the saddest news | fire on Gili Lankanfushi

In very sad news, I learned yesterday that a fire broke out at Gili Lankanfushi. As you can see from the YouTube video, the damage is extensive. I understand that seven of its overwater bungalows— as well as the kitchen and restaurant — have been destroyed. I have no news about the rest of the resort. There are 45 total bungalows, so the destruction is hopefully limited. Thankfully, no one was injured.

Gili Lankanfushi is my favorite resort in the Maldives. I love its laid-back, sand-between-your-toes atmosphere which becomes apparent the moment you step onto its speedboat at the Male airport. Your shoes are gathered and put into a bag labeled "No Shoes, No News." For the duration of your stay, it's all about relaxation and sublime beauty. I took the photo below on my last morning, looking across the resort's pool toward four chaise loungers and the sea beyond.

sublime relaxation at Gili Lankanfushi (c) 2016 by David Ourisman, all rights reserved

I want to send my best wishes to my friends at Gili Lankanfushi. Grateful no one has been hurt, I'm hopeful the resort can quickly recover, as the livelihood of its employees depends on it.

copyright (c) 2019 by Ourisman Travel LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell, a Virtuoso® Member. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

devastating fire at The Address Downtown Dubai

A terrible New Years Eve fire engulfed The Address Downtown, a luxury Dubai room hotel with 196 rooms spread over 63 floors. Located next to the Dubai Mall, this was one the hotels most requested by my clients visiting Dubai. The Address Downtown was one of ten Virtuoso hotels in Dubai.

Many questions remain unanswered including the number of casualties and the cause of the fire. Apparently the exterior of Dubai's high rise towers built before 2013 were clad in flammable aluminum-polyurethane paneling. News reports indicate a number of injuries, including a fatality possibly resulting from a heart attack.

Our thoughts go out to those impacted by this devastating fire, especially to those who were injured and to the hotel's employees whose jobs and livelihood have literally gone up in flames this New Years.

copyright (c) 2016 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell Travel. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.