Maldives stunner has top eco cred
ONE of the world’s leading hotel companies, InterContinental, has opened its newest resort in the Maldives.
The Maldives Maamunagau Resort (InterContinental Maldives) is the latest in a series of new luxury resorts, which includes ANA InterContinental Beppu in Japan and InterContinental Hayman Island in Australia.
Known for occupying the very best locations around the world, InterContinental Hotels and Resorts’ first property in the region is situated on the southernmost tip of the Raa Atoll near Baa Atoll, a UNESCO biosphere reserve, and one of the most secluded locations in the Maldives.
The resort boasts 81 beach, lagoon and overwater villas and residences and is the first to offer all guests access to the world-class service and amenities of Club InterContinental throughout the entire island.
These generous offerings, coupled with extensive wellness facilities, bespoke experiences and six restaurants and bars, combine to take this Maldivian gem to the next level.
General manager of InterContinental Maldives Stefan O’Huemer said the opening of the InterContinental Maldives resort signalled a new era for the brand.
“It further raises the bar in terms of luxury and immersive experiences here in the Raa Atoll,” he said.
InterContinental Maldives has been created to give families and couples the time and space to disconnect from the everyday in an environment designed to enhance the unrivalled beauty, light and landscape of the atoll.
Inspiring, refined and made for stylish barefoot living, the design was conceptualised by Singapore-based architects’ Eco-ID to be in perfect synergy with the incredible surroundings and views.
The private villas feature contemporary Maldivian interiors by Avalon Collective Interior Design Studio and offer expansive areas with breathtaking vistas of the Indian Ocean.
The first-of-its-kind in the Maldives, the two-storey lagoon villas combine overwater views with direct beach and lagoon access, as well as private infinity and jacuzzi pools.
Overwater villas offer expansive outdoor decks and beach villas provide direct beach access. The resort also has four exclusive two and three-bedroom Residences, with the largest, the threebedroom Royal Beachfront Residence, offering 790sqm of luxurious privacy.
The resort’s signature AVI Spa features six overwater treatment villas along with steam rooms, ice fountains, a yoga pavilion and a fitness centre.
A leading traditional Chinese medicine practitioner, who specialises in acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine, uses the pillars of Chinese wellness to restore harmony and balance to guests through various treatments.
These include anti-ageing facial acupuncture, cupping therapy, remedial tui-na massage, body therapies, dietary plans and herbal medicine.
InterContinental Maldives can tailor menus to any dietary need, enabling guests to enjoy a flexible and balanced wellness retreat experience without compromising their overall experience.
The resort offers six distinct restaurants and bars including The Retreat, an adults-only enclave with a private bar and its own infinity pool at the water’s edge, and Café Umi, a Japanese-inspired restaurant providing elevated comfort and classic favourites, inspired by natural, organic and sustainable cuisine.
Committed to preserving the ocean for future generations and guests, InterContinental Maldives has launched two key conservation initiatives. The first is a dedicated manta ray sanctuary to nurture a safe habitat for the manta rays within the resort’s lagoon as well as providing guests with invaluable information and an opportunity to swim alongside these graceful creatures and snorkel over underwater coral gardens.