W Maldives appoints Amila Handunwala as New General Manager

01 April, 2024

One of the best Ari Atoll resort, W Maldives announced the appointment of a seasoned luxury hotelier, Amila Handunwala, as its new General Manager. With an illustrious career spanning over 25 years in the Maldives, Middle East, and Southeast Asia, he is set to bring a wealth of experience from managing top tier luxury brands—such as Waldorf Astoria, Conrad, St. Regis, and Raffles—, and lead the luxury playground through its evolution. 

The General Manager’s impressive track record and extensive expertise in the luxury hospitality sector makes him the ideal candidate to lead W Maldives through its brand and property evolution. His leadership is set to further enhance guest experience and ensure the perpetuity of the resort’s unparalleled liberated luxury and elevated experiences to its discerning connectors. 

Expressing his excitement about joining W Maldives, Amila stated, “I am thrilled and eager to lead the talented team at W Maldives. With its stunning location and unique offerings, W Maldives is indeed a top destination in the country and should continue to remain exactly that. I look forward to working closely with the team to elevate the guest experience and further establish W Maldives as the top luxury lifestyle resort in the region.”

W Maldives is renowned for its idyllic setting—situated on a private heart-shaped island and surrounded by one of the best house reefs in the country—cutting-edge liberated luxury experience and exceptional guest services. With the appointment of Amila as the General Manager, the resort aims to reinforce its commitment to excellence and innovation in luxury hospitality. His vision and leadership will play a pivotal role in steering W Maldives towards its reinvention while ensuring W Hotels’ brand mission to ignite curiosity and expand the world for its guests.

The management and talents of W Maldives extend a warm welcome to Amila and look forward to embarking on this exciting new chapter under his esteemed leadership. His proven track record in leading high-performing teams and delivering exceptional results makes him a valuable asset to the luxury playground. 

“We are thrilled to have such an experienced and passionate leader joining the team,” said Oriol Montal, Marriot International’s Managing Director, Luxury Asia Pacific (excluding China). “His extensive background in luxury hospitality and deep understanding of the Maldives market will be invaluable as we continue to evolve and enhance the W Maldives experience for our guests.” 

W Maldives is excited about this new chapter and is confident that under the leadership of Amila, the luxury playground will evolve and solidify its reputation as a top destination not only in the country, but also in the region. Guests can look forward to experiencing the unique blend of liberated luxury and the signature Whatever/Whenever service that W Maldives renowned for.

About W Maldives: In luxurious hotels mysteriously named "W", the Starwood group emphasizes a confident, young brand - oriented to design, fashion and music. Conscious service and attention to the smallest details determine the overall experience of W Maldives. In W, the augmentation of the brand is impressively consistent. Inspired by Futura, the widespread presence of the letter W extends from the famous sculpture that adorns the cheer of the resort's pier, to a stamp pressed into a fresh roll of toilet paper and sandblasted form on window panels. But attention to the details of this 5 * resort hotel goes far beyond the "W".

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