There’s a whole load of blues featured below (the good kind!).
I’ve just visited 10 of the Maldives top hotels on a 7-day trip.
It's not been easy, but below you'll see a roundup of the best of the best for snorkelling, breakfast, couples, families...and more, keep reading.
Have a read of my Maldives “how-to” guide too.
Best breakfast
One & Only Reethi Rah A breakfast spread of dreams including a varied buffet, a la carte menu, superfoods bar, cheese room, as well as all the brekkie classics.
Best for families
Four Seasons Landaa Giraavaru All things family have been thought about here, from Family Villas to pioneering kids activities, lagoon-diving courses, interactive conservation opportunities and thoughtful amenities.
Best for the little things
One & Only Reethi Rah The feeling of not having to pick up the phone to ask concierge for a single thing is one I rarely come by but Reethi Rah got it spot on. Ladies, we're talking dressing tables with a mini fridge for your cosmetics - in that hot weather, it's needed, right?
Best for sustainability
Gili Lankanfushi Built from sustainable materials, all bath products are organic and you definitely won't find any plastic here. Their "Paddle Against Plastic" project is raising awareness and educating others.
Best spa
Four Seasons Landaa Giraavaru Naturally, there's a beautiful spa but it's the Ayurvedic programs with Dr Shylesh that steal the show: a week here will do you wonders.
Best house reef
Anantara Kihavah Villas Flying in, keep your eyes peeled for Manta Rays in this atoll. From the house reef, you'll find an array of fish alongside turtles, rays and reef sharks. Get out further and you have some of the best dive sites on your doorstep.
Best for surfing
Four Seasons Kuda Huraa With Tropicsurf in-house, all levels of surfer are looked after here. The waves are truly world class and the variety is astonishing.
New opening
The Nautilus Keep your eyes peeled for this one, opening at the start of 2019. They will welcome families and couples in a range of 26 water and beach villas. The style is beautiful and in their words "a bohemian hideaway".
Best room/villa
Gili Lankanfushi All villas are over water and huge! The open air Lagoon Villas give you a range of options to enjoy life on the water: sundeck, rooftop, bathtub or your hammock!
Best dinner (and choice of restaurants)
One & Only Reethi Rah Their Japanese restaurant, Tapasake was the spot for my favourite dinner but you need at least a week here to try all the dining options.
Best for couples
Milaidhoo This is the place to while away time with your partner. You feel a million miles from everything, including other guests with such private villas. They do accept children over 9 but it's best for a romantic getaway.
The favourite
Milaidhoo This was a VERY tough decision as there were elements of every island that I liked. However, it was the feeling when arriving at Milaidhoo that stuck with me the most along with the personal service and privacy of this small island.
Maldives "how-to"?
When it comes to the Maldives, white sands and crystal clear waters are what springs to mind for most. However, when it comes to the hotel, they all differ so much and finding what's right for you is incredibly important. I'm here to help with that and will always check the following when it comes to choosing hotel options for a client.
Location Seaplane, speedboat or even domestic flight? Dependant on the location of the hotel, you get there in different ways. For the hotels closer to Male Airport, a speedboat will whisk you away on arrival. For those a little further, you'll have the fun of experiencing a seaplane and the hotel will set you up in their lounge until your flight is ready to go. There are pros to both and if you're on a twin-centre itinerary it's nice to combine the two. Style Barefoot luxury, dress up for dinner, or something in between? Who's going? The big one - you want the hotel to suit who you're with - some hotels are adult only or don't really have a kid-friendly setup, some are dedicated to welcoming families and some offer a great mixture for all. Villa type Overwater or on the beach?
Activities What is important for you to be able to do whilst you're there? Spa, a great house reef, golf, diving, surfing, yoga, tennis, football, windsurfing, paddleboarding, wakeboarding, kiteboarding, fishing, yacht charters ...you get the idea. Board type Half board, full board, all inclusive? It's important to understand what's included in each of these as it differs hotel-to-hotel.
Paper Plane receives payment direct from hotels and partners so there's no fee to book, and a guarantee that you won't pay over the published price.
Destinations - worldwide
Paper Plane can create itineraries for any destination using instinct and experience (an 'eye' for the right thing); weekend breaks, long-haul holidays, villa holidays, weddings, honeymoons, babymoons, family holidays, group holidays, health retreats & business travel.
Trust - multiple trusted partners
Paper Plane has relationships with multiple trusted partners sothe recommendations provided don't come from just one collection of hotels, which gives me the freedom to make you the only priority.
Service - the extra touches
Flights, hotels and transfers are booked as a given but Paper Plane believes it's the extra touches that mean the most to any trip so can happily assist with tours, restaurants, activities and any personal requests.
