the hotel is at 90% capacity. I think the villa island is always quieter since there’s less activity overall. That being said up at the retreat WV’s are also always quite. We’ve stayed in one the last three years.

yewj have had at Mandhoo and have had diamond cocktails at Vilu. They’re both fine to me. I get that if this ends up making them cut this amenity to one hour it’ll suck, but if they keep both then I’m ok with it being at one place it make sense in so many levels.

I’m sorry I missed that - you’d have looked simply stunning in that outfit I’m sure!

Spoke to one of the guys earlier - asked what their thinking way. He’s not one of the management team so felt like the response was absolutely genuine (ie not a company line if asked). He said lots of clients want to go to both and struggle to make the most of both where they’re in different locations, and end up pre-planning buggy rides and it all gets a bit messy for everyone. Made sense to me. However my feeling is that the 2 events are entirely different and putting them back to back in the same location diminishes both and makes them feel like freebie rather than special. (I used to go to the cocktails years ago but found it ended up getting too busy andbyou ended up sitting outside in the heat so stopped going. Have never been to the afternoon tea in all these years, until this year as we’re over this side in the spa villas for a change - can’t believe we never considered going to the afternoon tea - it’s simply excellent, and while I lack a frame of reference I feel is won’t be quite the same ambiance elsewhere.)

To redress the balance I would like to say that on reflection the retreat water villas aren’t actually that great and I’d highly recommend villa 101 instead. I have a number of compelling reasons why the retreat water villas are infact not something people to book up:

1). The outside deck is too nice and you end up wasting all day enjoying it.
2). There’s 4 sofas and it’s a nightmare deciding which one to lounge on.
3). It’s really close to the afternoon tea so you end up going there and have to nip to the shop to buy new (larger shorts).
4). The water is amazing to swim in outside it (no currents that try to kill you)
5). It’s 25 minutes from Vilu so you ‘earn your breakfast’ and actually feel good about it
6). You don’t have to walk 3 minutes to get a massage; they come to you!
7). The bridge is far wider so having an extra bottle of wine isn’t Russian roulette walking home in a straight line
8). 2 eagle rays stalk the waters under your villa

....as I said, villa 101 is definitely the pick of the villas, avoid the retreat water villas at all costs (until I’ve secured my booking for Xmas!)