Centara’s First Hotel Outside Thailand to open in the Maldives

Centara Hotels & Resorts is to invest in and manage a new property in the Maldives, it will be the first property for Centara Hotels & Resorts outside of Thailand.

Scheduled to open in May 2009, Centara Grand Island Resort and Spa, located on South Ari Atoll, will deliver a Premium 4 star resort experience. The resort is relatively close to Male Airport with an air transfer time of just 25 minutes or transfer by speed boat in 85 minutes.

For diving enthusiasts the resort enjoys an excellent house reef complete with a sunken ship wreck and is within easy reach of the top dive spots in Ari Atoll.

Adults will enjoy premium levels of service with a variety of dining options, pools, recreational activities, sports and fitness options, bars and lounges with nightly entertainment, and Centara Hotels & Resorts very own 5 stars Spa experience - Spa Cenvaree. Children will benefit from the new Centara Hotels & Resorts Kids Club concept offering 2 venues - Kid Camp and E-zone for ages 4 to 9 and 10 to 17 respectively.

Guests will be able to choose from 7 categories of beach front and over water accommodation which will range from 76 sqm Beach Suites complete with separate living room, large terrace and indoor and outdoor showers, up to 146 sqm Luxury Beachfront Pool Villas which come complete with their own private pool and membership of the exclusive Island Club – which offers guests in selected categories of accommodation a “resort within a resort” experience specially designed for discerning travelers.

Based around the small pool, Island Club guests will be able to enjoy premium levels of attention and service including access to the exclusive Club Lounge with daily servings of complimentary meals, snacks and drinks including complimentary evening cocktails and canapés. The private pool features refreshing Spa Cenvaree mist sprays, complimentary mineral water, pre-lunch cold towel service, afternoon fruits and sun bed concierge service.

Mr.Gerd Steeb, President of Centara Hotels & Resorts, said, “This is our 14th property and we aim to grow to 25 properties within the year 2010. We signed the management agreement in July and we are very excited with this outstanding Resort. It is a completely newly built project entailing an investment of US$49 million (1.7 Billion baht) and our first outside of Thailand but with others to come.”

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