Maldives

The Picture-Perfect Destination

Maldives once known as the Treasure Island was the Picture-Perfect Destination. It was the first time I parked at the airport at JFK and luckily I was able to make a reservation online for 5 days for $50. Our airline was Qatar Airways which stopped for 8 hours in Qatar. I thought I would have the opportunity to visit the country during my layovers since the airline offered a layover tour for passengers with more than 5 hours wait but unfortunately do the COVID the service was cancelled. We were required to remain at the airport. Hamad International happens to be one of the world’s best airports. It is modern, luxurious, fascinating architecture, free Internet, clean bathrooms, plenty of shops and restaurants. And the best of all, most major shops are open 24×7. The most prominent figure inside the airport is a giant bronze statue of a teddy bear with its head in a lamp. It has many massage parlors, 5 lounges and my favorite Oryx Airport Hotel. We booked a stay for 6 hours with complimentary access to rooftop pool and jacuzzi. We also got to schedule a 60-minute massage. The hotel scheduled a wakeup call 15 minutes prior to our flight boarding.

26 hours later we landed in Maldives. Each hotel seemed to have an attendant waiting at arrival to guide guests to a lounge for a meal while waiting for another plane to take us directly to our islands. Every resort in Maldives seemed to occupy an island. After a 30 minutes flights we landed at a small airport where a helper was waiting for us to board our ferry to Ayada Maldives. Listed among the top 25 resorts worldwide on TripAdvisor & winner of Traveler’s Choice 2021. As our ferry approached the dock, we could hear signing and instruments playing. Various hotel representatives welcomed us with hot towels and placed a lei on our necks. Our butler immediate recognized us and addressed us by name; led us to his golf cart and gave us a tour of the resort before taking us to our Ocean Suite Villa.

Our overwater bungalow poised over the lagoon offered sheer extravagance and tranquility. The spacious one-bedroom villa offered a private outdoor terrace, ocean hammocks, plunge pool, bathtub, and outdoor shower with an endless view of the horizon with direct beach access.

It was truly the most luxurious experience. The resort is located on a private island with abundant tropical plants and immaculate beaches. We took advantage of the wide range of complimentary restaurants option with our full board dining package. We scheduled for a beach breakfast as well which was brought to our room since it was impossible to eat it all.

Their award-winning AySpa made the resort an even better alternative. We scheduled for shiatsu and Balinese massage. Included in our treatment was time to enjoy the lovely relaxation area with heated and cold plunge pools, steam rooms and saunas. Drinks such as tea and juices were served to complete your experience.

A large variety of water sports, excursions and further activities are available complimentary for guests. I had to try the popular clear kayak which was an additional $30.

The medical center on site was a bonus as we were able to get our covid test directly onsite for an additional $150 per person.

The experience was extraordinary and worth every penny. The service was excellent, food top notch, rooms impeccable, activities fun and our butler did an amazing job assisting us with everything that we need.