Eddie Ng Joins Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives as Executive Chef

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Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives has appointed Eddie Ng as Executive Chef.

A Singapore national, Eddie has worked at leading hotels and resorts such as The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore, Hotel InterContinental Dubai, Crowne Plaza Sanya, Crowne Plaza Shenyang Parkview, Hilton Hangzhou Qiandao Lake Resort and most recently at the helm of culinary operations as Executive Chef at the Radisson Blu Chongqing Sha Ping Ba.

Eddie’s love of cooking developed very early in life as he watched and helped his grandmother who sold Asian noodles and other delicacies. Over the years his culinary influences evolved as he travelled extensively and shared professional kitchens with chefs from around the world.

“My culinary style is a very personalized and simple way of cooking that always allows the ingredients to shine,” said Chef Eddie. “I love to ‘go local’ and source hero ingredients from the local markets and vendors; my appreciation of fresh and seasonal produce is evident in all my dishes and menus. I am truly excited to be part of the team at Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives – working together with a multicultural team catering to discerning guests with the highest of expectations in one of the most sought-after destinations in the world is a chef’s dream come true!”

HPL appoints IHG to manage InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort

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Singapore-based Hotel Properties Limited (HPL) has inked a management agreement with InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) to manage an 83-room resort that will be open in Maldives in three to five years’ time.

This will be the third resort that IHG will be managing for HPL. It will mark the first time that IHG will bring its global luxury brand, InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, to the Maldives, said Jan Smits, IHG’s chief executive for Asia, Middle East and Africa (AMEA).

The management contract for the upcoming InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort with HPL was inked on Monday. Construction has yet to begin, and neither HPL nor IHG would provide a number on the project’s development value.

The other two existing HPL resorts managed by IHG are: Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives, comprising 160 villas, which opened in December 2009; and the 148-room Holiday Inn Resort Vanuatu which opened in March 2010.

Holiday Inn Resort® Kandooma Maldives
Holiday Inn Resort® Kandooma Maldives

The latest Maldives signing brings IHG’s resort development pipeline to 13 across the AMEA region, reflecting a significant expansion programme, said Mr Smits.

Currently, the hotel and resort management chain operates 37 existing resorts across three brands (InterContinental, Holiday Inn and Crowne Plaza) in the AMEA region.

HPL’s new resort will be located on Maamunagau island, at the southern point of Raa Atoll (also known as the North Maalhosmadulu Atoll). International travellers can take a seaplane directly to the resort from Malé’s Ibrahim Nasir International Airport.

Besides enjoying the clear lagoon and pristine white beach, guests will have a range of food and beverage offerings to choose from at the resort’s bar and restaurants.

“Young travellers may indulge in specially tailored meals from the InterContinental Planet Trekkers Menu before going off for an afternoon of fun at the Planet Trekkers Kids Club,” IHG said.

InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort will also feature a Club Lounge, pool and spa where guests can lounge and relax. The range of water sports include snorkeling, canoeing and jet skiing at the nearby sea sports centre.

Stephen Lau, chairman, HPL Hotels & Resorts, said: “We see huge potential to grow our resorts business in the Maldives, and Maamunagau island is the perfect setting to develop a luxury InterContinental resort.”

As part of HPL’s growth strategy, “we continuously seek the right opportunity to expand our portfolio across the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean region”, he added.

Mr Smits of IHG noted that tourism contributed more than 40 per cent of Maldives’ gross domestic product last year, and that “sentiments are positive as the country continues to be one of the world’s most highly sought after travel destinations”.

Another hotelier who has a presence in Maldives told The Business Times that room rates for Maldives resorts have generally fallen over the past year on the back of weaker demand.

Patronage by Chinese visitors, the number one market, has softened this year amid a weakening economy back home and slight fall in the yuan, among other factors. “Demand from Russia continues to be depressed due to the weak economy and rouble.

On a more positive note, demand from some other European countries has improved but resorts are coming up with more competitive packages to adjust for the weakness in the euro.” Room rates in the Maldives are denominated in US dollars.

“That said, this is still a market that a lot of operators want to go to. The ‘one resort, one island’ policy in Maldives makes resorts here very exclusive compared to say Bali and Mauritius, where you have one big island and many resorts scattered over acres and acres of coastline.”

New Incentives and Special Events Venue Inaugurates at Holiday Inn Resort® Kandooma Maldives

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Holiday Inn @Kandooma Maldives Special events venueMALE – Hosting an event in a marvelous place like the Maldives irrespective of size, type, and occasion will never be the same as Holiday Inn Resort® Kandooma Maldives inaugurates its new incentives and special events facility, the Kandooma Marquee.

This Maldives resort, which is only a 40-minute speedboat drive from the nation’s Ibrahim Nasir International Airport has launched the brand new incentives and events venue with its maiden affair organized by the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Maldives.

The event which tackles about safety awareness topic was attended by the resort’s Chinese holidaymakers, embassy staff, and H.E Mr. Liu Qiang, Charge D’affaires, Embassy of the People’s Republic of China.

Holiday Inn @Kandooma Maldives Special events venueFeaturing 200 square meter of movable events space, the Kandooma Marquee can host up to 180 guests comfortably. Local and international business companies looking to hold intimate incentives and special events or brainstorm sessions in a unique and isolated spot can take advantage of the resort’s state-of-the-art facilities, a large area for group or team building activities, multilingual speaking staff, resident doctor and nurse, and a specialized team professionally handling incentives and special events and group requests from planning to event execution.

Incentives and special events planners, and organizers will have the opportunity to enjoy tastefully appointed decor, high-speed wireless Internet access, and advanced audiovisual equipment.

When it comes to stimulating productivity, the Holiday Inn Resort® Kandooma Maldives features a variety of inspiring event menus to help ensure gatherings are extraordinary and delightful. Whether planning a sit-down lunch and dinner, or a simple coffee break, the resort’s professional culinary team is dedicated to bringing visions to life based on the client’s budget.

After an active day of events, professionals can wind down in the resort’s ideal accommodations available in five categories – Garden or Beach View Villa, Beach House, Family Beach House, Overwater Villa, and the oversized Overwater Pavilion. Featuring well-appointed bedding, flat-screen television with premium cable channels, room service, mini-bar, spacious work desks and high-speed Internet access, guest villas allow visitors to stay be as relaxed or productive as they desire.

Also present during the inauguration was Mr. Joseph Della Gatta, General Manager of Holiday Inn Resort® Kandooma Maldives. “The Kandooma Marquee, a new addition to the resort, is our response to the increasing demand of incentives and special events and group requests we are receiving across different parts of the world”, said Joseph.

“With the brand’s commitment to provide memorable events through our seamless assistance from planning to event implementation, we are here to ensure that we help incentives and special events planners make their event a success”, Joseph added.

About Holiday Inn Resort® Kandooma Maldives

Ladled with cool, contemporary Island design, Holiday Inn Resort® Kandooma Maldives brings a modern vibe to the Maldives. Slip into island life from the moment you arrive at Holiday Inn Resort® Kandooma Maldives, with world-class South Male Atoll diving and surfing on your doorstep. Learn to sail on a catamaran trip around the region’s sandbanks or take it easy with alcohol-free cocktails on a sunset cruise. Top off a perfect day with breathtaking sunsets on the deck at The Kitchen restaurant.

About InterContinental Hotels Group

IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] is a global organisation with a broad portfolio of nine hotel brands, including InterContinental® Hotels & Resorts, Hotel Indigo®, Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn® Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn Express®, Staybridge Suites®, Candlewood Suites®, EVEN™ Hotels and HUALUXE® Hotels and Resorts.

IHG manages IHG® Rewards Club, the world’s first and largest hotel loyalty programme with nearly 79 million members worldwide. The programme was relaunched in July 2013, offering enhanced benefits for members including free internet across all hotels, globally.

IHG franchises, leases, manages or owns over 4,700 hotels and 688,000 guest rooms in nearly 100 countries and territories, with more than 1,100 hotels in its development pipeline.

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC is the Group’s holding company and is incorporated in Great Britain and registered in England and Wales.

Holiday Inn Resort® Kandooma Maldives Launches New Resort Video

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The Holiday Inn Resort® Kandooma Maldives has unveiled its brand-new official resort video that highlights nothing but the overall experience travelers can get when staying at this Maldives resort.

Known for its facilities which cater to various types of travelers, be it families, friends, couples, surfers, divers, or nature lovers, the cutting-edge video simply showcases everything to be enjoyed by everyone who’s searching for a city escape.

“The concept behind the project is to show our guests different experiences they can enjoy and for them to realize that they can make a simple getaway extra special while on the island of Kandooma.”, says Joseph Della Gatta, General Manager of the resort.

This innovative video is the second one since the opening of this InterContinental Hotel Groups’ property in the Maldives last 2009.

“We really planned to create a new video to showcase the latest facilities and services of the resort”. “We have many repeat guests, pleasantly surprised to see and experience something new to be loved about the place.”, Joseph said.

Indeed, the launch of the new resort video by Holiday Inn Resort® Kandooma Maldives is a great idea not just to show what the brand has to offer but to keep its valued guests and future visitors updated through a unique and refreshing flick.

The video can be seen across different social channels of the resort including YouTube and on its official website.

 

Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives

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Holiday Inn Resort® Kandooma Maldives is a tropical paradise. It is located in South Male atoll and is only a 40 minute speed boat ride from the airport.

Ladled with cool, contemporary Island design, Holiday Inn Resort® Kandooma Maldives brings a modern vibe to the Maldives. Slip into island life from the moment you arrive at the hotel, with world-class diving and surfing on your doorstep. Learn to sail on a catamaran trip around the region’s sandbanks and take it easy with alcohol-free cocktails on a sunset cruise. It’s just 5 minutes by boat from the resort for diving and snorkelling among colourful tropical fish at the reef. Top off a perfect day with breathtaking sunsets on the deck at The Kitchen restaurant.

The beach villas ooze style and boast luxury touches like outdoor showers and iPod docking stations. Grab a coffee and wood-fired pizza from the Bokkuraa Coffee Club beside the sparkling infinity pool. Or unwind with a good book and views over the peaceful lagoon. Indulge in a soothing Thai massage and beauty treatments in the Spa. Then book the Spa Suite’s private garden with a plunge pool for a romantic afternoon.