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

  5. My favourite auction now is 2 Nights At Rhino River Lodge, KwaZulu Natal, South Africa. I would love to visit a safari hotel!

  7. I would love to visit the Maldives just once, so that my wife and I could have a memory that lasts beyond our lifetime.

  8. 3 Nights For 4 Ppl In A Luxury Villa In Koh Samui, Thailand sees like a great double date fun in paradise

  11. Bali. So very Bali. I’m a surgical nurse, and the idea/dream of leaving the world behind in Loama or Bali gives me the energy and compassion I need to focus on helping an individual through a tough experience. Compassion fatigue is a real thing. Traveling helps me recharge.

  13. Would love to head back to SA for another safari. All-inclusive 2-night ANT COLLECTION, WATERBERG, SA looks fascinating and offers more than just game drives as activity.

  17. I would like to stay at Loama Resort with my partner because we live in different states and this would be a much welcomed vacation for the both of us.

  18. I’ve mostly backpacked when I travel abroad so staying in a nice luxury resort like the Loama would be a nice change of pace.

  20. I’d love to find my Buddhist Chi on Loama and take my TUO Signature Travel Undergarment Organiser with me!

  21. GF’s a teacher busting her ass helping refugees here in Europe to build themselves a new life and I was planning on giving her a vacation she truly deserves for a while. This would come in perfectly!

  22. A stay at the Loans Resort in the Maldives sounds absolutely fantastic after a pretty rough year.

  26. Going to Bali in October, thus my favorite Auction currently is the “2 Nights At Arnalaya Beach House In Canggu”

  29. We are celebrating our 25th anniversary later this year, and I’m looking for a special place to celebrate this milestone on a “honeymoon” trip. The Loama Resort looks like a perfect getaway!

  30. I would love to stay at Loama, I work in UK tourism and dedicate my time at work to ensure our own guests have a fabulous enjoyable holiday on the Suffolk Coast. I would love experience the unique, relaxing charm of the Maldives somewhere I have always dreamed of visiting.

  32. Thanks to introduce Luxury Travel Diary blog to me which I love it so much and subscribe/bookmark this blog.

    I love all of their auction hotels + your (or my too) favorite Loama Resort.

  33. Gary, Thanks so much to introduce this Luxury Travel Diary blog to me which it opens my eyes for so many fun travel spots in the world.

    I love all of their auction hotels/tours and I like your favorite Loama Resort too.

  35. Fascinating 2 Day Mekong Delta Tour for 2 in Vietnam would be my favorite auction because I haven’t been there yet and have heard a lot about it.

    The Buddhist history of Loama Resort sounds really interesting!

  36. I’d love to visit Loama Resort as it looks stunning. My wife and I would really like to visit the Maldives and try and relax and unwind, which would be a first on one of our holidays!

    The auctions look great. This one caught my eye: 6 Nights At Crown Lanta Resort & Spa In Koh Lanta, Thailand

  41. I would love to win and auction with Luxury Travel for 4 nights in a pool villa at the Milaidhoo Island, Maldives. What fun to go somewhere I have never been before!

  44. I’d love to stay at the Loama resort because it simply looks stunning, and I’ve never been to the Maldives before.

  45. I would love to stay at the Loama, because I have a hard time disconnecting when I vacation. But if Gary can do it, so can I!

  46. My favorite auction currently up for grabs might be 2 NIGHTS AT CASA DE UCO VINEYARDS & WINE RESORT, ARGENTINA. I love wine, and I’ve never been to South America before.

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