The Maldives is home to some of the most exclusive luxury hotels in the world. We have already taken a look at the best luxury boutique hotels in the Maldives, and now we now investigate the best of the best including larger chain hotels as well as exclusive boutiques.
The Maldives are a collection of more than a thousand small coral atolls located on the equator towards the south of India in the Indian Ocean. These beautiful islands are actually the visible coral tips of an underwater volcanic mountain range. The archipelago houses some of the world’s most spectacular beaches, crystal clear turquoise lagoons, the most colorful fish in the world (not to mention the sharks, stingrays, and more!), and breathtaking luxury resorts. The Maldives offers the ultimate beachside tropical paradise getaway for honeymooners, sun worshipers, romantics, nature lovers, scuba divers, and celebrities.
We have picked the top 10 best luxury resorts in the Maldives. As you can imagine, these resorts are not cheap. Some of them have the most expensive hotel rooms in the world, but if you want a room with a slide straight into the sea and a roof that opens up to the stars, you have to pay rather high prices. All the resorts featured are reviewed in great detail at the bottom of this article, which should help you choose the best choice for your trip.
Everyone should visit the Maldives at least once in their lives. Their isolated nature separates you from the rest of the world and clears your mind. Feel the hot white sand slip between your toes and float your way to happiness in an azure blue sea. It seems like a dream, and yet it is real. Just go! We guarantee you will fall in love with these heavenly islands.
1. Soneva Jani
Brand new and the sister hotel to Soneva Fushi Resort, Soneva Jani is located on the island of Medhufaru in the northern Atoll of Noonu, an hour by speedboat from Soneva Fushi. It offers a huge 4 kilometers of unspoiled beach.
Each one of the 24 water villas has a private lap pool and opens to its own stretch of lagoon, with some villas featuring slides going directly from the top deck into the lagoon below. The highlight of each villa is the retractable roof in the master bedroom, which slides back at the touch of a button so that guests can lie in bed and stargaze.
2. Soneva Fushi
In our number two spot is Soneva Fushi, sister resort to Soneva Jani, although to be honest, there is little to choose between these resorts. if in doubt, when choosing between Soneva Jani Vs. Soneva Fushi, combine a stay at both. Soneva Fushi is located in the stunning Baa Atoll island archipelago, a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve. Eco-chic villas are hidden among dense tropical foliage and are the stuff of romantic Robinson Crusoe fantasies. In fact, many are built to resemble tree houses. All are open to their own private stretch of sugar white sands, and most boast their own private seawater swimming pools. Service is provided by Mr./Ms. Friday butlers who know what you want before you do!
3. Four Seasons Private Island Maldives At Voavah
Four Seasons Private Island Maldives At Voavah, which is also available for exclusive use, is located on a private island. It offers all the Four Seasons luxury and guarantees of service and perfection that you would expect from this major luxury brand. The Four Seasons Private Island Maldives At Voavah, Baa Atoll.
Much like Richard Branson’s Necker Island, this Four Seasons Luxury Private Island is rented out as a whole or “entirely yours.” With seven bedrooms, a Beach House, a dive school, and a private spa that extends the oceanic spoils of the Maldives’ only UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, you and 21 other guests can enjoy days in the double-story Beach House and adjacent white sands.
4. Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa
Gently rising from a sheet of turquoise, at Kuda Huraa, it’s hard to tell where the ocean ends and the sky begins. Awarded a third consecutive Forbes Five-Star rating in 2023, this hotel embraces its captivating surroundings to bring you closer to the sea and its secrets. Discover legendary, heart-centered service within a charming village setting where a lagoon, flower gardens, and a private spa island provide total serenity.
5. Milaidhoo Island Maldives
The Milaidhoo Island Maldives opened in November 2016, and we personally reviewed Milaidhoo Island Maldives. This resort is idyllic, with 30 over-water villas and 20 additional villas that sit among the tropical greenery along the beach. Each villa comes complete with a private freshwater swimming pool and your own personal concierge.
Though the resort is a boutique hotel, its dining options are on a grand scale. Choose from 3 restaurants and 2 bars throughout your stay. A modern take on “island-influenced” cuisine will be offered in the signature restaurant, and the impressive wine list will please any connoisseur.
Idyllic beaches, world-famous diving and snorkeling, fishing trips, and cultural excursions are just some of the memory-making activities Milaidhoo will offer. This is a place to take it easy and take a dip with your dolphin, whale shark, and manta ray neighbors within this protected marine area. Pack your bags. Paradise has been found.
6. Kanuhura, Maldives
It’s not the boho-chic interior decor we’ll take away with me from this little gem of a hideaway, nice though it all is. It’s the warmth of the team that will look after you at Kanuhura, Maldives. As a member of the luxury hotel brand Leading Hotels of the World, this is a place to watch spinner dolphins until you lose count. It is as close to paradise as you can imagine (although it is missing slides and a retractable roof!)
The beach at Kanuhura is a major feature. It is simply huge for an island of this size. Huge, white, and clean. The soft coral sand just begs you to go barefoot. As if that wasn’t enough, the resort includes two further islands, one of which, Jehenuhura, has another gorgeous wide beach where turtles nest and a pretty restaurant hidden under the shade of the palm trees.
The staff decorates your bed and bath at night with fresh Hibiscus blooms gathered from the meticulously kept garden. The message spelled out on the bed in carefully folded palm fronds is “Come back,” and trust us, you will!
7. St. Regis Vommuli Resort, Maldives
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide recently opened (Nov 16) the first St. Regis brand in the Maldives. Located on Dhaalu Atoll Vommuli, the St. Regis Vommuli Resort offers 77 private villas will include majestic manta ray-shaped lagoon villas and the John Jacob Astor Estate, one of the largest villas in the Maldives, which will span 1,540 m² and feature a 92 meter private pool, as well as a spa room, fitness area, and mini theatre. The resort will offer six distinct dining venues, a 24-hour butler service for all guests, a nature discovery center, and a dive center. If you collect Marriott Bonvoy reward points, this is the ultimate place to spend them!
8. Gili Lankanfushi, Maldives
Awarded the TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Award of Best Hotel in the World for 2015, Gili Lankanfushi resort is just a short boat ride from Male Airport. With its philosophy of “no news, no shoes,” it’s clear that Gili Lankanfushi prides itself on being a place where you can relax.
Choose from luxurious water villas, spacious residences with their own mini wine cellars, or impressive complexes that can house all the family or even have their own private gym. Villas on Jetty Three are generally considered to be the most peaceful and boast the best sunset views. Jetty 1 is a great choice if you like the idea of snorkeling right by your villa.
When it comes to dining, there’s a lot of choice at Gili Lankanfushi, not to mention some truly exceptional culinary experiences. Dine on the beach surrounded by lanterns or in the garden where much of the produce is grown.
The stunning pool with its luxurious loungers almost melts into the ocean, and it’s there that you’ll find a lot of the best activities. With the clear waters and abundance of coral, colorful fish, little sharks, and rays, even just wading in the shallows is an adventure. Snorkeling and diving are very popular for those who want to explore sea life further. Gili Lankanfushi is the perfect resort for anyone wanting to discover the Maldives’ breathtaking beauty and total relaxation.
9. Loama Resort Maldives
Loama Resort Maldives at Maamigili is one of the newest resorts on these islands. Located on the beautiful Raa Atol, which is just 700 meters in length, Loama Resort is easily reached by a 45-minute seaplane journey. The island boasts a long history, and several artifacts from the Ching dynasty were unearthed during the construction of the hotel. You will also notice a well on the island circa 1500 AD when the island was used as a Buddhist refuge. Since completion, Loama Resort Maldives at Maamigili has been listed by Conde Nast Traveller Middle East as one of the best new hotels in the world, and you can now book your own moment on these palm-fringed beaches.
10. Cheval Blanc Randheli
This Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy resort is located on Noonu Atoll. It is made up of a number of green islands protected from the ocean by a large coral reef, home to multicolor fish, rays, and sea turtles. Getting there involves a trip onboard a Twin Otter of Havilland seaplane that has been exclusively designed for the Maison.
The famous resort offers 46 islands, water, and garden villas that feel like elegant cathedral-style lofts, with high doors and ceilings, outdoor areas for relaxation, stunning private swimming pools, and lagoon-side pontoons. Cheval Blanc Randheli was the hotel chosen by Kate and William during their Maldivian getaway a few years ago.
11. One & Only Reethi Rah
This luxury resort is set on a partly man-made, octopus-shaped island in the North Male Atoll. The resort is blessed with an extraordinary 6 km (3,7 mi) of coastline, dotted with white sand coves and turquoise bays. All 130 spacious villas occupy their own secluded piece of sandy shore or private deck over the lagoon’s crystal clear waters. Food is innovative and of the finest ingredients. Set apart from the rest of the resort, the spa is located within tranquil gardens and manicured lawns. One&Only Reethi Rah is a favorite among royals and A-list Hollywood celebrities.
Best Luxury Hotels In The Maldives
Review: Soneva Fushi, Maldives
The Maldives is one of those places that is so beautiful that your accommodation needs to be something special. But must add to the experience of staying here, not detract; so, oceanfront, understated but stunningly beautiful in its own right, and the Soneva Fushi resort ticks all those boxes and more. Soneva Fushi is a member of our Near Far Collection which means that when you book a room via our luxury travel concierge you get brilliant extra benefits at no extra cost.
Milaidhoo Maldives. Our Story Of A Small Island
We have already reviewed Milaidhoo Island in the Maldives. This is the story of our experience of this magical island and what a stay here is really like. Lying on the deck, basking in the warm golden rays of the setting sun, I reflect on our experience of this island paradise. It‘s been so relaxing, it is hard to believe that we arrived on that exhilarating seaplane transfer only yesterday. The stresses of daily life have melted away and I‘m able to just enjoy the moment.
Hotel Review: Kanuhura, Maldives
It’s not the gypset boho-chic interior decor I’ll take away with me from this little gem of a hideaway, nice though it all is. No, it’s the warmth of the team who looked after me, made me smile over and over, took photos of us dancing and drinking Champagne on the sun deck of the dhoni as the sun went down, then clapped ecstatically as we accepted the invitation to join in with the band playing their goat skin Maldivian drums. We saw so many spinner dolphins that evening that we all lost count.
Review: Gili Lankanfushi In The Maldives
The Maldives is one of the world's most beautiful and peaceful travel destinations. Whether you’re after a relaxing family break or a romantic getaway for two, the white sands, palm trees and endless sparkling ocean should hit the spot perfectly. And while there are dozens of luxury resorts to choose from, picking Gili Lankanfushi should be a fairly safe bet.
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