Sleek & Chic | Alila Villas Hadahaa, The Maldives

By Dian Hasan | May 29, 2010

The wait is over! The Maldives proudly welcomes another addition to its basket of splendid resort offerings. It seems that new hotel openings out-dazzling each other. It seems that each new hotel brings something different to this atoll paradise.

And different it is! Alila Villas Hadahaa have arrived, the living embodiment of this Singapore-based hospitality company’s motto: “Surprisingly Different”.

As I reported my September 2009 blog post when only pictures of the mock up villa were available, the real Alila – in flesh – is even more striking and stunning than its blueprint. Opulent design with expected tropical touches, with a golden bathroom fixtures and heavy drapes here and there… are nowhere in sight (Amen, to that!). Instead clean lines, that visibly scream “Bauhaus” are infused into the tropical vegetation on the island. While Villas on the water take on a decidedly geometric look.

One of the most striking designs is the capsized boat, with the hull sticking out like some sort of Bedouin cap. This overturned boat houses the resort’s lounge. A apt move from the creative minds of Singapore-based SCDA Architects.

Where time melts away ~ Anantara Dhigu Resort & Spa, The Maldives

Choosing The Maldives as your choice travel destination is the easy part, the greatest challenge is choosing the hotel. The Maldives are home to some of the most exquisite resorts on the planet.

Such the Anantara Dhigu Resort & Spa. Located on the South Male Atoll and is spread over the two islands of Dhigufinolhu and Bodu Huraa. Private villas with an expansive deck or your own stretch of pristine beach.

Sleek & Chic ~ Shangri-La Villingili, The Maldives

At the southernmost point in The Maldives, just below the equator, lies Addu Atoll and, within it, the island of Villingili. That’s where Shangri-La Villingili has opened its newest resort, a 142-villa affair that utilizes the country’s crystal clear waters regardless of where on the island you stay. The coral-laden sea is most obvious from 60 waterfront villas that extend out over a lagoon where hawksbill turtles frolic alongside swimming guests.

Alila Villas Hadahaa, The Maldives ~ where chic & luxe meet green

By Dian Hasan | August 12, 2009

The Alila hotel brand has become synonymous with style and a certain cool across South East Asia. Innovation has become Alila’s driving force, being among the first in the region to offer modern design, Spa, and Organic Dining, long before it was trendy. As it spreads its wings further afield, with the newest Alila Villas Hadahaa, on the Gaafu Alifu Atoll in the Maldives, it brings along new ideas. Raising the bar on eco-luxury. A welcome addition indeed to the Maldives’ staple of luxury-studded hotel scene, as they say “good things come to those who wait”.