The Avani+ Fares Maldives Resort, the first property of Minor Hotels’ trailblazing Avani brand, is set to open on 1 April.
Located in the Baa Atoll UNESCO Biosphere Reserve – half an hour by seaplane from the Velana International Airport – the 176-room Avani+ Fares features beach pool villas, four-bedroom beach pavilions and three-bedroom overwater villas as well as a large swimming pool, spa facilities and seven restaurants, including the first kids-only restaurant in the Maldives.
Avani+ Fares is Minor’s sixth property in the Maldives. The Thai operator teamed up with local company Cyprea Group to develop the resort at a reported cost of US$70 million.
The high-end hotel was built on the 12.4 hectare Fares island in the western edge of Baa Atoll, a short distance from the world-renowned whale shark and manta ray sanctuary of Hanifaru Bay. A dozen dive sites are also accessible from the resort’s beach, which is surrounded by a pristine 2.6km lagoon and 220-metre house reef rich in marine life, including turtles and dolphins.
Avani+ Fares is the first new resort to open in the marine protected waters of Baa Atoll in more than three years.
“The arrival of Avani+ Fares in the Maldives meets a growing niche in demand for guests seeking alternatives to traditional luxury by providing a contemporary new offering, enabling a wider audience to experience one of the world’s most exclusive destinations,” said William Costley, Minor Hotels’ Senior Vice President of Operations for Asia.
“Avani+ Fares will continue to highlight Avani as a trailblazing hotel brand, filling a gap in the Maldivian hotel landscape and delivering exceptional products in a fresh and accessible manner.”
A mini-farm on the island grows organic produce and local fishermen deliver freshly caught catch. The resort’s main restaurant Ocean Terrace offers Maldivian and international cuisine. Other culinary options include the poolside bar Skipjack and the Hammock in the lobby supplies grab-and-go snacks and kombuchas. Tribe and Smuggler’s Shack offer sundowners and after dark tipples with molecular cocktails and the largest collection of rum in the Maldives.
