SO/ Maldives set to make debut in November

The resort is located on a private island surrounded by Emboodhoo Lagoon and can be reached by a 15-minute speedboat ride from Male’s Velena International airport.

SO/ Maldives will be a property from Ennismore, which is now a joint venture between Ennismore’s founder Sharan Pasricha and French hotel giant Accor.

The resort will feature 80 individually designed villas on the beachfront or built on stilts above the lagoon. The resort will also offer three bar and restaurants, a Wellness Camp plus a programme of cultural activities covering areas such as music, fashion, design and art.

Guests arrive at the resort through an over-water pavilion with the SO/ Maldives’s design inspired by the “craftsmanship and theatricality of contemporary couture”.

There are eight categories of villa, each with private pools, including a three-bedroom Ocean Water Pool Villa Collection and a Family Beach Pool Villa with Capsule which comes with adjoining sleep “pods” for children.

Restaurants will include the Citronelle Club serving Asian dishes and Hadaba offering slow-cooked dishes, while Lazuli beach bar and lounge will feature DJs and live music during the evenings.

The Wellness Camp will include treatment rooms, hammam, steam rooms and a gym. There will also be a watersports centre on the beach, as well as The Nest kids club and The Zone with games room and outdoor deck for teenagers.