Where natural beauty meets luxury style
Contributed by feature reporter and blogger Jens Hoffmann
Just a 35-minute seaplane flight from the capital, Male you will find the perfect “Robinson Crusoe” Indian Ocean experience, away from the whole world.
The idyllic tropical 6-star hideaway Conrad Maldives on Rangali Island
lies in South Ari Atoll not far away from the equator.
The Republic of the Maldives is an island nation in the Indian Ocean consisting of a double chain of twenty-six atolls. The Conrad resort gives you lifestyle luxury that sets a true benchmark, the perfectly designed water villas and the fantastic beach villas are pure luxury in the Indian ocean. A stay on the two Rangali islands is the perfect place to detox and just enjoy the elegant Conrad location, let’s call it barefoot luxury in an unpretentious style.
The resort offers three different resort experiences on two islands, the typical get-away-from-it-all Maldivian hideaway on tiny Rangali Island while also having access to the facilities of the larger main island which is linked to it by a 500m bridge.
The third resort experience is at the Spa Retreat, an over-water destination spa that operates as a resort-within-a-resort set 100m off the tip of the main island. The Accommodation varies from 7 new family water villas and about 50 romantic water villas on Rangali Island and 79 contemporary beach villas tucked away amongst tropical greenery on the main island to 21 stunning over-water villas at the Spa Retreat. Amazing ocean view baths, Philippe Starck fittings, private sun decks and Bulgari bathroom goodies, it is almost impossible to imagine anything more beautiful. Guests staying in the Deluxe Water Villas will love the Jacuzzi pool on the sun deck, while Premier Water Villas have an additional jacuzzi in the bathroom. Two Sunset Water Villas, meanwhile, stand in a secluded part of the lagoon with private butler, glass-floored living room, rotating bed, pool in the ocean. I checked in at the beachvilla #102, with an fantastic open-air bath, open-air shower and all this in a beautiful private tropical garden. Just amazing.
Perfect relaxation is on hand at the two spa’s of the resort with a wide range of massages, classic, holistic and alternative treatments, I got an amazing naturopathy treatment with Reiki and ear acupuncture. The place is home to manta rays, dolphins, turtles and an extensive coral house reef and its been awarded “The Best Water Villas in the World”, “The Best Suites in the World” and “Best Spa Resort in the Maldives” among other accolades.
The resort is a gourmet’s dream, home to fine dining restaurants such as Ithaa Undersea Restaurant, the only all-glass undersea restaurant in the world. Culinary highlights are Malosoll imperial caviar, Maldivian lobster, kingfish and reef fish tartar. I enjoyed very much the Japanese inspired dishes at Koko Grill together with champagne and lovely white wines. The perfect place for degustation is the wine cellar, wine dinners hosted by the chef and sommelier are always possible, over 20,000 bottles of fine wines, from rare vintages like Petrus to new discoveries ensures that every meal becomes a feast for the senses.
The art of doing nothing and detox is possible in a million different ways on the world‟s most perfect beaches. I enjoyed the beach and got the perfect relaxation for body and soul. The staff was fantastic and transmited the redefined luxury leger idea. I discovered the world of barefoot luxury at the resort and enjoyed my first naturopathy treatment ever.
In the resort it is easy to forget the hazzle, the monotony, the tribulation of modernized life when you are faced with such beauty. Guests have the privilege of getting an exclusive break from normal life in true Garden of Eden.
