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

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.

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…

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!

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. 

 

 

 

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 

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