Hotel Jen by Shangri La ranks among the best city hotels in the Maldives, possibly the best. It ranks high on TripAdvisor and has great reviews. Opened initially as Holiday Inn in 2009, the hotel was later rebranded as Traders Hotel in 2014.
To cater to a new ‘Jeneration’ of independently minded business and leisure travellers, the hotel was rebranded in 2015 as Hotel Jen.
Jen brands itself as a virtual persona with a millennial mindset. It is a preferred hotel for diplomats and business travellers due to its high security and proximity to government offices. Until recently, it was the tallest building in the city, offering ocean views from its rooftop, complete with a pool, spa, and ballroom as well as great dining options. Its restaurants are also quite popular with the locals for its great food and ambiance for lunch meetings and dinner dates. The ballroom is often used by business travellers for meetings and conferences. It is also a popular venue for local weddings.
Jen is also popular for its great packages for business travellers, such as its Stay and Dine package. Guests also enjoy book-ahead benefits such as complimentary late checkout, free laundry service and airport transfers. Shangri La’s Golden Circle members also enjoy 10 per cent discounts on selected promotions. The hotel is also popular with transit guests.
Keeping up with the millennial trends, the hotel embraces cutting-edge technology that includes fast WiFi, convenient mobile charging stations throughout the hotel and access to over 2,500 online publications through a PressReader app. In addition, coffee and snack-box-to-go options after breakfast allow guests to get on with the things they really care about – life, travel and discovery.
Jen’s Azure restaurant serves international cuisine, while its other restaurant Lime serves breakfast buffet, a la carte lunch and themed buffet dinners. Its ground floor cafe’, Jen’s Kitchen On-the-go, is popular for its grab-and-go sandwiches, pastries, smoothies and great coffee.
The food is excellent. Under Shangri La’s Rooted in Nature program, Jen serves menu items that use sustainably sourced organic and locally grown ingredients. They also support sustainable fisheries. The brand also believes in promoting its cities. Unlike Male’ city, its sister properties in other cities offer vibrant city life and night-time fun.
Jen does its part by promoting Male’s restaurants and cafe’s that offer great food and service. Under its Jen Why Art program, it promotes the local art scene, giving bands and artists a platform to showcase their talents. For its special events, local bands are preferred over foreign artists. And art exhibitions held in collaboration with local artists have helped promote Maldives’ artists and forged connections between guests and artists.