Kandooma Maldives Drops Holiday Inn for an Experience-Led All-Inclusive
The South Male Atoll island resort leaves Holiday Inn on Oct. 1 under HPL Hotels, adding an all-inclusive plan with dives, spa time, and family villas.
Kandooma Maldives began life as an independent, experience-led all-inclusive on Oct. 1, 2026, ending 17 years as Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives on a private island in South Male Atoll, about 45 minutes by speedboat from Velana International Airport in the Maldives.
HPL Hotels & Resorts has taken over management. The 146-villa resort stays open during upgrades due in the coming weeks, including eight Family Beach Villas with private splash pools, splash pools on four two-bedroom Beach Houses, a second three-bedroom villa, a new Beach Club, and 24-hour dining at Kandooma Cafe. For guests, the headline is not a soft brand swap. It is a shift from a franchise hotel product to an island plan that bundles meals, selected drinks, and signature experiences.
What the all-inclusive actually covers
The base plan covers meals, selected drinks, and snacks. Stays of four nights or longer unlock complimentary experiences such as a sunset cruise, sunrise fishing, a 30-minute spa treatment, and guided reef snorkeling. Certified divers can use the Dive Free programme for one complimentary guided dive per day, including standard equipment, boat transfers, and air or Nitrox fills. Selected inclusions reset every four nights on longer stays, which matters if you are building a 7- or 8-night trip.
General manager Andrew Drummond framed the product as experience-led rather than a buffet-and-bar meal plan. Activities are grouped under five Kandooma Signatures: ocean adventures, dining, wellness, social evenings, and local discovery. That structure is meant to reduce the constant "is this extra?" decision making that often shows up on European-plan Maldives holidays.
Who this resort is built for
Families remain the core audience. Kids Stay and Eat Free continues. Kandoo Kids' Club runs from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. for ages 4 to 12, with PADI Bubblemaker from age 8 and children's surf lessons through a partner school. The new Beach Club, still finishing in the coming weeks, is positioned as a hangout for teens and parents between beach time and evening events.
Kandooma becomes the eighth Maldives property in the Hotel Properties Limited group and the 13th hotel managed by HPL Hotels & Resorts. Travelers who liked the island's easygoing South Male Atoll location but wanted fewer add-on decisions now have a clearer booking path. Confirm exact villa categories and which experiences are tied to a four-night minimum before you lock dates, especially if diving or spa time is the reason you pick this island over a neighboring resort.