If you haven’t been to the Maldives before I can’t recommend it enough, it’s everything you dreamed of…crystalline waters, swaying palm trees and soft white sand under the limitless blue skies. The country is made up of about 1,190 coral islands formed around 26 natural ring-like atolls, spread over 90,000 square kilometres. It is only eight feet above sea level, which is still lower than every other nation in the world, however, the natural coral reefs act as a barrier, protecting the archipelago from monsoon season swells.
Like many people, the Maldives has been on my bucket list for many years now and finally arriving at Male airport was truly thrilling. The long but comfortable flight from London Heathrow was followed by an easy transfer to our destination resort in the Maldives, Heritance Aarah, situated in the Raa Atoll in North Maalhosmadulu Uthuruburi in the beautiful turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean, just across the equator.
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Introduction to Heritance Aarah
Our transfer was arranged by the Heritance Aarah team. We were met at the airport and took a small seaplane from Male, a real adventure in itself. Flying above the ocean you get a breathtaking bird’s eye view of the Atolls and small islands below. The transfer took approximately 40 minutes before we landed effortlessly at Aarah. As we disembarked, we received a warm welcome with traditional Maldivian drumming before being driven in a small electric buggy along the boardwalk to the hotel reception. There a chilled fruit punch, fresh cool face towels and friendly staff were waiting for us to arrive
There are over a hundred hotel resorts in the Maldives, each one with an entire island to itself and each with an individual personality of its own. Heritance Aarah, which opened in 2019 is an especially stunning 5-star luxury resort, one of the top 10 resorts in the luxury hotel guide. It boasts an idyllic setting with verdant foliage, tropical palm trees and soft sandy pathways surrounded by golden white sandy beaches and sparkling clear blue water.
It has seven different restaurants, bars and dining experiences, perfect for foodies and for those who are really looking for an all-out luxurious experience. On arrival all guests are allocated a personal butler who you can contact via WhatsApp, they make sure that you’re looked after throughout your visit, along with arranging a suitable itinerary and picking you up in the buggy to take you for dinner or other activities. Our butler Tanny was an absolute dream and made our stay very special.
Accommodation at Heritance Aarah
The accommodation is superb. There are several different options to choose from, each providing the lap of luxury.
We stayed in an Ocean Villa, these overwater thatched roof villas are built on sturdy stilts on the shimmering lagoon, they provide elegant and stylish accommodation with exquisite views of the ocean. Each villa is beautifully designed with dark wood floors, solid teak furniture, high wooden beamed ceilings, off-white walls, a super comfortable king-sized double bed, crisp white linen sheets and a sofa and soft furnishings all in a natural colour pallet.
The room is air-conditioned but also has a large fan above the bed where can lounge with your morning coffee and look out to sea. Doors open onto a large wood decked veranda with sun loungers, a parasol, a sumptuous day bed, table and chairs and steps leading directly into the sea, which was perfect for our morning swim.
The modern and spacious bathroom has double sinks, a separate shower and toilet and a free-standing bath with a door leading directly to the decking area. Neutral-coloured stone floors and walls maintain the chic thematic design. Fresh white towels are provided daily, along with bathrobes, slippers and wonderfully aromatic Elemis bath products.
The attention to detail is impressive, there’s a modern lighting system, exceptional good Wi-Fi connection, universal plug sockets, a widescreen TV with additional Netflix channels along and a handsome Marshall speaker system.
A substantial mini-bar (replenished daily) is included in the All-Inclusive Premiere Package, a large fridge packed with soft drinks, premium bottles of wine, spirits, mixers, tempting chocolate bars and savoury snacks. There’s a Nespresso coffee machine, kettle and a selection of teas. They also offer room service, so everything you could wish for is under one roof – if you are on a romantic holiday there is barely a reason to leave your villa. These stunning villas are ideal for couples and make an idyllic honeymoon suite.
Other alternatives include the Beach Villas which are similar but enjoy direct access to the soft white sands. Beach Pool Villas are in a lovely secluded setting on the beach with a private plunge pool. The Family Beach Villas provide ample space and privacy along with beach access; perfect for family groups and Family Pool Beach Villas offer all the joy of the beach along with a private pool.
Ocean Suites are for those that want the ultimate holiday experience, one which epitomizes refined luxury. These child-free villas are set over two floors and allow you to dip your toes in the sea, soak in your very own infinity pool or sit on the terrace and take in the inspiring ocean vistas. The Ocean Residences are also premium abodes with two-bedroom suites. Ocean Suites and Residences have exclusive access to Baani Restaurant and Falhu bar and the Undaras infinity pool and bar.
Restaurants and Bars at Heritance Aarah
Heritance Aarah provides a variety of high-quality restaurants for all occasions, all of which we had the pleasure of experiencing during our stay. The food is absolutely delicious, each restaurant offering a totally different dining experience with their team of chefs creating contemporary, fresh and vibrant dishes and sourcing the best ingredients.
Ramba is the resort’s main restaurant which serves breakfast lunch and dinner. It’s ideally situated on the beach with a lovely view out to sea, we especially enjoyed taking long lunches here. Breakfast was a bountiful affair, offering a good choice of hot food, eggs cooked to order, fruits, yoghurts, fresh juices, cold meats and cheeses and a selection of bread and pastries. Lunch and dinner provided an incredible selection of Asian dishes, noodles, curries, grilled meat and fish, pasta, fresh salads fruit and tempting desserts. An excellent selection of wines, beer and soft drinks can be ordered at the table from the friendly and helpful staff.
Raul is built on stilts over the ocean, this airy relaxed and ambient space has a tall pitched roof hung with wooden fans and large parasols. Long wooden tables are set with raffia mats and food is served on colourful rustic crockery. The menu is inspired by the French and Italian Mediterranean brasseries which line the Riviera coast. Raul provides all-day dining; guests can choose from the à la carte menu or alternatively from the mini buffet where the chefs cook up popular classics. There is also a decked terrace and Ralu Lounge Bar which serves a large selection of rum and rum cocktails along with a comprehensive cocktail list.
Ambula is the hotel’s trademarked contemporary Sri Lankan ‘Heritance’ dining experience, open only for dinner. We had a fabulous evening dining on their inventive eight-course tasting menu with paired cocktails and wines. We kicked off the evening with Arrack Sour cocktail, Arrack is Sri Lanka’s signature spirit, an excellent tipple which is made from coconuts and tastes rather similar to whisky.
We tried a wonderful selection of exotic and beautifully spiced dishes which combined authentic Sri Lankan and Maldivian flavours with a modern twist.
Courses included beetroot and tuna consommé, curried octopus, pumpkin mousse, coconut roti and curried crab, jack seed Kalup stuffed chicken and finally spiced bubikan – a Sri Lankan cake served with hibiscus tea ice cream along a barrel-aged Arrack Old Fashioned. This was an artful meal which created a collision of textures and satisfying layering of flavours.
Ginifati is a seafood beach grill where dinner is served in private coconut leaf pyramid-shaped canopied pods under the stars with the sandy beach underfoot and a backdrop of rippling waves. We were welcomed by the lovely staff with a rum punch before being served an abundance of glorious seafood.
We dined on seafood fritto misto with a finger-licking tamarind syrup tomato dip, tender tuna steak with a choice of marinades, a fresh crisp salad and a seafood platter which was fit for royalty. Accompanied by a chilled Figuiere rose wine, the perfect way to spend the evening on Aarah. This restaurant is only open for dinner.
Hathaa takes guests to the streets of Bangkok and Tokyo (dinner only). A fun and interactive dining experience seated with other guests around the cooking station. On the evening of our visit, it was a celebration of Japanese food. Our chef cooked up an impressive feast including a mixed sushi platter, tender braised slow-cooked octopus, crumb-fried juicy prawns with tempura sauce, Asian salad, chicken and leek teriyaki skewers, Angus beef with Japanese mushrooms and Matcha ice cream to finish. Are you hungry yet?
Baani is exclusively for Ocean Suite guests. Here Paris meets Beirut to the Maldives in a café culture style. A cool, airy and stylish restaurant with a wooden high beamed ceiling and a striking central silver fish chandelier with large windows providing magnificent views out to sea.
The menu offers authentic modern fusion cuisine; however, the expert chefs are happy to cater to your every whim. We ate a superb lunch starting with a glass of champagne before indulging in a three-course meal of poached asparagus couscous with burnt butter Parmesan chips and a perfectly seared tuna Niçoise salad, followed by mixed seafood risotto, creamy and light packed with crunchy vegetables and fresh seafood, which we both agreed was possibly the best risotto we’ve ever eaten.
Desserts were equally delicious, mango cheesecake and homemade ice creams – wood apple, cardamom and chilli jaggery which had a wonderful warm aftertaste, an absolute treat from start to finish.
Alongside the restaurant is the Falhu bar, which is also exclusively for Ocean Suite guests. ‘Falhu’ means ‘lagoon’ in Divelhi, the official language of Maldives. Here you can get a range of long drinks and a variety of speciality whiskeys. Or alternatively, visit the Undaras infinity pool and bar and enjoy the spectacular view as we did whilst the barman knocked us up a couple of great Espresso Martinis.
At the heart of Aarah is the Bandhi Bar, which is located by the stunning swimming pool, which blends into the ocean beyond, you can sit in the sunshine or within the shade of the tropical palm trees and take in breathtaking views. It’s a lively space ideal for both relaxation and fun times. Here you can enjoy creative cocktails, pizza and all-day snacks, along with the delicious aromas of shisha on deck. The Sky Bar has a twinkling canopy overhead and serves all the classics to keep you buzzing at night.
Guest facilities, activities and entertainment at Heritance Aarah
The joy of staying at Heritance Aarah is that you can choose to completely relax, unwind and wile away the hours lounging by the pool, drinking cocktails or reading a book or alternatively you can keep active. There is a wide range of activities including snorkelling, diving, kayaking and windsurfing and there is a smart fully equipped gym for those that want to keep fit. You can play table tennis, snooker, tennis, football or volleyball, and if you need some teammates it can be arranged for some of the staff to join you. We swam daily, went kayaking and had great fun snorkelling around the coral reefs.
The elegant and tranquil Medi Spa has six treatment rooms which are set above peaceful lagoon waters with lovely views out to sea, it features a steam room and offers an extensive range of revitalizing treatments and wellness activities. It has an IASO medical spa programme with a menu which offers state-of-the-art aesthetic dermatological treatments that combine the latest in both aesthetics and wellness and traditional spa treatments. Their in-house Doctor/Wellness expert is able to identify and prescribe treatments that reverse ageing, fix fine lines and resolve pigmentation problems.
They also assist with diet and nutrition, even offering healthy eating cooking classes, dietary advice and weight loss programmes, plus there’s a chic nail bar and a hair salon. If it’s fitness you are after they provide yoga, pilates, CrossFit, beach classes and Bootcamp workouts. We took the relaxing route and were pampered and soothed with blissful Balinese massages that left us floating on cloud 9.
For families with children, Heritance Aarah has KokaKids Club, set in lovely airy and spacious surroundings with a wide selection of fun daily activities for all different age groups. There is regular entertainment and activities for the guests. (Wine Tasting, Shisha Class, Tea Tasting, Fire & Ice Bartenders Show, Cuban band, DJ and Pipe Music to name just a few).
Boat trips and excursions are arranged for you by your Butler, we went on a lovely Sunset Cruise. We also visited their Maldivian Village, which was ingeniously built by the staff during lockdown. Here you can find out all about the Maldivian culture, its language, food and history. We drank a delicious spicy fruit punch, tried a selection of Maldivian dishes cooked for us by their very own chef and tried our hand at speaking Divelhi.
The staff made this a fun and fascinating experience that gave us an insight into life on these tiny islands in the Indian Ocean. It’s incredible to think that it was under 50 years ago when an Italian man first discovered the Maldives, since then these beautiful unspoilt islands have gone on to give a slice of paradise to people from all over the world.
Heritance Aarah is the perfect getaway, a lush tropical paradise, with majestic blue skies an endless sparking ocean, exotic sea life and a soulful stillness that gives you the chance to take stock, relax and enjoy life whilst being thoroughly taken care of by the hotel’s utterly charming staff, all of whom made our stay unforgettable. As you can imagine we were very sad to say our farewells.
Premium All-Inclusive Holidays at Heritance Aarah
These luxurious holidays include:
A bar stocked with a selection of premium brands of spirits and wine
Mini Bar replenished once daily at all villas
Welcome Bottle of sparkling wine
Two complimentary bottles of premium wine replenished daily
Two bottles of premium spirits selected by the guest added to the in-villa mini bar daily
The 3Cs – Ice Cream, Candy and Cocktails from the ‘Naughty Carts’ roaming the island.
Access to 4 Restaurants- Ranba, Ralu, Ginifati & Ambula. 3 Bars- Bandhi Pool Bar (Main), Sky Bar & Ralu Lounge Bar
50$ Spa Credit per person (Beach Villa & Ocean Villa)
75 $ Spa Credit per person (Ocean Suite)
Non-motorized water sports (regular kayak, stand-up paddle boarding) 1 hour every day at the Water sports centre.
Free trial dive (10-15 minutes), to be booked in advance at the Dive centre
Free rental of snorkelling equipment. To be returned daily for disinfection and cleaning.
2 excursions, please choose from the following: (6 Nights & Below)
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Baani is exclusively for Ocean Suite guests. Here Paris meets Beirut to the Maldives in a café culture style. A cool, airy and stylish restaurant with a wooden high beamed ceiling and a striking central silver fish chandelier with large windows providing magnificent views out to sea.
At the heart of Aarah is the Bandhi Bar, which is located by the stunning swimming pool, which blends into the ocean beyond, you can sit in the sunshine or within the shade of the tropical palm trees and take in breathtaking views. It’s a lively space ideal for both relaxation and fun times. Here you can enjoy creative cocktails, pizza and all-day snacks, along with the delicious aromas of shisha on deck. The Sky Bar has a twinkling canopy overhead and serves all the classics to keep you buzzing at night.
The staff made this a fun and fascinating experience that gave us an insight into life on these tiny islands in the Indian Ocean. It’s incredible to think that it was under 50 years ago when an Italian man first discovered the Maldives, since then these beautiful unspoilt islands have gone on to give a slice of paradise to people from all over the world.
