Set on a crescent-shaped private island in the Maldives’ northern Haa Alifu Atoll, Hideaway Beach Resort and Spa offers genuine luxury, the utmost privacy and its legendary 24-hour butler service to all of its spacious villas. It’s a combination that allows guests to immerse themselves in the dazzling beauty of soft white sands, lush evergreen vegetation and impossibly blue waters, so that the rest of the world melts away, along with their cares, for the duration of their stay.
The resort is a 75-minute seaplane flight from the capital city of Malé, a 25-minute speedboat journey from the nearest landing airport for private jets, and boasts the only operational private marina in Maldives. But while it caters for the elite traveller, Hideaway also offers superb luxury at more affordable prices, with all-inclusive offers starting at $777 per night.
Fine dining is a key feature of any stay at Hideaway, with the star attraction being the award-winning Samsara Asian Fusion restaurant. Exquisite dishes with influences from Thailand, India and Japan are served on an open-air terrace perched on stilts above the blue lagoon. Three other restaurants fulfil guests’ every desire for food and drink, from breakfast poolside to dinner under the stars. The finest champagnes are available through on exclusive partnership with Taittinger®. The chefs at Hideaway are ever ready to conjure up bespoke culinary experiences such as a picnic on a tiny unmapped sandbank or an intimate seafood feast in a dining pavilion over the water.
Hideaway is famous for its outstanding ‘double coral reef’ that sits only 10 to 30 meters away from the shore, and manta rays, dolphins, turtles and guitar sharks often visit. There are over 30 incredible dive sites within 60 minutes of the resort by Dhoni, the traditional Maldivian boat, arranged by Meridis Dive & Relax centre. Or grab the complimentary snorkelling gear and take a few strides out into the ocean from your villa to delve into an incredible aquatic world with reams of colourful tropical fish as your swimming companions. Even sitting ashore in the evening, you can witness the stingrays that visit the edge of the resort at feeding time.
The island of Dhonakulhi is 1.5 km in length, making it one of the largest islands in the Maldives, so there’s plenty of space and privacy for all guests. It’s an incredibly natural location: only five per cent of the island is built on, meaning the rest of the island is thick tropical greenery and gardens. This is the sprawling setting for 103 extremely spacious villas, most with their own private pool or Jacuzzi. The 57 contemporary style over-water villas stand on stilts over the lagoon while the 46 beachfront villas have a timeless, classic Maldives feel, each with its own private beach.
You can take the chance to bring mind body and soul into greater harmony during a stay at Hideaway with a visit to its famous spa. The design is led by nature, with internal waterways and water walls, coconut and teak timber furnishing, sukabumi stone and silk fabrics offering a journey for the senses. The signature Lomi Massage is an energizing and rebalancing to a natural soundtrack of the lapping waves, while Natura Bisse ‘The Cure’ facial is a luxurious treatment that reinforces the skin’s natural defense system.
Of course the resort is a rich mine of moments for the Instagram feed, and taking a picture at Hideaway’s top Insta-spot of its curved palm tree with hanging chair is a must, as well as a snap amid the lush green foliage of the island’s interior and in the endless blue lagoon. But those who want a professionally shot record of their time at Hideaway can enlist the help of a photographer or videographer for anything from a 45-minute casual photo shoot on the beach to a full wedding photo and video production. This lush resort in the middle of the Indian Ocean is a favourite for wedding and honeymoon celebrations where tailor-made packages create everlasting memories.
Beyond indulging in the incredible service, fine food, beach life, snorkelling and scuba diving, there are many facilities for those who want to stay active on their Hideaway island retreat. Deep Blue Watersports offers a range of ocean thrills from windsurfing, wakeboarding, jetblading, kayaking and stand-up paddling to catamaran sailing, jet-ski and private speedboat hire. Fishing enthusiasts can watch and learn from master Maldivian fisherman and land their own catch with a variety of options from fly-fishing to pole and line and big game.
There are two outdoor tennis courts, which are floodlit at night, and highly trained tennis coaches can help you up your game with lessons. You can also shoot a few hoops on the half-basketball court, play football on the astro turf, have a game of beach volleyball or workout in the fully equipped gym. Yoga instructors take classes on the sands for ultimate relaxation. Hideaway’s Tender Heart Kids Club offers a range of activities for little ones from treasure hunting to marine researching. And younger guests are sure to love splashing around in the resort’s floating Aqua Park.
When it comes to exploring the blissful beauty of the Maldives beyond the resort, the recreation team can put together excursions to create amazing memories. From a romantic escape on a private yacht to an idyllic day out on a deserted tropical island or a cultural trip to nearby capital Utheemu Island, there’s a world of adventure waiting. But when home life involving luxuriating on the terrace, pool or private beach of your idyllic island residence, with a personal butler to attend to all your needs, it may be hard to pull yourself away.
