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One&Only Reethi Rah
North Malé Atoll, Maldives · One&Only · Grand Luxury
One&Only Reethi Rah occupies one of the largest private islands in North Malé Atoll — 109 acres with six kilometres of coastline across 12 distinct beaches — designed entirely by Belgian architect Jean-Michel Gathy of Denniston Architects. Opened 2005, it was the resort that established the overwater villa hammock-net suspended above the ocean as a global design signature, a detail widely copied across the Maldives and beyond. Guests arrive on the resort's own 56-foot private yacht, a 50-minute voyage from Velana International Airport.
- 130 rooms
- Opened 2005
- Neighborhood: Malé 08440
- Architect: Jean-Michel Gathy
- Interiors: Jean-Michel Gathy
About One&Only Reethi Rah
- Jean-Michel Gathy of Denniston Architects designed One&Only Reethi Rah to span 109 acres with 12 distinct beaches across six kilometres of coastline — an island scale unprecedented in the Maldives at its 2005 opening, ensuring each villa commands genuinely private beach frontage.
- The overwater villa hammock-net suspended above the Indian Ocean — a detail introduced at Reethi Rah — became one of the most widely replicated design signatures in Maldivian luxury resort architecture, copied across dozens of properties globally.
- Guests arrive exclusively on the resort's own 56-foot private luxury yacht, a 50-minute voyage from Velana International Airport — one of the few resorts where the arrival experience itself is a design statement.
History
One&Only Reethi Rah opened in 2005 on one of the largest private islands in North Malé Atoll, with 'Reethi Rah' meaning 'Beautiful Island' in Dhivehi. Designed by Belgian architect Jean-Michel Gathy of Denniston Architects, the resort is celebrated for its iconic overwater villa terraces featuring hammock nets suspended above the Indian Ocean — a detail that sparked a global trend in overwater villa design. The resort comprises 130 beach and overwater villas spread across 110 hectares of island, with private pools for every villa and one of the longest stretches of sandy beach in the Maldives. It is widely regarded as the brand's flagship property and one of the resorts that elevated the Maldives to the ultra-luxury travel tier.
The setting
One&Only Reethi Rah occupies one of the largest private islands in North Male Atoll — 109 acres named Reethi Rah, meaning Beautiful Island in Dhivehi. Architect Jean-Michel Gathy of Denniston International designed the resort around luxury, space and privacy, yielding 6 kilometres of coastline across 12 distinct beaches, each shared by just a few villas. Guests arrive by a 50-minute voyage on the resort's private 56-foot luxury yacht from Velana International Airport, or by seaplane in 15 to 20 minutes. The sheer scale — unprecedented in the Maldives — ensures that each villa commands undisturbed beach frontage, reinforcing the brand's promise of a genuinely secluded Indian Ocean flagship.
Restaurants and bars
- Reethi — Restaurant
- Fanditha — Restaurant
- Tapasake — Restaurant · Japanese
- The Beach Club — Poolside
Amenities
- 130 private-pool villas (beach and overwater)
- Multiple swimming pools
- ESPA spa
- Dive centre
- Watersports
- Tennis courts
- Fitness centre
- Kids club
- Private beach stretches
- Sunset sailing
Awards
- Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star (2026)
- MICHELIN Two Keys (2026)
- Condé Nast Traveller Readers' Choice Awards (2025)
- Condé Nast Traveler Readers' Choice Top Resorts
- Travel + Leisure World's Best Awards
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