S Hotels & Resorts completes phase one at CROSSROADS Maldives with launch of third resort in November 2023

SO/ Maldives, the fashionable new five-star lifestyle resort, to start welcoming discerning guests later this year

SO/ Maldives, the third resort at CROSSROADS Maldives, will feature a collection of spectacular pool villas overlooking the ocean

BANGKOK, THAILAND: S Hotels and Resorts PCL, the global hospitality company from Singha Estate PCL, has announced that SO/ Maldives – the third resort at CROSSROADS Maldives, the world-class integrated leisure destination which comprises nine idyllic islands in the Indian Ocean – will open its doors in November 2023, marking the start of a new era of fashion-led five-star hospitality in this idyllic archipelago.

S Hotels & Resorts is the owner of this USD 60 million joint venture project, which is being developed in partnership with Wai Eco World Developer (WEWD), the leading business and real estate conglomerate. The ultra-fashionable SO/ Hotels & Resorts brand will be introduced to the Maldives for the very first time, and the resort will form part of the Ennismore Collection, a curated global collective of lifestyle brands, which has been named as one of the “World’s Most Innovative Companies” and part of FT Future 100 – the UK’s fastest-growing businesses. SO/ Maldives is a sartorially-rooted retreat set on a pristine private island, surrounded by the turquoise Emboodhoo Lagoon, providing a luxurious island getaway experience. Having arrived by speedboat – just 15 minutes from Malé’s Velana International Airport – guests will be welcomed into a glamorous glass pavilion with 360-degree views. A conceptualised runway experience will give the impression that visitors are starring in their own fashion show. Discerning travellers can choose to stay in a collection of beachfront and over-water pool villas, which range from 120 to 330 square metres and are all crafted by renowned designers in a contemporary style, inspired by nature and local culture. Every villa will feature solar panels, as part of a commitment to sustainable operations. A selection of Family Beach Pool Villa with Capsules will also include private capsules for kids, and the stunning two-level, Three-Bedroom Ocean Water Pool Atelier will set the stage for life’s special occasions.

   CROSSROADS Maldives is an integrated multi-island destination

The Marina & CROSSROADS is an 800m lifestyle area & beach walk

The resort will feature three main dining and social venues: Lazuli Beach Club will host the Maldives’ most sophisticated parties, with international DJs and eclectic entertainment programmes, while Hadaba will blend fine-dining with the authentic ambience of a Middle Eastern restaurant, and The Citronelle Club is an all-day dining restaurant inspired by the flavours of Asia.

SO/ Maldives joins two existing resorts at CROSSROADS Maldives: SAii Lagoon Maldives, Curio Collection by Hilton and Hard Rock Hotel Maldives. Nestled within the exquisite Emboodhoo Lagoon, this diverse trio of retreats is seamlessly connected to a wealth of world-class facilities at The Marina @ CROSSROADS, an 800-metre lifestyle area and beach walk lined with restaurants and bars, retail boutiques, wellness centres, water sports, diving and snorkelling, kids’ clubs, and a 30-berth yacht marina, plus the Maldives Discovery Centre cultural hub and Marine Discovery Centre, which is dedicated to underwater conservation and education.

By completing the collection of luxury and lifestyle resorts at CROSSROADS Maldives, S Hotels & Resorts is further raising the bar for sustainable hospitality in this breath-taking destination, where cultures meet. This integrated development has already won multiple major awards and has achieved Green Globe™ Certification, which underscores the group’s deep environmental commitment.

Mr. Dirk De Cuyper, CEO, S Hotels & Resorts, said: “We are delighted to announce the launch of SO/ Maldives, which marks the completion of phase one at CROSSROADS Maldives. This milestone comes at the perfect time, as the hotel’s opening will enable us to capitalise on the continued surge in visitor arrivals to the Maldives, which have jumped 15 percent in 2023*. We look forward to welcoming even more experience-seeking travellers to our three world-class Maldivian resorts in future.”

Mr. Zaw Win Maung, Managing Director, WEWD, added: “The Maldives is a truly special destination and we are proud to be contributing to its prosperous future in partnership with S Hotels & Resorts. SO/ Maldives is an outstanding resort that will attract a new generation of trend-setting guests to the country. We are excited to introduce this one-of-a-kind project to the world in November 2023.”

“We are incredibly excited to bring to you, SO/ Maldives, where Castaway Meets Runway. We will be opening our doors very soon and can’t wait to share this amazing property with you and to the world, a place that is inspired by the glamour of fashion, design, natural beauty of the Maldives and sustainability. It is by far one of a kind here in this stunning destination as it offers great intervenes of statement and masterpiece delivering our guests their unforgettable experiences at our island where chic and chill hangs out with haute couture. In short - it’s the carefully picked and curated heaven on water” says Jesper Soerensen, General Manager, SO/ Maldives.

To learn more about CROSSROADS Maldives and to see how S Hotels & Resorts is elevating hospitality in the Indian Ocean, please visit crossroadsmaldives.com.

For more information about S Hotels & Resorts, please visit www.shotelsresorts.com or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube or LinkedIn.

* International arrivals to the Maldives increased 15.2% year-on-year in the first five months of 2023 (source: https://www.tourism.gov.mv/en/statistics/)

About S Hotels and Resorts Public Company Limited

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. The company aims to set new standards for leisure and lifestyle through diversified business platforms and to enhance value for all its stakeholders based upon a philosophy of sustainable development and delivering benefits to local communities. To learn more, please visit www.shotelsresorts.com or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, or LinkedIn. 

About Wai Eco World Developer

Wai Eco World Developer (WEWD) 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 proudly paired with SHR in the development of an exciting, and 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. WEWD is also active in local F&B business. Creating new projects which have never been before in Myanmar is one of the Company’s missions.

About SO/ Maldives

SO/ Maldives is a fashion-led five-star resort is owned by S Hotels & Resorts, the hospitality arm of Singha Estate, in a joint venture with Wai Eco World Developer (WEWD), a leading business and real estate conglomerate. Part of CROSSROADS Maldives, the integrated multi-island lifestyle destination, this sartorially-rooted retreat is set on a private island overlooking the Emboodhoo Lagoon, just 15 minutes from Malé’s Velana International Airport. It is one of three resorts in CROSSROADS Maldives, along with SAii Lagoon Maldives, Curio Collection by Hilton and Hard Rock Hotel Maldives, all connected by The Marina @ CROSSROADS, an 800-metre beach walk and lifestyle precinct.

For more information and high-resolution images, contact:

Lalita Somboonsuk (Ta)

Senior Manager - Corporate Marketing Communications

S Hotels & Resorts | Singha Estate PCL

Tel: +66 (0) 2058-9888 ext. 320

E-mail: lalita.s@shotelsresorts.com

Website: www.shotelsresorts.com

Jerome Richard

Delivering Asia Communications

Tel: +66 (0)91 723 1648

E-mail: jr@deliveringasia.com