OZEN LIFE MAADHOO, Maldives

OZEN LIFE MAADHOO is part of the Atmosphere group's luxury OZEN Collection. The island is a long, narrow strip on the Eastern rim of the South Male Atoll. Like most of its Male neighbours, there’s no house reef straight off the beach, but twice-daily complimentary trips should provide a sufficient snorkelling fix for most of OZEN LIFE’s guests. Both Beach (‘Earth’) and Water (‘Wind’) Villas are spacious (Wind Villa decks could be bigger) and comfortable, without necessarily reaching the refined luxury of the very top-end resorts, and come with or without an attractive pool, those with a pool all being on the sunset side. With a growing demand for 2 bedroom villas in the Maldives at anything approaching a reasonable price, the very large Earth Pool Pavilions are likely to be snapped up.

So much for the hardware. What’s got everyone’s attention with OZEN LIFE is the ‘5 Star’ All Inclusive package. It wasn’t that long ago that All Inclusive in the Maldives meant an uninspiring buffet, obscure (usually dire) brands behind the bar and a choice between red or white wine with dinner. Some resorts haven’t improved much on this, and if you don’t fancy the Chateau Battery-Acid house wine then spending $50-a-bottle on something from the ‘premium’ list that’s regularly on offer in your local supermarket for £5 just makes you feel exploited. OZEN LIFE has genuinely set out to address this widespread sense of punter-mugging, and a browse through the drinks list should be enough to convince you that a great deal of thought has been put into the offering. The variety and quality of brands ‘on tap’ is unprecedented, from the collection of single malt whiskies to the different pouring Champagnes that have been selected for specific outlets. Fancy a glass of the delectable Cloudy Bay? Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay or Pinot Noir, you choose.

Even more surprising is the quality of dining at OZEN LIFE. Our dinner at IndoCeylon was nothing short of spectacular. In our view, it’s the best Indian cuisine the Maldives has to offer, and at a level that would command top dollar in a swanky London restaurant. Raw, serving healthier lunchtime options at an outside stool bar, including delicious sushi & sashimi, looked to be highly popular. The underwater M6m is a real treat, with the 7 course degustation menu with wine flight only just eclipsed by the mesmerising array of marine life on display, coaxing gentle oohs & aahs from the clientele. 2 and a half hours literally whiz by and you’re very likely to find yourself chuckling over another glass of bubbles, each time you remember that this is all part of the ‘package’ and there’ll be no wince-inducing bill at the end of your meal. By the second or third day, it might be worth casting an eye over the schedule of free exercise classes.

The only shortcoming from our perspective is the presence of just one main bar on the island. As nice as Joie De Vivre is, it’s modern and buzzy, and more Miami Beach than Maldives. A second, more intimate chill-out bar on the beach would be a great addition, and the resort management assure us that options for this are currently under consideration. In the meantime, there’s always the option of lounging in your villa and dipping into the complimentary mini-bar, re-stocked twice daily.

It may not appeal to those looking for the more rustic and traditional islands, but OZEN LIFE has set a new benchmark for All Inclusive luxury in the Maldives since it opened. As long as the dining quality and service are maintained OZEN LIFE will keep filling its villas with ease, and it has definitely prompted some well-established resort brands to review their propositions.

Amidst the exotic turquoise hues of South Male Atoll, Just 35 kms/19NM from Male International Airport, lies the tranquil island of Maadhoo, home to the Lifestyle Luxury Resort - OZEN LIFE MAADHOO.

The OZEN philosophy is “NO Shocks. NO Surprises. No Hidden Extras – JUST BLISS!” offering the discerning traveller a unique, All Inclusive, holiday plan - The Atmosphere Indulgence - where guests will experience the ultimate hassle-free, luxury lifestyle beach holiday in the Maldives.



Some of the highlights of OZEN LIFE MAADHOO's Atmosphere Indulgence plan include: A la Carte Dine-Around throughout your stay : select from different dining options starting from World Cuisine dining at The Palms, to specialty Indian or Chinese cuisine, to RAW cuisine, to the underwater M6m experience

A Gourmet Underwater Dining Experience Included: As part of the Atmosphere Indulgence plan, an exotic modern seafood cuisine underwater dining experience at M6m, included without any additional charge (minimum stay of four nights)

Champagne Indulgence: Hand-picked selection of quality Champagnes - Usually Cartier for the arrival experience and general dining experiences, Moet & Chandon for the a la carte dining experiences at The TRADITIONS – Peking as well at THE TRADITIONS – IndoCeylon, and Tattinger Brut for the exotic underwater dining at M6m

Malt Whiskies – 18+ as well as award-winning wine labels from around the world!