About this hotel
General information
Baros Maldives occupies Baros, a small round coral island in North Malé Atoll, ringed by a sandy beach and thickly planted at its centre, tended like a miniature botanical garden. One of the first resorts in the Maldives, it keeps its villas, built of timber and sandstone, either under the trees at the water’s edge or on stilts above the lagoon. The resort is a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World.
The island is shaped above all for couples: children are welcome from the age of eight, there is no traffic and little noise, and drones are banned. A team of around 300, most of them Maldivian, looks after guests, each villa has its own host, and a nurse and doctor are on hand. The Maldivian Lounge holds a small collection of antique maps and Maldivian artefacts, while the resort’s landmark is The Lighthouse, a restaurant over the lagoon beneath a white, sail-shaped roof.
Location
Baros lies in the southern reaches of North Malé Atoll, the same atoll as Velana International Airport, so no seaplane is needed. The speedboat from the airport island takes 25 minutes and runs on request at any hour of the day or night; a resort representative meets guests as soon as they land.
Spa
Serenity Spa is tucked among the trees at the heart of the island. It has four private suites for couples’ treatments, each with two changing rooms and a steam bath and, outside, a relaxation area with a rain shower and a bathtub in the garden. There is also a manicure and pedicure suite, a relaxation sala, a Thai sala, a spa boutique and an air-conditioned yoga pavilion. Rituals blend old Asian practices with present-day techniques: massages use Aromatherapy Associates oils and facials Natura Bissé, and treatments can be taken in the villa. A resident yoga teacher leads yoga and meditation on the villa deck, on The Lighthouse deck, on the Piano Deck or on a sandbank at sunrise and sunset; the morning class on The Lighthouse deck is free.
Sports & leisure
Divers Baros Maldives is one of the archipelago’s original dive centres, holds PADI Five Star Gold Palm status and was the first in the Maldives to be certified as an eco dive centre by Reef Check. Groups are kept small, dives are tailored to each diver and fluorescent night dives are a speciality. Some 30 dive sites and an old wreck lie within 50 minutes by speedboat, and the house reef, with turtles, reef sharks, rays and moray eels, begins just 20 metres from the shore.
- snorkelling: guided house-reef tours with the marine team, fish-identification sessions with the marine biologist, boat trips to nearby reefs, night snorkelling and private lessons for beginners; masks and fins are free for the whole stay
- water sports: stand-up paddleboards, transparent kayaks, windsurfing and catamarans
- boat trips: full days out in search of dolphins or whale sharks, fishing, sunset cruises and visits to the capital, Malé; the resort’s own Maldivian dhoni, Nooma, with a sundeck, a saloon and an air-conditioned bedroom, and a private yacht for charter
- coral regeneration: guests can sponsor a coral frame and follow its growth from home, and the marine biologist runs educational sessions
- a 24-hour gym, a library with a pool table, table tennis, games, open-air cinema and a boutique; local bands play on selected evenings
Restaurants & bars
The island has three restaurants and two bars. Stays are offered on bed and breakfast, half board or Half Board Dine Around, which spreads dinners across the restaurants; there is no all-inclusive option.
- Lime Restaurant — the main restaurant by the lagoon, indoors or on the deck: a breakfast buffet with seafood, Maldivian curries and Asian dishes, curries, salads and pizza at lunch, international and Maldivian cooking at dinner
- Cayenne Grill — an open-sided thatched pavilion over the lagoon serving meat, fish, poultry and vegetables from the grill, with a separate teppanyaki menu; one evening a week is given to Maldivian food and another to a seafood market
- The Lighthouse Restaurant — on stilts over the lagoon beneath its white sail: local seafood, steaks and tasting menus, with wines chosen by the sommelier
- The Lighthouse Lounge — a deck under the same sail-like roof for sunset cocktails and canapés, with a live band in the evening
- Sails Bar — a bar among the palms with hammocks and loungers, serving light lunches, snacks and cocktails
Beyond the restaurants, meals are set up on the Piano Deck, a timber platform out in the lagoon with its own chef and waiter, on a secluded sandbank, aboard the dhoni Nooma on an evening cruise, on the beach or beneath the trees; in-villa dining runs around the clock.
Swimming
A sandy beach runs right round the island, and the house reef is only a few strokes offshore. Beach villas open straight onto the sand with their own loungers, while steps lead from the overwater decks into the lagoon. A shared infinity pool stands over the lagoon, with drinks and cocktails served on its deck, and several villa types have pools of their own.
Rooms
The villas are built of timber and sandstone, some on the beach beneath the tropical canopy, others on stilts above the lagoon. There are eight categories, from garden beach villas to a two-bedroom retreat with a pool, and every one comes with a 24-hour butler.
Each villa has a bathtub and separate shower, an outdoor garden shower, air conditioning and a ceiling fan, a TV, an in-villa bar and wine chiller, an espresso machine and kettle, a safe, a pillow menu, yoga mats, bathrobes, a beach bag, beach loungers and free Wi-Fi.
Deluxe Beach Villa
A beach villa shaded by the tropical canopy, with a covered veranda a few steps from the lagoon and a king-size bed. Behind it, a sandstone-walled garden holds loungers, an open-air bathroom with a free-standing tub and an outdoor shower; up to 3 guests.
Baros Villa
A beachfront villa with a timber deck, daybed and sitting area, a four-poster king-size bed and a sandstone-walled flower garden. On the sand by the water are its own loungers under a thatched parasol; up to 3 guests.
Water Villa
A villa on stilts above the lagoon with a wide timber deck, a canopied four-poster daybed, an outdoor dining table and loungers. Steps lead from the deck straight into the lagoon; up to 3 guests.
Baros Pool Villa
A beach villa with a garden and a private 4 × 2.4 m infinity pool shaded by trees. The deck has a canopied daybed, loungers and a teak dining table, and a path leads to the beach; up to 3 guests.
Water Pool Villa
An overwater villa with teak floors, a spacious deck with a daybed and a private 6.6 × 3.6 m pool. Steps run from the deck down into the lagoon and the house reef; up to 3 guests.
Baros Suite with Private Pool
A suite in a secluded tropical glade on the eastern shore, with an infinity pool, a hot and cold jacuzzi and a thatched gazebo with a swinging sofa. A separate lounge with a TV, a bedroom with a king-size bed and a reading nook, and a partly open-air bathroom with a garden; direct beach access, up to 3 guests.
Baros Residence with Private Pool
The island’s only residence, with its own stretch of beach and a wide deck, a separate bedroom and living room, and a large bathroom with a free-standing tub and indoor and outdoor showers. A walled garden courtyard holds a 21 m² infinity pool; up to 3 guests.
Two-bedroom Baros Retreat with Private Pool
A two-bedroom beach villa set in a tropical garden: a master bedroom with a king-size bed, a second with two twin beds, and a spacious living and dining area. The deck has a 56.7 m² pool, a swing, loungers and an outdoor dining table; up to 6 guests.
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.