We all know about the hyper-cool Standard hotel chain bought from the famous André Balazs by Godwin Gaw (owner of the eponymous fund), specifically the hotels’ the urban locations (London, New York, Miami, L.A…), and very seventies-style decor. So the recent opening of a hotel from the same chain in a destination as beautiful and trendy as the Maldives, seemed almost inappropriate. Not to mention the chain’s proclivity for mischief. By finishing off its current look and feel with a tangy note, the hotel has thus moved away from the turquoise reef to which it seemed destined. With a modern, almost 80s, décor and extravagant activities (think: a tube-shaped ping pong table), the Standard continues to play with the codes of the hospitality sector like it has always done by betting on a different clientele. It remains an exceptional site, complete with a cuisine that resonates with the times, water activities and, rest assured, of course, a Spa.