A resort island is rarely smaller than thirty villas and almost never larger than two hundred: the limit is set by the area of the island and its lagoon. The properties below sit in the two smallest bands, which is where whole-island buy-outs become a realistic proposition and where the general manager still decides most things personally.
Villa counts are recorded for a minority of the stock, so this selection names the properties whose numbers are confirmed rather than the full set of small islands in the country.
The size bands below are derived from the Maldivian distribution rather than carried over from other countries in this series. A European scale would collapse the whole country into a single band, because an island resort is bounded by its lagoon at both ends.
1 239 keys · 30 of 30 properties · 100% covered
| Property | Island | Atoll | Distinction | Keys | Size | Operator |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adaaran Prestige Vadoo | Vaadhoo | Kaafu | resort | 50 | S | Adaaran Resorts |
| Banyan Tree Maldives Vabbinfaru | Vabbinfaru | Kaafu | resort | 48 | S | Banyan Group |
| Club Med Finolhu Villas | Gasfinolhu | Kaafu | resort | 52 | S | Club Med |
| Cocoa Island | Makunufushi | Kaafu | resort | 33 | S | COMO Hotels |
| Cocogiri Island Resort | Vashugiri | Vaavu | resort | 40 | S | independent |
| Dhawa Ihuru | Ihuru | Kaafu | resort | 45 | S | Banyan Group |
| Drift Theluveliga Retreat | Theluveliga | Alifu Dhaalu | resort | 30 | S | independent |
| Four Seasons Private Island Maldives at Voavah | Voavah | Baa | resort | 11 | XS | Four Seasons |
| Gangehi Island Resort | Gangehi | Alifu Alifu | resort | 36 | S | independent |
| Gili Lankanfushi | Lankanfushi | Kaafu | resort | 49 | S | independent |
| Hondaafushi Island Resort | Hondaafushi | Haa Dhaalu | resort | 57 | S | independent |
| Huvafenfushi Maldives | Nakatchafushi | Kaafu | resort | 51 | S | Universal Resorts |
| Kagi Maldives Resort and Spa | Kagi | Kaafu | resort | 50 | S | Crown & Champa Resorts |
| Kandolhu Maldives | Kandholhudhoo | Alifu Alifu | resort | 30 | S | Universal Resorts |
| Kudadoo Maldives Private island | Kudadhoo | Lhaviyani | resort | 17 | XS | Crown & Champa Resorts |
| Makunudu Island | Makunudhoo | Kaafu | resort | 36 | S | independent |
| Milaidhoo Island Maldives | Milaidhoo | Baa | resort | 50 | S | Universal Resorts |
| Nala Maldives by Jawakara | Innahuraa | Lhaviyani | resort | 42 | S | Crown & Champa Resorts |
| nH Maldives Kuda Rah Resort | Kudarah | Alifu Dhaalu | resort | 51 | S | Minor Hotels |
| Nika Island Resort and Spa | Kudafolhudhoo | Alifu Alifu | resort | 52 | S | independent |
| Noku Maldives Vignette Collection | Kudafunafaru | Noonu | resort | 50 | S | IHG |
| Nooe Maldives Kunavashi | Kunaavashi | Vaavu | resort | 50 | S | La Vie Hotels |
| Nova Maldives | Vakarufalhi | Alifu Dhaalu | resort | 57 | S | Nova Resorts |
| Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa | Hadahaa | Gaafu Alifu | resort | 56 | S | Hyatt |
| Shangri-la Villingili Maldives | Villingili | Seenu | resort | 14 | XS | Shangri-La |
| Soneva Secret | Dhipparufushi | Haa Dhaalu | resort | 30 | S | Soneva |
| The Halcyon Private Isles Maldives Autograph Collection | Meradhoo | Gaafu Alifu | resort | 50 | S | Marriott International |
| The Nautilus Maldives | Thiladhoo | Baa | resort | 31 | S | independent |
| V Villas Maldives at Mirihi-Mgallery Collection | Mirihi | Alifu Dhaalu | resort | 38 | S | Accor |
| Yash Nature Resort | Dhoores | Dhaalu | resort | 33 | S | independent |
How the bands are set
| Band | Properties recorded | Keys |
|---|---|---|
| up to 29 · buy-out island | 3 | 42 |
| 30–59 · boutique island | 27 | 1197 |
| 60–119 · mid-size | 73 | 6640 |
| 120–199 · large | 52 | 7849 |
| 200+ · high-volume | 20 | 6369 |
Counts cover the properties whose villa numbers are recorded, not the full national stock. The lower bands are populated, which is the indicator that the boundaries were derived from this country and not imported.