Top Maldives resort launches immersive fine dining voyage inspired by the Age of Discovery
Kanebridge News
Share Button

Top Maldives resort launches immersive fine dining voyage inspired by the Age of Discovery

A new private dining experience at NH Collection Maldives Reethi Resort blends Spanish heritage, Maldivian flavours and maritime storytelling in the heart of the Baa Atoll.

By Jeni O'Dowd
Fri, May 29, 2026 10:17amGrey Clock 2 min

NH Collection Maldives Reethi Resort has unveiled an ambitious new fine dining concept that transforms dinner into a journey through history.

Called Caravela, the immersive culinary experience draws inspiration from the great maritime expeditions of the 14th to 17th centuries, blending Spanish culinary traditions with Maldivian ingredients into a multisensory tasting menu centred on exploration, trade, and cultural exchange.

Located within the UNESCO-protected Baa Atoll, the newly renovated resort has designed the experience for just 12 guests per evening, centred on a communal dining table that encourages connection and shared discovery.

The inaugural five-course menu, titled The Atlantic Voyage of 1487, traces the route of early explorers sailing from Iberia along the African coast in search of a sea passage to India.

The concept was developed under the direction of resort manager and Master Sommelier Melroy Fernandes, who worked alongside the culinary team to create a storytelling-led experience inspired by the Age of Discovery. Fernandes has also curated the accompanying wine pairings designed to complement each stage of the culinary journey.

Dishes include crispy king crab fritters with ikura and lime-yuzu vinaigrette, torched Maldivian tuna loin with escabeche and Moroccan spices, and a 12-hour sous vide pork belly glazed with smoky chilli and Spanish chorizo jus.

Dessert references Portuguese navigation history with an olive oil cake featuring port wine and blood orange gel encased within a delicate sugar sphere inspired by the historic Armillary Sphere.

Future menus are already planned, including voyages themed around the Pacific and Indian oceans, with the concept designed to evolve over time through different flavour maps and historical narratives.

The experience was developed under the direction of resort manager and Master Sommelier Melroy Fernandes alongside the resort’s culinary team, with curated wine pairings accompanying each course.

“Caravela offers a journey of a different kind, one that connects history, culture and cuisine in a truly immersive way,” Fernandes said.

The Atlantic Voyage tasting menu with wine pairings is priced at USD190++ per guest and available by reservation only.

The resort is positioned as a private island retreat focused on nature, tranquillity and immersive experiences. The resort features 105 renovated beach and overwater villas surrounded by turquoise waters, coral reefs and lush tropical greenery.

Beyond its dining offerings, the resort features a collection of restaurants, bars, and destination-led experiences, from all-day dining and Japanese-inspired cuisine to sunset cocktails and private beachfront dinners.

The property also offers close access to Hanifaru Bay, one of the Maldives’ most celebrated marine sanctuaries, known for seasonal gatherings of manta rays and whale sharks.

Part of the global NH Collection portfolio under Minor Hotels, the resort reflects the growing shift in luxury travel towards more experience-driven stays, where gastronomy, storytelling, and connection to place are becoming just as important as overwater villas and white-sand beaches.



MOST POPULAR

The 1860s Darlinghurst mansion Stoneleigh could become Sydney’s most expensive home ever sold under the hammer when it goes to auction. Clint Ballard is giving buyers a $28 million guide for the heritage-listed mansion on Darley Street, opposite Iona, the former home of Hollywood royalty Baz Luhrmann. Stoneleigh is being offered for sale for the …

Set on one of the city’s last absolute riverfront sites, The Riversdale by Mosaic combines irreplaceable waterfront ownership with one of Brisbane’s most significant residential opportunities.

Related Stories
Travel
Australia’s Newest Luxury Hotel Brand Arrives in Sydney as Elysium Manly Opens
By Ruba Jaajaa 20/08/2026
Travel
Series by Marriott Debuts in New Caledonia With Three Resorts
By Ruba Jaajaa 17/08/2026
Prestige
Heesen’s 57-metre Project Setteesettanta puts the owner on a deck of their own
By Mathilde Pont 14/08/2026
Australia’s Newest Luxury Hotel Brand Arrives in Sydney as Elysium Manly Opens
By Ruba Jaajaa
Thu, Aug 20, 2026 5 min

Elysium Manly has officially opened its doors, welcoming its first guests and bringing a new calibre of contemporary luxury to one of Australia’s most recognisable beachfront destinations.

Formerly Manly Pacific, the 213-room hotel is now Elysium Manly, marking a definitive new identity for the landmark beachfront property and the Sydney arrival of Elysium Hotels. Occupying a prime position opposite Manly Beach, around 20 minutes by ferry from Sydney’s CBD, the hotel brings together contemporary coastal rooms and suites, destination dining, integrated wellness and a heightened level of service and generosity.

Following the launch of Elysium Noosa Resort in December, Elysium Manly establishes the Australian luxury hotel brand across two of the country’s most sought-after coastal destinations, arriving in Sydney just in time for summer. Here, the Elysium experience is distinctly of its place: the sand and surf of Manly Beach directly opposite, the harbour and ferry only a short walk away, and Sydney remarkably close. Yet from an ocean-facing terrace, the rooftop pool or over dinner at Cibaria, it can feel a world away.

The transition to Elysium follows a $40 million investment in the property, including a $30 million refurbishment of rooms and suites by Coco Republic and the $8.5 million creation of acclaimed restaurant Cibaria, designed by Luchetti Krelle. Now, a new layer of accommodation, wellness, service and guest experience completes its transition to Elysium Manly.

Elysium Manly’s most elevated expression is the 167sqm Elysium Suite: a one-bedroom penthouse overlooking Manly Beach and the Pacific Ocean. An expansive private terrace now features a full-spectrum infrared barrel sauna by Nimbus alongside outdoor dining and sun loungers, creating a private vantage point above one of Sydney’s most famous stretches of coastline.

Inside, generous living and entertaining spaces include a fireplace, eight-seat dining table with private dining available on request, a freestanding bath and curated wine fridge. Hermès bathroom amenities are exclusive to the suite. Breakfast is served in-suite daily, while a dedicated VIP Host, valet parking and priority dining at Cibaria and 55 North extend the experience beyond the room. A Peloton bike can also be arranged on request.

Among the most significant additions are six new Wellness Suites. Each suite opens onto an ocean-facing private terrace with its own full-spectrum Nimbus infrared barrel sauna, allowing guests to move between the warmth of the sauna and the fresh sea air beyond.

Rather than prescribing how a wellness stay should look, Elysium’s Wellness Suites give guests the freedom to incorporate it as much or as little as they choose. A wellness tonic on arrival, in-room fitness equipment, LED face mask, compression boots, Peloton access and a complimentary BodyLove Pilates class are among the inclusions, alongside a minibar stocked with juices and electrolytes. A dedicated wellness breakfast can be served in-suite, while IKKARI bathroom amenities and signature Elysium robes complete the experience.

A further nine Coastal Two-Bedroom Suites broaden the hotel’s appeal for families and longer stays, offering expansive, residential-style accommodation. At 73sqm, each features a private ocean-facing balcony, two bedrooms and two bathrooms, alongside a generous contemporary living area, comfortable lounge, kitchenette and sit-down dining space. A dedicated VIP Host, ESPA bathroom amenities, valet parking and a complimentary one-hour infrared sauna experience are also included.

On level six, the new Elysium Floor introduces an additional layer of personalised service. The experience begins before arrival, with guest preferences informing the stay and a dedicated VIP Host available to assist with dining reservations, in-room arrangements, local recommendations and individual requests. Personalised room preparation and evening turndown are among the service rituals designed to make the experience feel intuitive and personal.

The hallmarks of an Elysium stay are equally apparent in the smaller details, with a tiered collection of bathroom amenities across room and suite categories: Grown Alchemist throughout hotel rooms, ESPA across suites, and Hermès reserved exclusively for the Elysium Suite. New photographic works by Australian photographer Elise Hassey, shot for Elysium Manly, are being introduced to selected rooms, joining the contemporary coastal interiors by Coco Republic and further connecting the hotel to its beachfront setting.

Beyond the rooms, Elysium’s sensory signatures have been layered throughout the property.

Bespoke floral installations by celebrated florist Saskia Havekes of Grandiflora, a signature Elysium fragrance and an evolving soundscape by music curator Mitchell Wicks bring scent, sound and nature into the guest experience.

Crowning the hotel is the rooftop magnesium mineral pool with a sweeping panorama of Manly Beach and the Pacific Ocean. High above the beachfront and framed by the tops of Manly’s Norfolk pines, the brilliant blue of the pool meets the ocean beyond, creating a striking vantage point from which to swim, sun and take in the coastline. It’s a perspective few hotels can match.

An infrared sauna is available to in-house guests by arrangement, with complimentary access included for Elysium Suite and Coastal Two-Bedroom Suite guests.

Dining remains central to the Elysium experience. Cibaria, the acclaimed Italian restaurant by Alessandro and Anna Pavoni, has already earned a Chef Hat and anchors the hotel’s food and beverage offering, bringing the warmth and energy of Italian dining to the Manly beachfront through handmade pasta, seafood, wood-fired cooking and a generous approach to hospitality.

At 55 North, cocktails, an extensive wine list and a Cibaria bar menu carry the hotel from morning into evening, while Bistro Manly begins the day with an elevated breakfast facing the beachfront.

Elysium Manly General Manager, Dylan Cole, said the official transition marks the culmination of several years of investment in the property, while introducing a new level of service and experience not previously available at the hotel:

“Elysium is about looking at every part of the guest experience and asking what more we can give, from the way we welcome people and anticipate what they might need, to the quality of the amenities in their room and the details they encounter throughout their stay. We have an extraordinary location in Manly and the ambition is to create a hotel experience that genuinely lives up to it.”

“There is a generosity to Elysium that goes beyond the physical hotel. It’s the freedom to have breakfast brought to your suite after a sauna, knowing your favourite bottle is waiting in the wine fridge, having your dining reservations taken care of, or simply being recognised and looked after by someone who understands how you want to spend your time with us,” said Cole.

With its first guests now checked in, one of Australia’s most iconic beachside destinations has a hotel experience to match the beauty of its setting, bringing together contemporary coastal design, destination dining, integrated wellness and highly personalised service just 20 minutes by ferry from Sydney’s CBD.

MOST POPULAR

From farm-to-table Thai to fairy-lit mango trees and Coral Sea vistas, Port Douglas has award-winning dining and plenty of tropical charm on the side.

A 30-metre masterpiece unveiled in Monaco brings Lamborghini’s supercar drama to the high seas, powered by 7,600 horsepower and unmistakable Italian design.

Related Stories
Property
Palatial Mornington Peninsula estate on the market
By Kirsten Craze 21/11/2025
Lifestyle
A NEW CHAPTER FOR AN ICONIC (& VERY COMFORTABLE!) ARMCHAIR
By Jeni O'Dowd 17/09/2025
Lifestyle
ART+ UNVEILS MAJOR ART ACTIVATION AT FORUM DOUBLE BAY
By Jeni O'Dowd 02/06/2026
0
    Your Cart
    Your cart is emptyReturn to Shop