Rebecca Ellwood always dreamed of travelling to the Maldives, she just never thought she’d do it solo. But at Hideaway Beach Resort & Spa she discovered that, for a relaxing, enriching and bucket-list ticking island getaway, it doesn’t always take two.
It’s a bold move to travel to the most romantic resort in the honeymoon capital of the world, alone. At least, that’s what I was told as I set off for Hideaway Resort & Spa in the Maldives.
After packing a refreshingly low-key holiday wardrobe (I only have myself to impress, after all), I’m en route from Melbourne. The clues are evident even at Singapore Changi Airport: like animals heading for Noah’s Ark, couples line up two-by-two, ready to board the Malé flight. And then there’s me.
Named the Maldives’ Leading Honeymoon Resort 2023 in the World Travel Awards, Hideaway is one of the archipelago’s more remote resorts, reachable from Malé by a one-hour domestic flight and a 30-minute speedboat ride.
As we zip to the resort across the Indian Ocean, it seems even the sky is designed for lovers with its watercolour like strokes of candy pink and lavender. I notice a couple onboard attempting a selfie and offer to capture the shot for them; they gratefully accept.
Within 30 minutes, the resort’s jetty appears, all twinkling lights and welcoming faces in the darkness. It’s immediately clear the attentive touches here are what makes this resort stand out. The reception area smells heavenly (lemongrass fragrance, I later learn); the check-in process is swift and fuss-free. Within moments, I’m on a buggy en route to my accommodation, the balmy breeze in my hair.
The Deluxe Water Villa with Pool is a love shack. Inside is a two-person jetted spa bath with ocean views, a
huge rain shower, twin sinks and a bed big enough to avert matrimonial tiffs. The private infinity pool on the outdoor deck has an inset bench for gazing over the lagoon together at sunset. Except I have the place all to myself. I feel like Kevin McAllister in Home Alone 2 when he checks in solo at The Plaza: giddy with excitement.
Hideaway Resort & Spa
This is five-star bliss at its very finest – from vast villas with your slice of private beachfront to a personal butler and serving fresh seafood, cocktails and one of the largest whisky and fine champagne collections in the Maldives. Two beautiful infinity pools beckon, while the sparkling lagoon is never more than a few steps away. Toes-in-the-sand buffet dining is found at Matheefaru, along with fine dining at two a la carte restaurants, and casual beachside bars.
Chicken soup for the sole
Dhonakulhi is one of the larger islands in the Maldives at 1.5km from end to end and is predominantly jungle. “Hideaway” seems to be the most appropriate of names for the resort: private entrances to villas are barely visible behind feathery palm fronds and jewel-toned flowers, dewy from last night’s rain showers. As I cycle around, my only company is the iridescent dragonflies that hover alongside me and the geckos that scamper into the foliage.
Love is all around me. Heart-shaped wooden signs are staked in the ground with names and dates of weddings, honeymoons and anniversaries etched onto each one. They mark the spot where a sapling is planted. Returning guests (and there are plenty of them) can revisit their tree each year to see it blossom. There is even a bridalwear boutique.
After a couple of me-time evenings, I’m keen to get a taste of traditional Maldivian culture at Meeru Bar & Grill’s Boduberu drumming show. It’s pure joy: locals dancing barefoot to the beat in a centuries old tradition. Before I know it, the hand of a friendly staff member extends ushering me into the fray and together we dance to the drums’ beat. I may be here solo, but I’m far from alone. Hideaway has so many activities and experiences to get stuck into.
A state-of-the-art X-Golf simulator is surprisingly entertaining even for a non-golfer, with an in-house pro on-hand to hone your technique. Sports courts, a brand-new fitness centre, a spa, yoga, meditation, and
endless experiences from night snorkelling to dhoni boat cruises can fill every moment. The flames of romance are stoked with sandbank dinners, sunset cruises and chillout sessions on a HamacLand (a private floating pod on the lagoon dressed with flowers).
I treat myself to a Hideaway Spa treatment where I’m given a deliciously firm, 90-minute massage. I briefly notice the room is laid out for two, before drifting away on a cloud to nothing-will-ever-matter-again-ville. My final culinary experience is at the Asian-fusion fine dining restaurant, Samsara. As I cross the jetty, the sound of the ocean gently lapping is a prelude to what is honestly the most romantic dinner of my life.
The glittering, Moroccan-inspired interior opens onto an overwater deck, where candlelit tables glow beneath the stars. Delicate seafood tempura is dotted with edible flowers, I am treated to the most outrageously indulgent butter chicken curry of my life (and this British curry aficionado has sampled a few), and it concludes spectacularly with a refreshing pistachio kulfi scented with cardamom.
As lightning illuminates the far horizon, it seems even Mother Nature is putting on a show. It’s perfectly peaceful, with the only sound, aside from the surf breaking on the reef, the quiet clink of champagne glasses at the table beside me.
As I reflect on the last five nights, I realise I shouldn’t have denied myself this experience for a second. I feel serene, revived, ready to go forth to take any opportunity that comes my way – regardless of whether or not I have company to enjoy it with.
This article was originally featured in the latest issue of Dream by Luxury Escapes magazine. Get your copy here.
