Conde Nast Traveller United Kingdom ratings, based on readers' surveys and journalists' reviews and coming out every winter, has become a popular feature and powerful encomium in the travel industry.

Serving as the guiding principle of the British glossy, the slogan "Truth in Travel" certified the authenticity of the recognition of Shangri-La's Villingili Resort and Spa, Maldives as Best Beach Hotel 2013 in the Gold Standards list issued February 2013.

Not only has Shangri-la's Villingili Resort and Spa been voted best beach hotel, it has also become a landmark for celebrities looking for privacy and a peaceful atmosphere. The April issue of Conde Nast Traveller UK features Gemma Arterton's impression of her stay in the resort.

"I swam with the dolphins here, dived, went on boat trips and spent hours in the water - the corals' incredible, I stayed in a wooden house over the sea. It all felt really relaxed: somewhere you could chill out, and do yoga, read, cycle around the island - and, of course eat delicious fresh fish," Arterton said.

Shangri-La's Villingili Resort and Spa has 132 villas, including two spacious presidential villas that measure up to 957 square metres and offer the choicest amenities and accessories.

Each presidential villa has two large bedrooms, an extensive garden with a spa pavilion, a private pool, an outdoor designer shower with body jets, a sauna and a personal gym with a private courtyard and garden.

Round-the-clock in-villa dining can be enjoyed in the living room on timber-decked verandas or in the air-conditioned or al-fresco dining pavilions. A variety of dining options are also available at the resort's five restaurants and bars.

Shangri-La's all-villa Villingili Resort and Spa is the first luxury resort located south of the equator in the Maldives.

It is also the first in the country to introduce its own nine-hole recreational golf course plus cultural tours on neighbouring islands.

Surrounded by a striking coral reef, the luxurious hideaway resort is a lush, picturesque paradise with six kilometres of coastline and two kilometres of white sand beaches.