Vill Hotels & Resorts is preparing to reopen its resorts in Maldives in July and August.

Paradise Island Resort will begin welcoming guests from July 15 — the day Maldives reopens its borders to foreign tourists.

Rest of the group resorts — Royal Island Resort, Sun Island Resort and Fun Island Resort — will reopen on August 1.

“Our whole team sincerely looks forward to welcoming you back to enjoy your dream Maldivian holiday,” an announcement read.

Flexible cancellation policy

Villa Hotels’ cancellation policy offers a promise of flexibility.

For existing bookings confirmed to arrive at any of its resorts before July 15, Vill Hotels will allow amendments at no additional cost for stay periods before (ending on) December 23, or the same period next year at the same rate as the original booking.

Guests who are unable to travel before December 23 or the same period next year can cancel their existing booking for free.

For all new bookings made by October 31, there will be a free cancellation window until three days to arrival. This applies to bookings with stay periods from now until October 31, 2021 (excluding December 24, 2020 to January 7, 2021).

To cancel or modify existing bookings, please contact Villa Hotels.

New CleanStay@Villa safety programme

Villa Hotels’ resorts will adhere to government guidelines for restarting tourism.

Temperature checks and screening measures will be carried out at the first point of entry.

Anyone exhibiting Covid-19 symptoms will undergo a PCR test. If one member of a group travelling together displays symptoms, all members will be tested.

Those who test positive will be isolated in a designated resort room, or transferred to a government medical facility, depending on the individual’s medical condition.

These measures will be complemented by a new group-wide health safety programme.

The CleanStay@Villa initiative is built on Villa Hotels existing high standards, and follow the guidance of their in-house doctors as well as the World Health Organisation and the national Health Protection Agency (HPA).

It implements SOPs for end-to-end hygiene checks from arrival and transfer to stay and departure. They include but are not limited to SOPs in the following:

• Disinfect all exposed surfaces on lounges and transport facilities for arrival and departure
• Check and log temperature of all guests and staff on arrival and departing
• Identify high touch areas in guest villas and modify cleaning protocols to ensure that such areas are thoroughly cleaned and disinfected
• Implement new staff hygiene standards, with mandatory Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
• Apply stringent disinfecting measures for F&B, spa, sports and recreation facilities
• Recommend social distancing between guests and staff
• Implement continuous staff training in hygiene and cleanliness standards and protocols
• Ensure resorts’ medical clinics are housed with doctors and required facilities
• Use hospital-grade disinfectants in cleaning protocols
• In case of need, provide isolation rooms at each resort

As one of the leading hospitality companies in the Maldives, Villa Hotels owns and operates five resorts: Paradise Island Resort and Spa, Royal Island Resort and Spa, Holiday Island Resort and Spa, Sun Island Resort and Spa, and Fun Island Resort and Spa.

The company also has several subsidiaries, including award-winning wellness brand Araamu Spa and dive centre DiveOceanus.