The Nautilus Maldives- Forbes Review

Thursday 14th of May 2020

The Nautilus Maldives- Forbes Review

Inside Forbes’ recent travel piece, ‘People Are Dreaming Of Where To Travel Next. Here’s Why I’m Savoring My Trip To The Maldives Instead’ by Ann Abel, The Nautilus Maldives was highly praised. Abel, with over 20 years of experience as a travel writer, was invited to visit the Nautilus, a yearling private island that is the only Relais & Châteaux hotel in the archipelago.

Architecture

With no corners in the place, everything is a celebration of nature’s geometry, engineering and artistry. ‘I’ve slept in overwater bungalows before but never one like this—the sea life was so close and the glass was so clear that I found myself walking around it for fear of falling in.’

Activities

In the spa’s glass-floored over-water pavilions, massages are done with organic products from Maison Caulières and Omorovicza. If the complimentary yoga class each morning isn’t a good enough reason to get out of bed, yoga teachers are on call to give private lessons on the mat or on aerial silks.

There is also the ethereal aquamarine water, which happens to be full of healthy coral reefs and endless colorful fish. ‘I snorkeled and dived with a wonderfully patient dive master, who led me through seascapes straight out of Blue Planet. I watched a pod of dolphins leap and play during a sunset cruise.’

Culinary

The resort has three restaurants, with a wide variety of meals. Thyme has an extensive breakfast buffet and made-to-order morning options from avocado toast to congee, plus many yummy choices for lunch and dinner. At the fine-dining restaurant, Zeytoun, the best ingredients are imported from the Mediterranean and served on a deck above the lagoon. Ocaso serves sushi, Peruvian-Japanese dishes and various Asian curries, and it has a live-cooking teppanyaki grill.

Personalized Service

The Nautilus has a large, supremely capable staff who are mostly Maldivian, while others come from around Asia. In normal times, there are some 140 people on the island, filling many roles. In the chef category alone, there are 17 people—partly to give the restaurants’ pan-Asian menus authenticity but also to be on call as private chefs for guests who want to hole up in their houses. Here, the privacy is paramount. ‘During my stay, I barely saw any of the other guests that were on the island.’