Pristine white-sand beaches, dazzling azure waters and the promise of complete relaxation have been drawing holidaymakers to the country for decades. More than 125,000 people from the UK visited last year and, with a swish new terminal designed to make it easier for the island country to welcome tourists slated to open in mid-2025, that number is only set to increase.
This is our definitive guide of our 20 favourites, from the ultra-luxe to the affordable. Hidden in the heart of a Unesco biosphere reserve, Milaidhoo Island Maldives has reinvented luxury since it opened in November 2016. The Water Pool villas are the ‘entry-level’ rooms and you can expect to be greeted by a private infinity pool, sun loungers and a swinging day bed along with a egg-shaped, free-standing bath inside. The boutique resort is located on an island so small you can walk around it in five minutes – but that only adds to its charm, as the small-scale luxury encourages you to switch off and enjoy the quiet.
Read our full review here. If money is no object, then why not reserve an entire Maldivian island for yourself? Located in the middle of the Laccadive Sea, in the northern part of the Malé Atoll, privacy is of the utmost importance here, which is why it’s a favourite among A-Listers and billionaires. The 1.4 hectare island boasts all the usual decadent trappings of a Maldivian resort: a lush pool, endless white sand but sans any over-water villas. Instead, the island has five guest villas and a 30-strong team of staff including butlers, a private chef and spa therapists.
Located on Muravandhoo Island in the Raa Atoll, Joali Maldives is fringed by white-sand beaches and surrounded by the brilliant azure waters the Maldives is known for. Choose from beach villas, water villas or residences – with the largest residence boasting four bedrooms across 500 square metres and accommodating eight people. The Espa Spa offers tailor-made treatments in its garden and seaside vista and honeymooners can choose to set out for a romantic picnic aboard the resort’s custom-designed sailboats.
Despite the slew of recent openings over the past few years, Six Senses Laamu, in the remote Laamu Atoll, continues to offer one of the best experiences in the Maldives. The only resort in this atoll, there are 97 rooms, a mix of over-water and beach villas, all carved from local wood and featuring rainfall showers. On arrival, you’re given bikes for getting around the island and allotted a ‘gem’ (personal butler) for the duration of the stay. If you’re staying in an over-water villa, be sure to nab one with its own infinity pool, for that extra touch of luxury.
Gili Lankanfushi, said to be the number one resort in the Maldives, offers an eco-friendly environment in which all the buildings are constructed using sustainably sourced plantation teak, palm wood, bamboo and palm fronds. The hotel also holds the coveted title of the World’s Largest Overwater Villa, as its private reserve covers an astounding 1,700 square metres, complete with a 63-metre pool, a Jacuzzi and a library.
If once-in-a-lifetime experiences are what you’re after during your trip to the Maldives, it’s hard to beat Conrad Maldives, Rangali Island. Not only does the hotel boast the world’s largest all-glass undersea restaurant, it also opened the world's first underwater hotel suite. The latter is called Muraka, a hotel room that lies 16.4 feet under the Indian Ocean and costs $50,000 (£39,000) per night – a price that includes daily 90-minute massages, on-call fitness instructors and a private speedboat. If you’re on more of a budget, the underwater restaurant costs around £382 per head for dinner, so you can still experience life under the sea. Room-wise, there are relatively more affordable villas above sea level, with beach and water villas to choose from.
Soneva Fushi was ahead of the game when it built its resort in 1995. The philosophy “no shoes, no news” still rings true today at Fushi and its sister property, Soneva Jani, which was built two decades later in 2016. All buildings are built, where possible, to fit in with nature – so you won’t find any overwater bungalows here. With all villas on land, you can choose between the sunrise or sunset side – sunrise being best for privacy and sunset being ideal for snorkellers – dolphins and other sea life are regularly spotted here. Each villa is sprawling and unique – so, whether you choose Villa 37 for its 11-metre tall viewing tower or the Crusoe Villa for its outdoor bathrooms and nature-immersion feel, you’re sure to be delighted.
Located only 30 minutes from the airport in Baa Atol, The Nautilus’s super-luxe offering is the last word in paradisiacal living. The gorgeous house reef (the entire hotel is situated in a biosphere reserve) regularly attracts sharks, manta rays and turtles, while the isolated 26 houses mean you rarely run into other guests. Its USP here is the unparalleled level of customisation and flexibility guests can enjoy: 3am massages, always-attentive butlers and the ability to order breakfast (or anything, really) pretty much anytime you want it make The Nautilus stand out, even in a crowded market.
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