Accor to Open SO/ Maldives With S Hotels and Resorts and Wai Eco World Developer

Main Photo: The SO/ Maldives imagined

Date: July 2021

Name: SO/ Maldives – opening 2023

Location: Private island overlooking Emboodhoo Lagoon, 15 minutes by speedboat from Male’s Velana International Airport

Number of Keys: 80 villas

Seller: The island is reclaimed land developed by the owner partner, below.

Buyer: Accor has signed a hotel management agreement with S Hotels and Resorts Public Company Limited and Wai Eco World Developer Pte. Ltd. to introduce SO/ Hotels & Resorts to this Indian Ocean archipelago.

S Hotels & Resorts owns a total of 38 hotels with a total of 4,574 keys in destinations such as the Maldives, Fiji, Mauritius, the UK and Thailand,

SO/ Maldives will showcase a selection of 80 spectacular luxury villas, including beachfront and over-water options, all adorned with designer interiors and an audacious twist. Nestled on its own exclusive island overlooking the azure Emboodhoo Lagoon, just 15 minutes by speedboat from Malé’s Velana International Airport, this eclectic resort will bring a fresh sense of avant-garde style and sophistication to the Maldives, while also reflecting the local spirit of this captivating country.

Scheduled to open in 2023, the new resort will take centre stage on the third island of CROSSROADS Maldives, the extraordinary integrated leisure destination in the South Malé Atoll.

SO/ Hotels & Resorts are only found in socially vibrant destinations such as Berlin, Bangkok, St Petersburg and Singapore and is one of the fastest-growing brands in Accor’s lifestyle portfolio.

CROSSROADS Maldives was recognised as the “Best Leisure Development Maldives (Five-Star)” in the Asia Pacific Property Awards 2021-2022.

Guests will be able to unwind on SO/ Maldives’ private island or take advantage of the facilities at The Marina@CROSSROADS, an 800-metre lifestyle area and beach walk where visitors can discover cafés, restaurants, a chic beach club, upmarket boutiques, a spa, the Marine Discovery Centre and a 30-berth yacht marina. Events can be hosted at the oceanfront wedding venue and meeting space.

“It gives me great pleasure to announce the arrival of SO/ Hotels & Resorts in the Maldives. This playful and distinctive lifestyle brand can only be found in the world’s most iconic destinations so it is the perfect fit for this renowned island paradise. The resort’s location within CROSSROADS Maldives will allow guests to experience a truly vibrant luxury lifestyle offering with plenty of options for both relaxation and adventure. SO/ Maldives will be a place to see and be seen for bold and stylish socialisers and we look forward to working with S Hotels & Resorts and WEWD to bring this project to life,” commented Garth Simmons, Chief Executive Officer – Accor Southeast Asia, Japan & South Korea.

“We are so excited to unveil SO/ Maldives as the latest jewel in CROSSROADS Maldives’ crown, as we continue to transform the tourism landscape in this highly-desirable destination. With its signature sense of style and commitment to creating unique guest journeys, SO/ is the ideal fit for our third island. It will stand out from the crowd, complement our two other industry-leading brands and complete our collection of luxury and lifestyle resorts, further raising the bar for hospitality in the Maldives,” said Dirk De Cuyper, Chief Executive Officer, S Hotels & Resorts.

“The Maldives is a truly special place and we are delighted to enter the market with such a prestigious project. S Hotels & Resorts has a proven track record of developing exceptional lifestyle resorts, including CROSSROADS Maldives, and the edgy style of SO/ always strikes a chord with its trend-setting guests. With such strong partners, we are confident of creating a one-of-a-kind resort experience at SO/ Maldives,” added Zaw Win Maung, Managing Director, WEWD.

SO/ Maldives will join Accor’s collection of five resorts in the Maldives which include the midscale Mercure brand, premium Pullman and Mövenpick brands, and the luxury Raffles and Fairmont brands. Accor is a global industry leader in the lifestyle segment with 13 dedicated brands such as Mondrian, Mama Shelter, and 25hours.

S Hotels and Resorts Public Company Limited, the hospitality arm of Singha Estate Public Company Limited, is a fast-growing, Thai-inspired company with an extensive international portfolio and world-class standards.

Specialising in the management and investment of high-quality hotels and resorts in desirable destinations across the globe, S Hotels & Resorts has created a collection of its own distinctive lifestyle brands, whilst also partnering with the hospitality industry’s leading names.

Wai Eco World Developer is an investment and development group in Myanmar belonging to Wai Family Group of Companies, which has major focus on gem and jewellery business.

With the opening of economy last six years ago, WEWD has rapidly diversified both regionally and locally with the real estate development as its one of the major directions. WEWD partnered with SHR in the development of the prestige resort in the Island 3 of the Emboodhoo Lagoon as its first major oversea investment.

The Company is planning to develop a number of hotels and resorts in major cities and tourist destinations of Myanmar. Opening jewellery shops in some of the major cities of the region soon is part of the Company’s portfolio.

THPT Comment: Accor is the major player in the Maldives, and great to see them bring their SO/ brand to the islands, and partnered up with two major players there.

First Seen: Accor press release

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