A World Of Your Own Making
Kathryn Otto and her partner enjoyed The Nautilus, an ultra-luxury bohemian hideaway in the Maldives
The Nautilus is a highly personalised, immensely private island resort with just 26 beach and ocean houses and residences, where every experience is tailored to you. Where nothing is fixed, and anything is possible. Where you are free to set your own beat; free to do – and to be – as you please.
Conceptualised by a Maldivian hospitality icon and visionary entrepreneur who was instrumental in creating many award-winning resorts, The Nautilus is the result of his lifetime’s worth of expertise and represents what ultra-luxury should be – not just in the Maldives, but worldwide. The legacy of this visionary entrepreneurship is now carried forward by the next generation of the family. A celebration of the individual spirit, the resort offers liberation and freedom unconditionally, where guests are encouraged to be themselves and shape their own personal journeys. Above all, The Nautilus champions its guests to reflect and celebrate with the people they’re with, in any way they choose.
Location
Located at the renowned Baa Atoll in the heart of the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, The Nautilus encompasses 242 x 249 metres of natural beauty. With just 30 minutes from Velana International Airport via The Nautilus’s private seaplane, shared seaplane, or via a 20 minutes domestic flight from Male to Dharavandhoo domestic airport, followed by a 20 minute yacht ride.
Upon arrival at Velana International Airport, all guests are picked up directly from their aircraft and individually escorted to an exclusive lounge. No queuing is required and all matters regarding immigration, baggage and customs are handled on their behalf. For guests arriving via private jets, landing services are available at local domestic airport, Mafaaru, followed by a direct 2.5 hour luxury yacht transfer.
Accommodation
At The Nautilus, only 26 beach and ocean houses and residences line the shores – each a personal sanctum with its own separate living room and private pool, infusing the comforts of home with a bohemian whimsy that invites you into the barefoot life. Guests are invited to open up their floor-to-ceiling doors and let the ocean breeze flow through the living room. Hand-picked materials and custom-designed furnishings ensure every abode is a work of art. A curved wall of windows that opens up to the sea, so that every morning begins with a view of the Baa Atoll.
Dining
The Nautilus relishes the chance to explore culinary creativity to meet the whims and wishes of guests. They are not afraid to go completely off-script, toss menus aside and create totally bespoke dining experiences that favour personal interaction and offer delightful surprises. Restaurant menus are mere suggestions. Guests can order any dish from any restaurant and enjoy it anywhere. (They can eat pizza or a club sandwich in the resort’s signature dining restaurant, Zeytoun, if they feel like it.)
Free-Spirited Experiences
Explore the Baa Atoll with all the time in the world. The onsite PADI AquaNautica dive centre offers access to more than 30 world-class sites within close reach – the renowned Hanifaru Bay just a short speedboat ride away, where you can swim with Manta Rays. A house reef sits metres from the shore, cruises on a luxury yacht, fishing expeditions, sunset sailing and complimentary non-motorised water sports are perfect for free-spirited forays into the blue.
Wellness
The overwater Solasta Spa has three glass-floored private treatment pavilions where tailored wellness journeys and daily rituals are supported by the natural and organic product lines of Maison Caulières and Omorovicza. Solasta Spa offers the opportunity to practice yoga in any way guests please: flowing Vinyasa, slow, extended holds for joint mobility strength of Yin, or Aerial yoga. Daily complimentary yoga, meditation and fitness sessions are available. In collaboration with Ananda in the Himalayas, the Moksha Nautilus Signature is specially designed for guests to experience a holistic therapy inspired by the concept of Moksha– signifying a liberation of the senses, and a release of the free flow of energy.
Our Experience
Our experience started as soon as our flight touched down in Male, being greeted at the bottom of the aircraft’s steps by our chauffeur, who escorted us to a private lounge. There, the concierge asked for a description of our luggage and went to collect it from the baggage hall, leaving us to enjoy the lounge and freshen up before we boarded our seaplane.
The flight took around 30 minutes, giving us the opportunity to take in the spectacular views of the Maldives. Our friendly pilot explained you often see dolphins and manta rays swimming below. Once we landed, we were then taken to the resort by one of the stunning Nautilus yachts, which you can charter during your stay should you wish.
Before we travelled, we were introduced to our ‘House Master’ Artem, who asked us our requirements on various things, including preferred drinks for the mini bar, choice of pillows and temperature of the pool. This set the bar for the level of service we would receive throughout the trip, available 24/7. The resort oozes luxury.
We were shown to our “house”, a water villa with a private pool overlooking the ocean. It was simply stunning. Everything had been thought of, even to the point there was a mini bar outside by the pool to save drying off to go inside to pour a drink. This is the level of attention to detail you experience throughout the whole resort; nothing at all is any trouble. One of the main plus points for us was that you could order from any of the restaurant menus and dine in the restaurant of your choice, which is ideal if one of you prefers steak and the other fancies sushi, for example. Equally, if you wanted something totally different that wasn’t on any menu, the team were happy to prepare it for you. The spa is even available 24 hours a day, making it possible for a massage at 3am if you so desire.
Our days were spent snorkelling, swimming and relaxing. Our evenings started at Naiboli Poolside Bar, where we would watch the sunset with a cocktail in hand whilst enjoying that evening’s live music.
Set by the ocean, Ocaso’s al fresco grill set the scene for a romantic meal for two on the beach. The restaurant is ideal for wine connoisseurs, showcasing more than 200 labels of the finest wines from all over the world.
We also enjoyed a more casual evening at Thyme which is The Nautilus’ all-day dining venue that served up panoramic ocean views, a gentle sea breeze and most importantly, gorgeous food.
The most intimate dining experience of our stay was spent at Zeytoun, the Mediterranean fine dining restaurant where we were the only diners, in our private lounge on the lower deck overlooking the ocean.
Many hotels and resorts claim to be high-end luxury, but The Nautilus Maldives truly is. It’s as close to perfect as you can get.
The Nautilus Maldives is a very special place and we would encourage everyone to go and experience it. I am sure once you have, like us, you’ll be looking to revisit again and again. This is one trip we will truly never forget.
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