SunRay concept moves into the Indian Ocean following its Koh Samui debut, adding day passes and experience-led programming to the CROSSROADS Maldives offering. S Hotels & Resorts has expanded its new SunRay Social & Swim Club concept to SAii Lagoon Maldives, Curio Collection by Hilton, as the hospitality group builds out the brand across its resort portfolio.
The Maldives opening follows SunRay’s soft launch at SAii Koh Samui Villas earlier this year. The concept is also scheduled to arrive at SAii Laguna Phuket later in 2026, giving S Hotels & Resorts a new lifestyle proposition spanning three major Asian leisure destinations.
Rather than following the conventional beach-club model built heavily around nightlife, SunRay places daytime activities, food, wellness and music at the centre of the guest experience. In the Maldives, that positioning has been adapted around SAii Lagoon’s waterfront setting and access to the lagoon.
From sunrise wellness to sunset entertainment
Programming runs through four periods of the day — First Light, Morning Drift, Peak Sun and Golden Hour — allowing the resort to offer different activities to families, couples and groups rather than targeting a single beach-club audience. First Light includes sunrise yoga and beach bootcamps, while Morning Drift moves into water-based activities such as Aqua Flow workouts, floating pickleball, snorkelling and diving.
The pace picks up during Peak Sun with mobile karaoke, water polo and pool volleyball, alongside activities such as water painting. Golden Hour includes beach table tennis, volleyball, padel clinics and Kick Box Fit sessions, as well as sandcastle competitions aimed at families.
Maldivian elements have also been incorporated into the programme. A Boduberu performance accompanies sunset, while evening entertainment rotates between live bands, acoustic sessions and DJ-led events.
For SAii Lagoon Maldives, the broader commercial opportunity lies in creating more reasons for guests to spend time — and money — around the resort’s leisure facilities throughout the day, while also opening the property to customers who are not staying overnight.
Food becomes part of the experience
Food and beverage plays a prominent role in the SunRay format, with the Maldives menu drawing on local, Thai and international influences. Dishes include breadfruit crisps with a Maldivian tuna mix, crispy tortilla with stir-fried beef kaprao, Phuket lobster arancini and Maldivian-style pizza. The menu is structured largely around dishes that can be shared around the pool and beach.
SunRay has also introduced a gelato range linked to the concept’s visual identity, with Orange Amaretto, Toffee and Pink Guava flavours, alongside a selection of cocktails. “What makes SunRay so compelling is its ability to adapt to the character of each destination,” said Michael Marshall, CEO of S Hotels & Resorts.
“The concept is built around the movement of the sun, but in the Maldives the ocean becomes an equally important guide. At SunRay Maldives, the programme has been shaped around the lagoon itself, from water-based activities and wellness experiences to music, dining and social moments.”
Marshall said the approach was intended to give the Maldives version its own identity while retaining SunRay’s focus on nature-led daytime leisure.
Targeting the Maldives day-visitor market
The launch also extends the commercial reach of SAii Lagoon Maldives beyond its resident guests. SunRay forms part of CROSSROADS Maldives, the integrated resort destination located around 15 minutes by speedboat from Velana International Airport. CROSSROADS combines three resorts with a 30-berth marina and a range of restaurants, entertainment and leisure facilities.
Its proximity to Malé gives SunRay access to a potentially broader day-visitor market, including travellers staying elsewhere in the destination as well as residents seeking resort leisure experiences without an overnight booking. SunRay Day Passes are priced from USD 30 net per adult and include access to the facilities and a 30% discount on food and beverages, including the Gelato Bar. Meal Packages start from USD 75, while all-inclusive packages begin at USD 140. Children aged seven and below receive complimentary access.
Round-trip speedboat transfers are included in the packages. For the Maldives resort sector, where operators continue to look beyond the room rate to grow ancillary revenue, the model brings several spending categories — dining, wellness, activities and entertainment — together under a single daytime proposition.
It also gives S Hotels & Resorts a concept that can be adapted rather than replicated as it moves between destinations. Koh Samui provided the starting point, the Maldives version leans heavily into its lagoon setting, and Phuket will provide the next test when the rollout reaches SAii Laguna Phuket later this year.
