Our Team Travels: My Magical Maldives Holiday
One our consultants, Liselle, went to the Magical Maldives to explore the island and gain better product knowledge. We now we have someone in-house who has “lived the holiday” ! Liselle cannot stop talking about the fantastic Hilton Maldives Iru Fushi Resort & Spa and would love to tailor-make a holiday to the Maldives for you.
From Liselle…
Our bags are packed. Sunblock? Check. Swimming gear? Check. Anything else is irrelevant!
After arriving into Male airport, our representative accompanied us to the Hilton airport lounge, where we were pleasantly surprised by a light buffet with fresh fruit, snacks & ice cold drinks – along with a 15 minute refresher welcome massage. While waiting at the Hilton lounge, we kicked off our shoes & chilled on the comfortable couches overlooking the ocean where our seaplane awaited us.
The scenic 45 minute seaplane journey was truly amazing! There is nothing quite like looking down & seeing so many tiny islands surrounded by corals & turquoise water.
As soon as we arrived at the Hilton Maldives Iru Fushi Resort & Spa, we felt at home! Having said that, I honestly don’t believe anyone’s home is THAT beautiful! Mohammed, our representative awaited us & took us to Water’s Edge bar, a beautiful relaxing lounge overlooking the ocean, where he grabbed an Ipad & showed us ‘around the island’ with the touch of a button.
We were taken to our deluxe beach villa & were amazed at the excellent location right on the beach. The villa is nestled within the island’s natural vegetation, sufficiently secluded from the beach to ensure privacy, although close enough to catch glimpses of the ocean. The front terrace is the place to relax in the oversized day bed, enjoying the refreshing Indian Ocean breeze.
The bedroom is large & has an additional day bed for those relaxing mid-afternoon siestas. The open air bathroom is the highlight of this villa! It is set in an enclosed private courtyard, offering an i-spa bath (bathtub with water jest & ipod connection), an extensive sundeck with sun loungers, a large gazebo & 2 rain showers! Our villa also had an additional sala (gazebo) on the beachfront, ideal for lazing the day away.
Most of our days were spent sunbathing, swimming, kayaking, eating, reading & snorkeling. There are so many activities to choose from. If you are a diver, this is the place to be! The Maldives offers the best diving in the world! Other activities include: catamaran sailing, windsurfing, kite surfing, snorkeling, water skiing, wake boarding, knee boarding, banana rides, jet skiing, boat trips & much more.
The resort also features 2 swimming pools, one for families & the other for guests hoping to have a more tranquil experience. This second swimming pool overlooks the ocean & children are not allowed in this section – which makes this the perfect chill-out spot for couples & honeymooners.
Other activities include: tennis, gym, pool, foosball, volleyball & board games. Don’t think you will be bored for a second as there is something to do for everyone! All non-motorized water sports are free of charge, which is superb.
There are a number of restaurants & bars to choose from, so if you go for a week – it is great to try out a new restaurant each night. Islander’s Grill, Iru Restaurant, Flavours & Trio are the main restaurants where most guests enjoy dinner. Fluid, Reflections & Water’s Edge are great for light lunches around the pool & Café Freddo is great for coffees. The resort also has The Cellar available for those interested in tasting great wines. Our favorite restaurants included Fluid for lunch & Islander’s Grill for romantic seafood options – what is better than feeling sand underneath your feet while watching the sun set over the ocean?
The daily temperatures are in the 30’s (degrees celsius) & the evening temperatures are very similar, so expect great weather during your stay. Most of our days were spent kayaking around the island, swimming or sunbathing. The last day we did a snorkeling trip to 2 nearby islands. It was spectacular, as we got to see turtles, sting rays, eagle rays, puffer fish & plenty of other colorful sea life.
On our last night, we decided it was time to upgrade to a water villa. The water villas are perched on stilts over the clear blue water, offering inspiring views of the Indian Ocean. Private sundecks lead into the water & a wonderfully refreshing swim is a mere step from the villa. The en-suite bathroom includes a relaxing i-spa bath & looks out to the private deck & lagoon whilst the shower has views of the crystal clear water. The villa has a wealth of day beds & couches to relax on as well as glass floor panels to experience the ocean from your own room!
We simply loved the water villa! It is the kind of place where you can spend the whole day without getting bored. If you have 6 nights in the Maldives, I would recommend spending 3 nights in a deluxe beach villa & the last 3 nights in a water villa. Splitting your time between these 2 types of accommodations, will provide you with 2 totally different island experiences. In the beach villa, you will have private access to the beach, whereas the water villa will provide you direct access to the water.
It is safe to say that, although we have traveled extensively throughout the world – we have never encountered an island destination quite like the Maldives. With water so clear, food so delicious & days spent in hammocks on palm-fringed beaches, it is really difficult to beat!
I think we have a problem planning our next holiday!
