Amilla Fushi

Just returned from visiting Amilla for the second time this year! It was wonderful to see the familiar faces of staff we met last time, and even nicer to know they recognised us and seemed genuinely excited to see us again. At a lot of resorts you can feel quite anonymous, so it was nice to get to know so many of the charismatic team. However, if you're the kind of guest who is not into chatting, they can definitely sense it and will just 'read the room' exceptionally well. A lot of the guests were really open and chatty too, it was really nice mix of nationalities. Anyway, since our last visit, I've been fantasizing about the food, even though I'm lucky enough to have travelled quite extensively since we were at Amilla in March. No exaggeration about the fantasizing - I've been to a lot of five-star resorts in the Maldives, but this is one of the only ones where the food truly stuck out as exceptional. I'd go so far as to call this resort a gourmet destination. And I don't mean it's an island only for foodies; there's lots of healthy food and actually their huge range of keto/paleo/vegan etc menus are also truly delicious (I had to try them too!). The new chef has truly transformed the resort from the first time I went there, which was several years ago, soon after it first opened. I also find the atmosphere now to be much more chilled and friendly, and the staff much friendlier than in 2014. Plus there's so much more to see and do now! One of the biggest changes is all the eco projects, including produce and items homemade and homegrown on the island, aquaponics, a mushroom hut, a coconut processing machine, a recycling centre and even a chicken 'palace' named Cluckingham Palace! If you're into this kind of nerdy stuff, they offer a back-of-house tour so you can see all their recycling projects. They also have a marine biologist who does talks about her work on regenerating the reef and she even does a 'mini marine biologist' course for kids, which is something I'd have loved to do when I was little. On that note, there was a mix of couples and families. Most of the kids seemed to be occupied with the kids club and babysitters so it didn't seem to affect the relaxing atmosphere (if you're after a romantic experience) but it seems like all the kids activities on offer gave parents the chance to have a good rest too! That brings me to the things to do on the island. Firstly, it's a huge island (by Maldivian standards) so if you just like roaming on foot or by bike, there are heaps of trails through the jungle and winding along the beach. You can totally 'lose' yourself without actually getting lost there! And there aren't many villas on the island so you can often find a beach without anyone on it. Also, this is the kind of island where you never get bored. There are tonnes of daily scheduled (normally complimentary) activities, excursions, events and even some incredible freebies like trips to a sand bank in the middle of the ocean to enjoy champagne. Last time we were here, we left still with loads of activities we had wanted to do but didn't have time to do, and the same thing happened again this time! So you definitely don't have to worry about getting bored, it's more a case of getting FOMO over what you didn't get around to doing! Anyone who says there's nothing to do in the Maldives definitely hasn't been to Amilla! Final note - if you're still worried about Covid, due to the climate pretty much everything is open air or semi-open air (pavilion buildings, walkways, restaurants etc) so it's about as safe as it gets. But obviously, there are fans to keep things cool and all villas have both fans and AC.

I stayed at this resort for a few days. I left wishing that I would stay more. What distinguishes this resort from similar ones is the genuine personal touch in their service. You feel that, starting with the manager of the resort, down to the least ranking employee, they are bent on making your stay unforgettable. And, in my case, they succeeded with flying colors. In addition to that, the design of the resort is impeccable, the villas are spacious and amazingly furnished and equipped for comfort, the restaurant selection is colorful with very good food quality (I especially enjoyed "Feeling Koi" and the Asian restaurants). There are also many activities that you can engage in for all ages. From snorkeling, to fishing, to woodwork, to yoga, to SPA treatments, to Kombucha making...and the list goes on. To top all that off, the prices are relatively reasonable (Maldives is an expensive destination anyway) for the same class of resorts (compare to the top resorts in Maldives) I hope you have a great time there like we did. Note: Use bug repellent (provided in your room). The resort is in the middle of a gorgeous island forest, and with that, invariably, comes lots of bugs. I didn't, and ended up scratching more than I should 😅

--- Accommodation --- Reef Water Villa My partner and I thoroughly enjoyed our time at the reef water villa. You get to see tons of sea life just by the doorstep! During our stay, we saw countless fish and even saw a couple dolphins! The room is spacious, quiet, and private and has many amenities. Furthermore, we enjoy fabulous sunsets from the private pool in our room. Would highly recommend this room type for everyone! Tree Top Villa We got to experience the tree-top villa for a brief afternoon and were amazed by the size and the pool. I recommend a family of 4 staying there for at least 1 night to have a change of view from the reef water villas. We were worried about getting bites from insects, but they provided insect repellants and wrist band that should prevent you from getting those. Glamping Amilla also has an option for glamping, which was a unique experience for us. You get an outdoor shower and even a private beach area. However, you may be disappointed if you expect to have a star gazing experience as water easily condenses on the glamping globe and covers your view. --- Food --- We got the half board option and were overwhelmed with every meal's portion. We often ended up sharing one lunch set because we knew it would be a feast at night. The food quality is superb in all restaurants, and Amilla has a wide variety of food options. I find most of the grains and roasted food to be on the stiff side compared to what I usually receive elsewhere; some dishes may have some unexpected Maldivian twist to them and may taste like what you expected. But overall, I'd still give Amilla's food a 10/10 because of the food dynamics they provide. --- Excursions/Activities --- We have tried out a couple excursions during our stay: reef hopping, sunset dolphin cruise, scuba diving, couple yoga and couple massage. Each activity has its own highlights and specialty. All the staff on each activity took care of all guests with great detail and made us feel like we were in safe hands. My partner and I enjoyed all of them and were not disappointed. Though personally, the excursions are generally more expensive than I expected, I'd still opt for them when I revisit Amilla next time. --- People --- This is the highlight of Amilla and is the reason why I'd want to come back. The team had the patience to discuss and plan an event with me 5 months prior to our arrival. Countless emails were going back and forth to plan and finalize event details. And upon arrival, all the staff were amiable and made sure all our requests were fulfilled. Any issue or problem we had was resolved within a day, and we sometimes went above and beyond what was expected. Special thanks to the following people: - Hamna, Indran, and the guest experience team, for organizing the event, I requested and made everything. I sincerely appreciate all the work and patience the team has put in to ensure the event goes well and makes us feel incredibly special. - Nappe, our katheab, for making sure our stay goes smoothly from sorting out the activities, dining, late checkout, and surprises. And even delivered medicines when my partner got stung by tiny jellyfish! - Andrei, dive instructor, for making sure we feel safe when diving and taught us many things too! - Snorkeling/cruise team, for taking amazing underwater photos for us! - Bintang, photographer, for taking awesome photos for the event :).

I went to Maldives with 2 objectives in mind. 1. Good snorkeling for my young kids and a 2. Beautiful villa....So I looked through a lot of different resort websites, seems like a daunting task to select one resort from so many available but I finally settled on Amilla. It was not a disappointment at all !The villa and resort were beautiful, the 2 room villa was so spacious that my kids were satisfied just playing around and in the villa itself. There were many quiet but practical features in the villa that made things convenient for a family on a beach holiday such as multiple outdoor showers to wash away the sand, brushes, water containers to rinse your foot, 2 large separate toilets for the whole family to wash up after any beach activities, multiple areas to hang up dry clothes, 4 beds in the kid's room, many many towels (disproportionate to the room occupancy number), even a closet for drying beach wear in the toilet etc...these were not publicized on the website but were a pleasant surprise on our stay. The snorkeling was simply fantastic. I usually scuba-dive but I wanted to introduce my young kids to marine life through snorkeling and this trip did not disappoint. During this trip, the diversity of marine life we saw was more than what i usually see during some of the dive trips that I had made. Although it was unfortunate the the hard coral system seem to have been damaged with time, fortunately the marine life is still exuberant. My kids and I saw hawksbill turtles, reef sharks, nurse sharks, eagle rays, stingrays, squid, a foraging school of surgeonfish, unicornfish and the largest school of blue-striped snapper i have ever seen... All in all, it was a memorable experience and I really hope to be back soon with my family. I also hope that the reef and marine life stays healthy..

When your breakfast floats in the pool We got to know the Amilla Resort on the island of Amilla Fushi in the Baa Atoll of the Maldives as part of a tour of the Maldives islands. Everything is just right here - the luxury can be felt everywhere, but unobtrusively. The restaurants in their variety - Italian, Mediterranean, Japanese, etc. offer the best quality, even at breakfast you can feel the freshness and natural dishes without additives. We had an overwater villa with 220 square meters and a private pool on the terrace and didn't want to leave. A huge tray of great breakfast snacks was delivered to the villa one morning and this was launched into our pool. Breakfast with a twist! No Photoshop in the world can depict the sunsets better. And I already miss the bike rides through the nocturnal jungle from the villa to the restaurant and back. Even if you sometimes have to avoid driving over a coconut - this closeness to nature is simply wonderful.

What a place! Amilla Fushi definitely deserve the 5 stars. We stayed 3 nights at the reef water villa, the design of the room is incredibly beautiful, super clean. The staff was super friendly, our butler Gondo was always available for us. Food was outstanding. Definitely a resort that I would be back.

Complete paradise. Personnel completely service oriented to give you the best experience during your stay. Food is outstanding. Great diving center and staff.

I stayed at Amilla in September, it’s taken me a bit to write a review because I wanted it to be as perfect as the stay I had while I was there! I’ve never felt so taken care of in my life. From the arrival party the minute I stepped foot on the island to the moment I stepped off the island. It was as if every single staff member knew who I was as soon as I got there. If I walked to breakfast by myself they directed me to where the rest of my party was! I couldn’t believe how each of them made me feel as if I had just come home from some time away. The rooms in the tree top villas were breathtaking. I also got to spend some time in a water villa that was just as amazing. If for some reason I forgot my key it was a quick text to Saruar, the most amazing attendant. Even our housekeeper Dudu made us feel like family! And Jason the GM made sure to come visit with us at our meal times and just checking in on us. Again this just felt like a coming home, the most extravagant and extraordinary home I’ve ever been to, rather than a vacation. Also the spa services were delightful!! I recommend this place a million percent to anyone that has dreamed of the most perfect vacation. You won’t be disappointed at all! Love to all of the amazing staff there I wish I could remember all their names to give them a shout out! Oh and one last comment. I was going snorkeling and didn’t bring shoes on my walk there. The jetty was so hot I was turning around to leave and go back to get my shoes and one of the landscapers allowed me to wear his shoes across the jetty! That was definitely the icing on the cake. Again the hospitality was out of this world. And the food was absolutely to die for! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️