Vilamendhoo Island Resort & Spa

Owned by the Maldivian hospitality family, Crown and Champa, this luxury resort is many travelers' idea of a tropical island escape. Situated on its own private island, and accessible by sea plane and speed boat, the atmosphere begs for superlatives. At its core, though, this is a laid-back, simple resort that uses its surroundings to great effect. There is plenty of space to relax throughout the hotel, so even at high capacity the resort doesn't feel cramped. Overall the decor is colorful and cheery, with simple-but-sophisticated stained wood furniture, contemporary wicker seating, and bright pops of color in fabrics throughout. Most of the buildings are breezy, with an open-air design and sand floors. It's not uncommon to spot people in the dining rooms without shoes. The hotel gives equal consideration to both families and couples, and is for the most part divided into two sections: adults-only and all ages. Many of the resort's shared features like the lobby, internet cafe, shops, and game room are located in the central area of the island. The resort is an ideal place to come and relax with all the comforts of a luxury property, but none of the pretense or fuss.

Located on a small, private island in the Maldives' South Ari Atoll, Vilamendhoo is surrounded by the sea and a beautiful reef. The island is also home to long stretches of white sand beach, and is a 25-minute seaplane journey from Male. The flight passes over multiple uninhabited islands and resort islands along the way before landing on an ocean jetty where guests then deplane and board a small speedboat for a short ride to the resort.

Picking your room at Vilamendhoo not only determines your digs and view, but where you eat and whether or not you'll be surrounded by only adults or families with kids. Jacuzzi Beach Villas and Jacuzzi Water Villas are adults-only (and so is their dedicated main restaurant). The Jacuzzi Water Villas are the top category and the over-water abodes on stilts jutting out the sea call to mind the covers of plenty of travel magazines. These villas offer direct sea access, and have hardwood floors, a private outdoor deck with sun chairs and hot tub, large bedrooms, iPod docking stations, espresso machines, and panoramic ocean views. Decor is handsome and sober, with blacks competing with warm wood tones throughout. Jacuzzi Beach Villas lack the over-water location and a little bit of size, but they are -- as the name implies -- directly on the beach. The views from their wide front terraces through palm trees and mangroves are hard to beat. On the eastern side of the island are the regular Beach Villas and Garden Rooms -- these are the only rooms that allow anyone under the age of 18. Rooms here are essentially the same as Jacuzzi Beach Villas, without the hot tubs, and decor includes light tile floors and brighter textiles. Bathrooms throughout are spacious and clean. Some are fully enclosed, while other are indoor/outdoor. All include walk-in showers with rainfall showerheads and modern sinks and toilets.

While most villas have their own private beach access, there are two small beaches for all hotel guests that have unassigned lounge chairs. Located on opposite ends of the island, palm trees and mangroves rise from the sand. Thanks to the ravenous tides, the public beaches' popularity and overall size varies. The island's reef has 10 channels that guests can "walk" into from shore, and it's not uncommon to see baby black-tipped reef sharks, rays, or the occasional fish swimming in the shallowest of shore waters.

Vilamendhoo has two main restaurants, both with soft sand floors and thatched roofs, serving up buffet breakfasts, lunches, and dinners at assigned tables. The Funayama Restaurant is located in the middle of the island near the lobby, and is for guests staying in the Garden Room and Beach Villas. Ahima Restaurant, an adults-only establishment, is for guests in the Jacuzzi Water Villas and Jacuzzi Beach Villas. This casual-but-classy spot is located on the western end of the island. Both main restaurants serve Sunday brunch with free sparkling wine, have a wide and tasty selection of food (clearly marked for allergies and dietary restrictions), and offer themed cuisine nights. All-inclusive packages are available.

Not included in the all-inclusive package are the optional gourmet-style a la carte restaurants (reservations recommended). The Hot Rock is a small and popular adults-only venue where meals are cooked at the table over a hot rock, while Asian Wok is a teppenyaki-themed restaurant that sits over the water on the easternmost tip of the island. Guests also have the option of room service and private dinners on the beach, for a fee.

A rare treat in the Maldives, Bonthi Bar slings drinks 24/7, so guests can grab a cocktail and a chat, smoke, or some thinking time whenever the mood strikes. This beachside bar has indoor and outdoor seating on wicker chairs. It also hosts movie nights, broadcasts sports games, and has a DJ and dancing on some nights. Sunset Bar, on the west side of the island, provides excellent views as the sun dips down on the horizon. There's also a small library area with magazines
and books. The bar itself has several stools, a full drink menu, and serves up
Carlsberg and Sri Lankan Lion lager on draught. Although much smaller and tamer than the resort's other bars, the Boashi Bar, located next to the the family pool, is a nice spot to grab a drink -- hard or soft -- while swimming with the herons or catching some rays poolside.