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10 Things I Loved about Hideaway Resort & Spa, The Maldives

02/08/15 ᛫ 19 Comments

Last month I embarked on a Island hopping adventure which included 5 nights on the private paradise island of Dhonakulhi, home to Hideaway Maldives. Of all The Travelista adventures, this was probably the one I have been the most excited about. In weeks leading up to the trip I had searched the #Maldives hashtag on Instagram far more times than I’d like to admit, but no amount of digital wanderlusting could prepare me for the breathtaking natural beauty of The Maldives.

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Located on Dhonakulhi Island, Hideaway Resort and Spa is in the far North of the Maldives (so north in fact that it was closer to Sri Lanka than the Maldivian capital of Male). Katie and I were both blown away with our entire Hideaway experience, but there were certain parts that will stay in my mind forever. Here are the Top 10 things I loved about Hideaway Beach Resort & Spa…

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1. The Sea Plane Arrival 

Hideaway Maldives was our first stop after flying with Emirates from London via Dubai. For arrivals coming into Male, the quickest way to get to the island is by sea plane. The tiny planes take off and land on water from a mini floating airport, which is an experience in itself! Arriving to the resort by sea plane had an extra impact as it really makes you understand just how remote these islands are. The journey took about 50 minutes in total, during which I took in the aqua-marine ocean views and of course took copious amounts of photos!

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Upon arrival at Hideaway Maldives we were greeted on the jetty by a long line of Hideaway staff who made me feel instantly welcome and at home. Before we even thought to look for our suitcases they had already been whisked off to our villa.

2. Our Deluxe Water Villa

Our villa was one of the top things that made our stay on Hideaway island absolutely out-of-this-world. The deluxe water villa was built on stilts out in the ocean in a secluded area of the island. The deluxe water villa had 2 bedrooms, bathrooms, and dressing rooms that were a symmetrical in a mirror-image layout. But the best part of the villa was the huge outdoor deck with turquoise infinity pool. 

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3. The turquoise waters

The ocean surroundingHideaway Maldives was without a doubt the bluest and crystal clear water I have ever seen in my life. We visited in July which is rainy season in The Maldives, but even when the sky was slightly cloudy, the seas were still ust as blue. Before visiting the Maldives I thought the photos had always been edited to make them look so turquoise, but they genuinely do look like this in real life! It felt so pure and unpolluted and was absolutely gorgeous to swim in.

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4. Sun downers at Happy Hour

One of the best times of day on the island is at sunset, which was around 5.45pm when we was there. Every day around this time we would head down to Meeru bar for cocktails at happy hour which lasted from 5-7pm, perfect timing to watch the sun go down. As we were in The Maldives during rainy season, the skies were always so dramatic each night but the sunsets were still spectacular and made the sea glow a spectacular pink.

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5. The island bikes

In comparison to many other Maldivian resort islands,Hideaway Maldives is quite large. Everything is spread out across the island and connected by sandy trails through lush tropical greenery. Each guest is given a bike for their stay to get around the island independently (but if that sounds too strenuous there’s always the golf buggys!) I absolutely loved using the bikes every day as they kept us active and meant we could zip around the island in no time. We jumped on them to go to breakfast every morning.

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P1070002 6. Breakfast by The Sea

Breakfast atHideaway Maldives was definitely worth getting up for! The most amazing buffet of international food was available. The choice was vast and as well as the usual continental options, there was eggs, pancakes, fresh fruit and smoothies made to order. The omelettes were delicious and every morning Katie and I would order some fresh chopped mango which was the freshest and juiciest mango I’ve ever tried. We sat outside on the decking and took in the beautiful view by the sea, ready for another day in paradise!

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7. Butler Service

Another thing that puts the Hideaway Maldives on another level is the inclusive butler service. During our stay we were looked after by the lovely Nasim, who took care of everything we could ever need. When we arrived at the resort he greeted us at the jetty and whisked us off to our villa and picked us up later that evening to take us for dinner. We probably didn’t use Nasim as much as other guests, but it was so nice to know he was at the end of the phone if we ever needed any help or had a special request.

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8. The Idyllic Indonesian Spa 

The Hideaway Spa is the ultimate retreat on the island and has an immediate sense of calm and tranquility. Deep teak wood and trickling water features combine with tropical scents make it feel like a world away from home. During my stay I got to experience the full body massage. We were offered a refreshing lemon and ginger juice and cold towel before being lead into a treatment room by one of the Indonesian therapists. The treatment started with a soothing foot exfoliation, which instantly made me start unwind and feel at ease with the therapist. The massage really felt as if it has been tailored to me and the therapist found the perfect pressure.

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9. Turtle Spotting

One of the best moments of my stay on the island was when we went snorkelling. The coral surrounding the island attracts fantastic marine life and it’s an extremely popular spot with divers. We picked up some snorkelling equipment from the dive shop (which is free to hire for guests) and went in search of turtles. No sooner had we been in the water 5 minutes a huge turtle swam straight past us. It was such a surreal moment! I was amazed by the visibility and the masses of tropical fish just meters from the beach. P1070459

10. North Point

My favourite part of the Island was North Point which was (quite literally) the most Northern point of the whole Island. A strong breeze blew in constantly from this part of the Island and you could hear the dramatic crashing of waves on the coral barrier in the distance. The area was deserted apart from an egg-shaped hollow pod hanging from one of the palm trees. Katie and I went down to North Point with our complimentary bottle of champagne from the room and watched the sun set. We sat there laughing about how romantic the setting was. I remember feeling totally relaxed, content and a million miles away from home.

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I can say with confidence that time at Hideaway Maldives was the most relaxing and luxurious 5 days of my entire life. I relished the fresh food, early nights, spa treatments and sunshine Vitamin D and switched off from emails and a constant internet connection. All of this combined with the naturally breathtaking beauty of this island created a once-in-a-lifetime travel experience that I couldn’t ever recreate even if I tried!

A special Thank You to Kat and the team at Hideaway for an unforgettable stay. 

What did you think of my stay at Hideaway Maldives? Have you stayed here or are you thinking of booking a stay? If you want to know anymore about the resort or if you simply enjoyed reading this post, please leave me a comment or question in the box below! Jess x 

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This stay was provided as part of a press trip to The Maldives.

19 Comments

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Comments

  1. BRANDON BROUGHTON says

    6th January 2018 at 4:31 pm

    What an insightful and detailed review!! My wife and I are planning to stay here in June .With the resort being so large , did it ever feel overcrowded? Also Did you encounter any rain? We’re a little worried about going during rainy season. Thanks for your time.

    Reply
    • Jess says

      16th January 2018 at 3:36 pm

      Hi Brandon! It never ever felt overcrowded… we hardly saw any other guests and felt like we had the island to ourselves. We went in rainy season and just had some overcast skies but it didn’t rain much at all. If it does, it’s usually only for short bursts. Enjoy! x

      Reply
  2. Leonie Parker says

    4th August 2015 at 9:34 am

    What I would do to be there right now!!

    Leonie ♥ IkonikBeauty

    Reply
    • thetravelistablog says

      4th August 2015 at 12:39 pm

      Me too! I wish I was back there now x

      Reply
  3. Feet Meet World says

    4th August 2015 at 10:04 am

    Wow, this looks like heaven. I hope I get to visit the Maldives at some point in my life 🙂
    http://www.feetmeetworld.com

    Reply
    • thetravelistablog says

      4th August 2015 at 12:39 pm

      Thanks for your comment! I hope you do too. It’s out of this world 🙂

      Reply
  4. Emma Hart (@EmmaHart7) says

    3rd August 2015 at 9:12 pm

    Oh my goodness, Jess it looks like you had such a dreamy time! I hope I get to visit a place like this at least once in my life although I’m not too sure I’d be keen on the sea planes. I’ve heard they can be a bit scary? I think the idyllic setting and scrumptious food would be enough for me to get over that little fear though 🙂

    Reply
    • thetravelistablog says

      4th August 2015 at 12:38 pm

      Thanks Emma! It really was the trip of a lifetime. The sea plane would definitely be scary for people with a fear of flying (I don’t have a fear and even I was a bit nervous!) but it’s definitely worth it for what’s waiting at the other end! 🙂 I hope you get to visit the Maldives one day x x

      Reply
  5. denimfish says

    3rd August 2015 at 11:42 am

    Amazing Photos!

    Reply
    • thetravelistablog says

      4th August 2015 at 12:38 pm

      Thank you!

      Reply
  6. Drew says

    2nd August 2015 at 8:01 pm

    Wow! Great pictures. This looks like an awesome place!

    Reply
    • thetravelistablog says

      4th August 2015 at 12:38 pm

      Thanks for your comment Drew! Hope you enjoyed the post.

      Reply
  7. Angie Silver (@SilverSpoonLDN) says

    2nd August 2015 at 7:40 pm

    Simply wonderful! I’ve never been to the Maldives but Bora Bora was absolutely dreamy! I’m off to Bali in 10 days, I can’t wait for sun down cocktails!
    Lots of love,
    Angie

    SilverSpoon London

    Reply
    • thetravelistablog says

      4th August 2015 at 12:39 pm

      Thanks for your comment Angie. Have an absolutely amazing time in Bali. Can’t wait to read about your trip! x

      Reply
  8. Graham says

    2nd August 2015 at 2:51 pm

    Looks fantastic. Really makes me want to go.

    Reply
  9. Jessica says

    26th October 2015 at 12:16 pm

    This is unauthorised duplicate content taken from my blog http://www.thetravelista.com. Please remove these posts and photos immediately otherwise I will have to take further action.

    Thank you,
    Jessica Gibson

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. The Hideaway Resort & Spa- Maldives – 55 Secrets – Skip The Tourist Traps , Explore Like a Local says:
    26th October 2015 at 7:56 am

    […] Taken from: Travelista […]

    Reply
  2. Chelsea via The World – An Exclusive Interview with Oliver … | Discount Holidays says:
    5th August 2015 at 3:11 pm

    […] s been a crazy couple of months for The Travelista. After cramming two trips to Tanzania1 and The Maldives2 in June, I had my calendar fully booked. So when an invitation landed in my inbox to experience […]

    Reply
  3. Chelsea via The World – An Interview with Oliver Proudlock | The Travelista says:
    3rd August 2015 at 8:20 pm

    […] been a crazy couple of months for The Travelista. After cramming two trips to Tanzania and The Maldives in June, I had my calendar fully booked. So when an invitation landed in my inbox to experience […]

    Reply

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Jess is an an award-winning travel blogger based in Yorkshire, navigating the world as a new Mum to baby Theo. Blogging about adventures both local and global.

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“Are you going to have another?”, asked a well “Are you going to have another?”, asked a well-meaning family member, out of the blue. Another cup of coffee? Another what? It could have been anything, but I knew exactly what they meant. Another baby. The question that fills me with dread.

It seems like when your first child enters toddlerhood, there is a societal expectation, or assumption, that all mothers are yearning for the next one. For me, that couldn’t be further from the truth. 

Why assume there will be a next one? For many, one is enough.

After extreme prematurity, neonatal surgeries, a 3.5 month NICU stay, post natal anxiety, PTSD and a global pandemic, motherhood has well and truly consumed me, challenged me and changed me.

I feel like there is so much we still have to experience with Theo. He is a healthy and happy little boy ready to see the world. But it’s not just about Theo. 

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Having another baby is not a priority right now, and perhaps it never will be. All I know is that this little boy and his Daddy complete me and they are all I need. 

Now that restrictions are slowly lifting, we are ready to start living our best life and making memories that go beyond the local playground, as a family of 3.

Female adult life isn’t all about having babies. There is so much more available to us now.

Please always be careful when asking people about their family plans. You don’t always know what they’ve been through, or are going through. 

Have you ever been asked a similar question and how did you deal with it? I’d love to know 💭🌿
Happy Easter everyone 🐣💫 Just a post to appr Happy Easter everyone 🐣💫 Just a post to appreciate this mini egg cheesecake, delivered to our door by @nowtbutcheesecakes. I can’t wait to devour a slice with family in the garden.  #SupportLocal 

(@nowtbutcheesecakes is an amazing local business in Leeds and this is the third time we’ve ordered from them)
Now that Theo is talking, soon we will talk about Now that Theo is talking, soon we will talk about the scars on his tummy. I will tell him that they are something to be proud of. I will tell him that they are special. I will tell him that they make him unique. He will learn that anyone with a scar is very lucky because it means they are stronger than whatever it is they had to fight. I will make sure he knows all about his extraordinary journey 🤍

Theo had a total of 3 bowel surgeries all before 35 weeks gestation due to #NecrotisingEnterocolitis (NEC). NEC is the most common gastrointestinal emergency occurring in preterm babies and is what could have taken his life.

His scars are the reason he is alive today and remind me of his bravery and strength. 🌿

Adapted post from 2019

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A year on since lockdown, and look at how you’ve A year on since lockdown, and look at how you’ve grown.

Each day has felt so long, but the entire year has flown.

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I cannot wait to show you, life is more than muddy walks.

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My mind can only imagine, how much you’d love soft play.

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This wild ride called motherhood gets better and better with time. I am beyond proud and grateful to be this little boys Mummy ✨

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