Soneva Gili and Soneva Fushi
******
The Best of Both Worlds
in The Maldives
Soneva Fushi,
the world’s first Robinson Crusoe-style hideaway
resort, which was voted World’s Best Resort by readers of Conde
Nast Traveller in 2000, is now complemented by an equally unique
and luxurious new twin sister property, Soneva Gili. This means
that visitors to the Maldives can now combine two very different
holiday experiences by dividing their stay between the two
Soneva resorts.
Soneva Gili,
which opens in October 2001, is The Maldives first
resort located entirely on water, in the beautiful turquoise blue
lagoon of Lankanfushi, one of the largest lagoons in the Maldives.
Apart from the crystal clear waters, for which the Maldives is
world renowned, the island and lagoon provide an abundance
of fish around the island, ideal for diving and snorkelling. It is
also just a 15 minute speedboat ride from Male International
Airport.
If Soneva Fushi,
which presents a sophisticated “luxuriously back
to nature” resort experience on a large isolated island can be
described as a Robin Crusoe-style hideaway, then Soneva Gili
evokes visions of Kevin Costner’s “Water World”. The resort is
made up of rustic looking, but glamorously furnished individual
water cottages built on stilts above the shallow waters of the
lagoon. These are reached from the resort’s public areas via
large wooden walkways, except
for the seven stand-alone
Soneva Gili Crusoe Residences, which for the ultimate in privacy
are accessible only by boat.
The 44 villas and
residences are spacious with wooden floors,
so that like villas at Soneva Fushi they are both in harmony with
their surroundings, yet still luxurious. The bathrooms have been
designed with a separate shower access along an open-air walk-
way, along its own private water garden. The roof snuck is a
private oasis of luxury - some of the villas also have an open-
air Jacuzzi - and there is also a lower level snuck just above
the water level.
Soneva Gili sets the
same standards of innovative cuisine that
made Soneva Fushi famous. Open air dining at Soneva Gili is
romantic, private and unique. A moonlit dinner on the sun deck
of your villa, or on the floating deck moored on the sunset side
of the island, breakfast in the
living room of your
residence, or
lunch over the water in the al fresco restaurant - the settings
are as memorable as the
cuisine
Soneva Gili shares
the same philosophy as Soneva Fushi so
there is naturally a tantalizing Six Senses Spa set over a
turquoise blue lagoon, offering a menu of pampering and
healing therapies.
“Luxuriously back to
nature” is the phrase that Six Senses
founder Sonu Shivdasani coined to describe Soneva Fushi,
which is located on the furthest atoll from the capital Male
and so is reachable only after a thrilling 25-minute seaplane
ride from Male International Airport. Unlike most five star
resorts it does not present an ostentatiously luxurious ex-
perience, but rather
an understated and more
sophisticated
style of luxury which allows guests to relax and be pampered
without losing the natural reality of the destination.
Each of the 65
private villas is designed so that only those
who stay in it can actually see it.
This means that every
guest
gets the experience almost of being a castaway on the island
-
a “Robinson Crusoe” style
experience, though with a whole
army of discreetly attentive Fridays to ensure it is no kind of
hardship.
It also means that
the trees and natural vegetation of the island
are kept in tact. So swimming pools, designer marble entrance
lobbies and motorized golf carts are banished in favour of a
more natural environment, and guests are encouraged to go
barefoot throughout the course of their stay, or ride bicycles
to get around the island, from their villa to the library, the re-
laxing Six Senses Spa or the restaurants.
So that the Robinson
Crusoe experience is not spoilt by the state-
of-the-art amenities which the resort also offers, every care has
been taken to preserve the resort’s harmony with the environ-
ment: thus the hairdryer is hidden in the drawer of a coconut
wood desk; the minibus, safe and quadraphonic hi-fi are con-
cealed behind rattan; and the TV and VCR are delivered in a
water hyacinth basket.
Soneva Fushi also
presents a wide variety of gourmet dining
options in settings as memorable as the food itself, such as a
seaside moonlit barbecue, a desert island picnic, a simple yet
delicious lunch under a canopy of trees, or an intimate meal by
lantern on a private beach. And many of the trappings of civilized
living are still presented here, albeit in much more natural
and rustic surroundings.
For instance,
breakfast begins with a sumptuous buffet spread
and a free flow of Soneva Fushi’s own excellent sparkling wine.
Every Tuesday night, General Manager Charles Morris welcomes
guests to an exclusive cocktail party on the resort’s sandbank, a
ten minute boat ride away. Champagne cocktails and canap�s are
served as the day becomes evening and guests marvel at the
endless stretches of sea engulfing the tiny islands. Soneva Fushi
also has a fine wine cellar, with over 300 labels to choose from,
and tutored tasting are held by Chef Remon, who produces the
resort’s superb cuisine, much of it made from produce grown
organically in Soneva Fushi’s own vegetable garden.
Six Senses is a Hotel
and Resort Management and Development
Company established in 1995 which owns the award winning
Soneva Fushi Resort in the Maldives and manages hotels and
resorts under the brand names Soneva, Evason and Pavilion.
Soneva is a “beyond
stars” boutique brand of luxury resorts
whose “Intelligent Luxury” philosophy is to offer luxuries of
the highest international standard but with a sensitivity and
local feel in design, architecture and service. Evason is a five
star boutique category where attention to detail is also a
driving force and whose philosophy of being “Distinctly Different”
results in very Innovative properties. The Pavilion brand consists
of more traditional four star hotels and resorts but which none-
theless have a unique selling point to differentiate them in
the market.
The Soneva Fushi
Resort and Spa was recently voted Best
Resort and Best of the Best by readers of Conde Nast Traveller.
Soneva Gili Resort & Spa
Price
in US Dollar per room per night without any meals
| Period
|
Category
|
Double room
|
Single room
|
Triple room
|
18.04.06 - 24.07.06
25.07.06 - 04.09.06
05.09.06 - 18.12.06 |
Villa suite |
1,006.00
1,221.00
1,145.00 |
898.00
1,131.00
1,036.00 |
1,131.00
1,221.00
1,270.00 |
18.04.06 - 24.07.06
25.07.06 - 04.09.06
05.09.06 - 18.12.06 |
Residence |
1,399.00
1,668.00
1,550.00 |
1,289.00
1,554.00
1,440.00 |
1,524.00
1,793.00
1,675.00 |
18.04.06 - 24.07.06
25.07.06 - 04.09.06
05.09.06 - 18.12.06 |
Crusoe
Residence |
1,583.00
1,873.00
1,770.00 |
1,473.00
1,764.00
1,661.00 |
1,708.00
1,998.00
1,895.00 |
Supplements:
Compulsory for the 24th
December inclusive of gala dinner USD 250.00 per person
Compulsory for the 31st
December inclusive of gala dinner USD 350.00 per person
Lunch USD
50.00 per
person per day
Dinner USD 80.00 per
person per day
Return airport transfer
by speed board per person USD 150.00 |
Soneva Fushi Resort & Spa
Price
in US Dollar per room per night without any meals
| Period |
Category |
Double room |
Single room |
Triple roomm |
18.04.06 - 24.07.06
25.07.06 - 04.09.06
05.09.06 -
21.12.06
|
Deluxe Villa
|
721.00
930.00
840.00
|
613.00
921.00
730.00
|
846.00
1,055.00
965.00
|
18.04.06 - 24.07.06
25.07.06 - 04.09.06
05.09.06 -
21.12.06
|
Villa Suite
with pool |
855.00
1,091.00
1,000.00
|
714.00
983.00
930.00
|
980.00
1,216.00
1,070.00
|
18.04.06 - 24.07.06
25.07.06 - 04.09.06
05.09.06 -
21.12.06
|
Rehendi room |
463.00
603.00
543.00
|
354.00
505.00
434.00
|
518.00
728.00
668.00 |
Supplements:
Compulsory for the 24th
December inclusive of gala dinner USD 250.00 per person
Compulsory for the 31st
December inclusive of gala dinner USD 500.00 per person
American breakfast USD
50.00 per person per day
Lunch USD 70.00 per
person per day
Dinner USD 100.00 per
person per day
Return airport transfer
by sea plane per person USD 600.00 |
