Scattered across 500 miles of the Indian Ocean and made up of nearly 1,200 coral islands ringed with powdery white sands and Tiffany blue waters, it’s no surprise that almost everyone dreams of visiting the Maldives.
But with some 200 resorts to choose from, it can be hard to decide where to stay.
I’ve spent my career writing about the Maldives and have been lucky enough to check into 55 resorts across the country. When I first visited back in 2009, there was just a smattering of resorts mostly centred around Malé, the very peaceful capital.
Now, you’ll find a mind-boggling array of places to stay, stretching from the remote northern atolls skimming Sri Lanka to the south side of the equator, catering to every taste and style imaginable.
Every resort sits on its own private island, from A-list escapes to budget all-inclusive breaks and royal hotspots. Here is my pick of the top 22 island resorts, starting with my favourites – and the resorts to avoid at all costs.
1. SONEVA SECRET
Best for: An A-list escape
Book it: Rooms from £3,500, full-board, a night (soneva.com)
Barefoot luxury pioneers Soneva have been wooing celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey, Bill Gates and Leonardo Di Caprio since they opened their first resort in the Maldives 30 years ago.
Following on from Soneva Jani, which opened in 2016, the resort chain has now debuted a third Maldivian hideaway, Soneva Secret. If anything, it’s even more exclusive, located a 75-minute seaplane from the capital in the untouched Makunudhoo Atoll.
Far from prying eyes, A-list guests can pick from 14 villas made from sun bleached wood and coconut thatch, with private chefs, retractable roofs for stargazing, and waterslides that zoom straight into the ocean.
2. WALDORF ASTORIA ITHAAFUSHI
Best for: Instagram gold
Book it: Rooms from £1,577 a night, room only (waldorfastoriamaldives.com)
A gleaming white yacht delivers guests to this large island located 30 minutes from the capital Malé.
Everything here feels supersized, from the long golden beaches to the lagoon-shaped public pools to the Edenic spa. Glamorous villas with gigantic decks and private swimming pools are stilted over the Indian Ocean, above the house lagoon or even rolling straight on to the beach.
There’s heaps to do – padel tennis, dolphin spotting tours, night snorkelling – and with 11 brilliant bars and restaurants, you won’t go hungry either.
3. AMILLA FUSHI
Best for: Inclusivity
Book it: Rooms from £1,024, B&B, a night (amilla.com)
Kate Winslet and Kate Moss are among the famous names who have stayed at this chic resort in the Baa Atoll – but this is a resort for everyone, including the those with additional needs.
Thanks to Amilla’s Inclucare certification, wheelchair users, the deaf and blind community, and children on the spectrum can have as much fun as everyone else.
Super-stylish accommodations include 59 sugar cube villas with white-on-white St Tropez-style interiors and private swimming pools. Ten bars and restaurants cover all the bases – Japanese, Italian, Greek, Indian.
Check out the size of the house reef and Amilla’s very own blue hole (marine sinkhole) as your seaplane sweeps into the Baa Atoll on the 35-minute flight from Malé.
4. KUDADOO
Best for: An all-inclusive splurge
Book it: Rooms from £2,550, all inclusive, a night (kudadoo.com)
There are all-inclusives and then there’s Kudadoo, set in the Lhaviyani Atoll, a 30-minute flight from the capital. Here, almost everything you can possibly imagine is built in to the rate, including private fitness classes, unlimited dives, round-the-clock spa treatments, picnics on private islands, dolphin-spotting boat trips, jet skis, hoverboards, floating breakfasts, gourmet meals, six different champagnes and mini-bars packed with all your favourite tipples – just let the butler know your preferences.
The house reef is a blinder brimming with turtles and colourful reef fish. Villas have a Japanese aesthetic with wood panelling, sliding doors and leafy zen bathrooms.
5. SIX SENSES KANUHURA
Best for: A health kick
Book it: Rooms from £797, B&B, a night (sixsenses.com)
The Lhaviyani Atoll (a 40-minute seaplane journey from Malé) is barely developed compared to some of its busier neighbours. Six Senses Kanuhura has a prime spot set on a large natural island haloed by silky white sands and glistening blue lagoons, with two uninhabited islands nearby for castaway picnics.
In keeping with the pulse-slowing surroundings, wellness is threaded through the resort. Expect daily complimentary classes (meditation, sounds baths, yoga) and non-motorised watersports (SUPs, kayaking, windsurfing), biohacking at the spa, bright airy villas and delicious sustainably sourced food.
6. MILAIDHOO
Best for: Romance
Book it: Rooms from £1,136, half-board, a night (milaidhoo.com)
Despite the wondrous Baa Atoll surroundings it’s almost impossible to drag yourself away from Milaidhoo’s dreamy villas. All 50 are set on stilts above a cerulean slice of the Indian Ocean teeming with marine life, which you can view from your half-moon infinity pool as you drink your complimentary bottle of Ruinart champagne.
Inside, there are soaring vaulted ceilings, swathes of blond wood, marshmallow beds trimmed with candy-coloured Maldivian fabrics and large bathrooms stocked with Acqua di Parma toiletries. It’s worth rolling out of bed for the brilliant breakfast spread and at least one meal at the only Maldivian fine dining restaurant in the country.
7. ALILA KOTHAIFARU MALDIVES
Best for: Swimming with the stars
Book it: Rooms from £585, B&B, a night (alilahotels.com)
Alila Kothaifaru sits in a very special corner of the resplendent Raa Atoll, a 30-minute seaplane journey from the capital, in one of the few spots in the world where you can splash around in bioluminescent water.
The ‘sea of stars’ phenomenon occurs during the June to October low season when countless trillions of dinoflagellate plankton flow into the area. Nature is unpredictable, of course, but there are plenty of other reasons to visit Alila from the pared back villas to the treetop spa, to the bountiful house reef and soul-soothing spa.
8. JOALI BEING
Best for: A total reset
Book it: Rooms from £1,847 a night (joali.com)
A thrilling 40-minute seaplane ride delivers guests to this large palm-studded coral island in the Raa Atoll. The only luxury resort in the Maldives to be entirely dedicated to wellness boasts an eye-catching biophilic design, aimed to make guests feel connected to nature.
Both the beach and overwater villas are immense, dressed in pale pink and pistachio green, with double-height glass doors opening on to rambling decks featuring pools big enough to do laps in.
Wellness facilities include ocean view yoga pavilions, gyms fit for pro-athletes (some of whom are on staff), a huge hydrotherapy hall, numerous steam rooms and saunas, and a sound discovery path, where you can play with gongs.
9. RAFFLES MERADHOO
Best for: Splendid isolation
Book it: Rooms from £980, B&B, a night (raffles.com)
The sensational overwater pool villas at Raffles Meradhoo are set together on a pontoon island that can only be reached by boat. But it’s the gigantic beach villas that I loved the most, with their huge bougainvillea-draped gardens, large private swimming pools and direct access to the glittering seashore.
Skimming the Equator, this tiny far-flung resort is harder to reach than most, requiring a one-hour domestic flight from Malé plus a short boat trip, but it will feel worth the effort the moment you lay eyes on this vast empty atoll with horizons that go on forever.
10. CHEVAL BLANC RANDHELI
Best for: A royal occasion
Book it: Rooms from £2,293, B&B, a night (chevalblanc.com)
The Prince and Princess of Wales enjoyed a babymoon on this private island in 2014, the year after Prince George was born. Entirely separated from the main island, the exclusive estate sprawls across a hectare of platinum palm-studded sands.
The centrepiece is a four-bedroom villa, complete with baby grand piano, games zone and swimming pool. Elsewhere, there’s a tennis island, a spa island and the main island of Randheli, which houses 45 palatial villas, alongside a watersports centre, five restaurants, a wine museum and cigar bar.
11. COMO COCOA ISLAND
Best for: Fly and flop
Book it: Rooms from £1,253, B&B, a night (comohotels.com)
If your idea of paradise involves reading a good book under a palm tree on a bright white beach, COMO Cocoa Island is the one for you. Set in the South Malé Atoll, a 40-minute speedboat ride from the airport, this pocket-sized isle has just 33 villas.
All are stilted over the water, with a few charmingly shaped like traditional Maldivian dhoni boats. The vibe is oh-so-quiet, with guests flitting between complimentary sunrise yoga classes, lazy lunches by the pool and visits to the sublime COMO Shambhala Spa.
12. CONRAD MALDIVES RANGALI ISLAND
Best for: Underwater action
Book it: Rooms from £461, B&B, a night (conradmaldives.com)
The Conrad Rangali – nestled in the South Ari Atoll, a 40-minute seaplane journey south of the airport – might be best known for its amazing underwater suite, The Muraka, where Paris Hilton and Carter Reum spent part of their honeymoon. But this twin-island paradise is also one of the few places in the country where you can see the Maldives Big Five in the same day.
Catch sight of reef sharks sashaying along the shore on your way to breakfast. Swim with whale sharks before lunch. Come face to face with turtles in the house reef in the afternoon. Take a dolphin spotting tour at sunset and look out for two resident manta rays pirouetting under the bridge in the evening.
13. FOUR SEASONS LANDAA GIRAAVARU
Best for: Beach babes
Book it: Rooms from 1,759, B&B, a night (fourseasons.com)
This all-natural island in the Baa Atoll boasts some of the best beaches in the country; broad blinding-white bands of powdery sands made for lazing on.
For a change of scene you can snorkel in the fabulous house reef, bursting with parrotfish, angelfish and ‘Nemo’ clown fish – perfect for first-timers. Swing by the spa for yoga classes, meditation sessions and deep-reaching Ayurvedic treatments. Eat and drink at eight excellent bars and restaurants or hang-out in oversized villas with modern interiors and private swimming pools.
14. W MALDIVES
Best for: Location, location, location
Book it: Rooms from £975, B&B, a night (marriott.com)
Get your best kaftans at the ready for a stay at this ultra-stylish resort that has just emerged from a year-long multi-million dollar refurbishment.
There’s myriad reasons to visit, starting with a sublime location in the North Ari Atoll (a 30-minute seaplane journey from the capital), an area known for its healthy coral reefs and superb diving – look out for hawksbill turtles bobbing in the house reef.
Then there’s the 77 pool villas, overwater and beachfront, newly decked out in natural tones with wide glass walls that combine to put the emphasis on the great outdoors. Five suitably fashionable bars and restaurants, including a smokin’ barbecue joint, and an all-singing spa and fitness centre complete the set.
15. GILI LANKANFUSHI
Best for: Robinson Crusoe vibes
Book it: Rooms from £1,077, B&B a night (gili-lankanfushi.com)
Robinson Crusoe meets the latest mod-cons at this laid-back resort located a convenient 15-minute speedboat from the capital.
Most of the clapboard and thatch villas are perched over the water with driftwood beds, outdoor bathrooms and ladders leading straight into one of the most beautiful lagoons in the country, all ice-cream swirls of white sands and bright blue water. Blind-folded dinners in secret locations, moon-bathing massages, coral planting and surf school are just a few of the unforgettable activities on offer.
16. JUMEIRAH OLHAHALI ISLAND
Best for: Big groups of friends
Book it: Rooms from £1,068, B&B, a night (jumeirah.com)
Located a 50-minute wind-in-your-hair speedboat ride from Velana International Airport, this mid-sized island is relatively easy to reach but feels a world away from Malé’s busy sea and air traffic corridors.
The vibe is as much Miami as the Maldives thanks to huge yacht-inspired villas with rooftop decks (ideal for movie nights), a selection of trendy restaurants and a sleek beach club. Take a jet ski safari in search of the enormous dolphin pods that cruise this area.
17. INTERCONTINENTAL MALDIVES MAAMUNAGAU RESORT
Best for: Aqua adventures
Book it: Rooms from £968, B&B, a night (ihg.com)
Baby manta rays frolic in the coral reefs surrounding this polished resort in the Raa Atoll, a 35-minute seaplane ride from Malé. That’s just the start of the aquatic adventures. Divers can submerge themselves in pristine thilas, shadowy tunnels and fast flowing channels in the company of nurse sharks the size of people carriers, while snorkellers can float across soft coral gardens alongside green sea turtles and blizzards of reef fish.
Villas have a cool contemporary Maldivian design and every guest is entitled to complimentary breakfast, afternoon tea, evening aperitifs and soft drinks throughout the day.
18. HURAWALHI ISLAND RESORT
Best for: Socialising
Book it: Rooms from £820, all-inclusive, a night (hurawalhi.com)
This whale-shaped island in the lush Lhaviyani Atoll, a 35-minute seaplane journey from Malé, stands out as one of the country’s most generous all-inclusive resorts. There are five dining options to choose from, including buffets, themed nights, poolside nibbles, bar snacks and set dinners at Asian street food inspired Kashibo.
The drinks are all from premium brands (Belvedere vodka, Hendricks gin, Patron Silver tequila) and are available from 8am until 1am. Villas – the best of which are perched over the glorious house reef – come with mini-bars, a laundry allowance and a one-time sunset dolphin cruise.
19. ANANTARA VELI
Best for: Adult-only
Book it: Rooms from £521, B&B, a night (anantara.com)
Within an easy 30-minute speedboat ride of the airport this recently refurbished resort has been redesigned with grown-ups in mind.
Whether on the beach or overwater, the villas are big enough to cartwheel through, with supersized beds, lofty vaulted ceilings and outdoor terraces, some with private pools.
Detox with complimentary health and wellness classes, free non-motorised watersports and a wide range of reasonably priced spa treatments. Retox with champagne-fuelled brunches, Indian banquets and late-night cocktails.
20. JW MARRIOTT MALDIVES RESORT & SPA
Best for: Families
Book it: Beach villas from £776, B&B, a night (marriott.com)
The kids club at this Shaviyani Atoll escape (a 45-minute seaplane ride from Malé) has a 43ft-long pirate ship to clamber on, a splash zone and more than 100 activities a week – treasure hunts, beach Olympics. Baby-sitting, which usually costs a small fortune at any five-star hotel, is complimentary here and kids under the age of 12 can eat for free with a guardian. Duplex villas have two bedrooms, upstairs TV dens and swimming pools – perfect for families.
21. OZEN LIFE MAADHOO
Best for: Beach clubbing
Book it: Beach villas from £870, all-inclusive, a night (theozencollection.com)
If you’re looking for a fashionable resort that won’t break the bank look no further than Ozen Life Maadhoo. The island’s wide natural beaches and turquoise lagoons are some of the finest in the South Malé Atoll (45-minutes by speedboat from the airport). Soak up the vibes at the bohemian beach club Hudhu Bay, where DJs spin dance tunes alongside tropical cocktails, chilled champagne and gourmet nibbles – all of which are included in the all-inclusive rate. Also included are colour-pop villas, theme nights, wine tastings, fishing trips, spa treatments and a meal at the hotel’s underwater restaurant M6M.
22. THE RESIDENCE AT DHIGURAH
Best for: Brilliant budgeting
Book it: Rooms from £370 (or £185pp), B&B, a night (cenizaro.com). OR £550 half-board
This remote resort isn’t going to win any design awards but what it lacks in style it more than makes up for with an unbeatable location in the pristine Gaafu Alifu Atoll. The island is huge (by Maldives’ standards) at two-kilometres long, which means every simply styled villa gets its own private patch of cottony white beach (and a private swimming pool). These southern waters are also home to some massive marine animals – take dips with reef sharks, nurse sharks, green turtles, loggerheads, dolphins, huge moray eels and dinosaur-like pelagic fish.
…AND THE ONES TO AVOID
The Maldives has some of the highest service standards in the world so you would be unlucky to encounter a truly terrible resort. That said, the newer man-made islands often have issues with beach erosion.
When I stayed at Kuda Villingili nearly all of the sand had washed away leaving piles of unsightly rubble in its wake. Resorts on the flight path near Malé also offer a less than idyllic experience; skip the Taj Exotica, an otherwise lovely resort, unless you’re happy to wake up to the sound of seaplanes at 6am.
And while I haven’t stayed the 472-villa Sun Siyam World, its imported horses and go-cart track make it more of a theme park than the type of relaxing island escape I look for in the Maldives.
Resorts on the flight path near Malé also offer a less than idyllic experience; skip the Taj Exotica, an otherwise lovely resort, unless you’re happy to wake up to the sound of seaplanes at 6am
I haven’t stayed the 472-villa Sun Siyam World, but its imported horses and go-cart track make it more of a theme park than the type of relaxing island escape I look for in the Maldives
Source link
