Manhattan Grand Hotel opens as new five-star hospitality destination in Hulhumalé
Manhattan Grand Hotel, a 162-room five-star property in Hulhumalé, was officially inaugurated on Saturday, 7 November 2026, marking the completion of a long-delayed hospitality development originally initiated by State Trading Organisation (STO) more than two decades ago.
The hotel was inaugurated by Minister of Finance and Public Enterprises Hassan Zareer during a ceremony held in Hulhumalé Phase 1. The opening marks a new chapter for the former STO City Hotel project, which remained unfinished for years despite substantial investment and repeated efforts to complete or sell the property.
Located approximately 10 minutes from Velana International Airport, Manhattan Grand Hotel has been developed to accommodate business travellers, transit passengers, leisure visitors and long-stay guests, while providing facilities for meetings, conferences, exhibitions and social events.
The property features 162 rooms and suites across eight accommodation categories, including city-view and sea-view rooms, deluxe accommodation and junior suites. Its facilities include four food and beverage outlets, an outdoor swimming pool, a spa and wellness centre, and a fitness centre.
A central feature of the hotel is its meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) infrastructure. The property offers three major event halls, measuring approximately 700, 400 and 390 square metres, alongside dedicated meeting rooms and conference facilities. The venues have been developed to accommodate corporate conferences, exhibitions, annual general meetings, weddings, banquets and other large-scale gatherings.
The hotel’s architectural concept draws inspiration from Hukuru Miskiy, the historic Friday Mosque in Malé, incorporating elements of traditional Maldivian craftsmanship into its contemporary design. Marketed under the concept ‘Live the Heritage’, the property aims to combine local cultural influences with modern urban hospitality.
Manhattan Grand Hotel is operated by World of Business Pvt Ltd, with foreign investment from UAE-based Deep Seafood Company. The redevelopment was formalised through an agreement with Housing Development Corporation (HDC) in August 2025, under an arrangement involving 50 per cent foreign investment.
The property’s development history dates back to 2006, when STO approved plans to establish a city hotel in Hulhumalé as part of efforts to generate foreign currency revenue. Construction of the originally proposed 250-room five-star hotel began in 2011, following plans involving the US-based Carlson Hotel Group.
However, the development encountered repeated delays, leaving the building unfinished for more than a decade. STO subsequently explored several options to dispose of or complete the property before arrangements were made with HDC to facilitate its redevelopment.
The revised development also incorporates approximately three and a half floors designated for government-related facilities, including a media village, youth centre, heritage college and medical college.
Ahead of its formal inauguration, Manhattan Grand Hotel had already begun hosting hospitality industry events. The property hosted Food & Hospitality Asia Maldives (FHAM) 2026 from 7 to 9 September, bringing together hospitality suppliers, industry professionals and international exhibitors.
The hotel’s official opening adds a substantial accommodation and events facility to the Greater Malé region, supporting the growing demand for city-based hospitality services, corporate gatherings and accommodation close to the country’s main international airport.
The completion of the former STO City Hotel project also brings an end to one of Hulhumalé’s longest-running unfinished hospitality developments, converting the property into a functioning hotel and events destination.
