After years of delay, the development of the property, which initially began as a city hotel project, has been completed and officially opened tonight under the name "Manhattan Grand Hotel".

The five-star Manhattan Grand Hotel, operated by World of Business, was opened tonight in a ceremony held at the hotel by Finance Minister Hassan Zareer. Following the ceremony, fireworks were also displayed in the Fithroanu Magu area of Hulhumalé where the hotel is located.

The work on the hotel was handed over to World of Business—a company specifically established to manage it—following a settlement agreement with the State Trading Organization (STO), which was previously entrusted with the project. The Housing Development Organization (HDC) handed over the location to World of Business in early May of last year.

Although STO signed an agreement with an American company in 2008 to build a city hotel, practical work could only be commenced by that company two years later. Even after that, the work remained stalled for a long period, facing numerous delays.

World of Business is operating the Manhattan Grand Hotel with 50 percent foreign investment. The project is financed by the "Deep Sea Food Company", an enterprise based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The Manhattan Grand Hotel features 162 rooms. Divided into eight categories, these rooms include Standard King City View, Standard King Partial Sea View, Standard Twin Partial Sea View, Standard King Sea View, Standard Twin Sea View, Deluxe City View, Deluxe Sea View, and Junior Suite. The hotel states that these rooms, equipped with large windows providing natural light, offer views of either the sea or the city.

Additionally, the hotel features spa and wellness services alongside four dining venues. Among these is an arrangement offering fresh seafood under the hotel's special "World of Seafood" concept. Furthermore, two 700-square-meter terrace event halls for hosting conferences, wedding parties, and various functions, meeting rooms, and modern audiovisual facilities have been established at the hotel.

The property also includes the Media Village, allocated by the government to house media offices alongside the hotel. This area was likewise developed at the expense of the investors.

The Manhattan Grand Hotel has been developed with modern facilities and high-quality services, fulfilling President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu's pledge to establish a quality transit hotel in Hulhumalé for tourists visiting the Maldives.