Business
The hottest upcoming resorts in Maldives
The Maldives’ tourism industry has inevitably evolved. A plethora of new properties has come into play with the backing of a combination of local and international entrepreneurs and seasoned hoteliers. Dozens have forayed into new and untapped segments of the market, greatly expanding the scope of an industry that was previously exclusive to luxury tourism. Tourist arrivals have crossed the one million milestone and is on course to reach an ambitious target of 1.5 million.
This rapid expansion is set to continue with the opening of at least a dozen new resorts this year as well. We look at five of the hottest upcoming properties in the Maldives:
Mercure Maldives Kooddoo Resort
When Mercure Maldives Kooddoo Resort, managed by French multinational hotel group AccorHotels, opens mid 2017, it will be one of a kind resort in the Maldives; the only resort in the country with an airport, making it directly accessible via domestic plane from the main Velana International Airport with no need for an additional speedboat transfer.
The four-star resort, developed on the island of Kooddoo in Gaafu Alif atoll, will have 68 villas including 43 overwater villas and 25 beach villas. The luxury beachfront resort is built using local materials and the decor features bright colours and stylish furnishings that reflect the Maldivian culture.
Facilities at the resort include a swimming pool and pool bar, a tranquil spa, modern gym, a dive centre with additional water sports, and an all-day gourmet restaurant serving local and international cuisine.

Baglioni Resort Maldives
Italian hotel chain Baglioni Hotels’ first resort in the Maldives, Baglioni Resort Maldives is set to open in October.
Located on the private island of Maagau in Dhaalu atoll, this exclusive five-star resort of 99 villas surrounded by turquoise water, velvet white sand and the tropical nature of one of the most spectacular Maldivian islands will allow guests to experience a bespoke stay in the heart of the Indian Ocean with the unique Italian hospitality of Baglioni Hotels.
Designed to minimise the environmental impact with sustainable materials and measures for the maximum sustainability and efficiency, Baglioni Resort Maldives will be the perfect destination for an unforgettable stay between sport and relax, all enriched by a prestigious gastronomic offer for the most exclusive International clientele. It includes three restaurants, a swimming pool and bar, spa and diving centre.

Gran Meliá Maldives
Located on the island of Kalhudiyafushi in Thaa atoll, Gran Meliá Maldives will be the first resort in the Maldives by Spanish hotel chain Meliá Hotels International when it opens in October.
Set amongst virgin coral reef, the Gran Meliá Maldives will offer 95 private villas as well as three restaurants, a bar and café, spa, leisure centre and several retail shops. The resort will also be able to arrange and host exclusive private events and romantic dinners on a smaller nearby island.

LUX* North Male Atoll
Mauritius-based hospitality group LUX* Resorts and Hotels is gearing up for the launch in November of its second resort in the Maldives, LUX* North Male Atoll.
Located on the six hectare picnic island of Olhahali in the unexplored North Male Atoll, the new LUX* property in the Maldives will offer contemporary one, two and three bedroom residences spread across the island, set on the beach, steps from the sea or perched on stilts above the lagoon. There are rooftop lounges, outdoor decks, private gardens and 13m private pools.
For the Overwater Residences, the reef itself provides a playground – just pick up a snorkel and go explore the crystalline sea on the doorstep. With the three-floor penthouses, families and groups have ample space to spread themselves, as well as their own spa, steam room, fitness suite and oversized outdoor pool.

Grand Park Kodhipparu
Set to open in the second quarter of the year, Grand Park Kodhipparu will be the first property in the Maldives managed by Singapore-based Park Hotels Group.
Located in North Male Atoll and and accessible by a 15-minutes speedboat ride from the main Velana International Airport, Grand Park Kodhipparu is designed by world-renowned hospitality design firm, Hirsch Bedner Associates. The luxury resort features 120 idyllic villas comprising a range of beach-front pool villas, overwater villas with direct access to crystal clear turquoise waters and overwater pool villas that come with private infinity pool.

The resort will offer two restaurants, a harbour beach club and pool bar, and recreational facilities including a swimming pool, gymnasium, sunrise yoga deck, wellness centre with spa and salon treatments, water sports and dive centre, children’s activity centre and specialty shops.
Business
Feydhoo Hall opens at dusitD2 Feydhoo Maldives as new event space
Dusit International, one of Thailand’s leading hotel and property development companies, has announced the opening of Feydhoo Hall, a landmark event venue at dusitD2 Feydhoo Maldives, redefining the possibilities for meetings, celebrations, and destination events in the Maldives.
Designed to bring scale, flexibility, and creativity to island gatherings, Feydhoo Hall represents a bold step forward in positioning the Maldives as a dynamic destination for conferences, weddings, and large-scale social occasions.
Feydhoo Hall offers a versatile event complex designed to accommodate a wide range of gatherings, from corporate meetings and conferences to weddings and social celebrations.

At its core is the 390 sqm Main Hall, capable of hosting:
- Up to 300 guests in theatre-style setup
- Up to 240 guests for dining and banquet-style events
- Up to 200 guests for cocktail-style receptions
- Up to 144 guests in cluster-round configuration
Enhancing the flexibility of the venue are additional dedicated spaces, including:
- A 110 sqm Veranda Terrace, ideal for welcome receptions, breakout sessions, and pre-event gatherings, accommodating up to 100 guests for cocktail-style events.
- A spacious 1,000 sqm Lawn Space, perfect for large-scale outdoor celebrations, destination weddings, and open-air events, accommodating up to 400 guests for cocktail receptions and up to 350 guests for dining setups.
- The 55 sqm Ekugai Meeting Room, designed for smaller meetings and executive sessions, accommodating up to 30 guests in theatre or dining setup and 24 guests in cluster-round format.
Together, these integrated spaces create a seamless indoor-outdoor event experience, allowing planners to design dynamic and personalised event journeys.
True to the dusitD2 brand’s lifestyle-driven philosophy, Feydhoo Hall introduces a fresh approach to meetings and events — where productivity meets creativity in an inspiring island setting.
The venue offers flexible meeting formats designed to suit different event needs, including:
- Half-Day Meeting Package (4 hours) — ideal for focused sessions, executive meetings, and creative workshops.
- Full-Day Meeting Package (8 hours) — designed for immersive conferences, extended workshops, and large-scale corporate gatherings.
These thoughtfully structured packages provide planners with the flexibility to create impactful and seamless experiences, whether hosting intimate strategy sessions or dynamic full-day events.

Located just seven minutes by speedboat from Velana International Airport, dusitD2 Feydhoo Maldives combines accessibility with vibrant lifestyle energy, offering event planners and guests a rare balance between convenience and tropical escape.
With the introduction of Feydhoo Hall, the resort strengthens its position as a versatile destination — not only for leisure travellers but also for international conferences, creative retreats, luxury weddings, and large-scale social celebrations seeking something refreshingly different in the Maldives.
Business
BBM expands retail presence with new Hulhumalé outlet
Bestbuy Maldives (BBM) opened a new wholesale store in Hulhumalé Phase 2 on Monday.
The outlet is located on the ground floor of Lot 20286, Nirolhu Magu, and is intended to improve access to BBM’s imported goods for residents of Hulhumalé Phase 2 and for businesses operating in the area.
According to the company, the opening forms part of its plan to expand services closer to customers in line with population growth in Hulhumalé.
With the opening of the new store, BBM’s full range of imported and distributed products will be available at the Hulhumalé Phase 2 location. These include consumer goods from international brands such as Lifebuoy, Vaseline and Unilever.
The store will also stock wholesale food products from brands including Daily, Cavin’s and Redman.
BBM has supplied goods to resorts, hotels and retail outlets across the Maldives for several years.
Action
Ataraxis Grand & Spa hosts integrated work-and-dive corporate retreat in Fuvahmulah
Ataraxis Grand & Spa recently hosted a week-long, closed corporate offsite in Fuvahmulah for a US-based artificial intelligence company, highlighting the island’s growing suitability for integrated work-and-experience retreats. The retreat brought a group of 36 international professionals to the property, which was reserved exclusively for the programme.
Designed as a private company offsite, the stay combined structured daily work sessions with guided diving and beginner-friendly surf experiences, creating a balanced format that blended focused collaboration with physical reset.

A notable component of the programme was dive training and certification. During the retreat, 17 participants completed their Open Water certification, while a further six undertook the Advanced Open Water course, with training and dives scheduled alongside work sessions as part of the integrated itinerary.
Throughout the week, participants worked on-site using dedicated shared spaces supported by reliable high-speed internet, allowing meetings, informal collaboration and scheduled activities to take place within a single, uninterrupted environment. This setup enabled teams to move seamlessly between work periods and organised ocean activities without leaving the property.

Fuvahmulah’s natural and operational advantages formed a key part of the retreat’s appeal. As one of the Maldives’ largest inhabited islands, it offers immediate access to pelagic dive sites, internationally recognised shark diving and surf breaks suitable for instruction, alongside the infrastructure required to support extended group stays.

The offsite reflects a growing preference among technology and knowledge-sector teams for small-scale retreats that prioritise concentrated work environments and team cohesion over traditional conference formats. Such programmes typically involve longer stays and higher per-capita spend, aligning with sustainable, quality-driven tourism models.
The retreat also demonstrates how locally operated properties such as Ataraxis Grand & Spa are supporting this shift by delivering unified environments where accommodation, workspaces, connectivity and curated experiences operate as a single programme rather than separate services.

As organisations continue to explore alternative formats for strategy sessions, team resets and creative offsites, Ataraxis Grand & Spa’s experience positions Fuvahmulah as an increasingly viable destination for integrated corporate retreats.
Ataraxis Grand & Spa offers work-and-dive retreat programmes in Fuvahmulah that combine accommodation, dedicated workspaces, high-speed connectivity and organised diving and surfing.

Further information on retreat formats and dive-inclusive stays is available via the Ataraxis Grand & Spa website.
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