Soneva Stars

Massage therapist Dara draws on nearly 20 years of experience in the healing arts. Specialising in John Barnes’ myofascial release and craniosacral therapy, she supports others in living their most pain-free, optimal life. She has also practised as a midwife caring for women and families, focusing on pregnancy and postpartum massage. Dara works with both children and adults and incorporates her training in Shiatsu acupressure, deep tissue, Swedish and medical massage, women’s health, and Mayan uterine and abdominal massage for reproductive and digestive care into her sessions. She is passionate about helping others find more relaxation, joy, freedom of movement and greater expression in their bodies, especially those dealing with pain or injury.

Soneva Jani: March 1-31, 2023 Soneva Fushi: April 1-30, 2023 During her 15-year career, Hortensia has collaborated with the UN, Olympics Sports Federations and several private clinics. She has a Master’s in Osteopathy and degrees in Sports Education and Physiotherapy. Originally focused on a traditional osteopathic approach to treating sports injuries, Hortensia’s methodology evolved to reflect evidence that stress, emotions and unchanneled trauma have a direct impact on the body. She works closely with you to get to the root of your concerns, using a unique, multi-pronged approach that combines traditional osteopathy with her deep knowledge of the body’s biodynamic, skeletal, muscular and craniosacral systems.  

Dr Katherine PT, DPT, OCS, CFMT, CSCS, is an experienced physiotherapist and expert in realigning and rebalancing the body. Her treatment philosophy focuses on patient-centred work, optimising functional movement through manual therapy and a targeted exercise rehabilitation approach. She has worked across the world helping patients with chronic injuries and spinal dysfunction, as well as a special focus on the pelvic girdle.

As part of our ongoing commitment to ensuring that our younger guests stay inspired and intrigued, Soneva aims to help visiting children and teenagers feel fully supported outside of term-time. We have partnered with Oppidan Education, a British-based mentoring firm created to help children continue their learning outside of the classroom and reach their full potential. As well as complimentary drop-in workshops with fun, educational activities, Oppidan will also offer private, one-on-one appointments, which can be scheduled each afternoon at an additional fee.

As part of our ongoing commitment to ensuring that our younger guests stay inspired and intrigued, Soneva aims to help visiting children and teenagers feel fully supported outside of term-time. We have partnered with Oppidan Education, a British-based mentoring firm created to help children continue their learning outside of the classroom and reach their full potential. As well as complimentary drop-in workshops with fun, educational activities, Oppidan will also offer private, one-on-one appointments, which can be scheduled each afternoon at an additional fee.  

Michael Wignall’s experience of freshly cooked and multi-cultural cuisine started at a young age, traveling extensively from the Far East, to the United States and across Europe. Although exposed to a variety of international gastronomy, aspiring to be a top chef was not Michael’s first passion. As a teen, Michael had a promising career as a professional BMX biker, however, his parents encouraged him to attend catering college. After three years, Michael moved to Spain to experience front of house, authentic cooking and the cuisine the country had to offer. Michael’s professional career started at Broughton Park in the UK under Paul Heathcote. Since then Michael has headed several restaurants earning them Michelin stars. Michael held two Michelin stars and five AA rosettes at Gidleigh Park in Chagford, Devon, and at The Latymer at Pennyhill Park in Bagshot, Surrey. He then purchased The Angel at Hetton in 2018, which is set in the Yorkshire Dales National Park and gained a Michelin star in its first year of opening. Michael produces incredibly complex, technical accomplished dishes. His attention to detail and dedication to the pursuit of perfection in flavour, texture and appearance knows no bounds. He has a passion for traveling the world to find new inspirations and ideas to pair with locally sourced, British produce.

Hailed as one of the best football freestylers in the world, Marcel Gurk is the current German champion, holds ten Guinness World Records and is the author of the world’s first book on football freestyling. He made it to the semifinal of Germany’s Got Talent, Das Supertalent, and travels around the world sharing his unique skills. Having studied sport and media management in Dusseldorf, Marcel also specialises in working with children and has designed his own unique concept to help take his students’ skills to the next level. While in the Maldives, he will be hosting football freestyling workshops for Young Sonevians at Soneva Fushi and Soneva Jani.

Reeya is a renowned Reiki master and crystal healer who has risen to establish herself as one of the UK’s leading Reiki masters. Operating from her private practice in London’s Mayfair, she has worked with many clients from across the globe; from celebrities and politicians to business leaders and corporate professionals, all of whom have benefited from her healing. Reeya regularly appears in the UK’s national press and has made several keynote addresses on Reiki and crystal healing.

Barbara Schett is one of the most successful athletes Austria has ever produced and Austria’s highest-ranked female tennis player ever. She reached the Top 10 in both singles and doubles. A native of Innsbruck, her career-high singles ranking at the WTA Tour was World No 7. Her Career High in doubles was World No. 8. Shortly after her retirement from professional tennis, Barbara started an international business career. Among other business activities, she is still a popular celebrity endorser and brand ambassador representing various brands and companies worldwide. Besides that, she works as an expert and presenter for Eurosport, the N°1 European TV sports channel, reporting live from Grand Slam Tournaments and is the host of the award-winning show “ Game Schett and Mats “ along with 7-time Grand Slam Champion Mats Wilander.

For more than ten years, skin therapist Nataliya has regularly been listed in Vanity Fair, Tatler, Vogue, The Times and Forbes ‘black book’ as one of the world’s leading skin experts. Known as ‘The Skin Whisperer’ by her loyal clients, which include leading beauty editors, film stars, models and UAE Royalty, Nataliya is renowned for her holistic, non-invasive approach to skin conditions such as acne and rosacea. In addition, she holds a post-graduate diploma in Traditional Chinese Medicine and is currently completing her Naturopathic Nutritionist Diploma.

Frederic Van Tricht was born into a family of cheese experts. Forty-eight years ago, his grandfather Pieter Van Tricht opened up a gourmet shop with a great cheese selection in Antwerp, Belgium. When his son Michel took over the family business in 1978, he nurtured his passion for cheese, travelling to the best cheese affineurs (maturers) and artisanal producers across Europe. Selecting only the finest raw milk, artisan cheese, Kaasa Affineurs Van Tricht (Cheese Affineurs Van Tricht) gained an impressive reputation among Antwerp’s culinary community, supplying the finest restaurants in and around the city. Today, the company supplies nearly all Michelin-starred restaurants in Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxemburg and Ireland, and has been named ‘Europe’s best cheese shop’ by The New York Times. Frederic Van Tricht joined the business while studying to become a chef, helping out with the wholesale side of the company and working in the shop for an entire year before his father Michel let him come on board. Today, he oversees the day-to-day management of the wholesale business, curating an exceptional collection of the finest artisan cheeses from farmers and small businesses and working with chefs and restaurants across the world. His background as a chef enables him to find the perfect pairing of cheese for every dish, and also gives him the creativity to experiment in collaboration with his customers. Frederic’s favourite cheeses are Stilton and Roquefort.

Roger has been a key figure in the wellness sector for more than three decades. Named in Tatler’s ‘Best of the Best’ guide as ‘one of the top 8 therapists worth travelling around the globe for’, he conducts therapies, seminars and workshops around the world in energy work, spiritual healing, profound emotional recovery and growth. Roger’s unique approach combines science, medicine, Eastern wellness philosophies, psychotherapeutics and spirituality – working with you to create a whole-person, grounded and integrative pathway to wellbeing, health and a joyful existence.