Thai hotel group Centara Hotels & Resorts has announced it will invest in and manage a new property in The Maldives, which will be the first outside of Thailand.Scheduled to open in May 2009, Centara Grand Island Resort and Spa, will deliver a Premium 4-star resort experience and will be tailored to provide exceptional hospitality for both couples and the family market.

The resort is located on South Ari Atoll, 25 minutes by air from Male Airport or 85 minutes by speed boat.

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.

Barefoot luxury will be combined with an active and varied social programme for both adults and children alike and the resort’s objective is to offer much more than a day-time, water oriented resort experience.

Adults will enjoy premium levels of service with a variety of dining options, swimming pools, recreational activities, sports and fitness options, bars and lounges with nightly entertainment, and Centara Hotels & Resorts’ very own 5-star 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 sq m Beach Suites complete with separate living room, large terrace and indoor and outdoor showers, up to 146 sq m Luxury Beachfront Pool Villas 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 travellers.

Mr.Gerd Steeb, President of Centara Hotels & Resorts, said “This is our 14th property and we aim to grow to 25 properties by 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$49m and our first outside of Thailand but with others to come.”
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