Q: 30 years in the making, Soneva Secret is finally due to open this March. What is your vision for the newest addition to the Soneva portfolio and how it will redefine the luxury resort experience? Q: You’ve been quoted as saying that luxury is a mis-used word. How would you define ‘intelligent luxury’? Q: Sustainability has always been a key focus for Soneva. How has this commitment been woven into the fabric of Soneva Secret, and what innovative practices have been put in place there? Q: What can we look forward to next from Soneva? Is there an upcoming project that you are most excited about? Q: Which books would you recommend to your guests for a deeper insight into the Maldives and your Soneva’s pioneering wellness programme? Radical Remission Cured: The Power of Our Immune System and the Mind-Body Connection The Maldive Mystery Why do book collections matter? Book a consultation with a ~personal curator Contact Quick Links Follow us @ultimatelibrary Join our community
Sonu Shivdasani on Intelligent Luxury at Soneva Secret
23 Feb 2024
© Soneva
Soneva is one of the best-known brands on the planet for responsible luxury tourism, with two award-winning resorts in the Maldives, one in Thailand,and a fourth, Soneva Secret opening in March. As a long-standing partner of Soneva, Ultimate Library has been reconnecting their guests with the joy of literature through pop-up
Barefoot Bookshops
, dedicated libraries, in-villa book collections, literary events with world-renowned authors and more. In 2023, CEO and Co-Founder of Soneva, Sonu Shivdasani, was voted the winner of the
SevenRooms Icon Award
by the 50 Best Academy for his unwavering devotion to quality and protecting the environment. As he prepares to open Soneva’s newest resort, we had the pleasure of sitting down with Sonu to discuss the inspiration behind Soneva Secret, the true meaning of ‘intelligent luxury’ and his innovative approach to sustainability and wellness. So, get ready to discover the secrets of Soneva and what makes them one of the most innovative and sought-after brands in the world of luxury hospitality.
Soneva Secret is part of the Soneva family so there is much in common in terms of the values, the beliefs and the overall philosophy behind this development and what inspires and drives the team.~ ~Soneva Secret differs from its cousins in that it is at a smaller and more exclusive level. There are just 14 villas, which are similar in size to our villas at Soneva Fushi and Soneva Jani. The lead-in category – The Hideaway – at 450 square metres is like a generously proportioned house, and the Reserves at close to 1,000 square metres would be the equivalent of a mansion. The Hideaways accommodate four people. ~ ~The experience at Soneva Fushi and Soneva Jani involves an elaborate infrastructure, such as the most elaborate children's facilities of any luxury hotel in the world, let alone the Maldives, and a depth and variety of food and beverage experiences. One can spend two weeks at Soneva Fushi and not dine in the same venue and 10 days at Soneva Jani with a similar experience. Soneva Fushi and Soneva Jani have Soneva Souls, our Spa facilities. With Soneva Secret, the experience is more personal. Each villa has its own private gym, private spa, a second bedroom for children or good friends, and a kitchen. There is a team of three people dedicated to each villa: a Barefoot Guardian, a Barefoot Assistant, and a Chef de Partie.~
We believe that luxury is defined as something that is rare or uncommon for the consumer. It is something novel and authentic, that strikes a chord in one’s heart when it is experienced. ~
We have pursued ‘Intelligent Luxury’ in our desire to challenge and fully understand what luxury truly means. The last 30 to 40 years has seen a major shift in the demographics of the wealthy. They live in cities, where pollution is present in all its forms: unclean environments, noise and light. They are not as in touch with nature, they hardly have time to sit down and take a breath, let alone spend large amounts of quality time with their family and friends.~ ~With this in mind, the experience we have created for our guests is as far removed from an urban scenario as possible, letting them indulge in things they rarely get to do in their daily lives. When our guests arrive, the first thing we do is ask if they would like to take off their shoes. Our ‘No News, No Shoes’ mantra helps to ground our guests and lets them feel the sand between their toes. Some never put their shoes back on for their entire stay with us. We have had guests say it feels strange to go back to socks, shoes and high heels once they leave.~ ~With our food and beverage offerings we do our best to source as locally as possible, be that from our organic gardens, from the plentiful seas that surround our islands, or sourced from nearby islands and countries. Sourcing locally has two main benefits: firstly, that our ingredients don’t have to travel so far to reach our guests’ plates, thus keeping their nutritional values intact; secondly, that it also reduces our carbon emissions. There is absolutely no detrimental impact on the environment and our guests savour their meals with the knowledge that the food they consume is free of chemicals, fair-trade, and sourced sustainably. Other examples are the fair-trade dark chocolate in our chocolate rooms or the biodynamic and organic wines that dominate our wine lists. ~ ~Some of my favourite signature Soneva features of our resorts are the outdoor cinemas, our observatories, and the large outdoor bathrooms. We believe these are true luxuries; watching a film under the star-lit sky, exploring the wonders of space and bathing whilst surrounded by nature. Expense, we would argue, is not indicative of luxury. Rarity, however, is. The features in our resorts are not often found in other resorts or restaurants around the world. Sustainability and wellness are hallmarks of something that our guests rarely experience in their cities. It is rare to enjoy oneself while doing something positive for the environment. So, we have combined apparent opposites and found ways in which they can live hand in hand.
We are working on many exciting projects. It is really too early to tell. As soon as we are closer to opening, we will certainly share a bit more. What I can reveal is that we have a strong focus on growing within Asia, in particular, Southeast Asia and Japan.
BY Dr Kelly Turner
Our pioneering Wellness programme – Soneva Soul – was inspired by my experiences with cancer. I highly recommend two books by Dr Kelly Turner:
Radical Remission
and
Radical Hope
. Dr. Nasha Winters has advised me on my health. Her book –
The Metabolic Approach to Cancer
– is also very interesting.
BY Dr Jeffrey Rediger
Cured
by Dr Jeffrey Rediger is also a worthwhile read. At Soneva Soul, we are combining the best of modern medicine with Traditional Chinese Medicine, ancient wisdom, etc.
BY THOR HEyerdahl
In terms of insight into the Maldives, there is
The Maldive Mystery
by Thor Heyerdahl which is a fantastic and insightful read.
We want to thank our partner and friend Sonu for being our expert this month. Discover more about Soneva Secret on their
website
. Also, don't forget to
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