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SO/ Maldives
Emboodhoo Lagoon, Maldives · Sofitel · High Luxury
Opened November 2023 as the third and final resort completing Crossroads Maldives — the Indian Ocean's first multi-brand integrated leisure destination — SO/ Maldives was designed by Singapore's Eco-ID Architects with villas modelled on superstar makeup trailers and a two-storey arrival building whose central staircase was conceived as a vertical fashion runway. Eco-ID's founding partner Calvin Sim cited Chanel cruise shows — including the 2008 carousel set and the 2018 fake-beach show — as direct interior references. The resort is the SO/ brand's first appearance in the Maldives.
- 80 rooms
- Opened 2023
- Neighborhood: Emboodhoo
- Architect: Eco-ID
About SO/ Maldives
- Eco-ID Architects explicitly referenced Chanel haute couture runway sets — including the brand's 2008 carousel show and its 2018 beach catwalk — as design inspirations for SO/ Maldives' villa interiors and public spaces.
- The central arrival staircase was designed as a literal vertical fashion runway: guests ascend past the lobby bar to the elevated specialty restaurant, mimicking a couture catwalk experience.
History
SO/ Maldives opened in 2019 on a private island in the Emboodhoo Lagoon — the closest resort lagoon to Malé Velana International Airport, requiring only a 10-minute speedboat transfer. The hotel's 80 villas include overwater and beach configurations, each styled in SO/'s distinctive fashion-meets-design aesthetic. The resort positions itself as a 'refreshingly fashion-forward counterpart to the ubiquitous five-star retreat,' differentiating from conventional Maldivian luxury by emphasizing contemporary design and vibrant social energy over traditional understated luxury.
Amenities
- Spa
- Pool
- Sauna
- Fitness center
- Kids' club
- Water sports
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