About this hotel
General information
Amilla Maldives occupies an island in Baa Atoll, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The island runs 1.2 km by 800 m, yet holds only 67 villas and residences, so most of it is still untouched jungle of old banyan trees, where rare birds nest, ringed by white beaches and hidden coves. The resort belongs to the Considerate Collection of Small Luxury Hotels of the World and is EarthCheck Gold certified.
The emphasis is on space, nature and flexibility: every villa has its own pool, and each guest is looked after by a personal host known as a Katheeb. The island grows its own bananas, hydroponic greens and mushrooms, presses its own coconut oil and bottles its own drinking water. The resort is adapted for wheelchair users and for guests with hearing or sight impairments, with staff trained accordingly. The mood is relaxed, with a resort-casual dress code, a doctor on call around the clock and no drones over guest areas.
Location
The resort sits in Baa Atoll, within the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. From Velana International Airport in Malé it is a 35-minute seaplane flight, shared or by private charter, with arrivals welcomed in the resort’s own lounge at the seaplane terminal. Seaplanes fly in daylight only, so later arrivals take a domestic flight of about 20 minutes to Dharavandhoo Airport and a 10-minute speedboat ride. Moorings are available for private yachts. Hanifaru Bay is 15 minutes away by speedboat, about 8 km.
Spa
Javvu Spa is set in the jungle, with ten treatment pods where Eastern and Western techniques meet Dhivehi Beys, the traditional Maldivian herbal medicine, using plants from the island’s gardens. The menu covers Balinese, Thai and hot-stone massage, body rituals and facials, light, sound and vibration sessions in the Sensora room, and an Alchemy Bar that turns island plants into soaps, scrubs and balms. The Tranquillity Pool on the ocean’s edge, steam room, sauna, meditation labyrinth and movement pavilion are free for guests. There is a beauty salon with nail studio and a children’s spa menu. Tailored wellbeing programmes of three to five or seven days include dietary guidance, and visiting practitioners join the team from time to time.
Sports & leisure
Life here turns towards the ocean: snorkelling on the house reef is free, gear included, and the wider atoll is explored with the resort’s dive partner, Dive Butler International.
- Hanifaru Bay, 15 minutes by speedboat: in season manta rays gather here in large numbers, with the occasional whale shark; snorkelling only, as scuba diving is not permitted in the bay
- snorkelling: the house reef with its own blue hole, night snorkelling, a snorkelling safari and coral gardens
- scuba diving at the many well-known sites of the atoll
- free non-motorised sports: stand-up paddleboards, windsurfing, kayaks
- motorised water sports: wakeboarding, Seabob, jetpack and towed inflatables
- sunset cruises with spinner and bottlenose dolphins, traditional Maldivian line fishing, night and big-game fishing, sandbank picnics and a trip to two local islands
- floodlit tennis courts with a resident coach, pickleball, badminton, table tennis, a large football pitch, giant chess and bocce
- three gyms, including a zero-carbon outdoor gym beneath a banyan tree, daily yoga and a 3 km running and cycling loop around the island under the jungle canopy
- The Clay Studio for pottery, private open-air cinema, glamping, the Bluejay photo studio and a boutique
For children
The complimentary Kids Club takes children aged 4–12; younger ones come with a parent or a babysitter. It is a fenced open-air playground with a splash area and sun canopy, running a daily programme for young explorers, makers and athletes, from bikes, snorkelling and selected water sports to tennis, badminton and the PADI Bubblemaker course. Safety Turtle wristbands add water security for toddlers. Babysitting is available on request, and the spa has its own children’s menu.
Restaurants & bars
The island’s kitchens range widely, and much of the produce is grown on site; every restaurant offers menus for vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free, keto and paleo diets. Plans run from breakfast to half and full board or the Dine Around All Inclusive plan with drinks and minibar, all valid across the restaurants, and in-villa dining is available around the clock.
- Feeling Koi — Japanese cuisine, sushi and sashimi on an overwater deck
- Barolo — Italian cooking: homemade pasta, grills and vegetables from the organic garden
- Tessera — Arabian-inspired dishes for sharing, gently spiced
- East — flavours of Asia, from the Indian tandoor to Chinese and Thai dishes
- pizzeria — crisp pizzas made to order with fresh herbs
- Fresh — à la carte breakfasts
- The Emperor Beach Club — light meals and cocktails on the sand by the beach volleyball court
- Sunset Bar — champagne, a broad gin list with house-made tonic and live entertainment at dusk
- Baa Bar — beach bar with cocktails infused with island-grown ingredients and a DJ at golden hour
- The Cellar Door — wine cellar with thousands of Old and New World labels and private tastings
- Mystique Garden — dishes built on the organic garden’s harvest, with workshops and foraging
Beyond the restaurants there are sandbank picnics, private dinners or sunrise breakfasts in secluded corners of the island, and guided foraging walks for the island’s edible plants.
Swimming
White sand beaches and quiet coves ring the island, and the house reef lies within paddling distance of the shore. Treetop villa guests have their own stretch of beach. There is a main resort pool, the Tranquillity Pool by the spa, and nearly every villa has its own. A safety briefing is given before the first swim; there are no lifeguards, so swimming at night is not allowed.
Rooms
The island has 59 villas from 220 m², on the beach, over the lagoon, above the reef and up in the jungle canopy, each with a living room and private pool, plus eight residences for larger families and groups, with kitchens, pools and private beaches.
Each villa has a personal Katheeb, a wine cellar and minibar, a Bose sound system, satellite TV, free Wi-Fi, complimentary water and teas, a Nespresso machine, a bathtub for two and outdoor shower, beach essentials and a yoga mat, organic bath products and personalised bicycles.
Water Pool Villa
Overwater villa with a king bed and sofa bed, a bathtub for two and an outdoor rain shower. The deck holds a 7.2 m infinity pool, an overwater hammock and a dining area, with steps straight into the lagoon; sleeps two adults and a child.
Lagoon Pool Villa
Villa on the lagoon’s edge with a king bed facing a wall of glass, a separate living room and a bathtub for two. The veranda combines a 4.7 m infinity pool, an open-air lounge, an overwater hammock and an outdoor shower; up to three adults.
Reef Water Pool Villa
Villa set right over the reef, with steps from a deck with 4.7 m pool and daybed down to the coral. King bed, separate indoor lounge and open-air living area; adapted for guests with reduced mobility, up to three adults.
Beach Pool Villa
Beach villa reached along a tropical garden path, with a king bed, a bathtub for two and two outdoor showers. A 9.5 m lap pool flanked by daybeds, an open-air dining pavilion and a garden hammock; two adults and a child.
Two-Bedroom Treetop Pool Villa
Two-bedroom villa raised into the palm canopy by an outside staircase, with a king bed, bunk beds and a glass-walled 7.5 m pool on a secluded balcony overlooking the island. A path leads 20 m to a beach reserved for treetop guests; sleeps six.
Family Water Pool Villa
Two-bedroom overwater villa (one king, two twin beds) with several sundecks above the ocean. Steps lead from the 4.7 m infinity pool down into the lagoon and its reef; sleeps six.
Two-Bedroom Beach Pool Villa
Spacious beach villa with two bedrooms (one king and three single beds), separate bathrooms with tubs for two and two outdoor showers. A 10.3 m pool, sundeck and beach hammock, steps from the house reef entrance; adapted for guests with reduced mobility, up to four adults.
4 Bedroom Beach Residence
One of six two-storey beach residences with similar layouts and individual décor: upstairs a master bedroom with ocean views and balcony plus two en-suite guest rooms, with a fourth bedroom on the ground floor. An 11 m pool, kitchen, games terrace, private beach, buggy and bicycles; up to ten adults.
The Amilla Estate
Six-bedroom residence wrapped around a 20 m pool, with a rooftop bar, cinema room, private gym and spa, study, kitchen with barbecue and games terrace. A secluded beach and sunset views; up to 14 guests.
The Great Beach Residence
The island’s largest residence: eight bedrooms in two wings, two 11 m pools, a private beach and direct lagoon access. Kitchen with barbecue, gym, games terrace and indoor and outdoor living areas; up to 20 adults.
Photos are for illustrative purposes only. Actual room layout, furnishings, décor, views and amenities may differ from those shown and may vary between rooms of the same category. Hotel and room descriptions are based on information provided by the property and are believed to be accurate at the time of publication, but are not guaranteed. The hotel may renovate or change its rooms, facilities, restaurants and services at any time without notice. The final details of your stay are confirmed at the time of booking. See our Terms of Use.