News
Starwood announces The St. Regis Vommuli Resort, Maldives opening in 2016
Maldives.net.mv – Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. has announced the signing of an agreement with Residency Resorts Malé Private Limited, part of the Chennai-based leading property developer, Appaswamy Group, to debut the renowned St. Regis brand in the Maldives. Set to open in 2016, The St. Regis Vommuli Resort, Maldives will bring the brand’s hallmark luxury services to one of the world’s most magnificent destinations, ideally situated on the private Vommuli Island in the Dhaalu Atoll.
“We are pleased to partner with Starwood to bring this hotel to life: marrying the bespoke service of the St. Regis brand with the ‘barefoot luxury’ mentality of the Maldives,” said Ravi Appasamy Managing Director of Residency Resorts Male Private Limited. “The brand’s allure, coupled with Starwood’s powerful loyalty program, is sure to entice affluent travelers to visit this enchanting destination.”
“Celebrated as one of the world’s best addresses, the Maldives is a befitting destination to introduce the St. Regis brand to a discerning set of global guests,” said Jim Petrus, Global Brand Leader, St. Regis Hotels & Resorts. “This incredible addition to the St. Regis portfolio has been conceived in perfect harmony with the island’s lush vegetation and pristine lagoon.”
A 40-minute seaplane ride southwest from the Republic’s capital city Malé, The St. Regis Vommuli Resort will be located on a private atoll spanning more than 20 acres, surrounded by unspoiled beaches and a secluded lagoon with sparkling turquoise waters. The resort will feature 77 luxuriously appointed private villas, all with a distinct contemporary design scheme inspired by the island’s natural materials and color palette. Guests will have access to a tranquil spa with six private treatment rooms; an infinity swimming pool; state of the art fitness center and yoga space; as well as a dive and activity center. With an all-day dining restaurant, three specialty restaurants and a signature bar, The St. Regis Vommuli Resort will also offer guests rich culinary experiences including the legendary Bloody Mary cocktail, which was first created at the flagship St. Regis New York hotel in the 1930s and is served at each of the brand’s 34 hotels and resorts around the world.
“This signing further fuels Starwood’s strong growth momentum in South Asia, where we continue to see strong demand for high-end hotel accommodations,” added Sudeep Jain, Vice President Acquisitions and Development, South Asia, Starwood Hotels and Resorts. “The upcoming arrival of the St. Regis brand in the Maldives underpins our commitment to Starwood’s luxury portfolio in this dynamic market.”
This announcement follows on the heels of the recent signing of The St. Regis Mumbai, which is scheduled to open before the end of the year. The St. Regis Vommuli Resort will further strengthen Starwood’s fast growing portfolio in South Asia, where the company currently operates 48 hotels with an additional 48 hotels in the pipeline, including W Goa Retreat & Spa and Le Méridien Nagpur in India; Le Méridien Paro, in Bhutan; Le Méridien and Sheraton in Dhaka, Bangladesh and Sheraton in Colombo, Sri Lanka, all due to open in the region within the next two years.
The St. Regis Vommuli Resort joins Starwood’s dynamic local portfolio that includes W Retreat & Spa – Maldives and Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa.
Featured
Four Seasons Resorts Maldives blend family travel with marine discovery
As family travel patterns continue to evolve, with multigenerational holidays and “schoolcations” becoming a growing part of the market, Four Seasons is positioning its Maldives resorts as destinations where families can combine leisure with learning, exploration and shared experiences. Through programmes at Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru and Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa, the brand is offering a Maldives-based approach to family travel that extends beyond the traditional resort stay.
In the Maldives, the focus is placed on experiences that allow families to spend time together while engaging with the natural environment in direct and practical ways. At Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru, marine education forms a central part of the family offering. Children and teenagers can take part in hands-on initiatives alongside experts from The Manta Trust, learning about coral restoration, manta ray research and ocean conservation. The programme gives younger guests an opportunity to understand the marine ecosystems that define the Maldives while participating in activities linked to ongoing conservation work.
At Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa, the family experience is also shaped by the surrounding lagoon and reef environment. Younger guests can take part in introductory diving, surfing and marine conservation activities designed to build early awareness of the ocean and its ecosystems. These experiences place the Maldives’ natural setting at the centre of the stay, allowing families to engage with the destination through activity as well as observation.
This emphasis on learning through travel reflects wider changes in family tourism, where parents are increasingly looking for holidays that combine recreation with educational value. In the Maldives, that approach has particular relevance, given the country’s dependence on marine ecosystems and its reputation as one of the world’s leading island destinations. By integrating conservation-focused experiences into resort programming, Four Seasons is presenting family travel not only as a period of rest, but also as an opportunity for younger travellers to develop a closer understanding of the environment around them.
The Maldives setting also supports multigenerational travel in practical terms. Resorts such as Landaa Giraavaru and Kuda Huraa are well suited to families travelling across age groups, where grandparents, parents and children may all be sharing the same holiday but looking for different forms of engagement. Accommodation, marine activities and wellness offerings can be structured in ways that allow families to spend time together while also catering to different interests and energy levels.
The family proposition is strengthened by the Maldives’ ability to combine relaxation with activities that are tied closely to place. Lagoon-based discovery, reef experiences and conservation work provide a clear alternative to more conventional beach holiday programming. Rather than limiting the stay to accommodation and dining, these activities allow the destination itself to shape the guest experience.
In this context, Four Seasons’ Maldives resorts reflect a broader shift in how luxury family travel is being positioned. The emphasis is no longer only on privacy and comfort, but also on engagement, shared discovery and experiences that carry value beyond the holiday itself. In the Maldives, where marine life and island environments remain central to the visitor experience, that model gives families a way to connect both with each other and with the destination.
Through Landaa Giraavaru and Kuda Huraa, Four Seasons is therefore presenting a Maldives offering that responds to changing family travel expectations. By combining marine education, outdoor activity and resort-based comfort, the brand is aligning its family travel strategy with the qualities that continue to set the Maldives apart. The result is a version of family travel that is shaped not only by where guests stay, but by what they are able to learn and experience together while they are there.
News
COMO Cocoa Island blends wellness and ocean experiences for guests
There is a moment, just after arrival at COMO Cocoa Island, when everything softens. Time loosens its grip. The horizon stretches and the only sound is the tide shifting gently beneath your villa.
At COMO Cocoa Island, experiences are not designed to impress, but to unfold. Each one invites guests to rediscover a slower rhythm—guided by water, light, and instinct.
Where the Ocean Becomes the Guide
The island’s house reef lies just steps from each villa—a living, breathing ecosystem that reveals itself gradually. Slip into the water, and the world shifts: parrotfish flicker past, reef sharks glide at a distance, and turtles move with unhurried grace.
Further afield, journeys into deeper waters bring guests face-to-face with nurse sharks in the nearby atolls—encounters that feel both grounding and quietly exhilarating.
For those who choose to dive, the surrounding sites offer dramatic topographies—caves, channels, and coral walls—each shaped by currents that have moved through these waters long before the first footprints touched the island.

Drifting Towards Stillness
Back above the surface, experiences take on a different pace.
A private sandbank emerges from the horizon—untouched, impossibly white. Here, lunch is served with nothing but the gentle rhythm of waves in the background. There are no interruptions, no schedules. Just a sense of being suspended between sea and open sky.
As the day fades, traditional dhoni boats set out across the lagoon. The light softens. The ocean reflects gold, then amber, then deep blue. Sometimes, dolphins appear—not as spectacle, but as part of the natural rhythm of the place.
Wellbeing, Without Boundaries
At COMO Cocoa Island, wellness is not confined within walls. It exists in the spaces between. Morning yoga unfolds overlooking the ocean. Breathing slows in time with the tide and sandbank meditation becomes instinctive—guided by wind, warmth, and the steady presence of the sea.
The COMO Shambhala Retreat complements this with therapies that are precise yet intuitive—designed not to transform, but to restore.

A Philosophy of Less, Perfected
“Cocoa Island has never been about doing more—it’s about feeling more, with less,”says Peter Nilsson, Managing Director, COMO Maldives. “What makes this island special is its restraint. We don’t try to fill every moment—we allow space for the ocean, for stillness, for genuine connection. Guests leave not because they’ve done everything, but because they’ve experienced something real.”
An Island That Stays With You
There are no grand gestures here. No overstatement.
Instead, COMO Cocoa Island offers something increasingly rare—an experience that lingers quietly, long after departure. Not defined by what you did, but by how it made you feel. Because here, in this small corner of the Maldives, the most meaningful moments are often the simplest ones.
For more information, please visit the resort’s website.
Action
Cinnamon Velifushi Maldives introduces indoor mini golf experience
Resort experiences are increasingly shaped by the need for flexibility, with guests seeking activities that can be enjoyed beyond peak sun hours, creating a natural demand for engaging indoor spaces and particularly in tropical destinations where brief, seasonal rain showers are part of the island rhythm.
Cinnamon Velifushi Maldives builds on this evolving guest preference with the introduction of its new 8-hole Indoor Mini Golf Centre, adding a playful and interactive dimension to the island’s leisure offering. The space was officially unveiled at a recent opening, where a guest was invited to mark the occasion, setting the tone for an experience centred around shared enjoyment and light-hearted moments.

The indoor mini golf course offers a relaxed, air-conditioned space where guests of all ages can take part, whether as a casual game between families, a friendly challenge among couples, or a fun addition to group stays. It provides a comfortable alternative to outdoor activities while maintaining the sense of energy and connection that defines time on the island, regardless of the weather.
The addition builds on the resort’s existing indoor facilities, including billiards, table tennis, and a dedicated kids’ playroom, creating a more rounded leisure experience that caters to different moods and moments. Outdoors, guests can continue to explore a wide range of activities, from beach volleyball and futsal to badminton, diving, and both motorised and non-motorised water sports.

As one of the first resorts in the area to introduce an indoor mini golf experience, Cinnamon Velifushi Maldives continues to evolve its offerings in line with how guests choose to travel today, blending activity, comfort, and shared experiences in a setting designed for both relaxation and discovery.
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