JA Manafaru, the private Maldivian island resort located in Haa Alifu Atoll, has earned a place in the 2026 MICHELIN Guide hotel selection, bringing international recognition to the island retreat of Dubai-born JA Resorts & Hotels. On this island in the northern Maldives, hospitality takes its character from the destination: Maldivian flavours served among the branches of a living banyan tree, days spent exploring the surrounding waters, and a team whose personal welcome brings guests into island life.
Independently selected by MICHELIN Guide inspectors for its global hotel collection, JA Manafaru offers an experience shaped around privacy, space, and attentive service. Its 84 villas and residences with private pools sit alongside distinctive dining venues, extensive leisure facilities, and a secluded spa sanctuary, with new residences and treetop restaurant Kuri adding fresh dimensions to the stay. The inclusion follows the resort’s Forbes Travel Guide Recommended recognition in the 2026 Star Awards, securing a second notable international acknowledgement this year.
Ralph Porciani, Chief Executive Officer, JA Resorts & Hotels, commented: “JA Manafaru’s selection in the 2026 MICHELIN Guide is a proud achievement for our entire group. Following its Forbes Travel Guide Recommended recognition earlier this year, it is a meaningful acknowledgement of the quality and consistency our island team delivers. Our story began in Dubai in 1981, and seeing that hospitality recognised internationally is particularly special. We continue to invest in our destinations, but it is the care of our people, their knowledge of the island, and the personal experiences they create that give JA Manafaru its character.”
The resort’s new residences expand its appeal for families and groups. Among the highlights is the Three Bedroom Royal Beach Residence, spanning 5,800 square metres across two levels. With two private pools, a dedicated spa pavilion featuring steam and sauna facilities, private cabanas, generous living areas, and personal butler service, it offers an expansive retreat for multigenerational holidays and special celebrations.
Food and a sense of place come together at Kuri, an intimate treetop restaurant within the canopy of a living banyan tree. Meaning “treetop” in Dhivehi, Kuri welcomes up to four guests for a five-course tasting menu led by Executive Chef Moosa Nazeeh. Its 0km philosophy draws on ingredients sourced from the surrounding atoll, including reef fish, coconut, pandan and screwpine, interpreting traditional Maldivian flavours through a contemporary lens. Handcrafted ceramics from JA Manafaru’s own on-island clay studio complete the setting.
Elsewhere, guests can enjoy wine-paired dinners at The Cellar, carved into volcanic rock beneath the island, beachfront dining at Ocean Grill, and Japanese cuisine at White Orchid. Maldivian cooking classes offer a hands-on introduction to the destination’s culinary traditions.
Across the island, experiences balance discovery with time to slow down. Snorkelling, diving and excursions to nearby islands reveal the surrounding marine environment, while kayaking, paddleboarding, and castaway island picnics offer different ways to enjoy the ocean. Guided nature trails introduce guests to the island’s landscape, complementing days spent on the water.
Wellbeing is woven into the stay through treatments and rituals at Calm Spa Sanctuary, nestled within tropical greenery, alongside yoga and fitness sessions. Tennis, cycling, and family activities complete an offering that allows guests to shape their holiday around their own interests, whether seeking adventure, rest or time together.
Roberto Garrone, General Manager, JA Manafaru, added, “This inclusion is a recognition of what the team at JA Manafaru lives every day. Our island offers a rare combination of privacy, natural beauty, and space, but it is the people who bring the experience to life. To see the resort included in the 2026 MICHELIN Guide hotel selection is a significant moment for our team and a wonderful reflection of the destination we are proud to call home.”
For JA Resorts & Hotels, the recognition brings international attention to a hospitality legacy established in the UAE more than four decades ago. At JA Manafaru, that legacy finds its own island expression through warm service, Maldivian culture, and experiences rooted in the destination.
For more information, visit www.jaresortshotels.com/maldives/ja-manafaru.
