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Written by Luxury Escapes
Whether you’re after maximum family fun, something photographic and design-led or somewhere to simply cool your toes with a drink in hand, the Maldives has a pool for that.
Many luxurious, all-inclusive resorts have overwater villas and beachfront suites with private pools for plunging or swimming. Here’s our pick of the best.
It’s easier to get to the Maldives than ever with our direct charter from Melbourne to Malé.
Soneva Jani: the treehouse-style slide pool
A Two Bedroom Water Retreat with Slide at Soneva Jani. Source: supplied.
The villas at Soneva Jani offer the crown jewels of pools: most have waterslides sweeping straight into the turquoise lagoon, promising endless hours of fun for the young and the young-at-heart alike.
If you think these slides look good, you should check out the resort’s epic two-storey kids’ club, The Den. Soneva Jani is one of the Maldives’ best-known and exclusive resorts for good reason (not just because Gwyneth Paltrow honeymooned here): aside from offering next-level, discreet luxury, it’s truly secluded with access to castaway-style deserted islets, plus features an overwater cinema and observatory, cheese and charcuterie rooms, and villas with retractable roofs so you can sleep under the stars.
Patina Maldives: the design-led pool
An overwater villa and the Beach House pool at Patina Maldives. Source: supplied.
While the eco-friendly Patina Maldives, a 45-minute speedboat ride from Malé in the Fari Islands archipelago, boasts the quintessential white sand beaches and turquoise ocean views that the Maldives is renowned for, it has a distinctive style signature all of its own. Architectural villas and bespoke art installations across the island result in a true feast for the eyes.
This dedication to design continues to the sleek, modern pools that are found across all the beachside or overwater villas (with the exception of the Fari Studios). In a step change from the traditional thatched Maldivian villas, the stone-edged pools at Patina Maldives feel like an extension of the villas’ sleek, contemporary architecture, masterminded by Brazilian designer Marcio Kogan of Studio MK27. The earthy tones and natural wood of the achingly photogenic decking areas add a new level of serenity to outdoor lounging.
The most impressive of all is the 21-metre beauty within the grounds of the two-storey Beach House, whose waters seem to blend into the ocean on the horizon.
Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa: the pool with sunken loungers
Overwater Sunset Pool Villa at Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa. Source: supplied.
Is there any better way to cool off under the Maldivian sun than on your own sunken lounger in the pool?Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa thinks not, as each of its Overwater Sunset Pool Villas offers this very luxury. From the lavender-toned daybreak to the apricot-tinged sunset, admire the views of the horizon and the occasional passing boat with an icy drink in one hand and a novel in the other.
Dreamily remote, this luxurious resort offers signature Park Hyatt luxury together with truly unique experiences. As one of the closest resorts to the equator, here you can swim across two hemispheres. Go night snorkelling, feast on dishes from the island’s organic garden at Chef’s Garden Treehouse or learn from the in-residence marine biologist.
LUX* South Ari Atoll: the pool with a bird’s nest swing
The blissful LUX* South Ari Atoll Resort is located in the South Ari Atoll Marine and Nature Reserve on Dhidhdhoofinolhu Island, a 25-minute seaplane flight from Malé. Overwater and beachside villas with large, light-filled spaces bring the outside world in, with huge bathtubs or jacuzzis, large decks or terraces and direct access to the water or beach. Some options also have a private infinity pool surrounded by a deck and either comfy day beds or bird’s nest swings: there’s no better place to enjoy a good book or take a mid-afternoon nap.
The added draw of this resort is its marine environment. As the only site in the world where whale sharks aggregate year-round, you can discover these fascinating creatures together with a marine biologist on a traditional wooden Dhoni boat. After exploring, visit the spa – one of only three, four-star-rated Forbes spas in the Maldives. And did we mention there’s an ice cream tricycle that roams the island, too?
Soneva Fushi: the water slide pool
The dreamy Soneva Fushi is located on the calm and picturesque Kunfunadhoo Island, a 25-minute seaplane flight from Malé. This sumptuous resort is luxury all the way while simultaneously boasting a distinct Robinson Crusoe style. In fact, some of the resort’s villas are even named after the famed Daniel Defoe character.
Soneva’s next-level villas include overwater, beachfront or jungle hideaway options, all designed in a traditional village style. Each feature sun-soaked terraces, outdoor bathrooms and spacious layouts, but best of all, each include a private infinity pool. Some of the overwater villas also have waterslides straight into the ocean below.
This is just one reason to stay: there’s the Flying Sauces restaurant (reachable by ziplining through the treetops), stargazing in the observatory, manta ray night dives and, like Soneva Jani, an epic kids’ clubhouse, The Den.
*Subject to government and regulatory approval.
