News
COMO Hotels undergoes major rebrand
Maldives Promotion House – COMO Hotels and Resorts, the parent company of Cocoa Island in South Malé Atoll has unveiled an updated brand identity. COMO’s nine properties will keep their individual logos while underpinned with “by COMO,” conveying the company’s distinctive personalised approach to hospitality.
In line with this update, COMO also launched a new website that includes, amongst other features, a news-driven COMO blog for friends of COMO to stay connected with their favourite COMO properties.
Founded by Singaporean entrepreneur Christina Ong, COMO Hotels and Resorts comprises The Halkin by COMO in London, Metropolitan by COMO in Bangkok and London, Parrot Cay by COMO in the Turks and Caicos, Cocoa Island by COMO in the Maldives, Uma by COMO, in Paro, Bhutan, and Ubud, Bali, as well as COMO Shambhala Estate in Bali. This September, Uma by COMO, Punakha opens in Bhutan, to be followed by hotels in Phuket and other key destinations in 2013. Each handpicked property reflects the deeply personal philosophy of hospitality and service shared by the owner and COMO employees.
Every experience “by COMO” is inspired by its destination, but also paired with COMO’s accurate and intuitive service, sympathetic and elegant aesthetic, outstanding cuisine and award-winning spa and wellness retreats.
Friends and guests of COMO will recognise COMO’s signature thoughtful style in its new website, comohotels.com. Tablet- and mobile-friendly rich content, such as locally-researched destination guides, chef profiles and even downloadable COMO Shambhala Cuisine recipes, channel the COMO experience to the home or office. Accommodation and event venue floor plans make planning easier, while intuitive design and stunning imagery allows an immersive customer experience. Trade partners and media professionals will find an improved, one-stop resource library.
The website also features a new COMO blog, comohotels.com/blog, which covers Destination News and COMO’s hallmarks of Wellness, Cuisine, Lifestyle, Adventure and Culture. “Tales from the Front Desk” provides behind-the-scenes glimpses of life on property; “Out and About” offers insider destination tips from the best shopping in London to the richest dive sites in the Maldives. Guests can also share their personal experiences and interact with COMO’s General Managers, Chefs, Activity Directors and COMO Shambhala Wellness Experts.
Says Kuno Fasel, Chief Operating Officer for COMO Hotels and Resorts: “COMO Hotels and Resorts is, and has always been, far more than a collection of hotels. COMO is a community of like-minded employees, partners and guests, who prize authenticity and quality. Our branding reflects how every detail in every property is intrinsically “By COMO”. Our new website’s interactive and social features welcomes guests to share their stories – they are part of COMO, on-property and online.”
Says Gabriela Henrichwark, Global Marketing Director for COMO Hotels and Resorts: “COMO’s new website was designed to deliver a user-friendly customer experience to facilitate comprehensive travel planning from research to booking. Demonstrating our commitment to engage further with our customers online, the new COMO blog extends our existing active social media presence. Our fresh branding retains each property’s uniqueness while extending COMO’s group-wide promise of a highly personalised, luxury travel experience.”
Awards
Wellness by Mandara at Barceló Nasandhura named among world’s top 100 spas
Wellness by Mandara at Barceló Nasandhura has been named among the Top 100 Spas of the World 2026 by Luxury Lifestyle Awards, recognising the spa’s wellness services in Malé.
Located on Level 3 of Barceló Nasandhura, Wellness by Mandara caters to both international visitors and local residents, offering spa treatments and wellness services within the capital. Unlike spas located at island resorts, the facility provides an urban wellness option for guests seeking relaxation, physical recovery and regular self-care.
The spa draws on traditional Eastern healing practices and offers a range of treatments, including Mandara’s signature multi-hand massage therapies, ELEMIS facials, body treatments and specialised nail care packages.
Treatments are tailored to individual requirements by the spa’s therapists, with services designed to relieve muscle tension, support physical recovery and promote relaxation.
Trent Munday of Mandara Spa said the recognition reflected the team’s commitment to providing Asian spa therapies in Malé while serving both hotel guests and the local community.
Wellness by Mandara operates daily, offering treatments and spa packages to Barceló Nasandhura guests, Malé residents and day visitors.
Awards
Jalboot Group claims three honours at World Luxury Travel Awards 2026
Jalboot Group has won three awards at the 2026 World Luxury Travel Awards, marking the second consecutive year the marine leisure and transport services provider has received recognition at the event.
The awards were presented during a gala ceremony held on 24 October at the Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok, Thailand.
Jalboot Group and its marine leisure brand, Koamas by Jalboot, received awards in three categories:
- Best Diving Experience in Maldives: Koamas by Jalboot
- Best Luxury Water Transfer in Indian Ocean: Jalboot Group
- Best Water Sport & Activities in Indian Ocean Islands: Koamas by Jalboot
The awards recognise the company’s operations across marine leisure and transport services in the Maldives, including watersports, resort-based recreational activities and inter-island water transfers.
RJ Reddy, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Jalboot Group, said the recognition reflected the contributions of the company’s team across its operations.
“We are deeply honoured to be recognised across three categories at the 2026 World Luxury Travel Awards. This milestone reflects the passion, professionalism and teamwork of everyone at Jalboot. Our goal has always been to create experiences that reflect the essence of luxury and the warmth of Maldivian hospitality, both on and beneath the water.”
Jalboot Group continues to expand its operations in the Maldives as a provider of integrated maritime solutions, including luxury yacht charters, marine transport and resort-based leisure services.
The three awards further recognise the company’s presence in the Indian Ocean’s marine tourism and transport sectors.
Action
Kandooma Maldives adds pickleball to recreational offerings
Kandooma Maldives has introduced a new pickleball court, expanding its recreational facilities as the paddle sport continues to gain popularity worldwide.
Combining elements of tennis, badminton and table tennis, pickleball is a sport that is relatively easy to learn and suitable for players of different ages and abilities. The new facility allows guests to participate in singles or doubles matches, offering an additional recreational activity for families, couples and groups staying at the resort.
The pickleball court is open daily from 6am to 6pm, with paddles and balls available for guests to borrow from Reception.
Court reservations can be made through the resort’s Recreation or Front Office team. Each villa is entitled to one complimentary hour of court use per day.
The introduction of pickleball forms part of Kandooma Maldives’ efforts to expand its recreational offerings and provide guests with more opportunities to participate in sports and group activities during their stay.
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