The Luxe List 2012, Maldives: Viceroy Maldives Resort & Spa, Vagaru Island


The only resort in the Maldives’ northern Shaviyani Atoll provides the ideal setting in which to decompress, whether that means lounging with a glass of wine by your plunge pool or snorkeling alongside the bannerfish, fusiliers, rays, and turtles that inhabit the pristine house reef. Starting at 120 square meters, the viceroy’s 61 Yabu Pushelberg–designed beach and water villas are havens of white-on-white and polished woods with their own pools, Mac Mini entertainment systems, and soaring thatched roofs shaped to resemble the upturned hull of a dhoni, the Maldives’ traditional fishing boat.

Guests can toast the sunset on the cushy outdoor day beds at the Treehouse—one of the seven-hectare island’s four restaurants—where Middle Eastern standouts include grilled marinated fish and luscious lamb chops; or opt for candle-lit Italian meals in the soon-to-open Cerchio. Sunrise and sunset yoga classes will help you unwind, as will the treatments at the overwater spa, which emphasizes holistic and Ayurvedic healing. Grown-ups will appreciate the impressive array of magazines and coffee table books in the resort’s glass-walled library, while a beanbag-strewn kid’s club offers such diversions as finger painting and tattoo making.

960/654-5000; viceroyhotelsandresorts.com; doubles from US$1,080.

See more from The Luxe List 2012.

Registered users of DestinAsian.com can also enjoy a free copy of ‘The Luxe List, 2007-2012: Six Years of Excellence.’ (Click to register—it’s free. Registered users, click to download.)

Tweet DestinAsian Luxe List 2012

Share this Article

Related Posts

Anantara Bophut Koh Samui Introduces New Pool Suites

Holidaymakers can look forward to extra space and lazy days spent on sun loungers beside their own p...

Hyatt Debuts Two Hotels in North India

The group now has an outpost in the state of Uttarakhand, along with Delhi’s first Hyatt Centric.

Four Seasons Sets Its Sights on Taiwan

An ultra-luxe retreat will soon rise just across the avenue from Taipei’s landmark supertall skysc...

Mandarin Oriental Palace, Luzern Confirms September Debut

A revamp of a lakefront grande dame hotel in one of Switzerland’s most alluring cities is nearing ...

Six Senses is Planning a Resort Down Under

Slated to debut in mid-2025, the eco-luxe property will be centered on a heritage-listed country hom...

The Ritz-Carlton Teams Up with Diptyque

One of Marriott’s top-tier brands has chosen the Paris-based company as its exclusive bath amenity...