logo
Masoomi Minawala Picks Kuda Villingili For Her Family Vacation In The Maldives

Masoomi Minawala Picks Kuda Villingili For Her Family Vacation In The Maldives

NDTV21-04-2025

Fashion influencer Masoom Minawala is currently holidaying in the Maldives. Minawala chose Kuda Villingili Maldives for her family vacation and has been treating her fans to glimpses of the holiday on Instagram.
Minawala is in Kuda Villingili to celebrate her father's milestone birthday. The resort, 30 minutes from Malé International Airport, is known for its stilted overwater villas and sprawling beachfront residences. It offers a blend of privacy and togetherness for a luxurious multi-generational holiday.
What's On Offer For Families At The Resort
Masoom Minawala's family is staying across Kuda Villingili's overwater villas and two-bedroom residences, which showcases the resort's ability to accommodate both large groups and smaller, more intimate family units.
The resort is also home to the longest pool in the Maldives. Add to that sunset dinners with curated menus and the Kuda Fiyo Kids Club, which offers immersive activities like crab discovery, cultural workshops, and mini-Olympics to keep kids engaged.
The Culinary And Wellness Scene
Kuda Villingili also boasts of a diverse culinary scene. Like The Minawalas, you too can indulge in meals at the island's seven restaurants, including refined Awadhi fare at Spice. The restaurant is helmed by the Qureshi brothers, renowned custodians of culinary legacy from royal Mughal kitchens.
The family is also exploring wellness offerings together, from yoga and spa therapies to quiet moments at the oceanfront deck.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

24 Hours In Delhi: A Mapless Journey Full Of Surprises!
24 Hours In Delhi: A Mapless Journey Full Of Surprises!

India.com

time8 hours ago

  • India.com

24 Hours In Delhi: A Mapless Journey Full Of Surprises!

The sprawling capital of India, Delhi is a city of paradoxes. It has an ancient history and modernity that coexists in a pleasant juxtaposition. Its chaotic nature can stupefy even the most seasoned visitors, filled as it is with intricate markets, street vendors, and its rich history. Do you ever wonder what would happen if you spent 24 hours in Delhi without a guide? I wouldn't be able to guess, and Delhi would make sure I don't. Without a guide, Delhi transforms into a canvas, waiting for you to paint it yourself. Turning a corner means that you might discover new treasures, beautiful landscapes, or new surprises. Morning: Lost in the Lanes of Old Delhi As the day begins, delve into the mesmerizing heart of Old Delhi. With no guide in hand, you surrender yourself to the cramped corridors of Chandni Chowk, known to be the oldest market in the region. The tantalizing scent of chai, parathas, and jalebis fills the air. Following your nose, you bump into Paranthe Wali Gali – a street renowned for its stuffed crispy parathas. While you are enjoying the vibrant tastes, a friendly shopkeeper chats with you while telling stories about the Mughal era when this region used to rule the world of trade. Surprisingly enough, there was quite a lot of commerce there. While exploring you find yourself lost without a map. You are standing next to a helpful driver who offers to guide you around. What seems to be one of the tallest minarets in India, Jama Masjid, appears in front of you. As you walk closer to it, remember what climbing the stairs is like – the view from the top will have you feeling ecstatic. Looking over the expansive courtyard will be jaw-dropping as well with the strange yet hypnotizing blend of crumpled buildings and Delhi's all too narrow streets extending to what appears to be miles. Afternoon: A Coincidental Exploration of Delhi When the sun is at its peak, you find yourself making your way towards Central Delhi for an unexplained reason. Not having a map means not having a defined plan. You take a chance on a bus that looks crowded, and now it's a matter of faith as to what your instincts tell you. The first stop of your journey is the stunning war memorial known as the India Gate. Numerous activities take place on the sprawling lawns surrounding it filled with families, tourists and street vendors alike. You buy yourself an ice cream and become a part of the multicultural festivities. Roaming from the India Gate gets you closer to the peaceful oasis, which is the Lodhi Gardens. A splash of green amongst the concrete chaos, these gardens are a must visit for any traveler. The soothing breeze calms your entire psyche. While wandering in the gardens, you notice the ancient tombs perpetuating the grandeur of the Lodhi dynasty and its rulers. Sitting under a tree, peacocks decorate your view by wandering everywhere and reflecting on how getting lost in the city leads you to places filled with calmness. Evening: A Cultural Detour in South Delhi. By this time of the day, South Delhi's multiethnic upscale colonies and cultural attractions begin to allure you. Without a guide, the next step is to board the metro, which is Delhi's life line. Hauz Khas is your stop. Hauz Khas is not only very modern but also has many historical structures. You have come to the Hauz Khas Complex, which consists of a medieval reservoir and the other accompanying ruins. This is for sure a photographer's dream. As you walk in the direction of the surroundings, you discover an artsy café where you take in a cup of coffee as well as the colorful Indian sunset shining over these ancient ruins. After, you continue from Hauz Khas to Khan Market, a shopping center which is mostly frequented by people of higher class in Delhi. Without a guide, your next step is to use your sense of orientation. You make it to a rooftop restaurant where you feast on butter chicken and naan while listening to live music. The city looks incredible with lights and you unveil that being lost in the city of Delhi has its own appreciation. Night: It's Unexpected Twist In Connaught Place It's evening and you are in Connaught Place, the economic and cultural center of Delhi. You could aimlessly stroll around the circular pillars without having to navigate, soaking in the beautiful colonial architecture and busy nightlife. You discover Janpath Market, a splendid marketplace where you exchange money for gifts and other items. The people make this place come to life which makes it easy to forget the passing of time as you wander through the smaller streets. Your 24 hour journey ends at a street food place where you eat a portion of hot chaat and drink a glass of lassi. As you digest and enjoy, you feel the joy and noises of Delhi come to life. It dawns on you that becoming lost in this wonderful city is not about achieving a goal, but relishing the path. Unfiltered, you experienced Delhi with no boundaries – stunning, disorganized, and utterly mesmerizing. The most rewarding thing one can get while getting lost: Conclusion A day spent in Delhi without a map and trust me it will be one of the biggest adventures of your life. Vast and diverse cities like Delhi are beautifully chaotic and it is simply impossible to get bored. If you are ready to experience a place like no other then Delhi is a city worth visiting. So instead of focusing on the particulars of the visit, put on some comfortable shoes and go for a stroll. Who knows, you may stumble upon some unexplored views.

Heritage gets a makeover at Patiala's Ran Baas The Palace
Heritage gets a makeover at Patiala's Ran Baas The Palace

The Hindu

time11 hours ago

  • The Hindu

Heritage gets a makeover at Patiala's Ran Baas The Palace

Outside Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport, Chandigarh, spring's exuberance is fast fading. Dust devils dance like dervishes across a golden brown land as the hotel car speeds towards Patiala, an hour-and-a-half away. The car manoeuvres a warren of streets, and swings past a massive wooden, iron-studded door into the Qila Mubarak complex. Beats from a dholak rise to a crescendo, and staff in shell-pink sherwanis hold a phulkari chadar for me to pass under. As if on cue, a shower of petals descends from the latticed balcony above. A heavy door, with its green patina, swings open and Ran Baas The Palace reveals itself like an Andalusian dream — cupolas and arched corridors framing a sunken black-and-white tiled marble fountain. The heat feels like simmer coming to boil, but the fine mist from the fountain cools with the fragrance of a thousand roses. The 10-acre Qila Mubarak began life as a mud fort when the Sidhu Jat clan under Baba Ala Singh founded the Patiala royal house in 1763. Later maharajas added the interior Qila Androon, the Darbar Hall and Ran Baas, the guest house. During the heyday of princely India, Patiala was more than just a town one discovers when you journey elsewhere. The maharajas of Patiala, especially the last two, Bhupinder Singh and Yadavindra Singh, were known for their appetite for the good life — sport (Bhupinder helped found the BCCI and gave the world the concept of the famed Patiala peg after winning a game of polo; father and son were presidents of the Indian Olympic Association), hunt, education, food and jewellery (the many-layered Cartier necklace was commissioned by them). Post-Independence, the complex fell into disrepair until the State Government decided to restore it. And that is where Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels and well-known conservation architect Abha Narain Lambah stepped in. The renovation story of Ran Baas The Palace, once the abode of queens, is told through hand-written postcards left on my pillow by the guest relations executive, Pragati Gambhir, a Mughal miniature-style map of the complex on the writing desk and atte de biscuit that Patiala's bakeries have made since the Raj. 'Ran Baas has 25 suites with 10 more in the Gate Block,' says Deep Mohan Singh Arneja, general manager, as we sit for high tea on the terrace of what is arguably Punjab's first luxury palace hotel. A sea of cupolas, some with finials, others without, stretches as far as the eye can see. A Cessna aircraft drones past the purple-pink sky as the lights accentuate the alcoves. 'The Patiala Aviation Club was set up by Maharaja Bhupinder Singh for personal use,' says Arneja, adding: 'His larger-than-life persona defined life in Patiala. We have tried to recapture that grandeur.' Arneja has been on site along with Abha's team for nearly two years overseeing the palace's transformation. Some of the walls and roofs had caved in and fortifying the masonry took its time. The past unravels in room after room with araish work, as Subhash Antony, executive housekeeper, walks me through the Sikh-Mughal-Rajput inspired complex. 'Blue, teal, yellow and white dominate the rooms,' he says, showing the Heritage Suite, a spacious blue-and-white-themed room with parakeets in flight on the walls and windows that open to the Moulsari Garden. Chandeliers hang over the claw foot bathtub in the roomy bathroom. While this and the marble-bed Presidential Suite have a fair share of alcoves, the Shikarbagh and Naqqarkhana Suite have murals from another time that have been left untouched. 'No two rooms are the same. Jharokhas throw light from the outside during the day, at night it's the chandeliers from Klove Studio, designed like ear drops that light up the palace,' says Subhash of the chandeliers that complement the stairwell with a de Gournay miniature. Portraits of the maharajas — mustachioed, handsome and bejewelled, murals featuring leopards, framed phulkaris, jamavars and massive bathtubs appear as constants across the property as we take the buggy down to the Jhalau Khana, a banquet hall beyond a row of ancient cannon that supposedly housed the Kohinoor before it was shipped off to Britain. That evening, after a relaxing hour at the Aura spa, adjoining the swimming pool known as the Lassi Khana where once thousands were fed from the palace kitchens, dinner is a lamplit affair in the courtyard under the shade of the 200-year-old moulsari tree. The food is as luxurious as the rooms. 'We have tweaked Patiala's famed dishes, such as the chole bhature, so that it does not sit heavy,' says F&B manager, Aishwar Bhatia, although the palak patthe, a street-food classic with fried spinach leaves and yoghurt is a winner when paired with the Gulaabi Jaam cocktail (gin, lime, triple sec, Shiraz cabernet) made at the burgundy-midnight blue upholstered bar, The Patiala. The next morning's meal at Neel, the all-day dining restaurant, and barbeque dinner by Chef Pratham Swaroop at the many-mirrored Sheesh Mahal are reminders of why Punjabi cuisine has gone global. The itinerary for day two — taking in the sights of Patiala — has been decided for me by my assigned 'butler' Shaurya Kothari, a general management trainee. Shaurya has the efficiency of Downton Abbey's Mr Carson with none of his stuffy demeanour. We cross over to the Darbar Hall within the complex with its long Belgian chandeliers almost grazing the floor, portraits of British kings and queens and a vitrine full of matchlocks. Men and women exercise in the early morning sun. We journey on to the Gurudwara Dukh Niwaran Sahib (remover of all obstacles) and the Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports housed in the old Motibagh Palace. Among the treasures here are the 1983 Sunridges bat of Kapil Dev's, Milkha Singh's spikes from the Rome Olympics and the music record of the Delhi Asian Games. That evening we travel to Nabha, one among the Phulkian princely states, for high tea. Meet Gurudev Singh, assistant to Preeti Singh, granddaughter-in-law of the last king of Nabha regales us with Nabha's place in the history of the Sikhs and its kings who rebelled against the Raj. The palace is undergoing a round of renovation and is styled like a many-tiered cake with beautiful wrought iron and woodwork under the eaves of which wedding shoots are on. Tea arrives from both the royal kitchen and the hotel's picnic hamper and is served in crockery with the palace insignia in a viceregal drawing room with silver frames and ebony-tipped walking canes. The market place in Patiala, outside the Qila doors, is where I buy yards of phulkari and boxes of pinni. When I return to the suite, a bubble bath has been drawn. Well rested I leave early, at dawn. In the distance, one can hear the azaan. As the car leaves the fort's shadow, it is as if I have turned the page on a lamp-lit, horse-drawn age. Rooms are priced ₹48,000 plus taxes upwards. The writer was at Ran Baas the Palace at the invitation of The Park.

6 Heritage Havelis That Are Now Stunning Boutique Hotels
6 Heritage Havelis That Are Now Stunning Boutique Hotels

NDTV

time11 hours ago

  • NDTV

6 Heritage Havelis That Are Now Stunning Boutique Hotels

India is full of old havelis with stories etched into their walls. Many of these historic homes have now been lovingly restored and turned into boutique hotels. Staying at one is like stepping back in time without giving up on comfort. From the royal palaces of Jaipur to the vibrant lanes of Old Delhi, these heritage havelis offer a perfect blend of tradition and modern living. Whether it's the detailed architecture or the peaceful courtyards, each hotel tells its own unique story. Here are six such beautiful havelis that are now stunning boutique hotels. Check them out below: Here Are 6 Old Havelis That Have Been Transformed Into Boutique Hotels: 1. Narain Niwas Palace - Jaipur, Rajasthan Built in the 1920s, this haveli was once a royal residence and now functions as a heritage hotel right in the heart of Jaipur. The rooms retain vintage charm, while modern amenities ensure comfort. The hotel also houses the famous Bar Palladio - a blue-themed lounge that has become an Instagram favourite. 2. Haveli Dharampura - Delhi Located in the heart of Old Delhi, Haveli Dharampura dates back to the Mughal era. The haveli's transformation into a boutique hotel allows guests to experience the soul of Shahjahanabad. With traditional jaali work and ornate balconies, this stay offers an immersive cultural escape. 3. RAAS - Jodhpur, Rajasthan RAAS Jodhpur combines old and new effortlessly. The boutique hotel is built around an 18th-century haveli, with new structures designed to complement the original architecture. It offers fort views, red sandstone walls and tranquil courtyards that create a beautiful setting for guests to enjoy. 4. The Johri - Jaipur, Rajasthan Another heritage haveli transformed into a boutique hotel is Johri. Located in the bustling Johri Bazaar, it has been designed with great attention to detail. Each of the five suites in the hotel is uniquely styled, and the vegetarian restaurant serves traditional Marwari dishes with a modern twist. 5. Alsisar Haveli, - Jaipur, Rajasthan Alsisar Haveli is a beautiful 18th-century mansion in Jaipur that has been converted into a heritage hotel. It mixes classic Rajput design with modern comforts. With its detailed carved archways and old-fashioned furniture, it offers a calm and peaceful break from the busy city. It's one of the easiest ways to enjoy a heritage experience in Jaipur. 6. Ranvas - Nagaur, Rajasthan Situated inside the Ahhichatragarh Fort, Ranvas was originally the residence of the queens of Maharaja Bakht Singh. It has been restored into a luxurious boutique hotel that celebrates its Mughal and Rajput roots. Here, you'll get to see intricate carvings and peaceful terraces. Which of these heritage hotels are you planning to visit first? Tell us in the comments below!

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store