The first InterContinental Resort in the Maldives, InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort has welcomed its first guests on Sunday.
Situated at the southern tip of Raa atoll, the resort was officially inaugurated by a momentous palm leaf cutting session ceremony by the Tourism Minister – Mr. Ali Waheed, Mr. Shantha de Silva – Head of Resorts (Thailand and Indonesia) and the General Manager of InterContinental Maldives – Mr. Stefan Huemer.
Tourism Minister Ali Waheed stated during his speech that, “Raa Atoll is a culturally rich with a long history and is the place which houses one of the heroes of the liberation of the Maldives from the Portuguese in 1573, “Dhandehelu”. He was the first mate of the Kalhuohfummi, the odi (boat) of Bodu Muhammed Thakurufaanu (Sultan Ghazi Muhammed Thakurufannu, 1573-1585) who led the successful rebellion against the Portuguese. Hence, tourism and culture are very interconnected in this atoll and you can see from the effects at the property that it gives you a glimpse into the traditional Maldivian way of life.”
This marks the first resort in the Maldives to debut on the officially set launch date. Stefan O.Huemer, General Manager of InterContinental Maldives, comments “The opening of the InterContinental Maldives signals a new era for the brand; and further raises the bar in terms of luxury and immersive experiences here in the Raa Atoll. We are truly privileged to open this resort, which flanks the Baa Atoll UNESCO biosphere and creates an offering that enriches guests’ stay through education, exploration and relaxation, whilst ensuring the preservation of this ocean idyll for generations to come.”
The celebration continued with a display of live art performances by local talents including Baachy and a live musical assemble of Jazz & Lounge music by DJ Ngie at the Digestif at The Retreat on InterContinental Maamunagau.
A 35-minute seaplane flight from Velana International Airport, InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort is the first and only all-Club InterContinental Resort in the world. The property offers 81 luxurious beach, lagoon and overwater villas & residences which has unobstructed views of the ocean along with their own private terrace and pool.
InterContinental Maldives has been created to give families and couples the time and space to disconnect from every day in an environment designed to enhance the unrivaled beauty, light and landscape of the atoll.
Inspiring, refined and made for stylish barefoot living, the design was conceptualized by Singapore-based architects’ Eco-ID to be in perfect synergy with the incredible surroundings and views. The private villas feature contemporary Maldivian interiors by Avalon Collective Interior Design Studio and offer expansive areas with breath-taking vistas of the Indian Ocean.
The first-of-its-kind in the Maldives, the two-story Lagoon Villas combine overwater views with direct beach and lagoon access, as well as private infinity and jacuzzi pools. Overwater Villas offer expansive outdoor decks and Beach Villas provide direct beach access. The resort also has four exclusive two and three-bedroom Residences, with the largest, the three-bedroom Royal Beachfront Residence, offering 790sqm of luxurious privacy.
To create and maintain a sustainable marine ecosystem, InterContinental® Maldives Maamunagau Resort is also working closely with Manta Trust and has a manta sanctuary on the property.
