GIVEAWAY: Would You Like a Free Stay in the Maldives?

by Gary Leff

Regular readers know that I love the Maldives. I’ve been 5 years in a row. It’s the only place I’ve found where I can really unplug. The distance is a feature not a bug, by the time I get there I’m really ready to relax and the time difference helps me to do it — I can answer work emails in the morning, and everyone is gone from the office the rest of the day so I can just enjoy myself.

I’ve gone to the same place each time, because I could use points, but there are some fantastic properties that I’d love to try some day. One that’s really worth checking out is Loama Resort.

A new property, a 45 minute sea plane from the airport in the capital, this was a Buddhist refuge dating back centuries. Artifacts from the Ching dynasty were unearthed during the construction of the hotel. The property was listed in Conde Nast Traveler Middle East as one of the Best New Hotels in the World.

A beach villa here runs ~ $840 plus taxes. And I’m giving away 3 nights there with breakfast.

The resort looks fantastic, and gets a certificate of excellence from TripAdvisor.

Whether you want to dive, snorkle, spa or just relax this is going to be tough to beat. Combine it with a points stay somewhere else in the country, or drop in on nearby Sri Lanka (flights from Male are cheap and it’s less than 500 miles) and make a bigger holiday of it.

This is a very special giveaway, thanks to my good friends at Luxury Travel Diary. Regular readers know them as a high-end travel blog with great reviews. They’re based in the UK and run travel auctions with real bargains.

As I’ve said before, folks who already know about these auctions don’t like this added attention, because there don’t seem to be enough bidders for many of their best offerings relative to the value available. Some of their items go way too cheap.

This prize is being given away by the hotel and Luxury Travel Diary, I’m just helping to highlight it and randomly select the winner.

To enter: leave a comment on this post with your favorite item up for auction at Luxury Travel Diary, or why you would choose to stay at Loama Resort. You may enter two times if you wish and answer those two questions one time each in separate comments.

Contest deadline and drawing winner: Entries close Sunday, September 4 at Noon eastern. I will draw winner with the assistance of random.org.

The fine print: Advance booking is required and it’s subject to availability. Terms and conditions apply. Winner will have one week to respond to email notifying of the prize, otherwise the prize will be forfeit and made available to another reader.

For avoidance of doubt, I have no affiliation with Luxury Travel Diary or Loama Resort. I am not getting anything in exchange for running this giveaway other than an opportunity to share the place with readers.

The hotel is solely responsible for providing prize to winner. All decisions made in the course of running this giveaway are final and unappealable and your entry signifies your acceptance. The goal here is to make readers aware of a pretty cool auction opportunity, and to give away a stay. So please don’t make it hard on me for doing so!

About Gary Leff

Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel - a topic he has covered since 2002. Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »

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Comments

  1. Why would I want to stay at Loama Resort? Simple — it’s the Maldives and I’ve always wanted to go!

  2. Loama Resort looks absolutely perfect and great way to relieve stress and disconnect from the world!

  3. Why stay at Loama Resort?
    For the Tranquility, Beachfront, Spa, Seaplane Ride, Warm Ocean, and much more. Did I mention tranquility?

  4. Where to go, where to go… how bout 2 Nights At The Chic And Stylish Hotel Da Vinci, Paris. Having a Parisian hideaway in one’s back pocket is always a good idea.

  5. I would love to surprise my wife with an trip to the Maldives for her birthday, Loama Resort looks like a place she would love to stay at and somewhere we both could disconnect.

  7. The 2 NIGHTS AT DIVANI APOLLON PALACE, ATHENS, GREECE looks like a great place to stay, we have always wanted to go back to Athens and that auction might be a sign we we book soon.

  11. My favorite thing for auction on Luxury Travel Diary is the 2-night stay at The Wallawwa, Sri Lanka that I could use after I leave the Maldives.

  12. Why choose Loama Resort? One it comes highly recommended by you and received countless good reviews that the pictures are not fake.

  13. I think my favorite item up for auction (so hard to choose!) would be the Athina Luxury Suites in Santorini! Vacation goals.

  14. I think my favorite item up for auction (so hard to choose!) would be the Athina Luxury Suites in Santorini! Vacation goals.

  15. The Loama resort is gorgeous! Looks like it is comparatively easy to get to and lots of restaurant options. Yum!

  18. Rhino River Lodge would be nice option to scratch safari off bucket list. If boss would only grant PTO . . . . .

  21. Loama Resort looks absolutely perfect and will be a great way to relieve stress, relax and refresh. Would love to surprise my wife for our 30 year anniversary.

  24. Would love to go to the Maldives, never been before and couldn’t afford to, that’s why I want to win a stay

  28. My wife and I both had to have our wedding rings removed in the past year due to injuries in separate accidents. I’d like to to present my wife with our new rings in a setting like the Loama Resort.

  31. I would choose to stay at the resort, because:
    1) Maldives !
    2) Could really use a pampering myself

  35. My favorite item up for auction is the 3 Nights For 4 Ppl In A Luxury Villa In Koh Samui, Thailand because I love Koh Samui.

  36. On Luxury Travel Diary, 2 Nights At Twr Y Felin Luxury Hotel In Pembrokeshire, Wales seems super cheap and would be an interesting place to go!

  37. My pick for auction is the 2 NIGHTS AT THE INTERCONTINENTAL DUBAI MARINA, DUBAI. Recently got back from there and was really impressed.

  38. Probably not the most popular pick but I would pick the “return luggage transfer anywhere in the world” to send my skis back from my next trip! In fact, probably going to buy it now anyway!

  39. 3 NIGHTS AT THE RIAD PALAIS AMANI IN FEZ, MOROCCO
    I’d love to get lost wandering through Fez and sip on mint tea.

  40. I’d love to see the Maldives before the ocean reclaims the islands and the Loama looks like the perfect place do do it.

  42. I would pick the Loama Resort Maldives At Maamigili as I would love the opportunity to do a Picnic on Goimaru and explore one of the best coral reefs around this island. This beautiful resort was recognised in Conde Nast Traveller Middle East – Hot List 2015 among the Best New Hotels in the World. Amazing!

  44. 2 nights at Kata Rocks Ultra-Luxury Resort, Phuket, Thailand is my favorite item. I haven’t really ever thought of going to Thailand, but if the pictures do it any justice, it looks like paradise! Thanks for running the contest!

  45. The Laoma Resort looks out of this world and I’ve always wanted to go to the Maldives. This would be the trip of a lifetime.

  47. I would love to stay at the Loama because I have been dreaming of going to the Maldives and the hotel looks beautiful. Staying there would be a like a dream.

  49. I’m considering a bid on the TWO NIGHT 5-STAR STAY AT LEEDS CASTLE IN KENT, ENGLAND. I plan to visit the UK to see an english premier league match live for my 30th birthday next year and this historic castle south of London would be an unreal place to stay for 2 nights.

  50. Would love to stay at a property in Maldives like Loama because it’s stunningly gorgeous.

Comments are closed.