It’s a huge shame Marco left. I think he was Operations Director rather than General Manager but he may as well have been the latter given the way he operated. He was incredible with the most extraordinary guest-centric attitude and always always visible and interacting with the guests at all times. Unfortunately for all of us who love(ed) the Conrad KS, Marco is quite ambitious so it came as no surprise to learn he’d become GM of the new “jewel in the crown” but fair play to him as he definitely deserved it and lucky for all who visit the WA Maldives. When we were at the Conrad KS earlier this year and since Marco left, the difference was vast and the current manager was 100% invisible at all times - pretty shocking really given the hurdles we had to jump over to get into the country. Leaving aside that we were in the Royal Villa although not expecting any special treatment, one would still have thought a quick handshake and a “welcome back and I hope it was worth everything you had to go through in order to get here” might have been appropriate but nope, not a word and no sign of any management whatsoever at any time. It was a completely and utterly different experience with woefully inadequate dining venues and most of the previous touches “enhanced” away, a la BA style. Of course, the rest of the staff are all lovely, genuinely, but as with any hotel, airline or other hospitality venue, it’s the people who make it, not only from the bottom, but all the way to the top.