GHM has announced plans to launch The Chedi Kudavillingili, its first resort in the Maldives, later this year. The 99-villa property will feature 36 overwater villas, a 150m-long central pool, and desirable proximity to the Malé International Airport, a 25-minute speedboat ride away.
Located on a 1km coral island called Kudavillingili, The Chedi Kudavillingili is shaped by a global team of design talents working closely with the GHM team. Maldivian architecture anchors the resort’s overarching aesthetic appeal, with complementary interior design and landscaping from Singapore and a lighting scheme from the USA.
“Our plans for The Chedi Kudavillingili will showcase the enduring beauty of the Maldives and its people, but we will also remain true to GHM’s tenets of intuitive luxury, timeless designs, bespoke experiences and quality service,” said Hans R Jenni, co-founder and president, GHM.
Since its founding in 1992, the hospitality group has taken the road less travelled into destinations not so well known at the time, opening resorts such as The Nam Hai in Vietnam, The Chedi Muscat in Oman and The Chedi Andermatt in Switzerland. Each won renown for designs that embraced local archetypes and were then enhanced by an alchemy of Asian aesthetics and contemporary cool.
“I have always been impressed with GHM’s work – particularly with The Chedi Muscat,” said P Mohamed Ali, chairman, MFAR Group, the project’s owning company.
“I have seen the kind of impact a GHM resort can have on a destination, and I am looking forward to how GHM will redefine the luxury resort experience in the Maldives, just as they have done in Muscat,” he added.
When GHM launches a new resort in a more established destination, the team is mindful of the brand ethos and the need to provide a singular experience for its guests, not unlike what it has been doing for other resorts in its portfolio.
“This new Chedi is to stand on the shoulders of GHM’s reputation, one that has been defining and redefining what’s chic for nearly three decades,” said Jenni, adding, “The Chedi Kudavillingili is to be the best yet.”
GHM expects the majority of the resort’s guests to come for the quiet, the placid waters and the pristine sands, for sunset cruises, barbecue dinners and fishing expeditions.
The Chedi Kudavillingili will also boast of a spa with eight overwater treatment rooms, a beach club and bar, an all-day dining restaurant and Hawkers’ Stalls featuring four live cooking stations.
Recreational opportunities on the island run the gamut, from courts for several different sports to surfing and a plethora of on-the-water and underwater pursuits.