Antonio Saponara appointed as the new general manager of Patina Maldives, Fari Islands

Antonio Saponara, who is an experienced luxury hospitality management professional, and master of resort operations is now the captain at the wheel of Patina Maldives.

After having celebrated their first anniversary, Patina Maldives confirmed the appointment of Antonio as their new general manager. Having managed multiple hotels for big brands such as Aman, Jumeirah, Bulgari Hotels & Resorts and Ritz-Carlton, Antonio will be using his reliable experience, vision, and guaranteed mastery of hotel operations to shape Patina Maldives forwards.

Antonio Saponara has stated that, “It is a tremendous privilege to have been entrusted with the stewardship of one of the most inspiring, forward-thinking pioneers of next-gen Maldives hospitality; I am excited to bring fresh impetus as Patina Maldives embraces the next stage of its perpetual journey to positively impact people and place.”

Antonio first started in food and beverage operations, and then moved to Thailand for executive assistant manager of Aman flagship Amanpuri, Phuket, where he oversaw operations and launched a new restaurant in partnership with a 2 Michelin star chef, before becoming the hotel manager in 2008. Antonio then went on to become the general manager of The Surin Phuket, where he renovated the resort with the famous architect Ed Tuttle and relaunched it with a complete rebranding and repositioning exercise.

After spending his time in Thailand, Antonio went on to China’s Ritz-Carlton Shanghai, Pudong and later became the opening general manager of the Bulgari Hotel Beijing. Before joining Capella Hotel Group, Antonio was the pre-opening general manager of Bulgari Hotel & Residences Moscow, which is set to open its doors in December 2022.