The best luxury hotels in the Maldives for interior design and architecture lovers
With inspiration coming from the geometry of shells, the hues of the water, and the beauty of nature.
If you’ve already explored Thailand, Croatia, and Mexico, maybe it’s time for a lush archipelago getaway? Famed for its immaculate waters and remote location, this south Asian destination is probably constantly popping up on your social media. But if you’re looking for the best-of-the-best, then follow our lead. Design lovers will be entranced by the very best luxury hotels in the Maldives, where chic interiors and boundary-pushing architecture meet complete vacation mode.
Discover the best luxury hotels in the Maldives for design lovers
1. Nautilus Maldives
The Nautilus remains one of the best luxury hotels in the Maldives, if not the world, floating on a private island in UNESCO-listed Baa Atoll. The hotel wows from the word go, with private immigration, customs, and transfers, where guests are then whisked to their overwater villa on a luxury yacht. Nautilus’ interiors and architecture have a thousand well-thought-out layers: circles and spirals are seen throughout the spacious, airy property to mimic the shape of the eponymous shell. Light wood floors, thatched roofs, and traditional furnishings scream tropical paradise in the 26 villas, all of which have private pools, direct access to the house reef, glass floors for watching the marine life in their natural habitat, and private butlers.
We love that the focus at Nautilus isn’t what you can do in the hotel itself, but what you can do in this spectacular location. Cruise on a private yacht, watch a film on the beach, head out deep-sea fishing, to a deserted island, or go diving with their inhouse dive centre.
That being said, Solasta Spa offers an endless array of massages and treatments which you can enjoy before dinner at one of four restaurants. Thai, Mediterranean, South American, and even Ayurvedic cuisine are covered using the freshest ingredients, prepared by expert chefs and with never-ending ocean views.
Learn more about Nautilus Maldives
2. Soneva Fushi
The Soneva brand is synonymous with luxury, and their Maldives resort also lies in the Baa Atoll. They’ve captured their location through interiors that use light and natural wood, which makes up most of the villas, and plenty of glass, plus furnishings in pretty teals and turquoises reminiscent of the water outside. The stunning beachside villas are all made from natural, sustainable materials, and come with open-air bathrooms and private butlers.
There’s no main hotel pool, so opt for a pool villa to have a private one. Soneva Fushi has almost too many amenities and activities to count; stargazing, yoga, diving, dolphin cruises, glass-blowing, and the Six Senses Spa are just a few. This is all while remaining eco-friendly; your dinner will come from their vegetable garden, electrics are solar-powered, and the sculptures and furniture are all recycled or locally made. The hotel has an insane eleven dining options, which range from overwater Asian-fusion and plant-based Maldivian to the world’s first zipline restaurant.
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3. COMO Cocoa Island
Arguably one of the COMO brand’s best luxury resorts, designed by COMO Founder Christina Ong and architect Cheong Yew Kuan, Cocoa Island is just 40 minutes from Male, yet it feels like another planet. The spaced-out villas are simplistically beautiful, with modern white furniture, dark wooden floors and floor-to-ceiling windows allowing you to fully appreciate the impossibly blue ocean outside. Each multi-room villa has a private pool, overwater terrace and an outdoor shower with steps going into the water.
Surrounded by two house reefs and sandbars, there’s plenty to fill your days – go on a whale-shark expedition, dive the reef, try yoga, meditation and every imaginable water sport, or help regenerate the reef through coral propagation. Shambhala Retreat is the cherry on top, offering everything from hydrotherapy and reflexology to wraps, massages, and even multi-day wellness immersions. Luckily, the choice is taken away at mealtimes with just one restaurant, Ufaa, serving delicious breakfasts, plus a healthy Mediterranean and Indian menu throughout the day.
Find out more about COMO Cocoa Island
4. Velaa Private Island
If you thought a private island resort simply meant luxury, prepare to be blown away by Velaa, an incredible resort north of Male, which guests reach via private plane. From the sky, the house reef bursting with colourful marine life and the jungle-covered island itself looks impressive, but wait until you get inside. The hotel is shaped like a turtle, and its interiors combine classic dark wood and rattan with ultra-sleek furniture, mood lighting, and bold artwork. The 47 villas, about half of which are overwater, have private infinity pools, al-fresco bathrooms with Clarins toiletries, and a terrace, and you can even choose whether you want a villa facing the sunrise or sunset.
If you’re at a loss for what to do or simply too distracted by the view, just ask your private butler. Flyboarding, surfboarding (every kind of boarding), diving, big game fishing, dolphin watching, and Technogym sessions are all available, as is futuristic one-on-one tuition at the Velaa Golf Academy with PGA professionals. There are three restaurants run by some of the world’s best chefs; fine-dining Aragu, Japanese teppanyaki and vintage wines at Tavaru, and light Maldivian food at Avi Pool Bar.
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5. Joali Being
Known as ‘The First Wellbeing Island in the Maldives’, when you return from Joali Being you’ll be so fantastically healthy, balanced, and relaxed that you’ll feel like a new person. The hotel was designed by Autoban studio around the theme of biophilia (being in or around nature), meaning everything blends seamlessly into the surrounding ocean and jungle. The villas are either overwater or on the beach, with private pools and personal butlers, and while the design is pared back, touches of green throughout, such as in the shower and on the ceilings, once again blend with the island.
Grab your complimentary bicycle and dive straight into wellness: sound therapy, herbology, cryotherapy, and sensory deprivation chambers are offered alongside programmes to reset everything from your digestion to your mental health. There are also nutrition classes, therapy sessions, and all of the underwater or on-the-water adventures you desire. A whole range of eateries call Joali home, all of which focus solely on nutritious, farm-to-table cooking. Our favourite is Flow, which has three sections and three menus: the signature B Well, the blue-themed, pescatarian SU, and vegetarian Plantae.
Learn more about Joali Being
6. LUX* South Ari Atoll
With a name like LUX*, you already know this is the place for luxury. LUX* South Ari Atoll’s Indian Ocean location is surrounded by sapphire-blue ocean, home to more than fifty dive sites teeming with dolphins, turtles, and tropical fish. The hotel is kitted out in almost all white, save for the ashy wood floors, and villas have fringed palm roofs, high vaulted ceilings, and free-standing tubs perched right in front of the water. Overwater villas also enjoy a spacious deck, glass floor, and the classically Instagrammable overwater netted bed, but only the Romantic Villas come with a private pool.
Packed into this remote stretch of sand are also two main infinity pools, a sandbank, outdoor cinema, and eight restaurants and bars. On the activities front, the hotel doesn’t have a house reef but they do offer free snorkelling trips to the nearest one; plus, you can opt for SUP yoga, a jet ski safari or swimming with whale sharks. Close out each day with a massage or treatment at LUX* ME Spa’s pavilions before figuring out what to eat. The restaurants span the world, from Japan to Italy, and bars come in all shapes and sizes from overwater, to beachfront, or even poolside.
Find out more about LUX* South Ari Atoll
7. Patina Maldives
Located in the Fari Islands, Patina was designed by Studio MK27 and although it looks almost industrial in design, a closer inspection reveals natural furnishings, sustainable materials and gorgeous earthy tones throughout. From solar panels on every villa and recycled materials to no-waste or single-use plastic policies, sustainability is big at Patina. There are 90 private pool villas at the hotel; the overwater ones are an iconic square shape with an inside-outside living concept, spacious deck, private garden and outdoor bathtub, and for the kids, you can also request a PlayStation or Xbox.
Flow is the hotel’s spa, which will meet all your holistic, nutritional, and fitness needs, but save time for the plethora of other activities, like cooking classes, wine tasting, private superyacht cruises, and water sports. Patina always has family in mind, with kids’ cooking courses and a STEM programme where kids can build their own model F1 car also available. While the kids are in class, enjoy a moment of peace with a meal at one of Patina’s many (12 to be exact) restaurants, which cover Japanese, Nordic, South American, and Aegean cuisine.
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8. The Standard, Maldives
The Standard’s memorable, bold design translates surprisingly well into this Raa Atoll paradise, which has a barefoot policy and 360-degree views of the surrounding turquoise water. There are over-water villas, but that’s about the only similarity to other Maldivian resorts – bold colours, jungle patterns, modern furniture, and quirky lighting, like disco balls in the bathrooms, give this resort an off-grid, fun vibe that encourages guests to let their hair down.
There’s a poolside DJ, CBD spa treatments, and an ocean assault course – this isn’t your standard hotel, no pun intended. The beautiful villas, which are on the beach or overwater at the house reef, come with private decks, a plunge pool, a rain shower, and an open-air bathroom. Activities are naturally abundant: snorkelling, fishing and diving pair with private boat charters, desert island cruises and manta-ray swimming experiences. There are six restaurants and bars, with smoothies and breakfast at Joos Cafe, and BBQ Shak being favourites.
Learn more about The Standard, Maldives
9. Naladhu
Naladhu is a Maldivian resort where you don’t even need to think about something before it magically happens. Luxury yacht transfers, a 24/7 private butler, and a restaurant serving everything (more on this later) mean you can truly switch off. With only 20 villas, privacy is key and no expense was spared on the build. All rooms are elegantly designed with contrasting white and dark furniture and wood, large private pools, free-standing tubs, private cabanas, outdoor showers, and complimentary champagne – the list goes on.
Naladhu’s spa has a classic menu, plus expert-led wellness, nutrition, and fitness programmes. The hotel’s water sports centre is also packed with toys, whether paragliding, surfing, sailing, or SUP is your bag, and you can even snorkel with whale sharks, dolphins, or turtles. Back on land, cooking classes, yoga, and the gym are also tempting; you’ll need the latter after visiting the restaurant. Known as The Living Room, Naladhu’s restaurant simply serves everything. There’s no menu, so if you want pancakes for breakfast, Indian for lunch, and Mexican as a midnight snack, that’s exactly what you’ll get. They serve every type of cuisine, but if that’s too much choice, there are six more restaurants beyond the lagoon.
Find out more about Naladhu
10. Cheval Blanc Randheli Maldives
Cheval Blanc’s stunning Maldives property in the Noonu Atoll was designed by Jean-Michel Gathy in an ultra-contemporary, elegant style that shouldn’t go with relaxed island life but somehow works perfectly. Outside, swaying palm trees, crystal water, and bright white sand contrast the hotel’s interiors, featuring lavish chandeliers, modern art and contemporary furniture. Choose from a beach garden, island, or over-water villa, which all come with big private pools, a pergola, free-standing bathtubs, floating hammocks, and a personal telescope.
There’s also your personal butler, who will do everything from booking excursions to delivering your meals. Speaking of excursions, you can go wildlife spotting on a cruise, rent out any number of futuristic water sports equipment, or sail across the water to visit the Maldives’ only Guerlain spa. Five restaurants and three bars make up the culinary options, most of which are exceptionally healthy and include Italian, Maldivian, and Japanese. There’s also ‘Carte Blanche’ where guests can create their own dining experience, whether it be a midnight feast or dinner on a private island.
Learn more about Cheval Blanc Randheli Maldives
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