transfers.

...FOR FAMILIES

Le Telfair Golf & Spa Resort Mauritius
Fourteen nights for the price of seven in a Superior Sea View room, with complimentary full board upgrade from only £2,175 per adult, with one child sharing at just £590. Includes direct flights, taxes and executive transfers. Valid 17th April - 30th September 2008.

LATEST NEWS

One&Only Le Saint Géran, Mauritius
One&Only Le Saint Géran is the only resort in the Indian Ocean with two restaurants that have Michelin starred chefs at the helm. Alain Ducasse's 'Spoon des Iles' has long been a favourite and continues to win worldwide acclaim, and it has now been joined by 'Rasoi by Vineet' the new restaurant from Vineet Bhatia whose Chelsea restaurant won the Moet & Chandon 'Indian restaurant of the year' award. New special offers including complimentary dinner and free nights make this remarkable hotel exceptional value.

Frégate Island Private, Seychelles
The Seychelles pioneering eco-luxury island resort, Frégate Island has been transformed to include a 16-20 metre private pool per villa, new two-bedroom villas suitable for families, private butler service, destination dining anywhere on the island including a new tree-house, a new Rock Gym, and all-natural spa products sourced from the island itself. A successful conservation programme has seen Magpie Robins, Aldabra Tortoises, Seychelles Whiteyes and Seychelles Terrapins flourish on the island.

Banyan Tree Madivaru, Maldives
Something different for the Maldives comes in the shape of a new safari style luxury resort of just six tented villas offering privacy and exclusivity located in beautiful lagoons of the North Ari Atoll, offering some of the Maldives best dive spots. In villa spa treatments and general pampering are naturally part of the course.

Luxury Sri Lanka by Helicopter
A new and affordable way to enjoy Sri Lanka, without the tedious and bumpy drives allowing you more time to enjoy the luxury and beauty of Sri Lanka, comes in the form of 10 or 11 night tours conducted entirely by Bell Jet Ranger helicopter seating a maximum of 4 people. From as little as £3,730 per person, staying in Sri Lanka's finest accommodation with excursions by helicopter around the Cultural Triangle sites.