After a 45-minute seaplane ride from Malé, playing peek-a-boo with a million shades of azure through fluff-balls of clouds, we reached the island of Maagau in the pristine Dhaalu Atoll. This island in the Indian Ocean is home to the Italian hotel chain’s Maldivian property, Baglioni Resort Maldives.
A tropical paradise combined with Italian hospitality, this resort offers the perfect antidote to a fast-paced city life, it was no wonder that during our stay at the resort we spotted many European families basking in the sun, sand and sea. The idyllic blue skies, turquoise waters and a rich array of tropical plants makes it easy to slow down and get into the rhythm of relaxed island life.
Hotel
In keeping with its Italian lineage, at Baglioni Resort you will be greeted with ‘ciao’, ‘buongiorno’ or ‘buonasera’ (depending on the time of the day) by the smiling staff. “Besides adding an Italian charm, the idea is also for guests to learn a few new words in a different language,” says general manager Monica Suri.
The hotel is also well-stocked with luxe Italian brands like Ferrari Trento – popular Italian bubbles; Frette – sumptuous handmade bed linen and bath towels; MC2 Saint Barth – chic beachwear; and, INSìUM, a luxury brand of skin care and anti-aging cosmetics.
Offering something for everyone, Baglioni Resort has a spa and wellness centre for ultimate relaxation, a kids club to keep the younger ones happily occupied and a whole range of open-air activities from fun table-football and volleyball tournaments to water games and obstacle races on the beach for the older lot.
The Baglioni SPA is a relaxing oasis with four rooms for individuals and couple treatments, a yoga pavilion where you can join in the morning or evening yoga classes, meditation and breathwork, as well as a well-equipped fitness centre. In addition to individual treatments, the spa also offers treatments for two or for groups of up to four people.
Room
Housing 85 luxury villas, there’s a choice of beach villas and water villas and with the recent addition of two new villa categories, Baglioni Resort offers fine accommodation options. The spacious two bedroom pool suite beach villas are perfect for families (or a bunch of friends) with two bedrooms, direct beach access and a private pool.
The pool sunset beach villas are ideal for catching the spectacular sunsets that Dhaalu Atoll is famous for. Again, with direct beach access and a private plunge pool these villas are ideal to enjoy the white sand beaches and crystal clear ocean, as well as a lazy soak in the private pool.
The piece de resistance is the grand Baglioni Maldives villa, with 360 square metres of interior space plus 310 square metres of outdoor area. With a beautiful waterside veranda and terraces opening over the ocean, the villa has three bedrooms with private bathrooms and a dining area. Ideal for six guests, it has a large private infinity pool, and this is the only villa on the property that has its own kitchen, making it well suited for private dinners.
Food and drink
The resort has four restaurants offering a range of cuisines. Taste is the international restaurant that serves continental and Asian buffet breakfast daily, where an extensive buffet dinner of Italian and Asian fusion cuisine is complemented with a range of selected wines and cocktails. The Italian restaurant, Gusto, is open only for dinner and here, the food is enhanced with a wonderful view of the Indian Ocean and a romantic ambience.
Umami is a Japanese restaurant that serves a choice of set menu as well as a la carte options. The restaurant also features a teppanyaki grill where chefs serve up a liberal dose of theatrics along with the food. Located next to the water villas, Umami is by the water and the wonderful evening breeze and a good selection of sake makes it a great choice.
The Pool Bar offers a light selection of pasta, pizza and salads as well as dishes from an à la carte menu. Get there in time for a perfect sundowner and head here to enjoy some live music, aperitivo and a modern style Boduberu performance to liven up the evenings.
Pro Tip: The Maldivian food at the resort is delicious and really worth trying. If you like dishes like Mas Huni and Maldivian fish curry, you can sign up for a cooking class and learn the tips and tricks to recreate these delicious dishes back home.
To do
With magnificent beaches, lush vegetation and excellent sites for diving and water sports, Baglioni Resort Maldives offers a range of activities. The in-house reef is gorgeous – it abounds with beautiful marine life and there is a stunning shelf just off the resort’s jetty. You can spot fish in a variety of hues even while lazing in these tranquil waters.
For the more adventurous ones, the PADI Gold Palm five-star Diving Centre takes you to some of the finest dive sites for daytime or sunset excursions. The resort’s strategic location away from the crowded atolls provides a wealth of opportunities to dive among pristine reefs, as well as night-time excursions where the magic of luminescent marine life makes for an unforgettable experience. All the dive points are near the island, so travel time is kept to a minimum.
One of the highlights of our trip was a visit to a local island. Ribundhoo Island is one of the inhabited islands of Dhaalu Atoll. With a population of 300 people, it is also known as Jewellers Island because a majority of the people are skilled silver and goldsmiths.
The village itself is really tiny and clean – you can see one end of the island from the other – it has a school and a few local shops and cafés and plenty of signages requesting people to not litter and to respect each other. We were greeted with sweet coconut water and some women had gathered to demonstrate local handicrafts. We were fed the extremely delicious breadfruit chips with a fermented fish and chilli sauce followed by a walk through the village.
The street art is another highlight here. Maldivian artist community – MAC – is a non-government organisation established in 2016. This is the platform for all the emerging artists to showcase their individual skills and an inspiration to those who seek opportunities as an artist.
Dh. Ribundhoo mural project is one of the many voluntary projects that they have worked on and as you walk around the island you’ll get to see some beautiful murals painted on entire walls. Despite multiple prior visits to this island nation, this was the first time that we got to witness local life. Kudos to the resort for supporting the local community through such intiatives.
In a nutshell
Baglioni Resort Maldives is a good pick to enjoy a perfect island getaway. The property has recently converted to an all-inclusive resort – this means that once you book your stay, everything from food and drinks (including alcoholic beverages) at all the restaurants, in-room amenities and mini bar, non-motorised water sports and entertainment, is included in your package.
A few activities like spa therapies, the sunset or dolphin cruise, and a couple of dishes like lobster, wagyu and foie gras, will be available for an extra charge. But for most purposes, after the initial payment you won’t need to sign any cheque – just sit back and enjoy your holiday!
Factbox
Address: WWX7+4R, Maagau Island, Rinbudhoo, Maldives
Phone: +960 400-0600
Email: reservations.maldives@baglionihotels.com
Website: baglionihotels.com
