Soneva Fushi GM Gerhard Stutz: Leading the Charge in Responsible Luxury Tourism

Founded in 1995, Soneva is an award-winning sustainable luxury resorts operator. At Soneva Fushi, Soneva Jani and the Soneva in Aqua yacht in the Maldives, and Soneva Kiri in Thailand, true ‘luxury’ is defined by peace, time and space. Nestled in the Baa Atoll UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, one of the largest islands in the Maldives, Soneva Fushi is a natural treasure with magical experiences at every turn. The resort’s 53 private island villas are ensconced in a verdant jungle, while the eight Water Reserves are among the largest of their kind in the world. At Soneva Fushi, guests discover the SLOW LIFE, reconnecting with themselves and the natural world through rare, unforgettable experiences.

These include a lineup of visiting experts as part of the Soneva Stars calendar, 14 dining destinations, transformative wellness at Soneva Soul, one of the largest children’s playgrounds in South Asia- The Den, and all-inclusive luxury with Soneva Unlimited.

Soneva is a pioneer for responsible tourism, combining sustainability with exquisite luxury and intuitive, personalised service. Carbon neutral since 2012, Soneva launched its Total Impact Assessment to measure its social and environmental impact in 2016 – a first for the hospitality industry. A 2% environmental levy is added to every Soneva stay, with proceeds going towards the not-for-profit Soneva Foundation to offset carbon emissions and fund purposeful international projects.

Soneva pioneers a raft of local and international projects that support environmental sustainability, the protection and conservation of biodiversity and habitats, and far-reaching social and community initiatives.

The Soneva Namoona project brings a radical reduction of single-use plastic, recycling, ocean stewardship and environmental education under one umbrella. In partnership with local island communities in the Maldives, the initiative provides funding, expertise and coordination for a waste management system that cleans up local islands and demonstrates how single-use plastics can be eventually phased out. At the heart of this project is Soneva Water, which has been rolled out to the neighbouring islands of Maalhos, Dharavandhoo and Kihaadhoo, swapping unreliable rainwater and plastic water bottles for pure, filtered water in reusable glass bottles.

Every Soneva resort features a comprehensive regeneration programme, which focuses on the three Rs: Re-use, Reduce, Recycle. Around 90 percent of resort waste is recycled or reused through Soneva’s Eco Centro Waste-to-Wealth facilities. Organic gardens at the heart of each resort operate through permaculture principles, irrigated by greywater, and nourished by compost from Soneva’s kitchens, they supply fresh fruit, vegetables and herbs to the resorts’ dining destinations. One-of-a-kind experiences invite guests to immerse themselves in Soneva’s regeneration initiatives – from glassblowing at Soneva Art & Glass, the Maldives’ only hot glass studio, which transforms discarded bottles into works of art, to the new Makers’ Place recycling studio.

First and foremost, more than half of our hosts are Maldivian locals which automatically integrates the culture and the Maldivian hospitality into our unparalleled service. We are also very closely connected with our neighboring communities and involve them in our guest experiences, such as using the age-old Maldivian tradition of welcoming guests with the local Bodu Beru dance. We invite local artisans to our guest events where they display the local art and heritage. We also sell local merchandise in our shops which is locally sourced by our team.

At Soneva, we provide our guests with the highest standards of luxury and rare experiences. The warm hospitality of our hosts makes them feel at home and comfortable at all times. The privacy of our guests is our utmost priority, and we ensure that we operate with complete discretion when it comes to providing a memorable stay to all our guests.

Wellness permeates all that we do at Soneva: our sustainable, barefoot philosophy that reconnects our guests to the earth; our life-affirming natural locations; our delicious yet health-focused cuisine; and our life-changing guest experiences. In 2021, we launched Soneva Soul, a unique, transformative wellness concept builds upon Soneva’s experience at the forefront of the luxury hospitality and wellbeing industry over the last 26 years. It blends thousands of years of ancient healing wisdom with the latest science and innovation to reconnect mind, body and soul in the ultimate healing environment, providing balance, innovative healing and health optimisation.

Through inspiring resort wellness centres, energising movement and yoga programmes, deliciously wholesome cuisine, a team of resident experts and a global network of renowned wellness specialists, we empower you to reach your full potential and achieve your wellness goals across every part of your life.

I do see a spike in the luxury resort markets, especially in the Maldives. I believe people will now again find traveling much easier and more attractive, and definitely for unique destinations such as the Maldives.

The culinary experience in Soneva Fushi is beyond exceptional compared to anywhere else. The diversity in almost 14 different kinds of varied culinary experiences is groundbreaking. One that stands out is the dining experience with our three Michelin star Japanese chef, Akira, who delivers exceptional Sushi right in front of you at “So Hands On”. This is one of the many culinary delights. Guests can also Zipline to another destination dining at Soneva Fushi called the “Flying Sauces” where our guests actually zipline to the restaurant and can relish another Michelin Star experience in the middle of the Jungle. We continuously strive to introduce innovation and creativity into our food offerings keeping the overall wellness element in mind.

I do believe guests travel for rare and exceptional experiences which are not possible in the daily hustle bustle of life. Here at Soneva Fushi, we encourage them to embrace our barefoot philosophy and walk barefoot around the island. Feeling the sand beneath one’s toes and reconnecting with mother nature is one of our many unique experiences. Our SLOW LIFE philosophy is focussed towards disconnecting from the world and finding peace and fun within. One can roam around in simple casual shorts and T-shirt and explore the rarest experiences under the sun at Soneva.

We also see a demand for family vacations where guests travel to reconnect with their families. We unique and different family experiences including many kinds of barbeques like Korean barbeque, special Darshan’s Grill experience, to bring families closer and provide them a wholesome feel, rather than compared to one they find in restaurants,

There is not only one, but many experiences that really showcase the spirit of generosity and care that our island embodies. Soneva is rare because of its both passionate hosts and we leave no stone unturned to provide an exceptional service to our guests.

We recently had guests who were departing just before Valentine's Day, while wishing they could spend Valentine's at the resort. Our team, as generous as ever, picked the clue and decorated an entire beach just for the two of them, along with a cozy dinner. The team curated a memorable experience for them, and the guests were touched and nearly in tears.

We also recently had a guest child who forgot to carry their Bi- PAP machine at the home airport, and as she depended heavily on it for proper sleep, we ensured that we source the machine from anywhere in the world. Our team was on standby to fly in all directions to make sure our guest was not discomforted. Due to everyone’s concerted efforts, we were successful in getting the machine in time and sparkled the guest like nothing else.

At Soneva no mountain is high enough for us to climb in order to ensure that both our guests and hosts are well looked after.