About this hotel
General information
LUX* South Ari Atoll occupies the island of Dhidhoofinolhu in South Ari Atoll and belongs to the Mauritius-based LUX* Resorts & Hotels. A white beach runs around the island, and the architecture keeps things light — thatched roofs, whitewashed timber, airy interiors with bursts of colour and plenty of tropical greenery. Guests cycle along the jetty over the lagoon.
There are 180 villas and pavilions on the beach and on stilts above the lagoon, 73 of them with a private pool. The resort sits within the South Ari marine protected area, the only place in the world where whale sharks gather all year round, so snorkelling with them, diving and coral planting are central to a stay. Eight restaurants and five bars, the LUX* Me Spa, the PLAY kids' club and an open-air cinema fill the rest of the day. Meal plans range from bed and breakfast, half board and full board to all-inclusive and a Premium all-inclusive.
Location
Dhidhoofinolhu lies in South Ari Atoll, a 25-minute seaplane flight from Velana International Airport in Malé. The resort team meets guests outside the arrivals hall and takes them to the resort's own LUX* lounge at the airport, where the seaplane transfer begins. The island can also be reached by speedboat, but the crossing takes 3–4 hours depending on the weather, so the resort recommends the seaplane.
Spa
LUX* Me Spa is set among tropical gardens beside the clear lagoon: 15 spa villas, four of them over the water, a sea-view relaxation area, a sauna and hammam, plunge pools, a nail studio, a hair and bridal studio, a boutique and a sea-view yoga grove. The signature Araamu Dhathuru massage uses raw young coconut; the menu also covers scalp diagnostics and OWAY hair treatments, Intraceuticals oxygen facials, reiki, one-to-one consultations and wellness programmes. Spa products are natural and cruelty-free.
Sports & leisure
The five-star PADI dive centre teaches everything from first dives to advanced and specialty courses, with more than 50 dive sites around the island, including the well-known Kuda Rah Thila. Beginners can try virtual-reality dives, and diving lessons start from age 8. The highlight is a whale-shark search aboard a traditional wooden dhoni with the resort's marine biologist; the on-site marine biology centre also runs coral planting and adoption.
- complimentary: snorkelling gear, canoes, kayaks, pedal boats and house-reef snorkelling trips; tennis on two courts, table tennis, pool table, bocce, beach volleyball and football
- for a fee: windsurfing, kitesurfing, waterskiing and wakeboarding, jet skis, parasailing, flyboarding and hoverboarding, stand-up paddleboarding, tube rides, Topcat sailing, sunrise and sunset fishing, private speedboat or dhoni trips, island-hopping and sunset cruises, bicycles
- a fitness centre with Technogym equipment and personal training; vinyasa, ashtanga and hatha yoga, floating yoga, Pilates, functional and circuit training, pranayama and meditation
- open-air cinema on the beach by Senses, themed evenings and performances by local artists, sunset yoga and sound baths aboard a dhoni
For children
The PLAY kids' club welcomes children aged 3–11 daily from 9am to 7pm, with a spacious indoor area for arts and crafts, a library, a toddlers' corner and a mini kitchen, plus a lawn for free play and its own pool. A weekly programme for different ages includes gardening, cooking, swimming, yoga and storytelling. Teenagers have their own daily programme of tennis, snorkelling and coral planting, and families share outdoor film nights and game evenings. LUX* Me Spa has a treatment menu for younger guests, and babysitting is available from age one at a supplement.
Restaurants & bars
The island has eight restaurants and five bars, each offering the plant-based Keen on Green menu, and in-villa dining runs around the clock.
- MIXE — the main restaurant, with a sand floor, serving international cuisine at breakfast and dinner
- Senses — restaurant, bar and lounge at the edge of the seafront infinity pool, with Indian and Middle Eastern fusion at lunch and dinner and cocktails until midnight
- Allegria — Italian cooking from an open kitchen, with sunset dinners
- EAST Market — overwater restaurant serving South-East Asian food in the spirit of Asia's night markets
- EAST Bar — overwater bar, open from early evening until midnight
- Umami — modern Japanese cuisine
- Beach Rouge — beach club and Mediterranean restaurant
- Lagoon Bar — beach bar by reception, facing the sunrise, with a reggae soundtrack
- Veli Pool Bar — poolside drinks and light bites
- Café LUX* — coffee roasted in-house
- ICI — the resort's own ice-cream parlour
- Amaa's Kitchen — a home-style Maldivian dinner beneath a banyan tree, served with local folk tales
Swimming
A white sand beach with loungers rings the island, and the sheltered lagoon, home to reef fish, turtles, rays and mantas, begins right in front of the villas; beach villas open straight onto the sand and overwater villas have steps down into the lagoon. An infinity pool lies beside Senses at the water's edge, with a further pool at Veli Bar and a dedicated pool at the kids' club.
Rooms
180 villas and pavilions in eleven categories, under thatch on the beach or on stilts over the lagoon; 73 have a private pool, and the largest, the LUX* Villa, stands at the very end of the jetty.
Every villa has a king-size bed, air conditioning and a ceiling fan, a bathroom with separate shower and LUX* amenities, bathrobes and slippers, a minibar refilled daily, a coffee machine and tea, daily bottled water, a safe, a hairdryer, satellite TV, a telephone, free Wi-Fi, a furnished terrace and sunloungers.
LUX* Villa
A one-bedroom villa at the very end of the jetty, facing the sunset, with glass-floored living and dining rooms, a terrace with an infinity pool and steps into the ocean, and a round bathtub. A butler, private buggy, bicycles and a selection of wines and spirits are included; sleeps two adults and one child.
Temptation Beach Pool Villa
A whitewashed one-bedroom villa on a secluded stretch of beach, with a separate living area, two bathrooms including a tropical indoor-outdoor one, a sea-view pool and a spacious furnished patio. Sleeps two adults and two children.
Temptation Pool Water Villa
One of three overwater villas designed for couples, with a round bed, a separate living room, a jacuzzi and a deck with an infinity pool, a bird's-nest swing and direct lagoon access, facing the sunrise.
Family Beach Pavilion
Two interconnected thatched beach bungalows with separate entrances: two king bedrooms, two bathrooms with shower and bathtub, and two furnished terraces on the sand. Sleeps up to four adults and two children.
Overwater Infinity Pool Villa
A villa on stilts on the sunrise side, with a deck holding an infinity plunge pool, a sunbed and a bird's-nest swing, steps into the lagoon, and a drop-down projector above the bed with a home-theatre system. Designed for two.
Water Villa
A light-filled overwater villa with a sun deck, steps into the lagoon, a catamaran net above the water, a glass floor panel, a bathtub with a view and a reading nook. Sleeps up to three adults, or two adults and two children.
Beachfront Infinity Pool Villa
A beach bungalow whose secluded garden holds a private infinity pool looking out to sea, with a terrace facing the beach, a tropical indoor-outdoor bathroom with a freestanding tub, a reading nook and direct access to the beach and lagoon. Sleeps up to three adults.
Beach Pool Villa
A bungalow on the island's sunset side, with a private pool and outdoor shower at the back, a tropical indoor-outdoor bathroom with a freestanding tub and a terrace opening onto the beach. Sleeps two adults and one child.
Beach Villa
A thatched beach bungalow with sea views, a furnished terrace, a tropical indoor-outdoor bathroom with a freestanding tub, a reading nook and direct beach access. Sleeps up to three adults.
Family Lagoon Pavilion
A two-bedroom beach pavilion where a shared entrance leads to two separate rooms, each with its own terrace facing the beach, plus a tropical indoor-outdoor bathroom. Sleeps up to four adults and two children.
Beach Pavilion
A thatched beach bungalow with its own furnished terrace and direct access to the sea; two neighbouring pavilions can be connected. Sleeps two adults and one child.
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.