Sometimes one ends up in a lounge they didn’t even know they had access to. Such is the case with me when I found that I could access the Koveli Lounge in Malé.
The background to that is that I was departing Malé on an Emirates flight. While I had been expecting to depart from Terminal 2, a few days before the flight I received an email advising they were changing terminals. Terminal 1 is the new terminal that began opening in July 2025. Anyhow, on checking in, I was directed to the Koveli Lounge.
The Koveli Lounge
On entering the lounge, my first thought was that this is a new lounge. It sort of has that new car lounge smell. And indeed, it is. The Koveli Lounge is a relatively new lounge, opening in September 2025.
Location
- Airport: Male – Hulhule Velana (MLE)
- Location: Terminal 1 (International), between gates 2-3.
It is more accurate to say the lift to access the lounge is between gates 2-3. You do need to take the lift up one floor.
Given its location, the main view from the lounge is the departure concourse.
Access
As far as I have been able to work out, it is the only lounge in town (well, in Terminal 2). Based on the signage outside the lounge, it seems that the various international airlines operating into Male use it as their contract lounge.
The lounge is not available to Priority Pass members. Or at least, it doesn’t come up as an option on the app. That said, apparently paid access is available, although I am not aware of the cost.
As mentioned, in my case, I was granted access as I was flying out on Emirates.
Seating
As with many lounges these days, the lounge is divided into a number of zones, with different seating styles in each. One observation is that you enter in the centre of lounge. The two ends of the lounges (if you head left or right) are pretty much mirror images of each other.
The dining area is just near the entrance and buffet area. This area consists of dining tables, and seating appropriate for dining.
Much of the seating area is taken up by armchair type seating. Between each pair is a small table to put your drink, or whatever. Power is supplied to each of these tables if a device recharge is in order.
Walking around, you’ll also find some areas where there is booth style seating. For example, along the wall at the end of the lounge. There’s also a few booths behind the TV sets.
There was also an an area off to the side that looked like it may make a good spot to sit and get away from the main lounge area. Looking at the photo above, you can see this area on the left hand side.
Food and Beverage
Food
The lounge features a self-serve buffet, which you’ll find in the centre of the lounge. As I was there for an evening departure, it was set up for its all-day dining option (as distinct from the breakfast option in the morning).
If you felt like starting off with a soup, the soup of the day was a potato and spinach soup. This was found on the side near the bread and toaster.
On the hot food front, the buffet had a selection of hot dishes, such as “Marry Me Chicken”. Not sure it would made me want to marry the cook, but there you have it.
On the vegetable front, there was a Roasted Pumpkin with herbs. As the photos show, other options included rice and pasta.
Along with the hot food options, there were a range of cold items. These included salad items, prepared sandwiches and the like.
Beverages
If you’re looking for a pre-flight cocktail (or any other alcoholic beverage for that matter), this is not the place to be. Local regulations and all that prevent the lounge from serving alcohol.
You will, however, find soft drinks, fruit juices, and coffee and tea making facilities. So, there are a few options to choose from.
It’s all self-service though. On the coffee from, that meant a machine-made coffee.
On the tea front, there was a selection of tea bags to choose from.
Other Facilities
The Lounge comes with a range of facilities to use as you wait for your flight. The Wi-Fi worked a treat, and there were clean bathrooms in the lounge./
Children’s Play Area
There is a small area set aside for children. Called the Kids Zone, it was empty during my visit. I don’t actually recall seeing any kids in the lounge at all during my visit.
Bathrooms
The bathrooms looked clean and well maintained. No issues on that front.
Showers
While showers are listed as one of the features of the lounge, they were closed at the time I was there. I am not sure that they have ever been open. It’s a pity – a shower at the end of the day in Maldives would have been welcome!.
Final Words
After a few days in the Maldives, it was a little sad to be leaving. I had somewhat been expecting that I may have got access to the Leeli Lounge in Terminal 2, but a fortunate terminal change put me into Terminal 1.
During my time in the lounge, there would have been only about 10 other passengers.
Stepping into the Koveli Lounge in Malé wasa bit like hitting the pause button on my holiday before my flight. Maybe it is not the height of luxury, but the lounge did let me avoid what looked like a bit of chaos outside. It provided a calm space where I could grab a bite, and just have a bit of a relax. Oh, and have a flip through photos of my trip to the Maldives.
