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. Having never been to the Maldives, but always wishing to, it would be THE trip of a lifetime for me; Loama Resort looks like absolute paradise.
    I’d love to win the auction for Villa Campo Verde near Rome.

  2. I’d definitely bid on the 3 nights stay at an apartment in Lisbon, one of Europe’s most fun — and most underrated — cities.

  3. I went to the Maldives once in 1986. I’d love to go back and stay at the Loama Resort to see how the country has changed.

  5. And I’d go tinted Maldives because if we don’t go soon, climate change will put them underwater.

  7. The 2 nights at Makakatana Bay Lodge in South Africa looks amazing. My wife and I have a SA safari on our bucket list.

  8. My favorite item up for auction at Luxury Travel Diary is the 5 nights for up to 5 at Villa Koru, Koh Samui, Thailand

  9. I would choose to stay at Loama Resort because of how beautiful the resort looks (Maldives!!) and the fact that it offers 6 gastronomic venues

  10. Why would I stay at Loama Resort? because it’s nicer than my house! I would live there if i could!

  11. The Belize auction looks amazing – we’ve been during a cruise, but that hotel looks like the proper way to do it!

  12. Favorite item up for auction is the Arnalaya Beach House in Canggu, Bali. I have always wanted to visit Bali and the cool architecture of this resort make this a very attractive destination.

  13. I would love to stay at the Loama Resort because I read an article about it once in a travel magazine and thought it was fantastic. Now, low and behold, I am entering a contest to stay there.
    Keeping my fingers crossed!

  15. To Escape from it all conjures the idea of isolation, and from the spectacular pictures you posted of the Maldives it seems to be the perfect place to switch off and rejuvenate. It looks so serene and tranquil. The shear romance of its surroundings; the clear water, beautiful sunset and fascinating nature are quintessential recipe for a perfect retreat, and The luxury of The Loama Resort is the cherry on top! Now why wouldn’t I want to spend 3 nights there? I will move this to the top of my bucket list.

  20. My favorite item up for auction is the 1 Night At Conti Di San Bonifacio Wine Resort Tuscany, Italy.

  23. I was at the Southern tip of India last summer and so close. I’d like to go the last mile and see for myself what makes the Maldives worthy of repeat visits by seasoned travelers.

  24. I think one of the auctions for properties in Sri Lanka might be a good fit for my trip to the Maldives.

  26. I would choose to stay at the Loama resort because it looks stunning and i’ve never been to the Maldives.

  28. The 5 nights up to 5 at Villa Koru, Koh Samui, Thailand looks like the perfect tropical getaway for all the family.

  29. 2 NIGHTS AT THE NEW PRESIDENT BY AKARYN IN VIENTIANE, LAOS
    I’ve never been to Laos and it looks like the perfect excuse to go and have a real adventure.

  30. My favorite auction is the 7-night couples retreat at the Mangosteen Resort & Ayurveda Spa in Phuket.

  31. I would love to go to the Loama Resort because it looks like a place where a person would feel INSPIRED. A place where you want to dream bigger, achieve more and aspire higher.

  33. Loama resort looks like a fabulous place to get away from it all, would love to win a stay there.

  35. My favorite auction at Luxury Travel Diary is the 2 NIGHTS AT ARNALAYA BEACH HOUSE IN CANGGU, BALI because Bali is such a magical place!

  38. My favorite auction is the 2 nights at Makakatana Bay Lodge in South Africa. I’ve always wanted to go there.

  39. I would chose to stay at Loama Resort as I’ve never been to a place that is so far removed from daily life. It looks like the ultimate escape.

  40. The 4 Nights In A Pool Villa At The 5* Milaidhoo Island Maldives is one that stands out to me. It looks very nice and would be so relaxing.

  41. It would also be nice to get a couples retreat at the Mangosteen Resort & Spa, Phuket. We never took a honeymoon, so this would be a great vacation.

  44. I’d love to visit Loama Resort for its breathtaking natural beauty and gorgeous interiors. It’s my idea of heaven!

  45. My safari (mis)adventure was thwarted by rain that kept 2 of the big 5 away, so I’d love a redo at Cottar’s 1920s Safari Camp in Maasai Mara.

  46. Okay so why I want to stay is pretty easy. I need one of those holidays where there is literally nothing I can do but lie down on a beach and get some much needed R&R. I always seem to pack my trips full of things to do, needing a holiday (or as you Americans say, a vacation) to recover from my holiday, but not this time.

    Favourite item in the auction is this one – https://www.luxurytraveldiary.com/auction/?ult_auc_id=25837. 2 NIGHTS AT RHINO RIVER LODGE, KWAZULU NATAL, SOUTH AFRICA. What an amazing price to go experience a once in a life time moment… also I want to try convince them to change their name to the Rhino River Retreat. Much better name!

  49. I’ve never been to the Maldives and I’m DYING to go. Loames looks like heaven and the perfect place to stay.

  50. The idea of unplugging in a tranquil and peaceful space sounds like music to my ears. Hoping this would be the start to many more vacations where I can completely immerse myself in the natural beauty of the surroundings.

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