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. I would love to stay at the Loama resort in the hopes I would find my own artifacts while snorkeling/diving.

  2. Love the 2 NIGHTS AT ARNALAYA BEACH HOUSE IN CANGGU, BALI auction. Went to Bali for our honeymoon and would love to go back!

  3. Have been dying to get to the Maldives and staying at the Loama Resort would be the perfect excuse to get my wife to agree. Add on a few days at the Park Hyatt … perfect!

  9. Auction site: 2 Nights At The 5 Star Hotel Dupond-Smith, Paris
    looks favorite to me, since i like to go Paris this year, and this deal looks pretty nice!

  10. Great way to celebrate our 20 year anniversary in the Maldives!

    And 5 nights in Villa Koru in Koh Samui sounds fab!

  11. Dream trip. Here’s hoping. Love the 4 NIGHTS IN A POOL VILLA AT THE 5* MILAIDHOO ISLAND MALDIVES listing.

  13. My husband from Hong Kong has DREAMED of visiting the Maldives his whole life. I’d like to surprise him with the trip for our one year anniversary. It would mean so much to him.

  14. We just started scuba diving, and the Loama looks like a wonderful place to explore the Maldives scuba scene.

  15. The VIP foodie tour for two in Santa Monica would be fun. We love food tours and we have a cousin getting married there soon.

  17. My favorite item up for auction is the three nights at the Sleeping Giant Rainforest Lodge in Belize.

  23. Resorts are definitely our favorite thing to do when we want to relax!! Perfect balance between fun and rest:)

  26. I’d be elated to stay at the Loama Resort because a trip to the Maldives would be a dream trip for me.

  27. I would want to stay at Loama as our anniversary is coming up and we are getting scuba certified! What better way to celebrate than in paradise?

  28. If I could pick any auction, I’d pick the pool villa trip in the Maldives. Staying in an overwater bungalow is on my bucket list!

  29. I ways wanted to stay over the water, and would love snorkel at loama!! This would be a dream come true!!

  30. The crown lanta resort and spa in koh lanta, Thailand looks lovely on the auction site! Thailand is another place I would love to visit someday!

  31. I’ve never been to that part of the world where the Loama resort, beach and dining looks absolutely wonderful. Thanks for the potential offer

  32. I would love to stay at the Loama resort because a) Maldives have been high on my bucket list and b) I am super fascinated by its history, especially it being a Buddhist refuge!

  33. I’d stay at the Loama because it has overwater rooms and a nice looking selection of restaurants!

  34. My favorite item up for auction at LTD is the 4 night stayat Milaidhoo Island in the Maldives. Unfortunately others must think so too since the price is fairly high now.

  36. My favourite item up for auction is the All inclusive spa stay at the Fusion Maia Da Nang. Nothing beats a good relaxing holiday and Danang is a great city in itself!

  38. I keep seeing Gary talk about the Maldives and it makes me want to see what all the fuss is about. As a workaholic, disconnecting and actually chilling for a few days would be marvelous!

  43. I have never been to the Maldives and would love to bring my loved ones along to stay at the Loama! My favourite auction item has to be the 3 Nights At Hotel Ciasa Salares In The Dolomites, Italy – such a beautiful place at such a steal! 🙂

  45. 2 Nights At Rhino River Lodge, KwaZulu Natal, South Africa sounds like an amazing deal, the opportunity to go on a safari and see wildlife is sounds amazing.

  46. I would love to win the LTD auction for the 8 night camping and touring safari in Botswana! It would be such an adventure!

  47. Staying at the Loama Report would be just what I need. The amenities will surely help me relax in such a beautiful setting.

  48. It would be like heaven to walk over water to get to my cottage, and then just be able to look out over the water from there! Unlike anything I have ever experienced!

  49. I first went to Colombo 30 years ago. The war made sure I was careful. Now that it is over, I want to go back and see the Maldives. The islands are so beautiful and romantic. Wish me luck to win.

  50. My favorite auction item is the THE WALLAWWA LUXURY BOUTIQUE HOTEL IN COLOMBO. Heck, if I win Maldives, I’m going to be sure to spend a few days in SriLanka too.

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