Top 10 best resorts in the Maldives for couples

Monday newsletters always feature top 10 travel lists to inspire.

Today (May 21, 2018): Top 10 best resorts in the Maldives for couples.

Iconic sunsets, sugar white beaches, world-class spa facilities, unparalleled snorkeling and diving, Michelin-starred restaurants, endless vistas over clear lagoons, dazzling astronomical displays, and stunning overwater villas. It’s not difficult to see why the seductive islands of the Maldives rank among the world’s best and most romantic destinations for couples and newlyweds. Enjoying a fabulous reputation for privacy, the Maldives truly deliver a dream honeymoon, with most resorts providing bath rituals with candles and rose petals and romantic bed decorations at night for newly wed lovers. How much more romantic can it get? Here’s my top 10 list of the best resorts in the Maldives for couples and honeymooners, all coming with a default ‘do not disturb’ sign.

There’s more info below the slide show. Think I missed one? Share your favorite resort in the Maldives for couples in the comments section, or take my poll below!

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10. PARK HYATT MALDIVES HADAHAA

Situated on a private island 55 km (35 mi) north of the Equator in one of the world’s deepest atolls, Park Hyatt Hadahaa has a strikingly modern and sleek decor. Featuring only 50 villas, the minimalist style interiors of the accommodations are designed with the utmost comfort and luxury in mind, whether nestled within the island’s tropical foliage (36 villas in total), only steps from the ocean, or elevated above the water (14 villas in total). All villas feature floor-to-ceiling windows, and every comfort you would expect, with some beach villas having the added luxury of a plunge pool (overwater villas don’t come with a private pool though). The resort is framed by one of the archipelago’s most unspoilt house reefs, providing easy access for exploration of the underwater marvels of the Indian Ocean.

• Hotel website: Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa
• Other accolades: Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa also features in my top 10 lists of the best luxury hotels in the Maldives, the world’s most remote luxury hotels  and the best luxury hotels for amazing award redemptions.
• Tip: get free VIP perks when booking Park Hyatt Hadahaa via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, daily breakfast, early check-in, late check-out, and $100 USD spa credit).
• Review: read my review of Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa here.

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9. COMO COCOA ISLAND

COMO Cocoa Island is a boutique resort located in the South Male Atoll with only 33 overwater suites and villas. Uniquely inspired by dhoni boats – the gently curving wooden vessels used by local fishermen – each room has its own private terrace that directs you to the watery expanse and horizon in a second. Surrounded by spectacularly clear waters, the land itself is made up of live coral reefs and sand bars, making the natural ecosystem truly distinctive. For a private dining with your partner, the resort offers several private dining experiences across the island. Activities such as shark adventure snorkeling, catamaran snorkeling, to sunset cruise can be done near the island. For quieter moment, COMO Shambhala Retreat, offers full range of holistic Asian base therapies.

• Hotel website: COMO Cocoa Island
• Other accolades: get free VIP perks when booking COMO Cocoa Island via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, daily breakfast, early check-in, late check-out, and $100 USD spa credit).

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8. VELAA PRIVATE ISLAND

Tucked away within the collection of islands that form the Noonu Atoll, Velaa Private Island is elegantly positioned to overlook enchanting vistas of a cerulean ocean. Its name derived from the generations of sea turtles that flock there to nest and hatch, the resort is comprised of 45 private villas, some of them overwater. Each villa comes with a personal butler. All services offered can be tailored to personal specifications, and attention to detail everywhere is impeccable: stone pavements from the desert in Jordan, Indonesian flowerpots, luxury wood panelling from Borneo, and glimmering Italian marble. The resort also includes a Romantic Pool Residence which can only be reached by boat, allowing even more exclusivity.

• Hotel website: Velaa Private Island
• Other accolades: Velaa Private Island also features in my lists of the best new hotels of 2013, the ten most expensive hotels in the world, and the ten best luxury hotels in the Maldives.
• Tip: get free VIP perks when booking Velaa Private Island via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, daily breakfast, $100 USD resort credit, early check-in, and late check-out).

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7. CHEVAL BLANC RANDHELI

The ultraluxe Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy resort calls the Noonu Atoll its home, which includes a handful of unspoiled green islands (some of them man-made) protected from the ocean by a large coral reef. The islands blend elongated palm trees, tropical flowers, white sand banks, pristine turquoise water and fringing reef. The famous, ultrachic resort offers 46 island, water and garden villas in neutral colors and tones that complement the open design of the space. They each have a variety of contemporary design elements, high doors and ceilings, outdoor areas for relaxation, stunning private swimming pool and lagoon-side pontoons. Cheval Blanc Randheli was the playground of Kate and William during their Maldivian getaway a few years ago.

• Hotel website: Cheval Blanc Randheli
• Other accolades: Cheval Blanc Randheli also features in my list of the best new luxury hotels of 2013 and the ten most fabulous luxury hotels in the Maldives.
• Tip: enjoy free VIP amenities when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, daily breakfast, early check-in, late check-out, and $150 USD food & beverage credit).

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6. ONE&ONLY REETHI RAH

The uberluxurious One&Only Reethi Rah resort offered a level of style and sophistication unsurpassed in the world when it opened in 2005, and it still delivers. The resort is spectacularly designed in an octopus shape with an extraordinary 6 km (3,7 mi) of coastline. Set on one of the largest islands in the North Male Atoll and adorned with endless white sand coves and turquoise bays, all 130 spacious villas are discreetly placed amidst beautiful landscaping, each occupying its own secluded piece of sandy shore or private deck over crystal clear waters of the lagoon. The resort recently added some private pools to some of its overwater villas. Service and dining are geared to guests accustomed to the highest world-class standards. One&Only Reethi Rah is a favorite among royals and A-list Hollywood celebrities.

• Hotel website: One&Only Reethi Rah
• Other accolades: One&Only Reethi Rah also features in my top 10 lists of the world’s best hotel spas, the most astonishing beach retreats in Asia, the most fabulous luxury hotels in the Maldives, the best luxury hotels in the Maldives that can be reached without a seaplane, and luxury hotels loved by celebrities.
• Tip: enjoy free VIP amenities when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. villa upgrade, daily breakfast, early check-in, late check-out, exclusively designed Reethi Rah Kaftans, a complimentary ‘Secrets of the Thila’ excursion or a complimentary dinner for two in the Reethi Restaurant excluding beverages).
• Review: read my review of One&Only Reethi Rah here.

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5. ANANTARA KIHAVAH VILLAS

Set on Kihavah Huravalhi, one of the most pristine Maldivian islands, Anantara Kihavah Villas is a 30-minute seaplane flight from Male International Airport, an unforgettable experience in itself as the plane flies over a string of glowing coral islands amidst turquoise waters. The 79 spacious ultra-luxurious villas are either poised over the water with sweeping ocean views or nestled along a pristine stretch of private beach. All overwater villas are built out of groove-lined timber, with high ceilings and hardwood floors, and feature expansive terraces with private pools, from where to take in the horizon and catching sightings of turtles in the lagoon and dolphins in the Indian Ocean. At Anantara Kihavah Villas guests are treated to a host of dining options, including an incredible underwater dining experience.

• Hotel website: Anantara Kihavah Villas
• Other accolades: Anantara Kihavah Villas also features in my top 10 lists of the world’s best underwater hotels and the best hotels in the Maldives for families.
• Tip: get free VIP perks when booking Anantara Kihavah Villas via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, early check-in, late check-out, $50 USD spa credit).

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4. GILI LANKANFUSHI

Gili Lankanfushi, formerly known as Soneva Gili, is located in the North Malé Atoll, a 20-minute speedboat ride from the International Airport at Malé, the capital of the Republic of Maldives. It is an intimate coral island in a sparkling lagoon, with jetties threading across the water out to 45 spacious villa accommodations. The resort is unique as it only offers overwater accommodations (no beach villas). Each villa is designed with the utmost attention to detail, and built to be environmentally friendly. Your own private water garden and sun deck, as well as a separate shower linked to your bathroom by an open-air walkway allow you to live right by the water’s edge. Some of the overwater villas offer a totally remote island experience as they are detached from the main island and can only be reached by boat.

• Hotel website: Gili Lankanfushi
• Other accolades: Gili Lankanfushi also features in my top 10 list of the most spectacular hotel bathrooms in the world, the most fabulous luxury hotels in the Maldives, and the best luxury hotels in the Maldives that can be reached without a seaplane.
• Tip: enjoy free VIP amenities when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, daily breakfast, Maldivian Tapas served with one glass of Champagne per person, a 30 minute spa treatment for two,  $100 USD food & beverage credit, combined round-trip airport transfers, early check-in, and late check-out).
• Review: read my review of Gili Lankanfushi here.

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3. NALADHU

Imagine paradise. Tropical island sands. Swaying palms. Endless turquoise waters. Open your eyes and you will be in Naladhu, a gorgeous resort sharing a ridiculousy clear lagoon with its sister resorts Dhigu and Veli. Maldivian for ‘beautiful island’, Naladhu offers a mosaic of timeless moments on the blue waters of the Indian Ocean and invites you to unwind in blissful seclusion. The resort is very exclusive as it has only 20 colonial-style villas and houses, each an exceptionally spacious sanctuary with its own private swimming pool fronting the azure Indian Ocean, unsurpassed comfort, and a graceful elegance that never goes out of style. The Ocean Houses are on the sunrise side of the resort overlooking the open ocean. They offer a greater feeling of seclusion than the Beach Houses which face the turquoise lagoon.

• Hotel website: Naladhu
• Other accolades: Naladhu also features in my top 10 lists of the world’s best hotels with private plunge pools and the world’s best honeymoon resorts.
• Review: read my review of Naladhu here.

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2. THE ST REGIS MALDIVES VOMMULI RESORT

The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort brings the iconic St Regis brand and its hallmark luxury services to one of the world’s most magnificent destinations. A 40-minute seaplane ride southwest from Malé airport, the magnificent St Regis property is located on a private atoll spanning more than 20 acres, surrounded by unspoiled beaches and a secluded lagoon with sparkling turquoise waters. The resort features 77 luxuriously appointed private villas, all with a distinct contemporary design scheme inspired by the island’s natural materials and color palette. The overwater villas are designed in the shape of manta rays, and all of them feature expansive, private outdoor terrace where a plunge pool, plush daybed, sun loungers, and overwater hammocks offer direct access to the unforgettable azure waters of the Indian Ocean. Guests have access to a tranquil spa, an infinity swimming pool, a dive center, and three terrific fine dining venues.

• Hotel website: The St Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort
• Other accolades: The St Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort also features in my list of the most anticipated hotel openings of 2016, the ten best hotels in the Maldives for families, and the most fabulous luxury hotels in the Maldives.
• Review: read my review of the St Regis Maldives Vommuli here.

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1. SONEVA JANI

Inspired by a word that means wisdom in Sanskrit, the sensational and recently opened Soneva Jani resort is located on Medhufaru island, which is part of an uninhabited five-island cluster in the Noonu Atoll. The Maldives’ most exclusive and stunning hotel is fringed by pristine beaches, blanketed with lush tropical greenery, and surrounded by a 5.6 km (3,4 mi) lagoon of crystal clear waters with uninterrupted 360° views of the Indian Ocean. Each one of the 24 palatial water villas – the largest in the Maldives, each one bigger than some hotels – has a large private pool and opens to its own stretch of lagoon, with some villas featuring curving slides going directly from the top deck into the lagoon below. The highlight of the villas 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.

Contact me to receive a complimentary room upgrade at Soneva Jani at the time of booking.

• Hotel website: Soneva Jani
• Other accolades: Soneva Jani also features in my list of the most anticipated hotel openings of 2016, the 10 most astonishing beach retreats in Asia, the 10 best hotels in the Maldives for families, the most fabulous luxury hotels in the Maldives, and 10 reasons why you should put Soneva Jani on your bucket list.
• Review: read my review of Soneva Jani here.

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