Maldives trip diary: Hideaway Beach Resort & Spa by travel specialist

June 7, 2018

Jo recently spent a week in the Maldives, splitting her time between Lily Beach Resort & Spa and Hideaway Beach Resort & Spa. Both are resorts that she had previously visited, but she was looking forward to finding out what was new on these large islands!

Click here to read a review of the first part of Jo’s trip where she stayed at Lily Beach Resort & Spa, or read below to find out about her two night stay at Hideaway Beach Resort & Spa!

Hideaway Beach Resort & Spa

“Following four nights at Lily Beach Resort & Spa we travelled back to Male then caught a domestic flight followed by a speedboat to Hideaway Beach Resort.”

The Island

“My first impressions of the resort were fantastic thanks to the typical Maldivian welcome – as we stepped off the boat we were greeted with tropical flower gardens, while the bed of my Beach Villa was decorated with a beautiful flower setup.

Accommodation is extremely spacious, offering huge bedroom areas and oversized bathrooms. Sandy paths through the gardens lead to the Beach Villas and Residences, which are hidden away amid tropical foliage with unspoilt, natural stretches of sand overlooking the lagoon.

The Water Villas are simply beautiful, offering spectacular views from the bedroom, bathroom and deck where the swimming pool is found.

The island is huge with plenty of privacy and personal space, ensuring a peaceful feel even when the resort’s occupancy is very high. The majority of the resort’s facilities are found in the central part of the island, with the Beach Villas lining the shore either side. Guests can explore the island by bicycle, finding secluded spots on the beach to relax.

With spacious accommodation options, a kids club, plenty of space to play across the island and a variety of activities for families to enjoy together, I think Hideaway would be an excellent choice for a family holiday.

The family-friendly pool area is a relaxing spot near the main facilities, while the infinity pool at the chilled out Sunset Pool Café is a beautiful place to cool off on the island’s southern tip – friendly staff are on hand to mix an afternoon cocktail and even float fruit platters out in the pool.”

DINING

“Dining at Hideaway Beach Resort is excellent, with lunch and dinner menus featuring plenty of fresh fish, sushi and delicious salads.

We enjoyed a delicious 7 course taster menu at Meeru Bar & Grill, a light and airy restaurant with views over the beautiful pool area and out to sea, while Samsara is another superb dining option serving Asian fusion in a beautiful setting perched on stilts above the lagoon.

Breakfast is served at Matheefaru Restaurant, where guests can choose to eat indoors or outdoors on a deck over the water. The choice was outstanding, with a buffet featuring everything from delicious homemade breads, pastries and doughnuts to freshly-cooked eggs and typical Maldivian dishes. ”

Activities

“Hideaway Beach Resort has superb facilities that allow guests to stay active, including a sports complex with tennis courts, a small football pitch and half-basketball court. Numerous water sports are also available, including jet skiing and wakeboarding which take place away from the island so as not to disturb other guests.

There are superb snorkelling opportunities around the island – the waters surrounding Matheefaru Restaurant are teeming with colourful fish so I took the opportunity to have a quick early morning dip before breakfast!

As a snorkelling fanatic, I was delighted to also be able to have a go at something I’d never had the chance to do before – night snorkelling. Accompanied by a guide, I sat on a jetty after the sun had set and waited until it was pitch black before jumping into the lagoon, a very strange feeling. The water was completely dark with the only light coming from a torch on my hand – I spotted an octopus, moray eel, plenty of tropical fish and a stingray! It was interesting to see fish behaving differently by night – a parrot fish simply sat and watched me, while a stingray came up from the deep and hovered below me. An incredible experience!

Those who prefer not to get wet can also spot stingrays from the beach around Sunset Pool Café –wade into the water or sit on the deck and watch the rays and reef sharks that swim in the shallows in the evening.

A number of excursions are available at Hideaway Resort – a visit to nearby Utheemu Island offers an insight into Maldivian life, allowing visitors to visit the beautiful mosque, find out more about the island’s history and meet local people.
A sunset cruise offers an opportunity to spot dolphins – we were lucky enough to see some – while relaxing on a comfortable cushioned deck with bubbly and fruit platters. A lovely way to spend a few hours before dinner!

After two nights at Hideaway Beach Resort it was time to leave the Maldives, ending my trip with a speedboat ride to a local airport then a domestic flight back to Male to catch the international flight back to the UK.”