Say the word ‘Maldives’ and one pic-pretty image comes to mind: overwater pool villas, white sand beaches and azure waters as far as the eye can see. But at Amilla Maldives, they’re transforming that quintessential (and some might say, clichéd) image of the Maldives into something more unique, inclusive and multi-dimensional.
We’re talking treetop pool villas, jungle gyms, wellness menus catering to the gluten- and dairy-free, vegan, keto and paleo, fire dancers, acrobats, magicians, glamping tents, tropicbird nests, Cluckingham Palace, an in-house photographer and much, much more – not to mention being 100% Maldivian owned and most recently, the world’s first accessibility and inclusion certified resort.
A member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World‘s Considered Collection – the only one in the Maldives – Amilla Maldives has sustainability at its core, making it a top choice for eco-conscious travellers who want to enjoy paradise in a planet-friendly way.
Location
Amilla Maldives is located in the Baa Atoll UNESCO Biosphere Reserve – a 30-minute seaplane ride directly to the resort from Male, or 25-minute flight to Dharavandhoo Domestic Airport and 10-minute speedboat ride away.
Once you get there, the first thing you’ll notice is how lush and green the island is (especially if you’ve been to other resorts in the Maldives), as 70% of the island remains all-natural with jungle trails and white sand beaches.
Rooms
With 67 villas and residences spread over 23.5 hectares, there’s plenty of space and privacy for everyone at Amilla Maldives.
We stayed in one of the giant Reef Water Pool Villas with a whopping 220sqm of living space. Brightly furnished in sailor blue, yellow and white, the villa stood out with its unique, angular design and thoughtful touches, including:
- separate living room and bedroom (with a 7-foot bed!)
- sprawling outdoor deck with a 4-metre long infinity pool
- skylight inside of the bathroom
- huge assortment of teas and Nespresso coffee
- tons of storage space in the built-in wardrobes.
Other pool villa types at Amilla include the Sunset Water Pool Villas, Lagoon Water Pool Villas and Beach Pool Villas – all of which offer different views (aka. sunset, lagoon and beach) – while the secluded Treetop Pool Villas takes you high up into the treetops, complete with a hammock swing over the pool.
Coming as a group? Amilla’s private pool residences range from four, to six and eight bedrooms with private pools, beaches and even chefs on offer to make your paradise getaway dreams come true.
For the ultimate escape, book the Amilla Estate – at 2,550 sqm, this sprawling six-bedroom villa has its own spa, gym, games room, cinema, 20-metre pool and jacuzzi, rooftop cocktail lounge and sun terrace accessible by a glass spiral staircase, and of course, a private beach with gorgeous sea views. If it’s good enough for one very famous, very hot-headed celebrity chef, it’s good enough for us… *wink wink*
Food and drink
When you’re “stranded” on a remote island, the selection and quality of food and drink is extremely important, which is why you’ll be in good hands at Amilla Maldives.
Not only are there seven restaurants and three different bars on the island – including Feeling Koi for Japanese, Barolo for Italian cuisine and East for South Indian flavours – but multiple menus to suit all types of wellness “lifestyles” (not “diets”, as Victoria Kruse, director of sustainability and wellness at Amilla, would say), including gluten-free, dairy-free, low carb, vegetarian and vegan options.
Many of the ingredients even come from Amilla’s own ‘Mystique Garden’, where you’ll find fresh, homegrown produce including herbs, teas and vegetables like luffa, bitter melon and bird’s eye chili.
All meats are sourced ethically, while some eggs come from Cluckingham Palace, Amilla’s own chicken coop with a variety of different hens and geese. And to keep their carbon footprint low, Amilla also produces their own delicious kombucha, yogurt, pickles, plant-based milk, jams and spreads (and even offer workshops to teach guests how to do the same at home).
Meal plans include Bed & Breakfast or the half and full-board options, which include two to three delicious meals a day. Have a big appetite? The Dine Around Inclusive (DAI) package, includes three full meals per day plus Amilla’s beverage package of wine, bubbly, cocktails, mocktails, kombucha and more.
Don’t miss: the pizza from Joe’s, waffle station at breakfast (with vegan, keto and gluten-free options), homemade pastas at Barolo, free ice cream every afternoon at Chill’d Cafe, and the floating breakfast to enjoy in your pool villa.
Wellness, spa and activities
You can do as little or as much as you want at Amilla, and for gym or wellness junkies, you’ll be in heaven with the range of activities available. Sweat it out at the two gym rooms facing the ocean (weights and cardio separated), hang around at aerial yoga and monkey around at the outdoor Flintstones-esque jungle gym – then, get pampered at the outdoor steam and sauna room or Javvu spa. There are even visiting practitioners on hand to guide you through yoga, pilates or movement classes, soap making at the Alchemy Lab, plus a Sensora room for light, sound and vibration therapy to de-stress and relax.
Not into fitness? The weekly “Baa-lliten” of activities will surely have something for you, whether it’s juggling, Zumba, face yoga, movie night, snorkelling, cocktail making, dolphin tours, reef hopping or dive trips to the nearby reefs.
What else: For a bucket list experience, book the Amilla glamping pods to sleep under the stars in your own air-conditioned bubble. Combine with your choice of massage, barbecue dinner for two, champers and movies to make it a night to remember.
Sustainability
Going plastic-free is pretty much a given these days for hotels but at Amilla Maldives, sustainability is in everything they do. Not only have they received the Silver Earthcheck Certification in 2021 and Responsible Manta Tourism Operator seal of approval, they’ve also got their own centre for waste management called the UN (which is short for for ‘Undo The Harm’) where they crush glass for usage in construction projects, upcycle paper and coconut husks, and prepare plastics for recycling for their partner, Parley for the Oceans.
In the rooms themselves, drinking water is created using reverse osmosis and delivered in glass bottles, bathroom products are biodegradeable, while shampoo, conditioner and body lotions are made locally from 100% organic products and stored in ceramic, refillable containers.
The LUXE verdict
The Maldives – as pretty as it is – can sometimes feel a bit predictable and, dare we say, boring if there aren’t enough things to see, do, or eat. Luckily, you won’t be having that problem at Amilla Maldives. In fact, you’ll be wishing you had even more days to spend at this gorgeous, Maldivian-owned property that’s constantly pushing the envelope in sustainability, wellness and inclusion.
Learn more at amilla.com
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