Bvlgari Shares New Details on Maldives Resort at ILTM Cannes
The brand lays out the workings of its first Maldives resort, revealing decisions that shape both guest flow and footprint.
Photo: Courtesy of Bvlgari
Bvlgari used its ILTM Cannes presentation to give its most comprehensive update yet on Bvlgari Resort Ranfushi, the brand’s first Maldives property and its 10th hotel globally, set to open next year. Set in Raa Atoll, the resort will feature 54 villas—beach and overwater—plus a standalone private-island Bvlgari Villa.
General manager Enver Arslan, who has spent 12 years in the Maldives, walked through the geography and guest journey. The resort is a 45-minute seaplane ride from Malé on the Maldives’ largest atoll, adjacent to Baa Atoll’s UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Ranfushi will also customize the arrival: Bvlgari has converted the traditional 16-seat seaplane into an eight-seat cabin with a branded interior, a detail Arslan described as “a Bvlgari touch.”
One structural decision distinguishes the project from most Maldivian resorts: a dedicated staff island connected by a bridge. This keeps all technical operations, utilities, and employee housing entirely separate from guest areas, allowing the main island’s layout to remain uninterrupted—and, Arslan pointed out, lets staff enjoy more privacy.
The resort’s private island is home to a five-bedroom, 13,000 square-foot villa, another focal point of today’s briefing. The villa will include indoor and outdoor cinemas, a private chef, and dedicated instructors for yoga, fitness, and water sports. Guests staying there will still have full access to the main resort.
Ranfushi’s one-bedroom villas, the entry category, will include indoor-outdoor layouts, dedicated studies convertible for families, private pools, direct beach access, and individual cabanas. Privacy spacing between villas is substantial. “You can even party on this space without disturbing the neighboring rooms,” said Arslan.
The resort will open with four signature dining concepts: Il Ristorante – Niko Romito, Bao Li Xuan, Hōseki, and La Spiaggia. Each will operate with dinner-focused service and distinct architectural footprints, including an overwater setting for the Japanese restaurant and a circular, water-lined space at the Chinese restaurant. The wellbeing area spans 28,000 square feet with nine treatment rooms, two outdoor immersive spaces, a yoga pavilion, and a full suite of modern fitness equipment.
Marine conservation is always a weighty topic in the Maldives, which Arslan addressed head-on. Bvlgari has partnered with the University of Milan, whose researchers have been visiting the island monthly since construction began. Post-opening, the marine lab will monitor coral health, support restoration efforts, host educational sessions for guests, and train local talent.
The kids and teens club—built at 5,000 square feet—sits beside the all-day dining venues. Programming will include sustainability education, island tours, and nature activities, developed in partnership with Worldwide Kids. “The best holiday with the family is when somebody is looking after your kids,” Arslan said.
The project’s emphasis on structure—two islands, wide villa spacing, a built-in research hub—gives Ranfushi a configuration that stands apart in a crowded Maldives landscape.
