Business
Mӧvenpick Resort Kuredhivaru Maldives appoints Michael Melzer as General Manager
Michael Melzer has been appointed as General Manager of the Mӧvenpick Resort Kuredhivaru Maldives, a stunning new sustainably designed island resort which is scheduled to open in November 2018.
A German national, Michael has more than 35 years’ of experience in the hospitality industry, many of which have been spent in the Asia Pacific region. With qualifications from Cornell University and Dale Carnegie Hong Kong, Michael worked most recently as the General Manager of the Sunrise Nha Trang Beach Hotel and Spa in Vietnam.
“We are delighted to welcome Michael Melzer to Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts as we prepare to make our debut in the Maldives. With his expert knowledge of the Asia Pacific region and experience of managing high-end resorts, Michael is the perfect person to lead our first property in this idyllic archipelago,” Gerard Hotelier, VP Operations for Asia at Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts, was quoted in a statement, as saying.
“Mӧvenpick Resort Kuredhivaru Maldives is one of our company’s most exciting openings to date. Michael’s deep passion for hospitality, analytical vision and motivational skills will ensure that this beautiful resort maximises its incredible potential and exceeds guests’ expectations.”
Michael started his career as a chef in Germany and later became a food and beverage specialist at several hotels. Subsequent roles included Director of Event Management, Hotel Operations Manager and Director of Operations, prior to becoming a General Manager in 2010. Since then, he has managed properties in Maldives, Philippines and Vietnam.
“I am extremely excited to take on this new challenge,” Michael said.
“Maldives is a breathtaking destination which I have been privileged to experience several times in my career. Joining such a stunning property, managed by one of most famous names in the hospitality industry, made my decision to return to the country an easy one. I look forward to working with the team at Mövenpick as we prepare for the hotel’s official opening next month.”
Nestled on a private island in the northern Noonu atoll, Mövenpick Resort Kuredhivaru Maldives will feature 72 overwater pool villas, 30 beach pool suites and three beach spa pool residences. All the accommodation options including private swimming pools. While the resort is designed as a destination for relaxation and rejuvenation, with a high degree of privacy, it will also feature recreational facilities to suit a wide range of guests, from honeymooners to adventure-seeking families.
Guests have the chance to book their dream holiday at Mövenpick Resort Kuredhivaru Maldives with special opening rates starting from just USD 577 per night inclusive of breakfast and taxes.
Bookings of three nights or more will also include an array of additional benefits, including USD100 resort credit per stay (valid for food and beverage, spa treatments, water sports and diving), plus an additional 20 percent discount at the Diving and Water Sports Centre, and a free room upgrade (subject to availability).
This opening offer is valid for stays between November 1 and December 23, 2018. For more information and reservations, call +960 656 3000 or email: Resort.Kuredhivaru.Reservations@movenpick.com.
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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