When I reflect on our stay at Milaidhoo, the only thing that pops into my mind is the word: perfection. I cannot recall the last time I stayed at a hotel and literally everything went right. From the service, to the room quality, to the sunsets, every moment and every experience (no matter how insignificant) was absolute perfection. Milaidhoo’s entire ethos is built on the idea of barefoot luxury and giving guests the privacy and freedom to do exactly what they want and when. This is even to the point of having no closing time for the bar or other outlets. When asked, the staff told me “the bar closes when the last guest leaves”. I am not sure luxury and guest experience can get any more guest-centric than that. While the price tag can seem daunting from room rates to incidentals, the experience does not disappoint. Read on to find out what we loved.
To be honest, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a hotel that’s not in a stellar location in the Maldives. This beautiful, tiny island is nestled within Baa Atoll, northwest of Male and is surrounded by an incredible, blue lagoon. It’s situated on a well-known dive site that is famous for its fish, turtles, and beautiful reef walls.
We experienced world-class service from everyone we interacted with on the island. Staff members were polite, respectful and so helpful. Our island host, Zayan, went above and beyond and made us feel so special and taken care of from the moment we arrived until we were handed off to our next property back in Malé. There are several stories that come to mind when I think about the service at Milaidhoo that I wish more hotels would do.
When we arrived, we learned that there is live music every night. We had dinner reservations that night so I asked what time they would end so we didn’t miss it. Zayan responded, “they finish up when the last guest leaves”. I said, “ok so when does the bar close?” He said, “when the last guest leaves”. Talk about crafting the best guest experience imaginable.
We told Zayan that we wanted to wake up for sunrise to take this photo the next morning. He offered to wake us up at sunrise and we took him up on the offer after he insisted. He came to our door with a pot of coffee and said “I was going to wake you up right at sunrise but it was cloudy so I waited until the optimal time”. As if I wasn’t already in love with Milaidhoo, that just solidified it.
From the custom made furniture to the high end details throughout, everything about Milaidhoo oozes luxury. Every pillow and piece of furniture feels like it was crafted specifically for you and crafted with love and care. I loved that the furniture was handmade on the island by Maldivian carpenters and I loved the thoughtful emphasis on Maldivian tradition with a modern twist. When we checked in, we were also provided with two sarongs and a bottle of Ruinart champagne- so +100000 for the service and style there.
One of my favorite elements of Milaidhoo was the “barefoot luxury” concept. We were told that shoes were completely optional, even to dinner, and it was music to my ears. The bar and restaurants had sand as flooring, which really helped drive this message home.
Everyone around us was barefoot most of the time and it made everything feel even more familial and homey. The barefoot luxury concept was so natural. One of my biggest pet peeves at island hotels is when the management tries too hard to be “cool” and “hip” and restricts its guests to “long trousers” and “closed toed shoes”. It doesn’t make sense to me to force guests to act a certain way in the one place they come to relax and indulge.
Everyone at Milaidhoo was dressed beautifully in the evenings in their linens, dresses and nice attire, even sans shoes. It goes to show you that you don’t need to force people into a dress code to make them dress well.
Overall, I have nothing but amazing things to say about Milaidhoo. Milaidhoo is a true gem in the Maldives and has quickly found its way to the top of my favorite hotels list. While there are certainly less expensive options in the Maldives, it is hard to compete with the impeccable service and experience that Milaidhoo provides. The brand is opening a new property on a neighboring island and if it’s even half as incredible as this slice of paradise, it will be a true winner. We can’t recommend Milaidhoo enough if you’re looking for a peaceful and truly 5-star luxury vacation in the Maldives.
The property is a 30-minute seaplane ride from Male and the property will arrange the transfers for you according to flight times. They use Transmaldivian air, which connects the majority of the hotels in the Maldives. Starting early next year, the property will be running their own seaplane transfers, granting them greater flexibility and a better guest experience all around. We’re very excited about this new development, as it represents even more control of the guest experience from beginning to end.
If I had to describe my experience at Milaidhoo in one word, I’d say extraordinary. It took me a few days to process my stay at Milaidhoo Island, and after I left I realized that this has been probably the most extraordinary place I have ever stayed, in all my years of traveling. The Maldives is an incredible place, it’s a true wonderland with over 1000 islands, over 1000 species of fish, wherever you look – you’ll see endless horizons and turquoise waters. It’s almost too beautiful to be real. You don’t believe me? Let me show you Milaidhoo Island in
one minute. Here is a little video teaser from our 3 days in the island… ENJOY!
Villas at Milaidhoo Milaidhoo is a true 5-star resort, offering spectacular villas to stay. Each of them is extremely spacious, the beach villas measure 290m², the water villas 245m², and for the ultimate luxury seekers, there is an ocean residence, measuring 475m².
Only 50 villas can be found on the entire island, which assures privacy and silence. Milaidhoo is the absolute perfect place for a romantic honeymoon or lover’s getaway, it can’t get any better. The villas are large and comfortable, guests enjoy having a big house with all luxury amenities to themselves. Being able to watch the stars from your private pool with your loved one is simply priceless.
Until the check-in I wasn’t sure if we would get a water or a beach villa, I couldn’t hide my excitement when I noticed we were heading towards the water villas. The moment we entered the room I felt like home. Except for the fact that this place looked way better than my home. The villa was simply breathtaking, built on stilts, with its spacious outdoor living room, contemporary furniture and loads of natural light coming in. The room was decorated with Maldivian style interior, which are all custom-made for Milaidhoo Island. We were welcomed with a bottle of champagne and a basket of exotic fruits, a perfect way to start our vacation at Milaidhoo.
The villas offer all amenities you can expect from a luxury hotel, bath robes, slippers, fridge and minibar, coffee machine, premium teas, homemade cookies, there was even a wine fridge. They also provided yoga mats which I found extremely useful. The 129m² terrace was undoubtedly the heart of the villa, with a massive swing that invites to relax and enjoy the views… plus an oversized daybed by the pool, sun loungers, table with chairs, and of course an infinity pool with a 180 degree ocean view. On a side note, these villas are offering some of the largest private pools in the Maldives.
Contributed by Tommy Tan, Malaysia-Singapore
