In an increasingly mature luxury market, RAH GILI MALDIVES is redefining the private-island getaway by blending classic Maldivian charm with a playful, high-energy spirit. As the debut property from SIX & SIX, the resort pairs standout features, like overwater villas with private slides, a neighbouring dolphin sanctuary, and culturally immersive dining, with a deeply personalised, human approach to hospitality.
In this exclusive Q&A, Chunky Matthew, Resort General Manager, RAH GILI MALDIVES, shares how the island is carving out its own identity, targeting key regional and global markets, engaging the travel trade ahead of ATM 2026, and crafting unforgettable moments that go far beyond standard luxury specs.
The regional travel trade know Maldives and its product very well. Help them understand the RAH GILI MALDIVES difference.
The Maldives is a very mature luxury destination, and our travel partners have seen almost every interpretation of the private-island experience. So, for us, being new is not enough. We have to give people a reason to feel something different.
RAH GILI is playful, social and full of personality. We have beautiful villas and all the elements people expect from a luxury Maldivian resort, of course, but I don't believe luxury today is simply about how large the villa is or how perfect the view is. It is about how a place makes you feel.
That is where RAH GILI is different.
We sit beside a dolphin sanctuary, our overwater villas have private pools and slides directly into the lagoon, dining is designed around storytelling and social connection, and even the way we look after guests is more personal. Every villa has an Edhurun - our interpretation of the traditional Maldivian guide - who becomes part of the guest's journey rather than simply providing a service.
There is also a genuine sense of the Maldives throughout the experience. At Maakeyolhu, for example, Maldivian fishing culture and local flavours become part of the evening rather than something presented as a token cultural activity. At the same time, RAH GILI has a contemporary, slightly unexpected energy - music, great food, spontaneous moments, wellness, nature and a strong social heartbeat.
SIX & SIX was created around the idea that its islands should never feel templated. RAH GILI is the first expression of that philosophy, so there was a wonderful blank canvas for us to create something with its own rhythm and identity.
For the trade, I think that is exciting because it gives them another story to tell a Maldives client who believes they have already seen everything.
What are the key feeder markets you'll be targeting in the first year of operations?
Our approach is to build a healthy and diverse market mix rather than become overly dependent on one geography.
Europe remains extremely important to the Maldives, particularly the UK, Germany and Italy, and Russia and the wider CIS continue to be significant luxury markets. China is once again an extremely important source market, while India remains strategically relevant because of proximity and connectivity. The Middle East, particularly the GCC, is also a major focus for us because RAH GILI fits the way many regional guests travel: spacious accommodation, privacy, multi-generational options, excellent dining and easy access from Malé. This is also why our two-bedroom beach and overwater villas are important products for us. They allow families and groups to be together while still having the privacy expected at this level.
At the same time, I don't think today's luxury traveller should be defined only by nationality. We are looking for the right mindset: curious, well-travelled people who appreciate good design, food, nature, privacy and experiences with personality.
That psychographic is ultimately more important to RAH GILI than a passport. The wider market data supports maintaining that diversity.
What do you hope to achieve in the first year of operations?
Of course, commercially, we have targets. We want healthy occupancy, strong rates, good market penetration and a solid base of travel-trade partners. But if you ask me personally what would make the first year successful, it goes beyond numbers.
I want people to leave RAH GILI already thinking about coming back. A new resort can attract attention quite easily. You have beautiful photographs, new villas and curiosity in the market. The real test comes afterwards: did the guest connect with the island? Did they remember the people? Did something happen during those five or seven days that they are still talking about six months later? That is what we are trying to build.
The other priority is our team. We use the word Rayyithun, meaning ‘the people of island’, because they really are the soul of the island. Buildings can be replicated. Pools can be made bigger. Restaurants can be redesigned. But the genuine warmth someone feels from another human being is very difficult to manufacture.
If, after our first year, our guests recognise RAH GILI not only for beautiful villas but also for its people, its energy and the way it made them feel, I will consider that a very strong beginning.
What aspects of the property are you going to highlight at ATM 2026?
ATM is particularly important because the Middle East understands the Maldives extremely well. We don't need to explain turquoise water and overwater villas to this audience. We need to explain why this island deserves their attention.
One of our strongest messages will be about the accommodation. RAH GILI has 74 private-pool villas, with generous beach and overwater options, including two-bedroom villas that work extremely well for families and groups. Our overwater villas also have slides directly into the lagoon, which sounds like a small detail until you see how much guests enjoy them, adults included.
We will also talk strongly about food. Dining is a major part of the RAH GILI experience. You can move from contemporary international dining to Indian cuisine, Maldivian seafood, Italian, Asian and intimate teppanyaki experiences. The intention is that guests staying for a week should continue discovering something rather than falling into a repetitive resort routine.
The dolphin sanctuary and marine experiences are another extraordinary part of our location. There is something incredibly powerful about seeing dolphins in their natural environment rather than treating wildlife as entertainment. And finally, I really want partners to leave ATM understanding the feeling of the island: contemporary, warm, social, relaxed and unmistakably Maldivian.
Are you planning on participating in other trade shows? What about FAM trips for the regional trade?
Absolutely. Trade relationships are going to be fundamental to the growth of RAH GILI. For a new resort especially, I believe there is only so much you can communicate through a sales presentation, a factsheet or even beautiful photography.
So FAM trips will be very important for us, including for partners from the Middle East. We want agents and tour operators to experience the product themselves because they become much stronger storytellers afterwards.
Alongside ATM, our intention is to remain visible at trade events and market activations that genuinely bring us closer to our priority partners, whether that is through international exhibitions, targeted roadshows, sales missions or smaller luxury-travel gatherings. I am a big believer that in luxury hospitality relationships still matter. Sometimes one meaningful conversation around a table is worth far more than hundreds of exchanged business cards.
I never want to say that RAH GILI is ‘finished’, because good resorts shouldn't be. We are listening constantly. We see what guests respond to, what can be better, and where we can add something unexpected
- Chunky Matthew
Is all of the property operational at the moment?
RAH GILI is open and welcoming guests, and the island has moved very quickly from being a new opening into a living resort.
Today, our villas, core resort facilities, dining, wellness and guest experiences are operational, with venues programmed across the week. Not every restaurant necessarily operates every day - we deliberately rotate some concepts according to the island programme, season and guest profile rather than having every outlet open simply for the sake of saying it is open. The current resort information, for example, lists selected operating days for a number of dining venues.
At the same time, I never want to say that RAH GILI is "finished", because good resorts shouldn't be. We are listening constantly.
We see what guests respond to, what can be better, and where we can add something unexpected. So the island is fully alive - but it will continue evolving.
That, for me, is part of the excitement of a new resort.