Long-delayed Hulhumale' City Hotel opens as Manhattan Grand Hotel

The long-delayed Hulhumale' City Hotel, a project that remained stalled for years despite substantial investment, officially reopened on Saturday as the Manhattan Grand Hotel.

The hotel was inaugurated by Hassan Zareer, Minister of Finance, during a special ceremony held Saturday evening.

The Manhattan Grand Hotel features more than 150 rooms and has been designed to reflect architectural elements inspired by the historic Friday Mosque. According to the hotel, the property has been developed to cater to business travellers, long-stay guests and those hosting meetings, conferences and other events.

The hotel also said its interior design incorporates elements of traditional Maldivian craftsmanship, blending local heritage with modern hospitality standards.

The property was handed over to World of Business Pvt Ltd, a foreign investment company operating in the Maldives under Dubai-based Deep Sea Food Company, on August 20 last year for redevelopment into a five-star hotel. Prior to the transfer, the property had been under the management of state-owned State Trading Organization (STO).

މަންހަޓަން ގްރޭންޑް ހޮޓެލް ހުޅުވުމުގެ ރަސްމިއްޔާތު https://t.co/8XJW0POAjb

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The project traces its origins to 2006, when STO's board approved plans for a city hotel aimed at generating foreign currency revenue. Construction of the 250-room five-star hotel began in 2011 in partnership with the United States-based Carlson Group.

Over the years, however, the project faced repeated delays and remained one of Hulhumale's most prominent unfinished developments. STO made several attempts to sell the property after investing heavily in the project while receiving no returns.

STO also worked with Housing Development Corporation (HDC) on efforts to complete the hotel. Despite most of the building structure being completed, development remained stalled for many years due to various challenges.

The reopening of the property as the Manhattan Grand Hotel marks the completion of a project that had remained in limbo for more than a decade and a half, transforming one of Hulhumale's longest-delayed developments into an operational hospitality facility.