The Maldives' New 'Little Gold Island' Resort Is Opening In 2026

You know about exclusive resorts, and you've heard of private islands, but the Bvlgari Resort Ranfushi is in a class of its own: The property will span 54 units, amounting to about 50 acres of palm-covered landscape. Guests can pick from 33 beach villas, each of which overlooks the Indian Ocean and has its own swimming pool. If you really want to bond with the sea, the overwater villas are perched on stilts, and guests enter them along wooden walkways. After a one-year delay, the resort is slated to open in the Raa Atoll sometime in 2026.

This resort's setting is the Maldives, a nation of more than 1,200 small islands that lie several hundred miles southwest of India and Sri Lanka. The Maldives are famous for their tropical weather and high-end tourism, and this vast constellation of islets already boasts around 170 resorts. The Raa Atoll is thick with luxury accommodations, most of them costing hundreds or even thousands of dollars per night.

While travelers have many options to pick from, Bvlgari commands an impressive reputation: This is the Italian company's 10th location around the world. Other Bvlgari destinations include Dubai, Bali, and Tokyo, but so far, the Ranfushi resort is the most far-flung. In the local Dhivehi language, Ranfushi translates to Little Golden Island, and Bvlgari, which specializes in literal gold, is leaning into that moniker. As you look at a list of the best things to do in the Maldives, many of them can be done in this secluded new property.

Bvlgari is a well-known name, especially among high-income households with an affection for jewelry. Sotirio Bulgari was a Greek silversmith who opened a workshop in Rome in 1884; the company rapidly expanded in the following years, crafting gold necklaces, diamond-studded engagement rings, and flashy wristwatches for customers with discriminating taste. By 2004, the luxury giant boldly expanded into hospitality, opening its first hotel in Milan, Italy. Subsequent locations popped up across Europe and Asia, and more are scheduled to open in Turkey, Florida, the Bahamas, and Abu Dhabi between now and 2030.

The Ranfushi resort, designed by Italian firm ACPV Architects, is particularly ambitious. Most of the other Bvlgari hotels are located in cities, while the Raa Atoll lies in a remote quarter of an already remote nation. The property will include at least four restaurants, most of which are fine dining: Il Ristorante will serve Italian dishes by executive chef Niko Romito, Bao Li Xuan will present Chinese dishes, Hōseki will specialize in Japanese cuisine, and La Spiaggia is designed for more casual meals. Ranfushi will have a wellness spa and boutique shop for Bvlgari wares, and a 55th villa will occupy its own separate island.

Travelers have eagerly awaited Ranfushi's opening since 2022, though the resort wasn't quite ready to open by its target date of 2025. Interest has only grown; in December of that year, Vogue named Ranfushi as one of the most anticipated hotel openings in the world. And presuming it lives up to the hype, guests will likely add it to a list of over-the-top luxury resorts that are worth the splurge.

The Maldives are out of the way for many travelers, especially those from Europe and the Americas, yet the nation still cultivates a booming tourism industry, attracting more than 2 million international visitors in 2025. The main airport is Velana International, in the capital city of Malé. You can find direct flights from Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Australia, though travelers from the U.S. will have to expect to transfer on their way over. From Malé, all Ranfushi guests will board a seaplane and fly an additional 45 minutes to the resort.

Nightly rates weren't available at press time, but guests should expect to spend a pretty penny: Rooms in other Bvlgari hotels typically cost thousands of dollars per night, and that's without the private oceanfront or exclusive aerial arrival. The resort should provide guests with everything they need, which means visitors may spend little time beyond the property itself (beyond a short layover in the Malé airport). That said, there are innumerable other attractions in the country, and you could spend weeks or months hopping from island to island, if you have time and inclination. Here are 10 crucial details to know before visiting the Maldives.