No makeup, no laptop. Those were my rules for my weekend escape to the Maldives, and with the exception of a few swipes of Augustine Bader tinted lip balm, I was successful in leaving these symbols of the real-life grind behind. Liberated from work, people and pressure, I basked in the glow of my paradisiacal bubble at the One&Only Reethi Rah.
With white sand so soft you sink into it with every step and crystal clear azure waters, the property is a haven of bliss, offering a chance to detach from the rest of the world. Resort life here is quiet, each guest cocooned in the privacy of their own villa suite on the sand.
The measure of a good holiday, in my books, is how deeply you can escape reality while journeying into the pages of the novels you pack with you. I took three for my two-and-a-half-day getaway and inhaled all of them. I read on the hammock tied between palm trees at my private beachfront villa. I read at breakfast over a steamy cup of earl grey tea. I read on a Missoni-furnished lounge chair at the beach club, accompanied by a lively soundtrack, iced coffee and Evian face spray. And, I read on the quiet zone deck overlooking the ocean, before diving in and swimming a quarter kilometre out to a platform anchored in the ocean, surrounded by vibrant coral reefs and schools of fish.
A little bit of exercise was necessary – I was eating so much, you see. For although the One&Only Reethi Rah is indeed a picturesque piece of paradise in the Indian Ocean, one of the hotel's highlights is its fine dining focus. A short buggy – or bicycle – ride away from the beach villas are specialty dining venues, lively and filled with friendly staff, honeymooners and water adventure seekers staying on the island. The latest addition to the resort is Tapasake, its recently-opened Japanese restaurant infused with Mediterranean influences.
Complete with a Japanese Zen garden and contemporary interiors, Tapasake, designed by Jean-Michel Gathy, is suspended over the ocean, with sharks and stingrays visible from the viewing deck. There are private dining spaces, a sushi counter and teppanyaki grill station, as well as a menu boasting tapas-style sharing dishes centred around ingredients like wagyu, uni, otoro and tai. “This beautiful setting, paired with the restaurant’s elevated food-sharing concept, makes Tapasake the Maldives’ premier experiential gastronomic destination, promising to delight the senses of luxury leisure seekers from around the globe,” shares the resort’s general manager, Jan B. Tibaldi.
Highly recommended, in addition to the decadent sushi rolls, is the shiitake salad – a delightful blend of crunchy mushrooms with Asian-flavoured green. Then there's the wagyu ribeye, garnished with crispy lotus roots and chives. A side of char-grilled broccolini completed my delicious meal.
Contrasting to the lavish decor of Tapasake is the natural sandy terrain of Fanditha, the Middle Eastern restaurant at the hotel. Seated outdoors along the shoreline, visitors are enchanted by the creatively-spun myth behind its name: Fanditha was a daughter of the Sultan of the Maldives, who fell in love with Fernando, a Portuguese nobleman who sailed to Reethi Rah.
There’s also an Italian eatery serving delicious pizzas, and a Missoni-decked-out beach club where I devoured a classic burger – its patty grilled to perfection. At Sunshine, the resort’s breakfast venue, there are options to order from the wellness-focussed menu (think chia seed puddings and acai bowls) as well as more guilty indulgences, like french toast and an endless array of danish pastries.
No relaxing getaway is complete without a visit to the spa, and the signature massage here is a truly special experience, taking place in a private overwater room. Facials meanwhile, feature Augustine Bader skincare products. Extending well beyond the confines of the spa, the hospitality at the One&Only Reethi Rah is unmatched. Wherever you go, staff greet you with one hand on their heart, a gesture you find replicating yourself, as the warmth radiating across the resort settles within you.
For beyond the engrossing novels you might read, a good holiday is evidenced by what you take from the island and carry forward. Not the complimentary canvas beach totes (which some guests promptly personalised with their own bag charms), but rather, the inner enhancements. It’s about recharging, rejuvenating and taking your refreshed self back home, more gracious, grateful and at peace. A little less stressed – and a whole lot more tanned.
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