Milaidhoo Luxury Resort: Paradise in the Maldives | Curated Mint

When you think of the Maldives you think of absolute luxury, crystal clear waters and many different shades of blue from the sea to the sky. Read on to find out more about this Island paradise.

With literally hundreds of hotels and resorts picking your dream getaway isn’t easy but the luxurious resort of Milaidhoo ticks all the boxes. They refer to their experience as ‘reinvented luxury’ and say they like guests to write their own ‘story of a small island.’

Now, this is all lovely marketing talk but from the moment you hit their website to the moment you meet their representative at the airport in Male (we had the lovely Lee) to landing on the resort to the very last second before you board the seaplane home, the message and experience remain the same. Every single one of their staff that we met, displayed a true passion for the island and also for the experience we were about to enjoy.

When you arrive on to the island you’re introduced to your ‘island host’ (we had the brilliant Karen) who shows you to your room and becomes your personal go-to person for anything. You have her mobile number to contact and again creates a relationship that is more personal than simply calling the front desk. We can honestly say we can’t compare Milaidhoo to any other resort.

It is a stand-alone and stand out life experience that has not just meant a tick off on any bucket list but it’s added a box we didn’t even know existed. If you’re thinking about staying here, don’t think it, BOOK it! You will not be sorry.

Location & How to Get There

The UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve 126 km northwest of Male is located only 35 min y seaplane from Male. A Milaidhoo representative meets you as you first arrive and escorts you and your luggage to check in for your next journey…the seaplane. This is normally a very quick procedure and then you’re driven in a private air-conditioned car to their exclusive executive lounge with an offering of snacks, drinks, restrooms and wifi to allow you to wait in comfort.

Once you’re on the plane is ready to leave you’re then taken pretty much direct to the plane so the boarding is super quick. The seaplane seats about 15 people in total and is very small so make sure you adhere to the luggage weight restrictions as they do check. But this is the Maldives you don’t need much, just some swimwear and sunscreen and you’ll be happy!

Accommodation: Water Pool Villas

When you think of the Maldives, let’s be honest it’s the water villas that you conjure up in your head. These are actually the smaller and entry-level villa’s on the island but let me be clear there is nothing small about them. The bed is enormous and insanely comfortable. You have a walk-in wardrobe room, a huge bathroom with his/her sinks, a shower that lets in the morning sunlight through it’s private floor to ceiling glass window.

The real star of the bathroom is the stunning big oval bath that you can sit in with the glass doors fully open exposing you to your private terrace with a 42sqm private infinity pool. This is perfect for overlooking the beautiful ocean and when you add a glass of champagne, it is a moment to remember. Sleeping next to the water offers you an amazingly natural sound effect of the waves to gently lull you to sleep.

Beach Pool Villas

We stayed in one of the Sunrise beach pool villa’s when we first arrived and we were blown away. As I’ve said before the pictures still don’t seem to do this island justice. The beach villas are larger than the water ones but still offer direct access to the ocean to enjoy the incredible snorkelling that this island has to offer. Their large floor to ceiling glass doors retracts to showcase a 180-degree view where indoors and outdoors become blurred.

Waking up in the morning and being able to enjoy a cup of tea on your terrace and watching the sunrise is breathtaking. Add a refreshing dip in your private pool or the ocean and you are in paradise. All rooms come equipped with all the essential toiletries to get you through your trip and some added extras as well. If you wish to partake in their complimentary yoga sessions, or if you fancy taking an excursion, then use their beach bag to take your camera, cover-ups and sunscreen.

Serenity Spa

When we thought Milaidhoo couldn’t get even more luxurious we were introduced to their Spa. Behind 2 large blue doors lie this small oasis of calm and serenity. A beautiful garden of exotic flowers aligns the short path up to the entrance where you will be met by your therapists who will guide you to the treatment room.

This is a place of pure bliss, with floor to ceiling windows looking out onto the beautiful mixture of blues in the sea below, which is simply mesmerising. Depending which treatment you opt for will dictate your experience but all will leave your body and mind feeling revived.

Food & Dining

You absolutely can not visit Milaidhoo without visiting their signature restaurant Ba’theli. Unbelievably the only traditional Maldivian restaurant in the whole of the Maldives! It makes for a great picture spot as it’s located on three dhoni (traditional Maldivian boats) and serves an “ocean to plate” menu of authentic local dishes.

You can sit outside on the decks and stare into the dark sea by candlelight or you can opt to sit inside and look at the sealife directly below the boat through the glass floor. There is a vast a-la-carte menu where you can pick and choose the dishes that spark your interest. However, if you’re appetite allows for it, they offer a full six-course Maldivian tasting menu, which we would recommend.

Ocean

As it sounds this restaurant offers front row seats to the lapping waves of the ocean. This is where all meals are served that are included in the gourmet packages. Breakfast is served just after sunrise when the deck is in full sunshine. You can opt to sit right on the deck’s edge enjoying the early morning sun or cool down in the restaurant that has all it’s doors open so you can still enjoy the feel of alfresco dining. There is what they called a ‘small’ buffet, which I can assure you is anything but.

There are the fail-safe toast and cereal, warm dishes such as eggs, sausages and hash-browns, to the healthier fresh fruit and smoothies. They have the indulgent pastries and cakes that are a must for any holiday not to mention the cheese table! The choice is truly mesmerising. However, if none of this takes your fancy they also have an a la carte menu where you can order your favourite dishes such as eggs Benedict, avocado on toast and a crab omelette.

Compass Pool Bar

If you feel like being sociable and can manage to tear yourself away from the serenity of your own villa then head to the Compass Pool Bar. Here you can grab a bite to eat to tide you over till dinner, although if you’ve made full use of all the wonderful food at the breakfast buffet then this won’t be necessary (or possible). They have a great offering of cocktails and if you don’t see what you like then just ask the bar staff as they can pretty much create anything you might desire.

As the pictures show there is a large infinity pool that captures both the sunrise and sunset and makes for a great picture spot. The bar has sand as flooring really enforcing their barefoot ethos and allowing you to really feel removed from the hustle and bustle of city life. They have the most comfortable ‘swing seats’ in the lounge too which encourages that sense of freedom that I was beginning to become accustomed to….leaving Milaidhoo was going to be hard.

Activities and Excursions

If lounging by your private pool starts to wear thin, there is plenty of activities to keep you busy.  From the 24/7 gym which is small but has everything you could need; running machines, cross trainers, bikes, weight machines and free weights. If you fancy something a bit more outgoing you can rent some water sports equipment from snorkel kits, stand up paddle boards and windsurfers to transparent kayaks and catamarans. The resort also offers planned excursions at a cost but going with an expert really makes a difference.

We opted into the Turtle expedition which included a 35-minute boat ride to the destination and then once all kitted up we jumped into the blue abyss and followed our guide to find the turtles and discover all the other amazing fish that the Maldives had to offer. On the trip back we were treated to some juices and fresh fruit and sat on the top deck and enjoyed the journey back to our own little paradise.

The Maldives is known for its great diving spots and not far from Milaidhoo around Hanifaru Bay is one of the best places in the Maldives for Manta ray sightings.  For those of you that love diving they have also thought of that with their own dive operation, you can arrange anything from a beginners introduction to a full divemaster course. Book your trip now at this Island paradise. Looking at the pictures on Instagram you swear a filter has been applied but now I can officially say ‘no.’ What you see is what you get.

Feature image from Pinterest