Book Olhuveli Beach And Spa Resort in Maldives, Maldives

Other

There are 2 sets of water bungalows off the island, and the more expensive the rooms the further away they are from the busy centre. 2 Presidential Suites sit proudly at the tip of the jetty at one end of the island. Alongside them are the five Honeymoon Water Villas. The remainder of the oval-shaped jetty is lined with 32 Jacuzzi Water Villas. The second water bungalow jetty extends from the middle of the island and holds the 21 Deluxe Water Villas.

The Honeymoon Villas are almost apartments, with a 'cloakroom' by the entrance and a separate sitting room. Their deck is very large and has not only a proper jacuzzi but also a steam and massage shower cubicle. The jacuzzis of the Jacuzzi Water Villas are bathtubs with nozzles but their position on the deck is excellent, especially for those on the west side. They look out to the nearby sandbank and away to distant islands. Inside, they boast marble floor tiles, blue and gold upholstery and swagged curtains, more than enough dark wood furniture and a stylish bathroom with twin beaten metal washbasins.

The Deluxe Water Villas are simpler but no less attractive for that, especially with their muslin draped four-poster beds. The deck has good privacy and is large enough for 2 cushioned loungers and chairs. The views are less good, though, with one side looking out to a man-made 'peninsula' and sandbank and the other side looking over to the other water bungalow jetty. That is, except for the rooms at the tip, which have unimpeded views out to sea.

The land rooms come in two categories: Luxury Beach Villas (8) and Deluxe Beach Villas (96). The Luxury Beach Villas are individual and private, with their own quiet area of beach. They have a large inside/outside bathroom that is very pleasant, even though the empty pergola at the end is redundant. The main drawback is their positioning near the main bar. The fun and music, usually placed outside, can go on till late into the night.

The Deluxe Beach Villas come in blocks of 4, two up and two down. 3 blocks (12 rooms) have an interconnecting door for families. They are the smallest rooms on the island but smartly decorated and well maintained. All of them are just a couple of steps away from the beach. For these rooms the nearer the centre of the island the better. One reason is that the island and the beach are less attractive towards the staff area end and the other reason is guests will be nearer all the activity centres. That is important in this case because most of these rooms are taken by the Italian clientele.

Around half the guests are Italian and the other half a mix of German, British and Japanese. The Italian guests come with Azemar and enjoy their own sort of holiday. Of the two swimming pools, they gather around the bigger one with a children's pool, daily aqua aerobics and a large beach. Here too is a gym, a poolroom, a karaoke lounge and the doctor's clinic.

The excursions, as usual, are particularly popular with the Italians and the nightly musical entertainment in the main bar is a regular gathering. A huge deck between the bar and the lagoon allows everyone to sit where they feel comfortable. Saturday night is Maldivian Night, which is as good a cultural night as there is on any resort. Comp