MALDIVES – That you are a couple celebrating a honeymoon, a group of friends or just you looking for some well-deserved relaxation, here is the good news: I have the right place for you.
At just 15 minutes boat drive from the Malé Velana International Airport, in a quiet and charming location, you can find the SAii Lagoon Resort, a Curio Collection by Hilton. Here at Wowery, I’ve spent an entire week there trying all the facilities that the resort can offer, and (spoiler alert) I am very enthusiastic.
General
The resort is part of the Marina Crossroad, a group of three little atolls connected by walkable bridges: SAii Lagoon, Hard Rock Hotel, and the Marina. As guests of SAii Lagoon or Hard Rock Hotel, you can freely move across the three areas and have lunch or dinner wherever you want, most of the time upon reservation. This is a mask-free resort since every passenger had to present a negative PCR test before departure and most of the places are open-air ones.
Arrival
As every resort in what locals call “Sunny Side of the World”, I found the SAii Lagoon desk after the baggage claim at the airport with a guide that escorted me to the transfer boat just docked just outside the airport.
The transfer per sé is smooth: luggage goes first, passengers go last in order of boarding. Everyone receives an inflatable jacket in case of emergency and then the ride starts. I have to admit that the waves are something when there is wind, so the ride was slightly more bumpy than expected.
Once arrived at the Marina, one of the SAii Lagoon staff assistants privately escorted me to the welcome house a space where the check-in formalities are explained and a few other pieces of information are given while my luggage went directly to your room. Before receiving some papers to fill, pre-bills to check, I received a nice non-alcoholic drink and instructions on how to connect to the Wi-Fi and to the SAii Lagoon app, my travel companion for the next 6 nights. As Hilton Diamond Member too, I’ve been upgraded from a Sky Room to a Beach Room and I’ve got these other benefits:
- Complimentary drinks from the All-Inclusive Beverage Menu at Miss Olive Oyl Pool Bar from 7.00 PM to 8.00 PM
- One bottle of sparkling wine, dried fruits, and Thai rice crackers as the arrival amenities
- Late check-out upon request (subject to availability)
Once that papers are in order, including the confirmation of my PCR test for departure, I got a private tour of the SAii Lagoon Resort and The Marina on board a wonderful electric buggy.
Room
My beach room was almost at the far end of the atoll in a great spot for two reasons:
- It had a very quite Ocean beach just few steps from my patio;
- It was placed conveniently close to the inner beach (Lagoon) making easier swimming when the wind and the stream was too strong.
Inside the room, there was everything I could look for including a nice welcome message from the housekeeping team. Everything was quite pretty new, clean, and functional. The bed was perfect with a topper that made it even more comfortable. AC was easy to adjust and not noisy, free water was already in the fridge and all the towels including a nice bathrobe were placed perfectly in the room.
Bonus point: at the arrival close to the reception there is the M.I.Y. Lab, a place where you can personalize your shampoo, body gel, and conditioner with the fragrances that you like. I went for Yasmine and cedarwood, but the possibilities are many.
Breakfast
Dreaming a breakfast with an Oceanview? Again, that’s the right place. The SAii Lagoon uses the facilities of the Sensations Beach Club to offer a very wide breakfast for its guest. The view and the kindness of the staff are remarkable, including the cleanness and the Health Protocol including temperature check at the entrance.
The breakfast buffet was a triumph of food, ranging from a typical continental one up to far-east. Pancakes? French toast? Smoked salmon or Omelette? All there, including Indian and Asian food.
The overall taste was very good understanding that everything must be imported from abroad.
Bonus point: Just on the side of the main area for food, there is a bar counter where you can find the possibility of making your own Mimosa.
SPA
The SAii Lagoon doesn’t have an in-house SPA like the Hard Rock Hotel, however, it uses The Marina Crossroad “Lén Well” Spa. I took there a full body massage for the duration of 60 minutes and for the cost of 120$. The ambiance was relaxing and charming with healthy drinks served while filling your intake form. The selection of treatment is wide and based on Thai culture. The experience was overall good, to the point that you fell asleep while you get your treatment. This is something that I would recommend if you want to fill your days.
Facilities
Pool or beach? Why not both? The resort offers both opportunities. If you love sunset pictures the Infinity pool is the one that you are looking for. Perfectly placed a few steps from the reception it has a great view of the ocean, a bar (Miss Olive Oyl Pool Bar), and free towels that you can use in that area. For me, this was the perfect spot for lunch, just before heading to a different side of the resort to try all the beaches. Luckily there are sun-beds, sun-umbrellas everywhere such that you can just drop your beach towel (available in the room) and go.
Restaurants
With its 11 restaurants shared across the resort itself, the Hard Rock Hotel, and The Marina Crossroads, you will find it difficult to make a choice. We dedicated a special article about the gorgeous food you can find with some tips. Just click on the button below
Activities
Beach, pool, SPA, and sun are not enough for you? You can be assured that at the SAii Lagoon you will find something to do. On top of a daily activities program created by the hotel that includes a lovely “Movie under the star”, thanks to the Marina Dive Center you can rent for free snorkeling equipment and pedalos to explore the Lagoon and its fishes. Looking for more thrill in your life or some scuba diving immersion? Just ask the Dive Center and they will be able to offer you what you are looking for.
Bottom line
The SAii Lagoon Resort represents a more than valid alternative to the other resort in the Hilton Group and most of the most acclaimed resorts in the Maldives. It offers a high level of service under all points of view, including activities that happen after 8 PM (live music at Hard Rock Cafe, Pool Bar, …). If you are not looking for a cocooning-only kind of holiday, I strongly recommend booking your room and enjoying at least 6 nights in this piece of heaven on earth. If the conditions will allow, I will be back there next year, back to the Sunny and Happy side of the world.
SAii Lagoon Maldives, Curio Collection by Hilton
Eh`mafushi South Malé Atoll, Maldives
Phone: +960 665-1300
Website: https://www.saiiresorts.com/maldives/lagoon/
This article IS NOT sponsored either by SAii Lagoon, Hard Rock Hotels or The CROSSROADS Marina
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