DESTINATIONS WINTER SUN | MALDIVES


BEST of the REST Resor ts near Malé


Six other properties accessible by speedboat


Ritz-Carlton Fari Islands This luscious five-star Maldivian outpost, opened in 2021, is a 45-minute speedboat hop from Malé airport


– ideal for luxury lovers who want to arrive in style. 100 overwater villas all boast private infinity pools and personal butlers. Book it: Elegant Resorts offers seven nights’ half-board, plus flights, transfers and UK airport lounge passes, for £6,995 per person if booked by December 17. elegantresorts.co.uk


ABOVE: Arrival jetty at Oblu Xperience Ailafushi


room. My building also has the lively X360 Bar, which is ideal for those who like a party. There are plenty more-peaceful options, with


268 rooms and villas spread across four categories: the smallest, Ocean View Rooms, cover 30sq m, while two-bedroom Ocean View Family Rooms, Beach Villas and Water Villas all cover 50sq m. Skipping certain bells and whistles (for example, no accommodation has private pools and none of the villas have baths) has allowed this resort to ramp up the offerings and provide brilliant value elsewhere. Take Element X – this huge buffet restaurant has the largest selection of dishes I’ve come across, and guests help themselves to fridges stocked with alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. My favourite area is the restaurant’s glass-walled refrigerated dessert room. The resort is connected to premium sister property Oblu Select Lobigili by a meandering boardwalk. Oblu Select Lobigili guests can use facilities at Oblu Xperience Ailafushi, although guests at the latter need to pay extra if they dine at Oblu Select Lobigili. I spend my final night at Oblu Xperience


Ailafushi’s Only Blu, the Maldives’ largest underwater restaurant. As I tuck into my octopus carpaccio (ignoring guilt pangs as one swims idly past), I decide that bath tubs aren’t that important, after all. Book it: Premier Holidays offers seven nights’ all-inclusive at Oblu Xperience Ailafushi in an Ocean View Room from £2,199 per person, based on two sharing, including return flights from London and transfers. premierholidays.co.uk


TW 38 12 OCTOBER 2023


Patina Maldives Another stellar 2021 opening, the Patina Maldives is distinguished by its astonishing Modernist design – and it can be


reached in a 45-minute speedboat journey from Malé. The Patina shares facilities with two other resorts, so clients can travel to their evening meal by a traditional dhoni boat. Book it: Caribtours offers seven nights’ B&B, including flights, for £8,499 for stays between January 5 and March 31, 2024. caribtours.co.uk


Cinnamon Dhonveli For a slightly more cash-conscious break, the Cinnamon Dhonveli delivers. Besides three restaurants, three


bars and a great spa, the hotel offers private dolphin watching and some of the best surfing in south Asia – and all within a 25-minute speedboat ride from Malé. Book it: Classic Collection offers seven nights’ all-inclusive from £2,349 per person based on two adults sharing, including flights from Heathrow on May 7, 2024, and transfers. classic-collection.co.uk


Ozen Reserve Bolifushi Named Tripadvisor’s best all-inclusive hotel for 2023, this no- hidden-costs paradise is a 20-minute


catamaran journey from Malé. Besides fine dining and delicious drinks, the luxurious Reserve programme includes non-motorised watersports and serene spa sessions. Book it: Inspiring Travel offers seven nights’ all-inclusive from £5,799, including flights, valid for stays from April 4 to September 30, 2024. inspiringtravel.co.uk


Joy Island Resort Fresh from opening in September 2023, Joy Island is a 40-minute speedboat ride from Malé. Its USP is the epic ‘Extreme All


Inclusive’ package, which includes unlimited cocktails and premium alcoholic drinks, two excursions, a dinner on the sand and more. Book it: Mercury Travel offers a seven-night Extreme All-Inclusive package, including flights from Heathrow on May 10, 2024, and speedboat transfers, for £2,946. mercuryholidays.co.uk


Cocogiri Maldives Although a 75-minute speedboat journey from Malé, checking into Cocogiri makes the journey oh-so-worthwhile.


Thatched beachfront villas blend seamlessly with the white Maldivian sand, while the high-end Pool Jacuzzi Water Villas come with a private spa bath overlooking the reef. Book it: Blue Bay Travel offers seven nights’ all-inclusive at Cocogiri from £1,749 per person. The price includes flights and transfers and is based on a May 8, 2024, departure. bluebaytravel.co.uk


travelweekly.co.uk


PICTURES: Christopher Cybert, Georg Roske


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