Reviewed: ten of the best hotels and resorts in the Maldives
Enjoy total relaxation and luxury on this chain of Indian Ocean atolls and islands
1. OZEN Life Maadhoo
There’s a reason this ultra-luxurious island won “best romantic resort in the Maldives” at the Travel Time Awards in 2024. The first of the OZEN Collection, Maadhoo opened in 2016 in the turquoise lagoon of the South Malé Atoll: a tiny spit of sand and untamed vegetation, about 45 minutes by boat from the capital, Malé.
You might recognise its overwater swing from Instagram, but in every other aspect, Maadhoo offers a fantasy desert-island escape – without compromising on food. The dizzying range of options includes a relaxed feet-in-sand buffet and traditional (but elevated) Sri Lankan and Maldivian fare, all served by the Maldives’ first indoor hydroponic farm. The showstopper is the underwater M6M (Minus Six Metres) restaurant, but don’t miss the in-room breakfast, in either your traditional overwater residence or private beachfront villa.
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2. OZEN Reserve Bolifushi
OZEN Reserve Bolifushi
The OZEN Collection opened Reserve Bolifushi in 2020, following the success of Maadhoo. But if Maadhoo is the kaftan, Bolifushi is the tuxedo. About 25 minutes by private catamaran from Malé, this exclusive resort pushes the boundaries of luxury. It oozes sultry glamour and is dazzlingly lit up at night. You're still at a lush resort, but the vibe is less off-grid than happening destination. The rooms are five-star opulent beachfront or overwater apartments, all with private pools, and guests can choose from seven world-class bars and restaurants (including three specialty destinations).
OZEN Reserve Bolifushi was crowned “Maldives’ Leading Luxury Hotel Villa” at the 2025 World Travel Awards for a third consecutive year. It’s regularly voted among the world’s best all-inclusive resorts.
3. Angsana Velavaru
Angsana Velavaru
Rather unusually, Angsana Velavaru sits across two islands with a shuttle boat that runs between them. On the main island, an arc of white sand, fine as dust and raked like a Japanese garden, greets you as you wander down the jetty. The beach villas sit around the edge of the island, where you will also find the hotel’s pool, main restaurants and activity centres.
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The other island houses the over-water villas, a restaurant and also the island’s house reef. Dotted about are covered sun loungers shaped like weaver-bird nests, a nod to the Maldives’ rich natural environment. At night, oval woven pods swing from the broad canopy of trees, dropping discs of light onto the sand below, still warm between your toes.
4. Patina Maldives, Fari Islands
Since opening in 2021, Patina Maldives has not only created a luxury resort of eco-friendly practices and environmentally conscious architecture; it’s fixed the Maldives’ long-standing food dilemma, one beautiful dish at a time.
After a seaplane or boat transfer to the Fari Islands, you’re greeted by a Patina “experientialist” – your personal attendant for the duration of your stay. Whether you want a lift, your flight checked in, or someone to run your outdoor bath with rose petals, they’re only a WhatsApp away.
Welcoming you by name with a cool drink and a towel that feels like heaven after a long-haul flight, they transport you along sand paths and palm trees to your accommodation. That’s an overwater villa that looks like it fell straight from the pages of a magazine. The suite is nothing short of extraordinary.
5. Cheval Blanc Randheli
Cheval Blanc Randheli
Paradise is the Cheval Blanc Randheli – a luxury 46-villa resort on the Noonu Atoll in the Maldives. From arrival at Malé airport, the hotel’s attention to detail and impeccable service transports you to a world of total bliss, where every need is taken care of before you are even aware it exists.
There are three types of villa at Cheval Blanc – water (facing the sea, with steps down into the glistening ocean), lagoon (facing inwards towards a small inlet where tiny sharks and fish can be spotted), and island (these have their own private beach and two bedrooms, so are often best for families) – and each comes with a private pool.
6. Cora Cora Maldives
Cora Cora Maldives
In a remote stretch of ocean to the north of the equator, Cora Cora, or Raa Maamigili, is a small but bustling ecosystem of restaurants, greenery and local wildlife. The Cora Cora Maldives resort prides itself on offering just 100 guest rooms, a mixture of the iconic Maldivian overwater villas or airy beach properties nestled on the seafront surrounded by lush vegetation and vibrant flowers.
Finished in bright tiles in the resort’s signature colours and furnished with light wood pieces, each villa feels private and luxurious, without sacrificing its unique quirky touches. An example of this is the bright vectors – a father and son fishing, a woman squeezing water from her trailing hair, a strolling couple – painted on each overwater villa.
6. LUX* South Ari Atoll
LUX* South Ari Atoll
LUX* is renowned for its contemporary take on luxury, and its Maldives resort at South Ari Atoll is an excellent example of modern five-star travel. Choice abounds – sample an array of adrenaline sports, indulge yourself with an extensive range of spa treatments or repair to one of the cafes, bars and restaurants – with the staff as bright and breezy as the water villas.
Based on the island of Dhidhoofinolhu, which measures just over a mile from one tip to the other, LUX* South Ari Atoll is one of the larger resorts in the Maldives. It’s therefore less of a desert island retreat than some of its neighbours and more of a premium holiday village.
8. Emerald Maldives Resort & Spa
Emerald Maldives Resort & Spa
With 60 beach villas and 60 overwater villas, the Emerald Maldives Resort and Spa on the island of Fasmendhoo in Raa Atoll has one of the lowest densities of villas in the Maldives, providing guests with their own space and privacy. The resort has every classic feature that makes the Maldives such a sought-after destination.
Each stand-alone overwater villa features a spacious bedroom, bathroom and wooden patio with a ladder leading straight into the ocean – a vibrant shade of aquamarine. Indeed, the crystal clear water in the Maldives is beyond compare, and the island of Fasmendhoo is fringed by a wraparound reef, rich with marine life.
9. The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort
The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort
With its emphasis on architecture and design, the St. Regis Vommuli is no ordinary Maldives resort. It has the same vivid water, the same white sand and the same balmy climate as its neighbours, but the quality of the service, the villas and the activities on this jewel of an island are a league apart.
Opened in 2016, this resort combines the benefits of a super-luxury hotel with the unique appeal of the Maldives. The villas, some of them palatially proportioned, are beautifully furnished, their bedding soft and luxurious, and a wide range of restaurants offering international menus to suit every palate. The spa and the diving school are world-class, providing a sense of adventure that will elevate your stay beyond the ordinary. All guests benefit from the services of a dedicated butler.
10. Mirihi Island Resort
Mirihi Island Resort
At first glance, Mirihi looks like an archetypal desert island, its thatched reception the only sign of civilisation visible from the landing jetty. Step between the palms and you’ll uncover a few more of its secrets – a handsome open-sided restaurant, spilling onto the beach, and a boutique collection of timber-framed villas. There’s a spa, too, and a dive centre, but little else to spoil the castaway vibe.
Charmingly small and intimate, Mirihi offers an escape from the rest of the world. Friendly staff encourage you to shed your shoes the moment you arrive: white coral sand extends throughout the resort, even into the restaurant and bar, so you will have no need for them. Mirihi has one of the most extensive and accessible reefs in the Maldives, enclosing the resort like a giant teardrop. Snorkelling and diving are therefore the principal attractions – aside from enjoying the picture-perfect island itself.