Barcelo opens Male's first five-star...

Luxury Maldives property features capital's only oceanfront pool, penthouse and presidential suite

Barceló Nasandhura Malé has opened in the Maldives' capital, becoming the city's first five-star hotel.

This marks the second property for the Spanish hotel group in the Maldives, following Barceló Whale Lagoon Maldives, a five-star resort with 100 villas in the South Ari Atoll, which opened last year.

Bringing luxury service and facilities to the vibrant Maldivian capital for the first time, Barceló Nasandhura Malé is built on the site where the iconic Nasandhura Palace Hotel once stood, overlooking the turquoise waters of the Maldives.

Providing easy connectivity for guests, the property is located just across from the Henveiru ferry terminal and a 10-minute drive from Velana International Airport.

Room with sea view

Accommodations span 17 categories and includes 136 rooms and suites, and 116 design-led serviced apartments, including two- and three-bedroom flats and duplexes. For families, there are connecting rooms, an indoor play area and games room, a kids’ club and curated activities.

Standouts accommodations include the Presidential Suite with sweeping views of the North Malé Atoll and nearby islands from its three balconies and the Penthouse with three bedrooms and four bathrooms.

Three distinct dining options include an all-day buffet-style venue, a lobby lounge cafe and speciality restaurant Dons, serving Chinese flavours. For drinks, there’s a rooftop bar and lounge combining signature mocktails, shisha and ocean views and a pool bar.

Facilities include a private beach, an extensive wellness area with a spa and six treatment rooms, a fully-equipped gym with ocean views and a large swimming pool, which is the first and only oceanfront pool in Malé.

Made up of 26 atolls, 1,200 small islands and more than 120 properties, the Maldives in the Indian Ocean is seeing a raft of new openings in 2025, with Centara Grand Lagoon the latest to debut alongside sister resort Mirage Lagoon on a multi island in the North Male Atoll, and the JW Marriott Kaafu Atoll Island Resort opening in February with 80 overwater and beachfront villas.

W Maldives has reopened following a multi-million-dollar “full-scale” renovation, and Sun Siyam Olhuveli recently unveiled 100 redesigned beachfront pavilions and opened the Maldives’ longest pool, an ocean-facing masterpiece with a sunken bar.

Arriving later this year is Aman Maldives, a 68-key resort set to take up residence on a private island in the archipelago's Vaavu atoll.

For more information, visit www.barcelo.com/en-ae/barcelo-nasandhura-male

GET YOUR FREE GUIDE TO THE MALDIVES NOW