Naladhu Private Island, Maldives is an exclusive luxury haven with just 20 ‘houses’, offering the ultimate in privacy and seclusion for guests. Hadag visited the sleek island retreat and experienced the kind of unrivalled service that every discerning traveller will appreciate.
THOUGHTFUL DESIGN
A sleek new look for the Naladhu Private Island, Maldives, comes thanks to a complete redesign by New York-based designer, Yuji Yamazaki. The public areas and all 20 houses in this intimate venue have been completely renovated.
The resort’s top suite, the two-bedroom Beach Pool Residence, now boasts a 20-metre private beach and the interiors across the destination have a contemporary feel using Indonesian teak furniture. High-quality materials such as Indonesian white stone are used for a lighter colour palette, creating a modern colonial style.
Yuji Yamazaki has focused on maximising the number of spaces around the houses where guests can claim a moment of pause, ranging from ocean-side seating for breakfast to pre-dinner cocktails on a chaise longue overlooking the pool.
The island’s restaurant, bar and gym have been transformed. The new Coconut Grove offers a secluded area for private experiences such as cinema under the stars or private yoga and fitness classes.
TROPICAL ACCOMMODATION
The resort’s two categories of houses, each with 300sq/m of living space, are surrounded by tropical vegetation and invite a total immersion in nature. The Beach House with pool has direct access to the white sands and lagoon, while the Ocean House, with pool and private beach cabana, has a large terrace with panoramic ocean views in addition to its own dedicated cabana, where guests can relax on their oversized daybed attended by their butler, known as a Kuwaanu.
Each House is named after an indigenous Maldivian flower or plant that grows on the island, with the chosen flora featuring in the house’s garden. For example, Dhigga or Sea Hibiscus, famed for flowers that deepen to orange and finally to red before they fall in the course of a single day, and Finifenma or Pink Rose, the national flower of the Maldives, which the top suite is named after.
The 600sq/m two-bedroom Beach Pool Residence, sleeping up to six guests, is a vast space guaranteeing peace and privacy. It benefits from both sunrise and sunset views, with its pool and large deck facing the ocean, along with loungers, al fresco dining area and swing. It also offers direct access to the turquoise lagoon.
FOOD FOR THE SOUL
Dining is completely bespoke, with guests curating a daily menu and choosing their favourite dishes and locations around the clock, whether it’s an all-day breakfast taken barefoot on the beach or a ‘journey around the world’ dinner.
Favourite dining spots include The Living Room with views over the lagoon, a bubbly floating breakfast in the pool and moonlight midnight snacks on the beach. Led by Executive Chef Philippe Wagenfuhrer, the resort’s culinary team is experienced in cuisines from around the globe ranging from Arabic to Italian, French to Sri Lankan and Japanese to Indonesian, in addition to local Maldivian flavours.
A SUSTAINABLE ESCAPE
The resort has introduced some new experiences including a snorkelling trail with in-house marine biologist and sustainability manager, Emilia Fulgido, to observe some of the 2,000 species of tropical fish and corals and to understand more about the resort’s reef restoration programme. Guided walks also teach guests about the flora and fauna on the island.
As part of its sustainability commitment, Naladhu is working with Parley Air to reduce marine plastic pollution and recycle plastic waste. The resort has eliminated all single-use plastic on the island. Bathroom amenities are in natural packaging, with toiletries in luxury refillable dispensers. Water and waste management programmes are in place and the resort has its own water desalination and bottling plant. The resort’s pre-renovation furniture has been donated to the Maldives’ only hospital for mental health.
WELLNESS WONDER
Naladhu Private Island has renewed its focus on wellness with a new dedicated spa treatment area including a double treatment room with private bathing and changing area. A naturopath and nutritional therapist is also in residence and guests can arrange a consultation to focus on their nutrition to help overcome specific issues.
A new health programme RESET focuses on the crucial role the gut plays in health and overall wellbeing. The five or seven-night personalised programme is tailored to the individual and examines the way the gut affects everything from moods to sleep and energy which is combined with detoxifying treatments from colon hydrotherapy and IV therapy to yoga and core exercises.
Located on the edge of a pristine lagoon in the South Malé Atoll, Naladhu Private Island is 30 minutes by luxury speedboat from Velana International Airport in Malé.