Soneva Fushi, Maldives

There's something very special about Soneva Fushi. The island lives by the mantra 'Intelligent Luxury', and this is more than a nebulous marketing strapline. Founders Sonu & Eva were years ahead of their time in bringing serious luxury with a strong environmental conscience to the Maldives. Many seek to imitate and champion their 'green' credentials, but in reality none come close.

Unsurprisingly, Soneva is very popular with those seeking to escape the public eye, and from the moment you are relieved of your shoes (to be returned on departure!) by your genial Mr or Ms Friday, you can start to seriously unwind. If cost is not your primary consideration and 'bling' doesn't impress, then Soneva Fushi combines the best the Maldives can offer with superb layout, considerate design and indulgent yet homely hospitality. If you want to decouple from the stresses of a hectic life, if you want ultimate privacy yet the conveniences of a resort, in highly sophisticated yet natural surroundings, then Soneva Fushi may well be the resort for you.

This is one of the finest resorts in the Maldives with prices to match. If we win the lottery, this is where you'll find us (although we'd probably split the stay with Soneva Jani)!

Soneva Fushi Resort in the Maldives, is the original desert island hideaway. The resort that set the tone and the standards for every subsequent resort. A jewel of an island –large by Maldives standards – with perfect beaches, a vibrant reef encircling the island, a colony of nesting turtles and its very own world class observatory. There are few more beautiful locations on earth.

Villas
Secluded by lush palm jungle, all 65 sustainable luxury villas look upon the Indian Ocean from their own natural sandbox, with high ceilinged bedrooms, plush pillow top beds made with organic cotton sheets and open-air garden bathrooms. Thirteen encompass private seawater swimming pools too. In each of these memorable domains, a butler called Mr. or Ms. Friday from the classic island explorer’s tale Robinson Crusoe will attend to your needs and assist with your holiday desires.

Cuisine
We start with what we can grow and fish for sustainably on our own fertile isle, incorporating the talents of inventive chefs from East and West. Mornings, you’ll find a seemingly endless spread of fresh fruits, comforting classics and creative juices to get yours flowing.

Take your picnic lunch on a nearby sandbank or on a deserted island after swimming among our underwater neighbours. Dine in your villa while sunbathing in the sand or return for an equally bountiful lunch buffet.

Evenings are oriented around organic produce from Soneva Fushi’s thriving gardens, the freshest seafood from our surrounding waters and introducing you to Modern Maldivian cuisine, our European Executive Chef’s twist on local traditions.

Spa
At our Six Senses Spa nestled in the beachfront jungle, explore the uniquely restorative combination of a stunning tropical environment, invigorating wellness facilities and talented therapists delivering a comprehensive variety of healing, beauty and pampering treatments.

Activities
Breakfast at sunrise on your own private sandbank, spend the rest of the morning practicing yoga among the treetops, your afternoon snorkelling along the house reef with our marine biologist.

If watersports are your idea of heaven, we have sailing, windsurfing, kayaks and kite surfing. Dive enthusiasts will head straight to the Dive Centre to book trips to marine hotspots such as Manta Point.

As the day winds down, you may like to sip champagne on a sunset cruise and watch dolphins cavort in crystal clear waters, watch stars on the siver screen under our starstruck sky at Cinema Paradiso and learn to find the constellations with an astronomy lesson in the Observatory.

The Den
Probably the best kids club in the world...!