We’re all over the fact that Shangri-La’s Villingili Resort and Spa in the Maldives is set to open on July 26. It’s not just because there will be a CHI spa or that it’s offering seven-night stays for the price of five, but truly what excites us the most are the 16 tree house villas that will be perched 10-feet above the ground.
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Treehouse Villa at Shangri-La Maldives
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These are not the tree houses you put together yourself as a younger person, you know, with boards and plastic and anything else you could dig up from behind the garage. Rather, these are 2,347 square foot abodes with infinity pools (how do they do that?) and the faint sound of Indian Ocean waves and exotic bird calls coming through the tropics.
Want more? There are also separate bedroom and living room pavilions, both indoor and outdoor showers as well as and a big oval bathtub. An outdoor deck will provide the perfect venue for dining al fresco.
With all this, we say this retreat is ideal for honeymooners and couples in search of quietude.
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Over-the-water suite at Shangri-La Maldives
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The CHI spa is no small matter, in fact, it’s built over four acres of land and, is in fact, its own “spa village.” All told, there are 11 large spa villas, each with their own private treatment rooms, lounging areas, steam rooms, outdoor gardens and bathing facilities.
Five are designed for couples, including a CHI villa dedicated to the Himalyan Tsangpo Ritual. That’s a bathing and cleansing ritual using ingredients based on the ancient Himalayan healing tradition called Sowa Rigpa. It takes place in a heated wet room “inspired by the enveloping warmth of Himalayan mountain caves and the refreshing waters of high altitude rivers.”
Other offerings on the CHI menu include the Himalayan Healing Stone Massage and the Mountain Tsampa Rub. The Kandu Boli Ritual is a body and facial massage in which larg tiger cowrie shells are used to apply pressure. The treatment finishes with warm coconut oil drizzled through the hair followed by a scalp massage.
For more information about the opening offers and for reservations, guests can contact the resort’s reservations department at reservations.slmd@shangri-la.com or (960) 689 7888, or visit the resort’s website at http://www.shangri-la.com/en/property/male/villingiliresort
