Andres Rubio, an intrepid veteran hotelier with an in-depth knowledge of the Maldives, has returned to the Indian Ocean island nation as General Manager of the recently opened Loama Resort Maldives at Maamigili.
Having twice previously held general manager positions at Maldives resorts, Mr Rubio is well placed to steer this largely undiscovered paradise at the archipelago’s ‘final frontier’, Maamigili, a teardrop-shaped private oasis that is perfect for high-roller couples and accessed via a scenic 45-minute seaplane flight.
The extensively travelled Colombian said Loama Resort provided guests with a more layered experience, serving them the traditional Maldives blend of indulgence, pampering and sun worship while going deeper into authentic cultural and heritage-linked experiences at a location that was the playground of ancient kings and which lies beyond the resort cluster at the popular Baa Atoll.
“By tapping the island’s unique art, culture and heritage, we provide guests with horizons that are much broader than your typical Maldives holiday,” Mr Rubio said. “We also deliver over-water villas perched elegantly on poles in the glow of turquoise shallows within the island’s oldest historical Raa Atoll and on the doorstep of stunning lagoons and palm-fringed beaches.
“Tranquility and unblemished beauty are interwoven with Maldivian heritage and impeccable service and authenticity to create an intoxicating blend – an unforgettable Maldives encounter.”
This deep connection with the destination includes Loama Art Gallery, the country’s first gallery of contemporary Maldivian art. Given the blessing of the National Art Gallery of Maldives, the gallery is a stunning over-water pavilion near the resort’s main arrival pier.
The cultural awakening is augmented by Loama Museum. Located in the lobby and beyond, the museum has already amassed an important collection of artefacts from key periods of Maldivian history, from an extensive collection of 15th Century Chinese porcelain to the discovery of a pair of 11th Century sunken baths on the island. These objects are part of an on-going excavation that has unearthed other ancient artefacts now on display at the museum.
Mr Rubio’s entrée into the hospitality industry began when he left school at 15. Armed with the type of commitment and passion that has marked his career, he told Bogota Hilton he would work for free and subsequently spent a year as an unpaid waiter, before being assigned to the Zurich Hilton and finding himself in a country boasting the world’s best hotel schools and a reputation as a breeding ground for future general managers.
Since then Mr Rubio’s journey has taken him to many of the world’s most fascinating cities and amazing places. His peripatetic hotel management career has seen him wait tables in a Swiss castle, be pitched about in mountainous seas, on glacier-strewn North Sea cruise liners and get to know intimately some of the world’s most renowned resort islands including Koh Samui and Bali.
At the Maldives he helmed Dusit Thani’s opening and oversaw Alila Villas Hadahaa’s metamorphosis into the Park Hyatt. “Guests at Loama enjoy total seclusion, unchartered reefs and secret beaches,” Mr Rubio said. “They also experience the warm and fun Maldives hospitality, and exciting activities that are in keeping with the island’s first art, culture and heritage resort, like visiting a traditional village on a neighbouring island with an expert guide.”
