
These are unusual times, and the state of affairs can change quickly. Please check the latest guidance before travelling. Our writer visited these hotels prior to the pandemic.
Fiji’s got them, Tahiti too, you can even find a few scattered around South East Asia but nowhere so does overwater bungalows better than the Maldives. Here, the most seductive of honeymoon hideaways come with private infinity pools, bubbling whirlpools, whoop-whoop water slides, dining tables set above glass-bottom floors, ceilings that roll back to reveal a glitter bomb of stars, and unfettered access to the clear, bath-warm Indian Ocean and its throngs of multicoloured corals and fantastical sea creatures. Here’s our pick of the best hotels in the Maldives with overwater bungalows, suites and villas to suit all budgets, from boat-shaped sleeping quarters and traditional huts on stilts to contemporary new kids on the block with private decks and romantic whirlpools under the stars.
From
£
585
From
£
487
Soneva Jani
Noonu Atoll, Maldives
From
£
1,353
From
£
538
From
£
848
From
£
4,316
JOALI
Muravandhoo, Maldives
From
£
1,372
From
£
499
From
£
646
From
£
634
• The best hotels in Asia
From
£
1,029
From
£
1,517
• The best Greek Island hotels
Kanuhura
Maldives
From
£
338
Everything here prompts you to take off your shoes (as many guests do) and reset your mind to island time. The occasional rustling of leaves (coming from the odd lizard zipping across the path) and chirping from birds provide a calming soundtrack, while sea lettuce shrubs and hibiscus plants provide plenty of shading and privacy between villas.
From
£
1,078
Contributions by Grace Holliday, Jenny Johnson, Jamie Lafferty, Mary Lussiana, Katie Lockhart, Adrian Neville, John O’Caellaigh, Simon Parker, Venus Wong & Xenia Taliotis