it was what the Hungarian resort manager Ferenc Auer candidly confessed
over lunch: “Happiness doesn’t require much.” Indeed. And in this case, all
it required was unadulterated white-sand beaches spanning 1.2 kilometres,
an unspoiled sea where the colour changed through the day as it took on the
mighty rays of the sun, and fresh catch from the Indian Ocean that satiated
my hunger pangs over the 72 hours I spent cosily cocooned in what is
undisputedly one of the most private island resorts in the region.
When we decided to take actor and travel enthusiast Huma Qureshi for
our anniversary-special cover shoot to the Maldives, I was pretty certain
that the experience would leave her refreshed after her hectic Cannes
Festival 2018 stint. Interestingly, after spending three nights amid tranquil
blue waters and white sandy beaches, she proudly declared Maldives as
her favourite beach destination!
As the name implies, Hideaway is the retreat if you’re looking for some
downtime, away from the madding crowd and in the lap of luxury. While the
route to the crescent-shaped island retreat located in the northern Haa Alifu
Atoll is a bit tedious (admittedly all good things come at a price—this one at
the cost of long layovers), once you set foot on this all-suite Maldivian resort,
you really do find Zen. Whether it’s the natural vegetation, the otherworldly
marine life, or the bona fide hospitality of the staff, it’s a destination that lets
you ‘be’—uninhibited, stress-free, and content.
As I cycled my way to breakfast at Matheefaru, the resort’s sand-floored
oceanfront restaurant, after a rather long night’s journey, I could finally
breathe, soaking in the unadulterated beauty that the Maldives takes pride
in. I was welcomed by the chirpy Chef Shriyal from Dehradun, settled
on the island for the last two years and working with a team of over
70 chefs. “Eighty per cent of our guests are from China. Japanese, Thai, and
Teppanyaki dishes are really popular here,” said Shriyal. But he was quick to
add that one couldn’t overlook the butter chicken served at the Asian fusion
restaurant Samsara, which recently won accolades at the World Luxury
Restaurant Awards 2018. How can anyone ever say no to butter chicken?
Needless to say, it was delectable—creamy and cooked just right, the meat
melting in your mouth. Paired with an ocean breeze that blew past the
restaurant deck, the experience was unforgettable.
On day two of my stay, I caught up with Arshad Ali, a jolly good fellow
and the head butler of the property for three years. Unfaltering at what
the resort is known for—the personal butler service for every villa—Ali
and his able staff handle the service details of every single guest, including
If there was one
takeaway from the few precious days
I spent on the gorgeous Maldivian island that
houses Hideaway Beach Resort & Spa,
strange demands that come their way
(“Some Viagra, please?”). Over some
masala chai, uncannily reminiscent
of my morning cuppa at home, Ali
revealed that Hideaway employed
18 butlers of different nationalities,
including Russians, Koreans, Chinese,
Arabic, Eastern Europeans, Indians,
and of course, Maldivians. “We have
many high-profile guests, including
Olympians and industrialists,” he
added with a smile.
Hideaway boasts 103 villas, of
which 50 are perched on land and the
rest are water villas. The CEO, Michael
Wieser, who has spent many summers
on the archipelago, recounted, “Before
2013, there were only land villas here.
After a year’s renovation, we reopened
in October 2014 and introduced the
ocean villas and luxe water villas.”
As a beach bum, I’d totally recommend
the beach residences with pool,
especially if your idea of ‘bumming’
around is intermittent dips in the
ocean, stretching on the sand, and
then diving straight into your private
pool. Wieser was on point when he
said, “The best thing a man can do
to himself is to find balance and
quietude, and nature has given this
to the Maldives.”
And if you’re a true-blue water
baby, there’s probably no better place
to experience underwater life than
this part of the archipelago. Besides
snorkelling and scuba diving, you can
experience a variety of watersports totravelandleisureindia.in