Patina Maldives: the Next-gen sustainability
Regenerative travel is key for all of us with itchy feet and this new sustainable resort opening in Q2 2021 is very much top of our recycled bucket list. sigh . . . .
‘Perpetuality.’ It’s not a word we hear very much. Related, obviously, to Perpetuity, it means permanence; the condition or quality of being perpetual. You might also call it ‘sustainability.’ And it’s exactly what a new luxury resort in the Maldives is offering by the (recycled) bucketload.
Located in the North Malé Atoll, a 45-minute luxury boat ride from Malé International Airport, the five-star Patina Maldives, Fari Islands opens its doors this spring, and is the first resort in the Maldives to have a 100 percent solar-powered kids’ club, recreation and dive centres. Add to that, zero-waste kitchens, recycling drives, and all kinds of other energy-positive operations, and we say this is very good news indeed.
The hotel chain says it believes in “effecting and empowering lasting change - starting with nurturing sustainable values in tomorrow’s travellers”, and the Patina resorts appeal “to a new generation of travellers who seek deeper connections with themselves and the world around them”. As the resort’s General Manager Marco den Ouden says, “[We’re] well aware of the global challenges affecting the worldwide carbon footprint… Our archipelago at Fari Islands provides us with a scalable opportunity to positively impact our construction, supply chain, operational standards, marine biosphere, and most importantly, community, directly. This has been our driving intent and the main inspiration for Perpetuality, our ethos.”
Sustainability is literally in their DNA: the resort’s very walls are built with energy-saving prefab techniques, which significantly reduced waste and carbon emissions. This is the first property of its kind from the lifestyle brand Patina Hotels & Resorts, courtesy of the Capella Hotel Group, and the brainchild of Brazilian architect Marcio Kogan.
Alongside its 90 contemporary one-to three-bedroom Beach and Water Pool Villas, plus 20 Fari Studios, there’s a kids' centre called ‘Footprints’, powered by Swimsol – a company that specialises in marine offshore solar panels. Here, children can do their bit to save the planet too – by recycling ocean plastic into models using 3D printing and laser cutting tech. Elsewhere, budding little chefs will be taught how to source local, organic, plant-based produce, while little would-be marine biologists can sign up for free diving lessons. (The local Maldivian kids are getting a good education too – they’re issued with free PADI diving certifications, helping to raise their awareness of the local ocean environment.)
Patina Maldives cares deeply about its locals on the archipelago: one per cent of all its profits are going towards a raft of charitable initiatives, with the aim of supporting Maldivian women and children, and communities heavily affected by global climate change. The resort has also teamed up with the Olive Ridley Project, a charity giving rehabilitation to injured sea turtles from the Indian Ocean, that have consumed plastic waste. By 2030 the resort aims to have provided 50 percent of all its energy needs, courtesy of an expanded Swimsol solar plant. While future plans include a solar-powered transportation fleet.
Food-wise, nose-to-tail and root-to leaf eating is the aim here, with the resort’s signature restaurant, Roots, providing ethically sourced fare. Beyond the resort, guests can also check out the pretty Fari Marina Village, with its jumpin’ Beach Club and fab boutiques. Meanwhile, future sustainable resorts are being planned for China, Japan and Southeast Asia.