Soneva Gili, Maldives

Live the life of a castaway at Soneva Gili, where you can experience desert island living without missing out on life’s little luxuries!

You’ll need your sea legs just to get here though, as this hotel is only accessible by taking a twenty minute speed boat ride from the international airport at Malé.

On arrival, check-in to one of seven ‘Crusoe Residences’ which stand alone in the Indian Ocean, offering total privacy for you and that special someone. But don’t worry, if cabin fever starts to set in, just hop into your private rowing boat and make the short journey back to shore and civilisation!

Getting Our Feet Wet

As if one luxury resort in the Maldives was not enough, our production team have ’somehow’ managed to find time to visit a second! Soneva Gili is set in and around one of the largest lagoons in the Maldives, and as you can see, guests can enjoy open air bathrooms with nothing between you and the incredible surroundings. Hopefully the team weren’t too camera shy to give it a go.

No Shoes Please

Maruhaba! The Weird & Wonderful crew have touched down in the Maldives to shoot Soneva Fushi – a luxury retreat which rewards all the human senses. We’re pleased to see the team are complying with the hotel’s no shoes policy, just be careful not to get any sand in that equipment!

Soneva Fushi, Maldives

The Soneva Fushi resort lives by the rule “no news, no shoes” and, at this resort, there are no newsagents or Jimmy Choos in sight! What you can see, however, are the beautiful beaches, luxurious villas and exotic wildlife that will make up your holiday experience.

If the beautifully furnished private huts aren’t enough to keep you interested, then the mix of available activities definitely will! Sporty types can try their hand at windsurfing, canoeing, diving or fishing, while, in the open-air cinema, film lovers are able to take in a movie without forfeiting the sunshine. Or wind down by taking part in a relaxing yoga session or staring at the stars through the resort’s own celestial observatory.

To top the resort off, there is also a selection of mind-blowing bars and restaurants, including the Fresh in the Garden organic restaurant and the Wine Cellar that holds 7000 bottles! All this and you don’t even have to pack any shoes!

Rangali Island, Maldives

Rangali Island puts the “wonderful” into Weird & Wonderful Hotels.

Those lucky enough to stay here, never want to leave, which is probably why it was twice voted the “Best Hotel in the World”!

After flying over the lagoon on a seaplane (that’s right, seaplane!), you’ll step on to one of the twin islands’ white sandy beaches and head to your private villa.  From here you could choose to dine in the world’s first all-glass, undersea restaurant, pamper yourself with a luxury spa treatment, or get friendly with the fishes on a PADI diving course.

If this wasn’t luxurious enough, then why not pay the extra and have a private butler, glass-floored living room, rotating bed, and personal jet boat?  Or is that just showing off?