Luxury and Sustainability are mutually exclusive? Not at the Soneva Fushi in the Maldives! It’s one of the most famous hotels in the Maldives especially when it comes to enjoying exclusivity and privacy while feeling close to nature. Read in this review why the Soneva Fushi is a resort like no other!
LOCATION & TRANSFER
The Soneva Fushi is located in the beautiful Baa atoll which lies north west of the capital. Arriving at the international airport in Male, the airport staff will guide you to the Soneva lounge to relax and enjoy some healthy snacks and drinks. The lounge is designed in the typical Soneva style – with natural materials and colors. After a delicious juice and tea our water plane is ready to take off and we have a beautiful flight over the blue water and islands. It’s without any doubts one of my favorite views ever. Since we have been the only two passengers on the plane on the way to the Soneva Fushi, we landed at another resort in the Baa Atoll and got picked up by a speed boat for a quick transfer to the Soneva.
The Concept of the Soneva Fushi
COVID-19 Regulations
Other than most of the resorts in The Maldives the Soneva Fushi has a very different concept to deal with the current situation. After arrival guests will directly escorted to their villa and a medical staff will do a PCR-Test. While waiting for the results we had to stay in the private area of our villa – including the outdoor spaces – which was not bad at all in the huge beach villa with pool. We ordered lunch and dinner via room service and after waking up the next morning, our Ms. Friday ( that’s how they call the private butlers at the Soneva) already informed us that our result luckily has been negative and we were free roam around the resort. The plus point about this regulation is that no guests and staff members have to wear a mask and can feel safe all the time. Additionally your first quarantine day in the Soneva Fushi will be free of charge so you even extend your holiday for one night!
Sustainability
The owners of all Soneva Resorts are Sonu and Eva and their number one priority is to create a concept of sustainability combined with intelligent luxury. Visitors should reconnect with nature while enjoying the slow lifestyle to the fullest.
All Soneva properties do have their own recycling station to reuse as much of the trash that gets produced on the island as possible. The sustainability concept of the resort also includes a garden which grows many fruits, herbs and veggies for the restaurants. They try not to import many goods to minimize the impact on nature while doing their best to give back as much as possible. The Soneva Fushi is one of the very few resorts which is not doing a daily insect spraying to fight against the huge mosquito problem in the Maldives. They have an expert in the resort who installs traps which only work for mosquitos and don’t kill ALL insects like spraying would do. That’s the reason why you can experience a rich wildlife on the island with dragon flies, countless birds and bats.
Maritime Wildlife
Typically for the Baa Atoll, the Soneva Fushi has a vivid maritime life and an amazing house reef. On the sunset side of the island you can watch a pod of dolphins daily in the late afternoons. The best spot to see them is from the public water slide at the “Out of the Blue” restaurant.
Snorkeling can be done all around the island and I can highly recommend to do a snorkeling trip with the diving team to the nearby turtle point or a manta tour. During a specific time of the year (approx. June – November) the visitors of the Soneva Fushi have the chance to visit the famous Hanifaru Bay, which is an Unesco World Heritage side with the biggest population of Mantas.
The Villas
No Beach Villa of the Soneva Fushi is like the other. All of them have a unique concept and are build with lots of wood and other natural materials. Half of the villas do have a sunrise view and the other ones are facing the sunset in the west. The west side is also the perfect place to go snorkeling and of course to watch the romantic Maldivian sunsets in the evening. From the white sandy beach you see the local island Eydhafushi which is just 650m away. So if you prefer more privacy and endless ocean views I would rather recommend to choose the sunrise side of the island.
2 Bedroom Crusoe Suite with Pool
Our Villa is located on the sunrise side of the island and divided in two floors with the most amazing and biggest outdoor bathroom I’ve ever seen. A wooden staircase leads up to the bedroom and the upper terrace with an amazing ocean view. The outdoor area has a private pool and direct beach access. Beside a second bedroom, the villa even has a private gym and kitchen with wine fridge and mini bar.
The brand new Water Retreat Villas
The first Water Villas of the Soneva Fushi only opened up autumn 2020. We had the chance to see one of the incredible one-bedroom water villas (two-bedroom options are available too). The villas are absolutely incredible an feel like a playground for adults. With many warm wooden hues, an incredible bathroom, ocean views from all corners of the villa and the biggest outdoor terrace with private pool and a water slide into the ocean. It’s the perfect villa to enjoy the silence and incredible views.
Soneva in Aqua
In front of the island Soneva Fushi is a yacht which not only can bet rented for sunset cruises but also for several days sailing trips on the ocean. The yacht is the most luxurious one I’ve ever seen and equally equipped like the villas on land. It has two bedrooms – one of them with jacuzzi – bathrooms with showers, a lounge, kitchen, working space, sun deck and so much more to make it an unforgettable experience. A stay at the Soneva in Aqua includes All Inclusive board with a private chef and even your own masseur.
Breakfast & Restaurants
Healthy breakfast
The Breakfast buffet of the Soneva Fushi is the best way to start your day! It’s all about delicious and fresh food with countless healthy options. The buffet is divided in several rooms and cooking stations but you can also order from a separate menu right at your table. My highlight has been to try new things like healthy Ayurvedic mixtures, a homemade tea from roots to boost your immune system and the many tropical fruits. No matter if you prefer your breakfast to be light or rich – this buffet won’t leave any of your desires open.
Out of the Blue
My favorite restaurant of the Soneva Fushi is the Out of the Blue which serves Asian cuisine and fresh seafood. They also have the most delicious cocktails and perfect options for a light lunch. It’s located overwater with several hammocks to chill or hop into the ocean. Several sun beds and of course the iconic water slide make it to the perfect place to relax in the sunshine all day long.
So Guilty
Typical for the Soneva Hotels is that they all have a cool room where you can enjoy homed ice cream and chocolates all day long – for free! And the best: the Soneva Fushi even has two of them on the island so whenever you are in the mood for something sweet you can get it here!
Shades of Green
If you wanna experience a special dinner, than the Shades of Green will be your perfect choice. You meet up with the chef in the garden of the Soneva Fushi and get a little tour while tasting drinks and snacks from freshly picked ingredients. After that you will enjoy a vegan five course menu in a romantic setting paired with wine. Neither my husband nor I are vegans but the taste of the dishes really left us speechless! It’s been our most memorable dinner experience during our stay at the Soneva Fushi.
RÉSUMÉ
The Soneva Fushi is definitely not your average resort in the Maldives! It rather feels like a community where you forget about the daily life and stress to enjoy this sustainable and luxurious utopia. The service and stay of every single guest will be personalized from the very moment you set foot on the island to fulfill all your special requests and to create an incomparable experience in the Maldives.
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We had a sponsored stay at the Soneva Fushi.