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.
- Here are their auctions. The auctions in Asia are super deals.
- Here are their auctions in North America for those who prefer to stay on this continent.
- And here are the auctions ending soon which are probably the best to check out right now – to get an idea of just how good a deal you’re likely to get.
Seriously, these deals about to end are insane
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!
Favorite auction item is two nights at Kruger…we loved it when we were there last year!
The pool at Loama Resort looks awesome!
The Kata Rocks stay in Phuket looks like an incredible auction item!
My favorite item is the “4 nights for 16 at Villa Campo Verde near Rome, Italy”, what a fun adventure that would be!
Would love a stay at Loama as I’ve never been to the Maldives before and it’s a great excuse!
I would stay at Loama for the serenity.
Kruger is fav auction as safari is on the bucket list.
We would love to stay at the Loama Resort – it looks gorgeous and Maldives is one of our favorite places where we celebrated our honeymoon. It would be awesome to do it again for our 5 year anniversary!
I would love to stay at Loama because I spent my honeymoon at the Conrad and would be thrilled to check out another resort.
I’d want to stay at the Loama resort because I have never been Maldives before, and known it is like the paradise, and Loama resort would be a good place to stay there.
Loans resort would double the number of properties that I’ve enjoyed in the Maldives. Plus the short plane flite from Male would make a huge difference in my enjoyment of the trip.
https://www.luxurytraveldiary.com/auction/?ult_auc_id=25563
My favorite auction is the luxury rooms at Santorini due to the fabulous location!
Loama Resort looks lovely – would love to visit and stay in one of the over water bungalows!
My favorite auction is the one for a 4 night stay at the Capella Marigot Bay Resort and Marina in St. Lucia.
I would stay at the loama resort so we can revisit our honeymoon location and have a fantastic experience. We used hyatt free nights at the Grand Hyatt Maldives for our honeymoon.
My favorite auction is 2 nights at the Hotel Da Vinci Paris.
Best auction is the 2 nites glamping in Kent, England.
My favorite auction is the 8-Night Camping & Hotel Safari With Big Foot Tours, Botswana
Planning a trip back to the Maldives on our honeymoon and a visit to Loama would be an amazing finale!
My favorite auction is the 3 Nights At The Stunning Athina Luxury Suites In Santorini
That beachfront infinity pool is an awesome place to start exploring the island.
I would love to take my wife to the Maldives and unwind for a few days. The Loama looks amazing!
Wow just wow……I never been to the Maldives and Loama just all looks incredible and a place as you say to totally switch off.
The Hotel Sahrai in Fez is the auction item I would bid on today!
I would love the Maldives and Loama and to be honest would not check ANY email whatsoever!
I have always dreamed of staying the Maldives….The Loama Resort would be perfecct
The villas look amazing!
Have always wanted to do a safari, so my favorite auction would be:
2 Nights At Rhino River Lodge, KwaZulu Natal, South Africa
2 Nights At Rhino River Lodge, KwaZulu Natal, South Africa **currently at 1.99 GPB**
So I have seen this auction before and wondered if it was legit and good……so you have personally used them?They have some great deals for sure……I would pick 7 Night Couples Retreat At Mangosteen Resort & Spa, Phuket……
The Maldives look beautiful and I’d love to stay at the Loama!
6 NIGHTS AT CROWN LANTA RESORT & SPA IN KOH LANTA, THAILAND 60days to go but am already thinking about bidding on it 🙂
I would love to stay at the Loama to have an unforgettable vacation with my husband.
MAKAKATANA BAY LODGE IN SOUTH AFRICA
The Maka Kahana Bay Lodge in South Africa looks perfect…… and they have hippos!!!
I would love to try the Loama Resort! I have the desire to go back to the Maldives and try a new BEAUTIFUL property!
TBH I’ll take any place in Maldives – Loama looks just superb!. Random.org – pick me! 😉
I would chose to stay at Loans because it is free and I can scuba dive there.
Because Loama Resort basically looks like paradise on earth.
I have always wanted to check out the Maldives and stay in an above water villa. Loams Resort would be a perfect place to stay!
Fav. auction item definitely is the Villa Campo Verde in Umbria (near Rome)… so serene!
Favorite item up for auction: 8 night safari in Botswana
My favorite place up for auction is 3 NIGHTS AT AKYRA BEACH CLUB PHUKET ON NATAI BEACH. One of my near future trips will be to Phuket. My wife is from Thailand.
I would choose Loama Resort for many reasons. First off, it is in the Maldives! Who doesn’t want to go there! The resort looks gorgeous, has many restaurants, a spa, pool, activities and did I mention it is in the Maldives!
I’d choose Loama because of the pristine beaches and the unique on-site art gallery
Love The Hotel Sahrai in Fez auction
My favorite auctions are anything that has to do with safari, paris, rome, london, or the south pacific. But since you want me to pick just one I will say HÔTEL DA VINCI PARIS.
I have always wanted to go to Loama. This place looks beautiful.
Loama Resort looks like a dream come true.
Favorite auction item is the three nights at the luxury suites in Santorini, Greece.
My favorite auction is 4 NIGHTS IN A POOL VILLA AT THE 5* MILAIDHOO ISLAND MALDIVES.
I’ve never been to the Maldives, and I would love to snorkle off that beach.