Connect with us

News

S Hotels & Resorts opens SO/ Maldives, its third iconic resort at CROSSROADS Maldives

Published

on

S Hotels and Resorts PCL, the global hospitality company from Singha Estate PCL, has announced the opening of SO/ Maldives, which becomes the third iconic resort at CROSSROADS Maldives, on November 1.

This luxury lifestyle resort complements the two popular five-star retreats and world-class facilities at the Indian Ocean’s first and only multi-brand, fully integrated leisure destination, ushering in an exciting new era of hospitality to the Maldives.

SO/ Maldives is a USD 60 million joint venture project developed in partnership with Wai Eco World Developer (WEWD), the leading business and real estate conglomerate. The resort is operated by Ennismore, a creative hospitality company with a global collective of entrepreneurial and founder-built brands with purpose at their heart.

SO/ Maldives joins two existing resorts at CROSSROADS Maldives: SAii Lagoon Maldives, Curio Collection by Hilton and Hard Rock Hotel Maldives.

Nestled in the Kaafu Atoll and 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, 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.

With three iconic branded resorts all connected with world-class facilities, this fully integrated luxury destination is truly unique in the Maldives, and the broader Indian Ocean region. CROSSROADS Maldives has already won multiple major awards and has achieved Green Globe Certification.

The development’s focus on environmental preservation and sustainability is also reflected at SO/ Maldives, where the roofs of the over-water villas and restaurants are topped with solar panels, allowing the resort to generate its own green energy. Recycled water, electric vehicles, eco-friendly bathroom amenities, and locally-sourced products are used throughout the property, and the resort has eliminated all single-use plastics.

“We are delighted to announce the opening of our third world-class lifestyle resort at CROSSROADS Maldives. With its focus on art, design and fashion, SO/ Maldives will perfectly complement our two internationally branded resorts and extensive facilities at The Marina @ CROSSROADS and enable us to attract a new generation of global explorers. We would like to thank our esteemed partners for their vision and skill in creating this stunning resort,” Dirk De Cuyper, CEO, S Hotels & Resorts, said.

“It is a wonderful moment to see this beautiful project come to life. SO/ Maldives is a trend-setting luxury resort that will attract a new generation of lifestyle-conscious guests, enhancing the Maldives’ tourism sector. We are delighted to collaborate with our esteemed partners at S Hotels & Resorts to create a lasting legacy for the entire country,” Zaw Win Maung, Managing Director, WEWD, commented.

“SO/ Hotels are located in some of the world’s most sought-after destinations, and we are thrilled to put down roots on this paradisiacal private island in the Maldives. In keeping with the SO/ DNA, we’re eager to welcome global travellers looking for a different island experience where art and fashion meet luxury hospitality,” Jesper Sorensen, General Manager, SO/ Maldives, said.

Part of the ultra-fashionable SO/ Hotels & Resorts brand, which is making its debut the Maldives, SO/ Maldives is set to become one of the world’s most sought-after places to stay, play and party. With opening rates starting from USD 950+++ per night, this opening is expected to drive more revenue to CROSSROADS Maldives during the upcoming high season.

Nestled on a pristine private island, surrounded by the turquoise Emboodhoo Lagoon, SO/ Maldives is a sartorially-rooted retreat “Where Castaway Meets Runway.” Discerning travellers are welcomed into a glistening glass pavilion with 360-degree views and will be invited to take a walk across the Runway, a conceptualised open-to-sky catwalk which immerses every visitor in their own fashion show. A collection of beachfront and over-water pool villas, ranging from 120 to 330 square metres, are crafted by renowned designers and envelop guests in style and sophistication. The Dream Family Beach Villas feature private capsules for kids and the stunning two-level, three-bedroom Ocean Water Pool Villa Atelier sets the stage for life’s most memorable moments.

To learn more about SO/ Maldives, please visit so-maldives.com and to discover how CROSSROADS Maldives is elevating hospitality in the Indian Ocean, please visit crossroadsmaldives.com.

News

Versa Hospitality unveils Versa Keys rewards programme for guests

Published

on

Maldivian-owned group Versa Hospitality on Wednesday announced the launch of Versa Keys: a tiered loyalty programme designed to reward guests for their curiosity, loyalty and time spent across the group’s growing collection of destinations worldwide.

Versa Keys introduces a membership structure based on nights stayed, with four tiers–Member, Silver, Gold and Platinum–each unlocking a progressively richer range of benefits across all Versa Collection and Niva properties globally. The programme launches across all locations on 1 October 2026 and is central to Versa’s ambition to deepen guest relationships as the group continues to expand internationally. Each new destination will be fully integrated into the programme on opening, meaning members’ nights and benefits travel with them wherever Versa goes next.

Visha Mahir, CEO, Versa Hospitality, says: “Versa Keys reflects everything we believe travel should be. It rewards the moments that matter–the time guests invest, the experiences they seek out and the memories they leave with.As we grow, the programme grows with them: every stay across every destination counts, and every tier unlocks something more meaningful.”

A programme that grows with guests

Unlocking a lifetime of rewards with Versa Keys is easy. Simply stay across the Versa Hospitality portfolio to accumulate nights and unlock benefits, redeemable at any of Versa properties.

The four tiers are structured as follows:

  • Member | 1-6 nights: Membership begins automatically from the moment you check in for the first time.
  • Silver | 7+ nights: Receive enhanced arrival privileges, early check-in (subject to availability) and discounts on food and beverages, spa and excursions and laundry services.
  • Gold | 48+ nights: Gold members unlock a curated experience for two once per stay, a guaranteed late check-out until 4pm and an additional 5% discount on top of Silver benefits across food, beverages, spa and excursions.
  • Platinum | 84+ nights: The programme’s highest tier builds on everything Gold offers. Platinum members enjoy increased discounts on food, beverages, spa and excursions–an additional 5-10% on top of Gold–plus discounts on in-villa dining and minibar and a guaranteed late check-out extended to 6pm.

Simple to join, effortless to use

Guests are automatically enrolled from their first stay and nights accumulate naturally across all group properties. Resort teams are on hand throughout each stay to highlight earning opportunities, guide guests through their benefits and ensure the programme adds value at every touchpoint.

Versa Hospitality is the evolution of Universal Resorts–the pioneering force behind over 50 years of Maldivian hospitality. Today, Versa carries that legacy forward, shaping extraordinary destinations across the Indian Ocean and beyond.

The Versa portfolio is defined by two distinct yet complementary divisions: the lifestyle-led brand Niva, uniting six properties in the Maldives and Seychelles, and a curated collection of acclaimed resorts including Huvafen Fushi, Milaidhoo and Baros.

Continue Reading

Action

Mason Ho confirmed for 2026 Four Seasons Maldives Surfing Champions Trophy

Published

on

There are surfers who follow a game plan. And then there’s Mason Ho. A blend of style icon, surfing heritage and technical standout, Ho has built a career doing things his own way, usually at full speed, often upside down and regularly pushing the limits of performance across challenging reef breaks and unconventional equipment.

This is exactly why the Four Seasons Maldives Surfing Champions Trophy feels like a natural fit.

For Ho, part of the appeal lies in the opportunity to surf through different eras of the sport – an event where adaptability matters as much as performance, where board choice can shape a heat, and where surfers are recognised not only for power but for style, flow and reading the moment.

From unlikely barrels to impossible lines, few surfers in the modern era have built a career on instinct in quite the same way. Whether riding single fins, twins, thrusters or something less conventional, Ho approaches surfing less as a fixed discipline and more as an open-ended exploration, a quality that continues to define his style and his impact on the sport.

“I try to approach it like I’m living in another time,” says Ho. “If it’s single fin day, I think about guys like Michael Peterson, my dad and Uncle D. Then when it’s twin fin day, I start thinking about MR and all the stories my dad used to tell me. That’s what makes this event so unique. You get to step into different eras of surfing throughout the week.”

Hosted by Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa, the invitation-only event brings together six of surfing’s most celebrated athletes to compete across three iconic board divisions: single fin, twin fin and thruster. Set against the clean, high-performance walls of Sultans, the format rewards adaptability as much as power, style as much as strategy, and timing as much as talent.

“Mason brings a completely unique energy to this event,” says Mark Winson, Event Director. “You genuinely never know what he’s going to do next – whether it’s on a wave, on a board, or in the channel between heats. But underneath all of that personality is one of the most naturally gifted surfers on the planet.”

Ho, who returns for his second Surfing Champions Trophy appearance, said the experience of competing in the event once before has only increased his anticipation for 2026.

“Last time I didn’t really know what to expect,” he says. “This year I’ve got a slight clue, which makes me even more excited to come back healthy. The waves have been super fun the last few years, the resort is amazing and there’s always a really cool crew around. I can’t wait to get back out there.”

Mason joins Kai Lenny as the first two athletes announced for this year’s event. The remaining 2026 competitor line-up will be revealed in the coming weeks, with updates shared across surfingchampionstrophy.com and Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa channels.

Where Champs Come to Surf

First staged in 2011, the Four Seasons Maldives Surfing Champions Trophy has become one of surfing’s most distinctive invitation-only events, bringing six celebrated athletes to Sultans to compete across single fin, twin fin and thruster divisions. Past names include Mark Occhilupo, Taj Burrow, Josh Kerr, Kelly Slater, Joel Parkinson, Michel Bourez, Carissa Moore, Maya Gabeira and more. After Bourez’s dramatic 2025 win, complete with a comeback from injury and the event’s only perfect 10, this edition has plenty to live up to. With Kai Lenny and Mason Ho now confirmed, it is already shaping up to be beautifully unpredictable.

The Garden-Island Base at Kuda Huraa

Just 25 minutes by speedboat from Malé, Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa gives the event its warm, garden-island base, with easy access to North Malé Atoll’s best breaks and a longstanding collaboration with Tropicsurf. Between heats at Sultans, guests can expect post-surf stories, recovery rituals, sunset gatherings and the rare chance to swap board talk with world champions in boardshorts. Serious surfing, very unserious tan lines.

To reserve a stay during the 2026 Four Seasons Maldives Surfing Champions Trophy and enquire about the Surf’s Up package, contact reservations.mal@fourseasons.com or call +960 66 00 888.

Continue Reading

Family

Four Seasons Maldives expands focus on prenatal wellness and couples’ retreats

Published

on

Four Seasons Resorts Maldives has been highlighted as a key destination in Four Seasons’ latest collection of babymoon experiences across Asia, offering a range of wellness, relaxation and personalised treatments designed for expectant parents.

The initiative brings together experiences across the company’s resorts in Asia, with Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru, Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa and Four Seasons Private Island Maldives at Voavah featured prominently for their focus on prenatal wellbeing and holistic wellness.

At Landaa Giraavaru, the resort’s AyurMa wellness centre offers programmes rooted in Ayurvedic principles, yoga therapy and naturopathy. Treatments are designed to promote relaxation and wellbeing through personalised wellness plans tailored to individual needs.

Meanwhile, Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa offers wellness journeys beginning with a naturopathic consultation at ŪRJĀ. Expectant parents can access customised experiences including sound healing, breathwork and mineral-based facial treatments.

For guests seeking a more private retreat, Four Seasons Private Island Maldives at Voavah offers exclusive-use accommodation and bespoke wellness experiences. Among the offerings is the Ocean of Consciousness Experience, which combines meditation, exfoliation, massage and breathwork in a treatment designed to encourage relaxation and mindfulness.

According to Four Seasons, the growing demand for babymoon travel reflects a desire among expectant parents to take time away from daily routines before welcoming a new child. The company said its resorts across Asia are focusing on wellness, mindfulness and meaningful experiences that allow couples to reconnect and prepare for parenthood.

Beyond spa and wellness programmes, the Maldives properties also provide opportunities for guests to enjoy private dining experiences, personalised services and uninterrupted time together in secluded island settings.

The Maldives resorts form part of a broader Four Seasons Asia collection that includes destinations in Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Palau. The collection combines wellness treatments, culinary experiences and cultural activities designed to help couples slow down and create lasting memories before the arrival of their child.

“Together, Four Seasons Resorts of Asia redefine the babymoon as more than a getaway — it is a purposeful pause,” the company said in a statement. “In a world of constant connectivity, these experiences offer the rare luxury of being fully present, allowing expectant parents to reconnect, restore, and step into parenthood with intention.”

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending

Copyright all rights reserved by Maldives Promotion House 2023.