When Nasandhura Palace Hotel closed its doors to the public in May 2015, it was not just a leading location for weddings and friendly gatherings, but one of the oldest tourists hotels in Malé City.
Having reopened ten years later, the property's prestige has only grown multiple fold.
Rebranded as Barcelo Nasandhura, it is now a modern hotel, challenging the norms of hotel tourism with its iconic building believed to shake up the local tourism scene in the country's capital.
Sat at the top floor of the 16 storey building which cost USD 100 million and ten years, this is what Barcelo's Acting General Manager Enric Reina Canitrot said.
Despite Barcelo being a recognised hotel chain of a famous brand in Spain and the wider European region, the company did not want to let go of the property's roots that is Nasandhura.
According to Canitrot, they held on to the name Nasandhura because the brand wants to grow the property whilst maintaining its connection to the locals - by reconnecting the hotel to the lives of Maldivians so that it may once again become the favoured choice for celebrations and important events .
"Nasandhura is a land mark," he said about the newly renovated property, explaining why they prioritise maintaining it as such.
Enric and his team are working diligently to reclaim Barcelo's connection to the people of Maldives, just two weeks after its reopening.
According to Enric, Barcelo hotels, which operate more than 300 hotels in cities around the world, typically feature a Mediterranean style. However, Nasandhura has Maldivian traits meticulously incorporated into the design, he said, noting the hotel's lobby which boasts designs that represent the vibrant teal hues of the Maldivian waters.
The hotel's architecture also features the Maldivian characteristics and the diverse marine life of the deep blues, Enric said, assuring that tourists would get the true Maldivian experience during their stay at the hotel.
He said the biggest difference between Barcelo and other hotels in the Malé region would be its modern architecture, which is evident from the moment guests enter the hotel lobby where amenities are accessible for them to relax comfortably.
The hotel now has 136 rooms and 116 serviced apartments. Out of these, 95 rooms come with an ocean view.
All of the rooms are categorised into seven standards; the superior ocean view, superior ocean front, superior ocean front deluxe, family room, junior suite ocean view, presidential villa and the panoramic ocean view. The property also has a six person penthouse as well as the two and three bedroom penthouses.
One of the more unique features of the hotel is that every room comes with a 270 degree view of Malé, expanding that view to a full 360 view from the rooftop.
Enric describes access to a view of their full surrounding from above as something that would allow guests to feel at peace in a busy city such as Malé.
Barcelo Nasandhura also has three restaurants and two snack bars as well as a spa which is open for both in-house and outside clients.
The serviced apartments would be open for the public from next month onwards.
Enric also said its Dons Chinese Restaurant would open very soon as well.
Facilities available at Barcelo Nasandhura
- 136 rooms
- 116 serviced apartments
- 15 rooms in every floor on average
- three restaurants (Alimas Café, Oevaru, Dons Chinese Restaurant)
- Pool bar
- Be Heaven (Snack and Shisha Bar)
- An area dedicated for conferences and meetings
The property has a pool, kids indoor play area, a spa and gym accessible for its guests as well.
Enric said each corner of Barcelo Nasandhura has unique features, including the walk-in library in the reception area.
Guests would receive a five start welcome upon their entrance, with impeccable service even as they enter the rooms, he added.
He described Barcelo's opening a hotel in Maldives as an important stepping stone in expanding its business in the region, indicating more of Barcelo's properties would open up in Asia in the future.
The hotel's restaurants also had a significant hike in demand in recent days. Enric said they are working to open up the restaurants for locals soon.
Enric previously worked as the Deputy General Manager in one of Barcelo's hotels in Spain, having been with the brand for about five years.
Barcelo also operates a resort in the Maldives under the name Barcelo Blue Whale.
