Thomas Weber on leading with people and purpose at Alila Kothaifaru Maldives
Thomas Weber traces his approach to hotel leadership to the restaurants and bars where his hospitality career began. Food and beverage taught him to connect financial performance with the details of service, and to recognise how much depends on colleagues working together. Those lessons continue to inform his work as General Manager of Alila Kothaifaru […]
One&Only Reethi Rah’s Ahmed Fazeen on building award-winning standards and careers in housekeeping
Ahmed Fazeen regards his decision to return to One&Only Reethi Rah as a turning point in his career. He had joined the resort’s pre-opening team in 2005 as a public area attendant, before leaving after a few years to work at another property. Two years later, he chose to come back. “I think that was […]
Greg Allan on renewing Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa through its people and guest experiences
At Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa, the refurbishment programme reaches from villas and restaurants to the way guests plan their time on the island. For General Manager Greg Allan, these changes depend on understanding what guests value about the property and where their experience needs to improve. Speaking to Hotelier Maldives, Allan described […]
When the system makes a promise: AI and the human responsibility of hospitality
In Hudha Faheem’s hypothetical scenario, a guest arrives at reception expecting to join an excursion confirmed by the resort’s AI assistant. The activities team has no space. Check-in is busy, the confirmation relied on outdated availability, and staff do not yet know whether other bookings are affected. For the panellists considering the problem, the immediate […]
Powering the resort, preserving the view: The case for lagoon solar
For Maldivian resorts considering floating solar, the lagoon presents both an opportunity and a difficult decision. It offers space to generate power without occupying more of the island, while remaining part of the landscape guests have travelled to enjoy. That tension ran through “Introduction to Atoll Solar and Lagoon Floating Solar”, a joint presentation at […]
Closing the payment gap: Bank of Maldives’ Swipe and the guest experience
A couple on an island excursion find a handicraft they want to take home. In the scenario Ahmed Hizaam Khaleel put to general managers, the sale falls through for a simple reason: the craftsperson accepts only cash, while the visitors have a credit card and a phone. The guests leave without buying. For Khaleel, the […]
Powering energy resilience: Financing pathways for the private sector in Maldives
For a resort considering solar power or battery storage, the questions extend beyond choosing a technology. Who develops the asset, how it is financed and whether it makes commercial sense all influence whether an energy ambition becomes an operating project. These were the issues raised by Ayotunde Osunkunle at the Hotelier Maldives General Managers (GM) […]
Before the guest arrives: Nora Imeli on the human side of hospitality
During a recent resort stay, Nora Imeli thanked a waiter and addressed him by name. She recalled his expression changing immediately. In subsequent encounters, she noticed him smiling, talking more with other guests and returning to engage with her. “So he shaped my experience and I shaped his experience,” she told delegates at the Hotelier […]
Who will run tomorrow’s resorts? Building careers people want to stay for
“Their best capabilities become a prison,” Suresh Dissanayake observed. He was describing a management dilemma: the employee so good at their current job that the department is reluctant to let them move. A reservations agent may understand why guests book, hesitate or walk away, yet spend years being told that reservations is where they belong. […]
Who bears the cost? SHC Law & Tax, resort leaders examine forex and TGST pressures at GM Forum 2026
“Where are we as a business now standing?” The question from an audience member during SHC Law & Tax’s session at the Hotelier Maldives General Managers (GM) Forum 2026 captured the concern running through the discussion. For resort leaders, changes to foreign exchange and tax rules reach directly into the business of paying suppliers, negotiating […]
Emotional ownership can turn talent into a lasting asset, Atmosphere Core’s Shrikant Dash tells GM Forum 2026
Shrikant Dash, Deputy Managing Director – Corporate at Atmosphere Core, has called on resort leaders to build ‘emotional ownership’ among their teams, arguing that a stronger sense of purpose, trust and belonging can turn talent into an enduring organisational asset. Delivering the keynote address at the tenth edition of the Hotelier Maldives General Managers (GM) […]
Solar at scale: How RAH GILI MALDIVES is reducing diesel dependence and embracing sustainability
During a recent visit to RAH GILI MALDIVES, we encountered a part of the island that most guests may never see, but which could become one of the defining elements of the resort’s operating model. Beyond the villas, dining venues and guest pathways, in the back-of-the-house area of the resort, lies an expansive solar installation […]
