Special private dinner at Jahaz Wine Cellar

Posted on May 31, 2012 by constancehotelseditor

Indulge your love of great food and wine at a private dinner in the atmospheric Jahaz wine cellar at the 6* Constance Halaveli.

Jahaz wine cellar

Our chef and sommeliers will serve you a 6 course degustation dinner with matching wines and champagnes. During dinner, you can explore the secrets of these great wines and discover the food that goes best with them.

Constance Halaveli has one of the largest and best stocked wine cellars in the Maldives. For the connoisseur, the conservation of wine requires it to be kept in the optimal environment, in a storeroom specially designed and prepared for its storage.

At Halaveli, we now have almost 20,000 bottles and 800 different labels and vintages, and we are continuously extending and improving our selection.

Find out more about Constance Halaveli on our website, and catch up on these articles you may have missed:

Constance Hot List – the top tables in Paris right now

Posted on May 30, 2012 by constancehotelseditor

If you’re heading over to Paris for a long weekend, check out these top tables in the French capital as recommended by Bruno Le Gac, our leading gastro connoisseur and Resident Manager at Constance Belle Mare Plage.

Eiffel Tower at night

1. Akrame

A young and very creative chef has quickly become the talk of the town. New kid on the block Kei Kobayashi, Japanese chef with top training in France, has opened a remarkable table which is getting more successful by the day.

2. Thoumieux

Cuisine superstar Jean-François Piège is hotter than ever with his restaurant located on the first floor of his brasserie Thoumieux. So sought after – you’ll be lucky to get a table.

3. Le Chateaubriand

Since Iñaki Aispitarte at Le Chateaubriand was voted one of the top restaurants in France, he unplugged his phone… Every single American coming to Paris wants to book. Hotel concierges don’t even bother to call any more. Just go there and check if a seat is available. If you are (very) lucky, you’ll get the ultimate creative-on beat bistro experience.

4. Bristol and Mini Palais

Masterchef 3 Michelin stars Eric Frechon at Bristol is as the top of his game. And don’t miss his second restaurant: Mini Palais.

5. Le Cinq at George V

Last but not least, Chef Eric Briffard at restaurant Le Cinq in George V is doing amazing things. A dinner there, welcomed by master sommelier Eric Beaumard, is a pleasure that will last in your memory for a long time.

What do you think?

What are you recommendations for eating out in Paris? Post your comments here or visit us on Facebook or Twitter.

Constance Hotels – where glamour meets pure escape

Posted on May 29, 2012 by constancehotelseditor

Stunning island locations, dotted across the Indian Ocean, make the perfect backdrop for an unforgettable holiday.

Constance Moofushi

Add to this the Constance blend of first-rate service and high functioning luxury, and you have 7 exquisite resorts that you’ll want to visit time and time again.

From comments on Facebook and Twitter we know that for many of our guests, there’s often one resort that really captures their heart.

Here’s a glimpse into the world that makes Constance Hotels so special.

1. Location

Seychelles, Maldives, Mauritius and Madagascar- these paradise islands conjure up images of romance, sun-filled days and warm tropical nights.

At Constance we’ve gone one step further – seeking out the best locations on each island to create our luxury resorts.

Anse Georgette at Constance Lemuria

Anse Georgette, Constance Lemuria Resort

Beautiful Anse Georgette

On the island of Praslin, Constance Lemuria is nestled next to the pristine beach of Anse Georgette. Regularly featured in lists of the top 10 beaches in the world, Anse Georgette offers super-soft white sand, warm clear sea and not a sun-lounger, bar or restaurant in sight. This is nature at its very best.

If you want to escape for the day to this paradise, we can arrange for a beach picnic to be brought to you for when you’re feeling peckish.

World-class diving at Constance Moofushi

Widely regarded as one of the best diving spots in the world, Constance Moofushi in the South Ari Atoll is a mecca for anyone wanting to experience the full technicolor beauty of the underwater world of the Maldives.

Moofushi is one of the few resorts in the Maldives to be surrounded by a spectacular house reef.

The main reef is just a few metres off the beach, rich with marine life and diverse coral habitats. Visibility is fantastic, usually between 20 and 25 metres, with a slow to moderate current creating perfect diving conditions.

Migratory ocean species such as mantas, whale sharks, dolphins and sea eagles all pass by along with a diverse array of fish including stingrays, sea cucumbers, lionfish, snappers and eels.

Find out more about diving at Constance Moofushi.

2. Delicious food and rare wines

Special beach dinner at Constance Le Prince Maurice

Special beach dinner at Le Prince Maurice

At each of the restaurants and bars in our 7 resorts, you’ll find first-class chefs from around the world creating culinary delights that draw inspiration from local and international dishes.

Special meals in special locations at all our resorts

We also offer unique private dining experiences that allow you to enjoy a wonderful meal in a truly exotic location.

Dine under the stars on the beach at Constance Halaveli, surrounded by flowers and flaming torches. Your meal is prepared by your own chef and served by your personal butler.
Family in-villa dining – for those evenings when you or your kids just don’t want to eat in a restaurant, we can provide in-villa dining. Great choice is available from the menu, or you can ask our chefs for something different. This relaxed dining experience takes the frazzle out of family eating when everyone’s tired from a long day’s play in the sunshine.
At Lodge Tsarabanjina, Madagascar we serve fish and seafood as fresh as you’ll find anywhere in the world. You can choose to dine with other guests at the convivial main restaurant or enjoy a fresh seafood platter on the beach as you watch the sun go down.

Wines from around the world

You may not expect to find rare wines at a resort in the middle of the Indian Ocean but our sommeliers travel the world to keep our wine cellars stocked with the finest old and new world wines. There’s a huge selection, from a crisp white to enjoy by the beach while the sun goes down to rare vintage heady reds, perfect for a celebration dinner.

At Constance Halaveli, our renowned wine collection features nearly 20,000 bottles of old and new world wine from 800 different varieties.

Find out more about the culinary spirit at Constance Hotels.

3. Top knotch spas

Spa villa at Constance Ephelia

If you’re in need of a system re-boot, head to one of our spas where we’ll help to restore your sense of well-being.

Leading spa brands

We’ve created our own fabulous range of Spa de Constance holistic products, and partnered with some of the best beauty and spa brands in the world.

Valmont Spa, Ila Spa and Spa de Constance – Halaveli
Shiseido and Spa de Constance – Belle Mare Plage, Ephelia, Lemuria
Guerlain and Spa de Constance – Le Prince Maurice
Spa de Constance – Moofushi and Lodge Tsarabanjina

Spa village and villas at Constance Ephelia

If you’re looking to combine a holiday in paradise with a spa-escape, Constance Ephelia in the Seychelles offers the perfect solution. Our spa villas offer the luxury of having your own private spa set in the heart of your villa.

Roll out of bed in the morning and take a few steps to your spa where one of our therapists will give you a treatment of your choice. Each spa villa comes with a double treatment room, hot tub, steam shower and laconarium (sauna/hammam). The spa opens onto a private garden and swimming pool. Bliss.

4. Personal service

Service with a smile at Constance

At Constance Hotels, our guests are known by their name not their room number.

Many of our guests return year after year because they’ve fallen in love with one of our resorts, and because they know that a holiday at Constance gives a feeling of having chanced upon somewhere really very special – it’s the essence of the Constance Hotels Experience.

Fantastic staff

Reviews on Trip Advisor speak for themselves – time and again people praise our staff’s ability to attend to detail while only being there when guests want them to be there, and not when they don’t.

‘The genuine warmth and kindness from all the staff made us feel very special and the candlelit dinner on the evening of our anniversary was totally amazing.’ Constance Le Prince Maurice on Trip Advisor

‘This hotel offered everything we could have hoped for and more. The service was excellent and the staff always went over and above what was expected. Everyone was really friendly from the reception to the dining room to the maintenance.’ Constance Moofushi on Trip Advisor

5. Dream destination weddings and honeymoons

Wedding couple on a boat at Constance Moofushi

Wedding at Moofushi

Destination weddings are a big trend again this year, and at Constance Hotels we go out of our way to make sure your big day is as perfect as you dreamed it would be. Our wedding planners work with you to organise the detail, from pre-wedding spa treatments, flowers, champagne, dinner, and a petal-strewn bath, to a wonderful morning-after breakfast.

Find out more about dream weddings at Constance Hotels.

Perfect honeymoons

Many couples choose Constance Hotels as the destination for one of the most important holidays of their lives. There’s much to appeal to honeymooners from the beauty of the landscape and the allure of a water villa on stilts, to fabulous food and cocktails, and the intimacy of our suites complete with huge beds and baths big enough for two.

Read more about honeymoons at Constance Hotels.

Romance at Constance Le Prince Maurice

Actors Claire Forlani and Dougray Scott travelled to Constance Le Prince Maurice earlier this year. In Harper’s Bazaar, Forlani revealed the resort was the scene of ‘one of the most romantic nights ever’ with her husband.

6. Golf

Legend golf course

If you’re looking to combine your enthusiasm for a few rounds on the green with a luxury holiday, you won’t have to compromise on the quality of either at Constance.

MCB Tour Championship – Constance Belle Mare Plage and Le Prince Maurice

At our resorts in Mauritius, you’ll find 2 championship 18-hole golf courses: the Legend and the Links. Every year in December, these courses set the stage for the MCB Tour Championship, the season-ending big finale in the European Senior Tour Championship.

The only golf course in the Seychelles – Constance Lemuria

At Constance Lemuria, you’ll find the only golf course in the Seychelles archipelago. This 18-hole course, par 70, covers an area of 5580 metres with magnificent scenery and views of 3 spectacular beaches. There’s no charge to play for guests of Constance Lemuria.

Have you joined our Facebook community yet?

Visit us on Facebook to find out more about Constance Hotels, and what our guests think about each of our resorts.

And you can follow us on Twitter to get the latest news and updates @constancehotels.

Visit our website to find out more about Constance Hotels, including booking your holiday online.

Recipe: Pan-roasted scallops, grapefruit and sun-dried tomatoes with curry leaves

Posted on May 25, 2012 by constancehotelseditor

Perfect for a weekend lunch, this simple scallop recipe is even more delicious when served al fresco.

Beach Deck at Constance Le Prince Maurice

Beach Deck at Le Prince Maurice

Serves 4
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

20 scallops without roes
2 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic
3 curry leaves
3 sprigs coriander
2 tomatoes
1 grapefruit
3 tbsp dry white wine
10cl chicken stock
2 tbsp crème fraîche
20g butter
salt and pepper

1. Peel and chop the garlic. Chop the curry leaves and coriander.
2. Dip the tomatoes in boiling water for 20 seconds, cool in iced water then peel them. Quarter them and remove the seeds.
3. Peel the grapefruit, cutting into the flesh, cut off the segments with a sharp knife.
4. Season the scallops with salt and pepper, pan-sear them in the olive oil for 2 minutes on each side. Set aside and keep warm.
5. In the same pan, sauté for 3 minutes the garlic with the curry leaves, the grapefruit segments and the tomatoes. Set aside and keep warm.
6. Pour the white wine into the pan, reduce by one third, then add the chicken stock and reduce by half. Add crème fraîche, whisk in the butter, correct seasoning.
7. Divide the scallops, grapefruit segments and tomatoes between 4 soup plates. Add the sauce, sprinkle with chopped coriander.

Top 5 reasons to go to Madagascar right now

Posted on May 24, 2012 by constancehotelseditor

If you’re looking for the perfect place to escape to right now, here are 5 great reasons to consider Madagascar.

1. Weather

Beach at Lodge Tsarabanjina

Good weather ranks high on most people’s holiday wish list and from April-November, the weather in Madagascar is at its best.

Not too hot but still warm and sunny, diving conditions are excellent. Add in opportunities for sight-seeing at the world-renowned national parks, and the fabulous beaches at Lodge Tsarabanjina and you have a heady combination of paradise beach holiday mixed with exotic island escape.

2. Wildlife

Madagascar has long been known for its lemurs. The 33 species, all endemic to the island, include the ring-tailed lemur and Sifakas, or dancing lemurs.

In 2011, David Attenborough’s series onMadagascar put many other amazing creatures and land formations into the spotlight.

Home to some of the world’s rarest animals, 80% of the island’s plants and animals can’t be found anywhere else on the planet.

Last minute half term deal to Constance Halaveli, Maldives

Posted on May 21, 2012 by constancehotelseditor

Looking for some last minute ideas to keep the kids entertained this half term?

White sand beach at Constance Halaveli Resort, Maldives

Beach paradise at Constance Halaveli

Take advantage of this fabulous offer to Constance Halaveli in the Maldives, and you’ll be swapping bank holiday mayhem for powder soft white sands and the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean.

Constance Halaveli is one of the top family hotels in the Maldives, and Kuoni are offering 7 nights B&B with flights included, departing 2 June from £9,247 for a family of 4.

There’s a free kids’ club, tennis courts, scuba diving for all the family, fantastic restaurants and a top knotch spa offering Valmont and Ila treatments.

Visit the Kuoni website or phone 01306 747008 for more information.

Find out more about the delightful 6* luxury paradise of Constance Halaveli:

This offer appeared in the The Times newspaper on Saturday 19 May 2012.

Constance Hotels

Elegance, Excellence and Extraordinary Places

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