The Maldives is my favourite destination in the world 🤍 The water is honestly the most beautiful I’ve ever seen and always the perfect temperature to swim 🌊 The marine life is incredible 🐠 I recommend going between November and March for the best weather ☀️ What makes the Maldives truly special is not just the sea, but also the level of hotels; some of the best in the world. I’ve stayed at Cheval Blanc Randheli, Soneva Jani and One&Only Reethi Rah (my top 3) and I’ve researched many more favourites I’ll share here.
Cheval Blanc Randheli
Cheval Blanc Randheli is, in my opinion, the most luxurious hotel in the Maldives. The service is incredibly bespoke; everything feels tailored to you. What makes it stand out: private islands just for tennis and for the spa. The villas are huge (around 250 sqm), and I’d 100% recommend the lagoon water villa for the best views
- Design: 9.5/10 🎨
- Service: 10+/10 🌟
- Food: 9/10 🍽️
- Room: 9/10 🛏️
- Spa: 10+/10 💆
- Cleaning: 10/10 🧼
- Pool: 10/10 🏊
- Location: 10/10 📍
Soneva Jani
Soneva Jani feels like entering another dimension: the design is surreal (in the best way), set in one of the most beautiful lagoons in the Maldives. The vibe is more relaxed, barefoot luxury but still incredibly high-end. Villas are the best in the Maldives (around 555 sqm), with slides into the lagoon and retractable roofs to sleep under the stars. Very nature-driven and peaceful. Service is warm and discreet, and the experiences (cinema, dining, snorkelling) make it truly special; many included in your stay.
- Design: 10+/10 🎨
- Service: 9.5/10 🙌
- Food: 8.5/10 🍽️
- Room: 10+/10 🛏️
- Spa: 10/10 💆♀️
- Cleaning: 9.5/10 🧼
- Pool: NA/10 🏊♂️ (it’s in the room)
- Location: 10+/10 📍
One & Only Reethi Rah
One&Only Reethi Rah is more fun and family oriented. The villas are spread out, and with a beautiful contemporary design; my favourites here are the beach villas. The vibe is more classic luxury, less “wow design” but extremely elegant. Service is great, and the variety of restaurants and activities makes it ideal if you want both relaxation and a bit more life.
- Design: 9/10 🎨
- Service: 9/10 🙌
- Food: 9/10 🍽️
- Room: 9/10 🛏️
- Spa: 10/10 💆♀️
- Cleaning: 10/10 🧼
- Pool: 10/10 🏊♂️
- Location: 10/10 📍
Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi
Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi is the Maldives on full volume: bigger, busier, and packed with options which is perfect for a family holiday. It’s a large resort (so slightly less bespoke service), but what it lacks in intimacy it makes up for in choice. There are 11 restaurants including Zuma Maldives, one of my absolute favourites. Villas all come with pools, design is sleek and modern, and there’s always something to do (beach clubs, spa, watersports). Perfect if you want luxury with energy and variety.
- Design: 9/10 🎨
- Service: 8/10 🙌
- Food: 10/10 🍽️
- Room: 8.5/10 🛏️
- Spa: 10/10 💆♀️
- Cleaning: 9/10 🧼
- Pool: 10/10 🏊♂️
- Location: 10/10 📍
Reef and Overwater Villa at Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi 
Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi – Exterior 
Two Bedroom Reef Villa at Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi 
Li Long at Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi 
Ocean Pavilion – Sunset Yoga at Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi 
Tasting Table Mood Snorkeling at Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi 
Spa
Joali Being
Joali Being is like wellness but in the best possible setting. Not your typical Maldives do nothing vibe as this is a full reset. Design-wise, it’s super sleek and modern, very much on the level of Cheval Blanc Randheli. But the real thing? It’s actually a wellness retreat. You come for a break and suddenly you’re doing breathwork at sunrise and rethinking your life choices (in a good way). Very zen, very aesthetic, very “new version of me unlocked.”
Soneva Fushi
Soneva Fushi is the original Maldives escape but done in a very understated, barefoot-luxury way. It’s less about polished design and more about nature: jungle paths, huge – and I mean it! – villas hidden in greenery (which I would recommend), and that feeling of being completely off-grid (even though everything is taken care of). It’s more relaxed than the other places, and that’s exactly the point! Service is incredibly warm and discreet, and the whole experience feels effortless: open-air cinemas, amazing food, snorkelling straight from your villa.
The Nautilus Maldives
The Nautilus Maldives is all about freedom: no schedules, no rules, no set anything as the experience is very bespoke. With only 26 villas (one bedroom villas are around 300 sqm), it feels more like staying in a ridiculously beautiful private home than a hotel. The vibe is effortless luxury and the best part? Everything is on your time: breakfast at 4pm, dinner whenever, spa when you feel like it.
The Ritz-Carlton Fari Islands
The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands is Maldives luxury but with a very architectural, design-led twist. The villas are smaller than the other hotels on this list, starting at around 150 sqm but going up to bigger residences. There are 7 restaurants and bars, spread across different islands and a marina village, so it actually feels lively (which is rare in the Maldives). What makes it stand out is the whole setup: it’s built across three islands, with that iconic circular villa design by Kerry Hill; you’re not stuck on one island and you move around and it makes the holiday more dynamic.
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