The Rosewood Ranfaru resort opens in the Maldives in 2027 with 120 pool villas on private islands

Rosewood is getting ready to set foot in the Maldives. The Rosewood Ranfaru resort will open in 2027 on a string of private islands in South Malé Atoll, with 120 villas that will all have their own pool.

The very first Rosewood in the Maldives

Ranfaru will be Rosewood’s first address in the Maldives, one of the most coveted island destinations in the world, according to the brand. The brand announced it on 27 April 2023 in an official press release, and its dedicated page still shows the same target: 2027.

The project is backed by the Qatari group Estithmar Holding, which presents it as a new investment in a country it considers ideal for tourism. For Radha Arora, president of Rosewood Hotels & Resorts, the Maldives have “their own mystique”, and the brand wants to offer its own version of paradise there.

A string of islands around a lagoon

The resort will stretch across a chain of private islands set around a single lagoon, in South Malé Atoll. The same atoll is already home to other resorts, such as the adults-only Anantara Veli.

From Velana International Airport in Malé, the journey will take 10 minutes by seaplane or 35 minutes by yacht. Rosewood promises that the transfer will already be part of the stay, with the same level of service as on arrival.

120 villas, each with a private pool

Rosewood is announcing around 120 villas, some set on the beach, others on stilts above the lagoon. They will range from one to five bedrooms, enough to welcome a couple as easily as a family or a group of friends.

All will have their own private pool, and a few will sit on their own island. The brand has published no plans, sizes or villa renderings: the only official image of the project is a placeholder photo of a sandbank.

Asaya, a beach club and padel on the lagoon

For wellness, the resort will have an Asaya space, Rosewood’s wellness programme, along with a gym. Several speciality restaurants and a beach club will make up the dining offer, though their names and chefs have yet to be revealed.

There will also be several pools, some for adults only, others for families, padel courts and a whole range of water sports to explore the lagoon.

A club for young explorers

Children will have their own world: the Rosewood Explorer’s Club, designed to spark their curiosity and imagination. The resort team will also create experiences on and off the island, to reveal little-known sides of the archipelago.

This is the brand’s philosophy, called A Sense of Place: every address must tell the story of its setting. In the Maldives, Rosewood is focusing on privacy, luxury and a connection with nature.

When will Rosewood Ranfaru open?

Rosewood is announcing an opening in 2027, with no specific month. As of 18 October 2026, the resort’s official page still reads “Rosewood Ranfaru (2027)”, but no construction timeline has been published since 2023. Bookings are not open and rates have not yet been published.

The Maldives are expecting several big names in the meantime: Bulgari at Ranfushi in 2027, in Raa Atoll, according to our round-up of Bulgari hotels, then Amanolu, the first Aman in the archipelago, in 2028.