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Soneva Jani opens in the Noonu Atoll, Maldives

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  • 24 water villas and 1 island villa in the 5.6km Medhufaru lagoon
  • Most overwater villas feature a retractable roof for stargazing and waterslides from top floor into the lagoon below

Maldives.net.mv – The Soneva story continues with Soneva Jani, the luxury resort operator’s newest property, located in the Noonu Atoll, Maldives. The primarily overwater resort comprises 24 water villas and one island villa situated in a 5.6km lagoon, one of the largest in the Maldives.

The resort is built around the 150-acre island of Medhufaru, and surrounded by four other untouched islands within the lagoon. The resort comprises 18 units of one-bedroom water villas, four two-bedroom water villas, one three-bedroom and one four-bedroom water villa, as well as a four-bedroom island villa. At more than 410 square metres, the one bedroom villas are the largest entry-level villas in the Indian Ocean.

“It has been said that if Soneva Fushi was its own island, Soneva Jani is its own ‘atoll’, as it’s actually a small archipelago of five islands (four of them deserted) within the Medhufaru lagoon,” said Sonu Shivdasani, the CEO and founder of Soneva. “In fact, Medhufaru island is the largest tourist island in the Maldives. Plus, the lagoon is huge; more than 7,000 Olympic swimming pools can fit inside it.  In this massive space with the islands and the lagoon, there are only 25 villas. It’s one of the lowest density resorts in the world, by far.”

“My wife Eva and I have spent many years travelling the world and searching for the perfect spot to open our next resort after Soneva Kiri. When we saw this lagoon, with the bluest water we had ever seen, we knew this was the place,” he added.

Soneva Jani

All villas include a 13m private pool on the outdoor deck, a walk-in mini bar, uninterrupted lagoon views with direct access, and many of them have water slides from the top deck into the water below.  This is in addition to a top deck dining area, an outdoor patio with a sunken dining table, a study and a sleeping-area for children (conveniently located within the main bedroom so that parents can be assured their children are never too far from them in an overwater environment). Three different glass-bottomed areas in each villa guarantee that the underwater world is never too far away. Soneva’s ubiquitous chocolate parlours, ice-cream rooms and Mr./Ms Friday butler service is also provided to all guests.

With sandblasted pine decking and Shingle Red River Gum tiles adorning the outside of the fairytale-esque villas, the insides are made from subtly weathered woods and natural materials in a colour palette of white, pastel greens and mauves. The overall effect is ethereal, light and airy to encourage the ultimate state of relaxation. Like all other Soneva properties, the spacious villas feature beautifully designed interiors by Eva Shivdasani, one of Soneva’s co-founders, and are made from the highest quality sustainable materials.

Another unique feature of the villas are the retractable roofs in the master bedroom, which slide back at the touch of a button to reveal the night sky for stargazing. If guests want a closer look, they can visit Soneva Jani’s Observatory, which is the first overwater observatory in the Maldives. A sophisticated telescope rises through the floor of the observatory deck, surrounded by four dining tables, where guests can dine and watch screens on the tables linked to the view from the telescope. The resort’s resident Astronomer is available to help guests discover the secrets of the universe.

Soneva Jani

The resort also features the largest overwater structure in the Maldives. At three storeys tall, The Gathering is the heart of the resort and houses the various dining outlets, which serve global cuisine, as well as the spa, library, retail area, wine cellar and Children’s Den.  A Soleni Dive Centre and Marine Biology Champa are located next to The Gathering.

All guests are provided with bicycles or tricycles to help navigate the fun, snaking jetty that connects to the main island, home to Cinema Paradiso, Screwpine Alley, the Gardens and Labyrinth, and various walking and cycle paths.  A shuttle boat service is also available to transport guests around the resort, should they prefer. Cinema Paradiso is an open-air, overwater cinema, where guests will be given Bluetooth headphones so as not to disturb the nesting turtles and other wildlife in the area.

While being a luxury resort, Soneva Jani’s eco-credentials strongly reflect the brand’s ‘intelligent luxury’ ethos, with fresh organic produce grown in farms on the island, as well as a recycling program and recycled glassware made at Soneva Fushi’s Glass Studio.  The pools use seawater with UV filtration and the villas have been built over the sandy floors of the lagoon, with no damage to any part of the reef.  Furthermore, solar PV will be a significant source of power generation at the resort, all waste-water is collected and treated on-site, and water is also produced on-site, including drinking water, using desalination.

Located only 40 minutes from the capital Male, guests can arrive by seaplane, which lands at the floating airport situated in the deepest part of the lagoon, or by a 60-minute speedboat journey from the sister resort, Soneva Fushi.

“There are a lot of ‘biggest’ and ‘firsts’ associated with Soneva Jani, which is fascinating as it’s really a very small resort, in terms of room inventory, in the big scheme of things. However, we have pushed ourselves to create this totally unique, creative product in this incredibly beautiful location. The waters in the lagoon have the most vibrant shades of blue that I have not seen anywhere else in the Maldives. We have an extensive array of marine life, including turtles, rays and occasionally dolphins, and the lagoon is an excellent place for kayaking, sailing and swimming as it is calm, shallow and extends for miles and miles,” said Olivia Richli, Pre-Opening and General Manager – Soneva Jani.

“The feedback we have received so far has been amazing, people haven’t seen anything like it. We are fully booked for parts of November and December, which is remarkable for the opening months of a luxury resorts life,” she concluded.

The resort, which celebrated its soft opening in October 2016, is open to the public however some elements of it are still in the final stages of development and are scheduled to be finished by December 2016.

In addition to Soneva Jani, Soneva owns and operates Soneva Fushi in the Maldives and Soneva Kiri in Thailand. Soneva in Aqua, an ultra-luxurious yacht, was launched in the Maldives in 2015 and sails out of Soneva Fushi. For more information about Soneva visit www.soneva.com

Quick facts: 

  • The Medhufaru lagoon is 5.6km long
  • There are 5.4 kilometres of nature trails to be explored on the main Medhufaru Island
  • 1.6 kilometres of jetty links the water villas to the main island
  • 12 kilometres of reef circling the lagoon, which include corals of all species, and a great deal of fish as well as huge old coral colonies creating a nice shallow 3D reefscape.
  • There are 104,000 pieces of Red River Gum Shingles from Laos on the roof of The Gathering

Business

BBM brings Vaseline, Hellmann’s, BRU Coffee to Maldives market

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Bestbuy Maldives (BBM) extended their strong and decades old partnership with Unilever International, by adding to their brand portfolio – Vaseline, Hellmann’s, and BRU Coffee for the Maldivian market.

The collaboration was announced at a Business gathering held at the Manhattan Business Hotel, attended by over 300 trade partners from across Maldives.

With this partnership, BBM strengthens its retail offerings across the Maldives archipelago. Vaseline, a trusted name in skincare, and Hellmann’s, known globally for quality food products, will now be available through BBM’s distribution network.

“Vaseline is a name that generations trust for skin care. And Hellmann’s is a global icon in flavours. We’re proud to bring both to shelves across the Maldives and enrich everyday living for our customers,” said Muksith Hussain, Business Head – Retail.

In the hospitality sector, BBM introduces Bru Coffee as an addition to its HORECA (Hotel, Restaurant, Café) offerings. BRU Coffee provides a quality beverage option for hotels, resorts, and restaurants across the Maldives.

“BRU is one of the most loved coffee brands in the region. With this launch, we’re giving our hospitality partners a versatile product that delivers on both taste and reliability that can be consumed as a beverage and for the purpose of dessert preparation, something they can serve with confidence,” said Hisham Girsy, Business Head – HORECA.

The gathering served as a platform for BBM to engage with its valued trade partners and introduce these new brands to the market.

A.V.S Subrahmanyam, Chief Operating Officer at BBM, remarked: “BBM is built on relationships. This event reflects our commitment to not just introduce great products but to support, connect, and elevate our trade partners. We’re in this together, and the journey ahead is promising.”

As BBM continues to grow its portfolio and global partnerships, the focus remains clear delivering excellence, building trust, and shaping the future of trade in the Maldives.

Bestbuy Maldives (BBM) is a leading distribution company in the Maldives, connecting international brands with local businesses across retail and hospitality sectors. With a customer-focused approach and extensive distribution network, BBM continues to be a trusted partner in the Maldivian market.

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Conrad Maldives welcomes guests to celebrate Golden Week with curated experiences

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Golden Week serves as one of China’s premier travel holidays which allows people to spend quality time with family while enjoying unique experiences. Conrad Maldives Rangali Island presents a carefully designed programme of activities which allow guests to unwind with their loved ones.

From April 28 to May 5, guests can enjoy a variety of activities designed to suit every kind of traveler. Culinary highlights include beachfront hot pot with champagne, a six-course wine pairing dinner beneath the sea at Ithaa, Japan-inspired grilling at Koko Grill, and themed nights ranging from Southeast Asian flavours to classic BBQ and roasts.

The wellness program includes beach yoga sessions, guided nature walks and traditional Chinese spa treatments that include gua sha facials and gemstone massages using ISUN’s natural skincare line.

Families traveling with children can take advantage of the lively Kids Club and daily creative art sessions, while guests looking for a quiet moment can join meditation, sunset fitness, or simply relax at any of the three bars offering 50% off drinks during their designated hours.

During Golden Week at Conrad Maldives guests can choose to spend time with family or relax with their partner or find personal time because the resort offers a relaxing experience through various activities.

Conrad Maldives Rangali Island is part of Hilton Honors®, the award-winning guest loyalty program for Hilton’s 24 world-class brands. Hilton Honors members who book directly through preferred Hilton channels have access to instant benefits, including a flexible payment slider that allows members to choose nearly any combination of Points and money to book a stay, an exclusive member discount that can’t be found anywhere else and free standard WiFi. Members also have access to contactless technology exclusively through the industry-leading Hilton Honors mobile app, where Hilton Honors members can check-in, choose their room and access their room using Digital Key.

Click here to view the full programme. For more information or to book your experience, please visit www.conradmaldives.com or email mlehi.experiences@conradhotels.com or contact +960 6680629.

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NOOE Maldives Kunaavashi offers free speedboat transfers for Summer 2025

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NOOE Maldives Kunaavashi is offering a limited-time Free Speedboat Transfer for guests booking their dream island escape in Summer 2025. Guests staying five nights or more will enjoy a free shared return speedboat transfer, ensuring a smooth and relaxing start and end to their tropical getaway.

This exclusive offer is available across all markets and applies to all villa types, including split stays, as long as the total stay is five nights or more.

The booking period for this promotion runs from 24 April to 15 May 2025, with the stay period valid from 1 May to 30 September 2025.

Experience the magic of the Maldives with added ease — a seamless journey from arrival to departure, at no extra cost. We look forward to welcoming you to NOOE Maldives Kunaavashi.

For more information or to make a reservation, please contact the NOOE Maldives Kunaavashi Reservations Team via email at reservation@laviehotels.com or via +960 9911 486. 

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