The Maldives has had a strong awards season, with several of its hotels and resorts picking up recognition at the South Asian Travel Awards (SATA) 2026 and the Condé Nast Traveler US Readers' Choice Awards.
Leading the SATA wins was JEN Maldives Malé by Shangri-La, which took home two trophies: Leading Business Hotel and Leading City Hotel in the 40-rooms-and-above category. The wins are notable because most Maldives publicity revolves around remote island resorts — this is an urban property in the capital, Malé, aimed at business travellers and city visitors who want meeting facilities, versatile dining and a comfortable base rather than an overwater villa. For travellers with a late-night arrival, an early seaplane departure or a work trip that isn't a holiday, it's one of the few internationally branded options in town.
Also at SATA, Coco Palm Dhuni Kolhu in Baa Atoll celebrated a double win: General Manager Siraj Ali Waseem was named South Asia's Best GM – Maldives, and the resort took Silver for Leading Eco-Friendly Resort. The sustainability credentials are substantive rather than cosmetic. The island sits within the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve of Baa Atoll, grows produce at its own Coco Farm, and hosts the Marine Turtle Rescue Centre in partnership with the Olive Ridley Project — a partnership marking ten years in 2026. Guests can join educational conservation programmes and see turtle rehabilitation up close.
Over at the Condé Nast Traveler US Readers' Choice Awards 2026, two Maldivian resorts landed near the very top of the Indian Ocean list. The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort ranked No. 2, a timely honour as the property marks its tenth anniversary this year. Opened in 2016 on a private natural island in Dhaalu Atoll, it's known for bold architecture, expansive beach and overwater villas, a lively house reef and the signature St. Regis Butler Service — a good fit for couples, families and multigenerational groups after a full-service luxury escape.
Just behind, Fushifaru Maldives came in at No. 4 in the Indian Ocean. The boutique resort, run by BeKind Hotels & Resorts, sits in Lhaviyani Atoll and leans into its natural setting: it claims the atoll's largest natural sandbank, reachable by a short boat ride, and the surrounding Marine Protected Area includes Fushifaru Thila, a well-known manta ray cleaning station. Divers and snorkellers get turtles, reef sharks, dolphins and healthy coral close by, while the resort's design draws on modern Maldivian aesthetics rather than generic resort styling.
Taken together, the results say something useful about where the Maldives is heading. The classic fly-and-float luxury resort is still dominant — St. Regis and Fushifaru prove that — but there's growing depth in city hotels for business travellers and in genuinely conservation-led properties for guests who want their holiday money to support marine protection. It also means travellers have vetted, guest-voted shortlists for very different kinds of Maldives trip: an urban stopover in Malé, a turtle-rescue eco-stay in Baa Atoll, or a statement resort in Dhaalu or Lhaviyani.
If you're planning a 2026 Maldives trip, these four names are a solid starting point depending on what kind of escape you're after.
