“Crème de la crème,” is one likely description for this luxury international hotel chain. After all, the Ritz Carlton remains one of the obvious five-star accommodation choices after all these years. The newly built Fari Islands resort in the Maldives is no exception when it comes to world-class hospitality.
Located in the North Malé Atoll, a 50-minute speedboat journey from Malé International Airport, the Maldivian retreat is recognised as a sustainable resort and features the picturesque Fari Marina.
onestop supplied furniture for the guest and public rooms – a total of 40 out of 70 rooms – while the furniture in the remaining rooms were by another supplier. Through the process, onestop had undergone production whilst the contracted Interior Designer executed the fit-out. With luck on our side, and despite various challenges met along the way, onestop started the project in Q3 of 2020 and completed it within a span of 6 months.
CHALLENGE #1 : THE COVID-19 TURMOIL
As unprecedented uncertainties bubbled in 2020, anxiety dwelled heavily among the team as did the restrictions. Victor, one of onestop’s project & design managers on this project, was flown in to assist on site but had to be quarantined for two weeks. This inconvenience, along with other issues brought on by the pandemic, added more pressure on him as he had to manage client expectations whilst staying on track with the timeline. Without a doubt, strong communication between the team and the client was crucial in ensuring that the project proceeded smoothly.
CHALLENGE #2: GOING TIMBER
The rooms, and about 95% of the resort, called for timber veneers as the dominant material, which required a smoking process to bring out a smoky finish in the colour. Determined to achieve the desired look, onestop conducted several tests before finally attaining a satisfactory product.
CHALLENGE #3: STEPPING IN
At the initial stages of the project, onestop needed to communicate with another supplier to match the special finishing and colour of the timber veneers. As the pandemic escalated, most of the suppliers had to leave the island and return to their homeland in China. This, unfortunately, left the client in quite a predicament with the materials stuck onsite with no one to install them. It was clear that the client needed someone to step up, so onestop offered to step in to complete the project with the help of the team.
Designed with a modern style in mind, Fari Islands resort is not your run-of-the-mill Maldivian retreat. The contemporary style features rounder designs along with a solar panel on every villa roof, making the resort more energy efficient. Like Ritz Carlton Fari Islands, we believe in embracing sustainable practices to ensure that the memories we help to create today, are enjoyed by future generations.
In search of a professional opinion for your upcoming project? Get in touch with our team here for a free consultation!
