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Pullman Maldives Maamutaa Resort opens with undersea villas

Pullman Maldives Maamutaa Resort has opened its doors.
Set amidst 18 hectares of lush tropical flora and fauna on the Gaafu Alifu Atoll, the all-inclusive resort boasts 122 decadent villas, including two exclusive Aqua Villas featuring bedrooms submerged beneath the turquoise waters for a truly memorable experience of the region’s marine life up close.
This is the second such offering in the Maldives and in the world. Conrad Maldives Rangalhi Island had in November opened The Muraka, the world’s first undersea residence.


In addition to the Aqua Villas, the new Pullaman Maldives Maamutaa also features The Royal Suite — a resort within a resort which provides complete privacy and indulgence including a high degree of personalised services.
“We are delighted to be shining the spotlight on the Maldives once again with the launch of our fifth Accor property. Pullman Maldives Maamutaa Resort is a stunning addition to the premium segment and we look forward to welcoming global nomads to explore the spectacular marine life of Gaafu Alifu Atoll and its surrounding diving sites,” Patrick Basset, Chief Operating Officer of Accor, Upper Southeast & Northeast Asia and the Maldives, was quoted in a statement, as saying.



Featuring a range of overwater and beachside villas, Pullman Maldives Maamutaa is surrounded by lush vegetation, a natural lake and sun-kissed beaches, plus one of the region’s largest and deepest lagoons. With water temperatures slightly cooler than many other islands, the richness of the marine life and the colours of the coral are unparalleled. For example, this is the only place where divers can spot up to 13 species of sharks in the water.

Guests will never go hungry, as the resort boasts one of the most generous, all-inclusive offers in the Maldives, complete with a variety of culinary delights available at six outlets across the island.
Options include Mélange, an all-day dining restaurant; The Hub, a sunken pool bar offering signature drinks and delicious sharing plates; Saffron Affair for a sophisticated evening of tapas and craft cocktails; and Souq Oven for Middle Eastern dishes, for pairing with a wine list featuring over 80 wines from around the world.
For something more casual, guests can enjoy healthy café treats and alchemy experiences at Sol Rising; or one of the region’s first organic, vegetarian and vegan restaurants, Phat Chameleon, set amidst a vegetable and herb garden. For those on the go, the playful Bites on Wheels food cart offers refreshing sorbets and light snacks throughout the day.


Children and teens are well catered for at Playground and Skillz Sports Centre, with a range of entertaining and educational activities including snooker, table tennis, various board games and a golf simulator. Nature walks, treasure hunts, and outdoor sports are also available for the adventurers at heart to enjoy the natural beauty of the island.

Pullman’s well-being approach focuses around the four pillars of Sleep; Sport; Food; and Spa and here it’s all about bringing guests as close to nature and the outdoors as you can get.
Fitness enthusiasts can start at the resort’s Fit Trail island jogging track with five fitness stations offering a variety of physical trails, or level up with a complete boot-camp Raaveriya Workout experience that kick starts with callisthenics followed by an invigorating run on the beach and a refreshing swim in the lagoon.
For complete restoration of the body, mind and soul, choose from a selection of signature facials, body treatments and massage therapies available at the resort’s Spa by Phytomer, which features eight treatment rooms perched over a shallow, white sand lagoon.
Guests can sign up for a local arts and crafts classes, marine conservation talks, or enjoy nature trail walks around the island with the resort’s resident marine biologist, or scuba dive and snorkel in one of the Maldives’ largest blue lagoons covering a total area of 1,700 hectares. The surrounding coral gardens feature a diverse variety of reef fish, dolphins, turtles and sharks around the resort’s 26 dive sites.
“With our generous all-inclusive offering, we look forward to welcoming guests to the Pullman Maldives Maamutaa Resort where they can explore the island’s sandy beaches, nature trails and renowned diving sites while enjoying full wellness and culinary journey,” John Bendtsen, General Manager of Pullman Maldives Maamutaa Resort, said.


As a special opening offer, guests can enjoy complimentary return transfers valued at USD 360 USD per person when booking a stay of five nights or more, valid from September 25 to December 23rd.
Accessible by a 55-minute domestic flight from Velana International Airport, followed by a 15-minute speedboat ride from Kooddoo Airport, the Pullman Maldives Maamutaa Resort is the first Pullman branded hotel in the Maldives and the fifth Maldivian property in AccorHotels’ portfolio.
A newcomer to the Maldives booming tourism industry, AccorHotels is on a major expansion drive with five properties already under its belt in just two years. The French multinational hotel group runs Mercure Maldives Kooddoo Resort, Fairmont Maldives Sirru Fen Fushi, Mӧvenpick Resort Kuredhivaru Maldives and Raffles Maldives Meradhoo, as well as the just opened Pullman Maldives Maamutaa.
Featured
Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas unveils magical holiday celebrations

This festive season, Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas will offer guests a journey of connection, wonder and celebration, inspired by the four natural elements: earth, water, fire and air. A series of thoughtfully curated experiences will capture the spirit of the season and the beauty of the island, creating a magical escape for both couples and families.
Christmas celebrations will begin with the lighting of the island tree and Santa’s arrival in true Kihavah style. On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, guests will enjoy beachfront feasts, sunset cocktails and joyful family gatherings.
Younger guests will be treated to a host of festive activities, from gingerbread house decorating to a children’s pirate cruise exploring local islands, as well as a friendly wall-climbing challenge.
As the year draws to a close, New Year’s Eve will invite guests to celebrate beneath the stars with cosmic-themed cocktails by the sea, followed by a Gala Dinner featuring world-class cuisine, live cooking stations and vibrant entertainment, culminating in a spectacular countdown under the Maldivian night sky.
On 7 January, Orthodox Christmas will be marked with a serene celebration inspired by the element of water, offering oceanfront dining, soulful live music and moments of quiet reflection.
Throughout the festive period, guests will also be able to enjoy signature experiences such as a sunset wine tasting on a private sandbank and a five-course coral-aged wine dinner at SEA, the world’s only underwater wine cellar. Complementing these will be grounding island activities, rejuvenating wellness rituals and culinary delights, all designed to reconnect guests with nature, loved ones and themselves.
With its breathtaking setting, newly reimagined Beach Pool Villas and exceptional holiday programme, Anantara Kihavah promises an unforgettable seasonal celebration in luxury and style.
Cooking
Gourmet pizza takes centre stage at COLOURS OF OBLU with Chef Marco Piccini

Placing unique customer experiences at the heart of its brand identity, COLOURS OF OBLU values fun and relaxation on holiday as much as the indulgence and entertainment found across its portfolio of four stunning resorts.
In line with the vibrant spirit of the OBLU guest experience, the resorts, part of Atmosphere Core, have announced a forthcoming collaboration with renowned Italian pizza chef Marco Piccini. From 22 September to 3 October, Chef Marco will bring his distinctive blend of tradition and craftsmanship to the Maldives through a series of pop-up pizza dining events and more.
Chef Marco, CEO of ‘Mako Pizza’, is far more than a pizza maker. Specialising in live show cooking and exclusive event catering, he is celebrated for creating bespoke culinary experiences using organic dough, long fermentation methods, and premium flours. Each event he curates is a performance in itself, blending flavour, artistry, and storytelling.
This will mark Chef Marco’s debut in the Maldives. Atmosphere Core’s Vice President of Food & Beverage, Anupam Banerjee, expressed the brand’s enthusiasm, noting that the team constantly seeks artisanal culinary experiences that entertain as much as they please the palate. He highlighted Chef Marco’s commitment to the origins and quality of each ingredient, and his passion for sharing the history of his country’s national dish, emphasising that great pizza begins with the dough.
On a whirlwind tour of North Malé Atoll, Chef Marco will host a series of pop-up pizza dining events and speciality Chef’s Menu concepts, beginning at OBLU NATURE Helengeli, continuing to OBLU SELECT Sangeli, and concluding at the couples-only OBLU SELECT Lobigili. During his visit, he will work closely with the resorts’ culinary teams, providing them with a rare opportunity to master the art of traditional pizza-making. Guests will also be invited to join interactive sessions, learning to create handcrafted pizzas from scratch.
Raised in Sovigliana-Vinci with roots in Grosseto and Empoli, Chef Marco inherited his love for cooking from his mother, Mara. He studied culinary arts at the Enriques Institute in Castelfiorentino and gained experience in acclaimed restaurants including Borgo Allegro, Castelfalfi Resort, and Milan’s Michelin-starred JOIA.
In 2019, his collaboration with chef Fabrizio Marino—another celebrated Italian chef who works with Atmosphere Core—led to the opening of Pizza Del Popolo, San Miniato’s first vegetarian bakery-pizzeria, dedicated to organic, locally sourced produce and authentic regional flavours.
For Chef Marco, pizza is a passion that comes from the soul, more an art form than a simple culinary process. Having showcased his craft across Europe, he sees the Maldives as an extraordinary new destination for his events. He expressed his excitement at sharing his expertise with guests and kitchen teams, while also learning from the island chefs about their own specialities and local cuisine.
Featured
Le Méridien Maldives hosts SSI’s ambitious global training video production

In August 2025, SSI, the world’s leading business-based dive training agency, embarked on an ambitious multi-week video shoot at Le Méridien Maldives Resort & Spa in partnership with Sub Oceanic Maldives. The large-scale production will deliver a series of updated, high-quality training videos, lifestyle visuals and brand content to be shared with divers and dive professionals across the globe. More than a filming project, the initiative represents a strategic alliance between luxury hospitality, elite dive training and professional media production, with the aim of promoting diversity in the diving community and elevating how dive education is delivered worldwide.
Situated in the pristine Lhaviyani Atoll, Le Méridien Maldives Resort & Spa offers an eco-conscious island sanctuary surrounded by 50 world-class dive sites. Its vibrant reefs and diverse marine life made it the ideal choice for SSI’s latest production. The partnership also reflects a shared commitment to marine education and exceptional guest experiences. General Manager Thomas Schult expressed pride in hosting the project, noting the resort’s thriving reef ecosystem as a perfect setting for professional dive content and for guests seeking to explore the underwater world.
Le Méridien’s alignment with SSI’s values of ocean conservation, marine education and engaging dive programmes strengthened its appeal as a partner. Guests are able to immerse themselves in the marine environment through curated diving and snorkelling activities offered by Sub Oceanic Maldives, the on-site SSI Training Center.
At the heart of the collaboration is Sub Oceanic Maldives, known for its professionalism, expertise and enriching guest experiences. The team has been instrumental in coordinating logistics, selecting locations, managing safety and assisting with underwater filming. Head of Operations Florian Gansl spoke warmly of the project, joking that the abundance of turtles on the resort’s house reef might frequently wander into shots. Two Sub Oceanic instructors, Alejandro Embid Ruiz de Conejo and Chun-Ping “Pyng” Lin, are also featured in the production, bringing local insight and technical expertise to the screen.
Earlier this year, SSI held a global casting call for instructors worldwide, receiving an overwhelming response. Six professionals were selected for their diving expertise, skill in demonstrating techniques and ability to inspire others while representing diverse ages, backgrounds and genders. The cast includes Alejandro Embid (Spain), Kornel Toth (Hungary), Gordos Mateo Gojunco (Philippines), Sita Angela Jaekel (Indonesia), Chun-Ping “Pyng” Lin (Taiwan) and Jacinta Kimani (Kenya), each bringing unique experience and cultural perspective to the project.
The shoot focuses on three main content areas: detailed skill demonstration videos to enhance SSI’s training materials, authentic diving footage showcasing the Maldives’ reefs and marine life, and lifestyle content capturing the complete dive travel experience, from preparation to post-dive relaxation. Behind-the-scenes moments are also being documented for future release, offering a glimpse into the teamwork, planning and passion behind the production.
More than a visual refresh, this initiative forms part of SSI’s long-term strategy to modernise dive education and provide its global professional network with engaging, up-to-date resources. The partnership between SSI, Le Méridien Maldives Resort & Spa and Sub Oceanic Maldives exemplifies how world-class training, hospitality and dive operations can combine to promote eco-conscious travel, marine education and inspiring storytelling, encouraging the next generation of divers.
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