NEW TRENDS IN DE LUXE HOLIDAYS
The Nautilus is a bohemian retired spot in the Maldives, a private island-hotel in the heart of a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, opened in February 2019. It became one of the world’s leading deluxe resorts. This ultra-luxury property features 26 beachfront and oceanfront villas and residences, all tailored to suit guests. There are no timetables and everything is possible. Here you are free to set your own rhythm and do what you want to do – and be who you want to be.
“The Nautilus Maldives is designed for a new generation of travelers – those who are looking for more than just a tan at the end of their vacation, those who crave adventures to share with the people they love,” said the founder of the hotel. “We have done a number of studies on de luxe hotels to make sure that we can exceed their standards and offer a different concept. The philosophy of The Nautilus is the absolute freedom of our guests. We offer to spend time serenely, “in a modern bohemian way”, so that guests can take a break from their usual life, be themselves, reconnect with their inner self, with nature and family – all this against the backdrop of a beautiful Maldivian landscape. Holidays here are like nothing else.”
Following the philosophy of the hotel, the management system has been changed here, moving away from standard procedures and focusing on the interests of the guests. That is why House Masters (butlers) take care of everything and guests do not have to contact the reception, concierge, tour desk, etc. Restaurants do not have fixed opening hours: you can have breakfast at any time of the day – even in the evening! And it’s not even necessary to do it in a restaurant, you can have breakfast right in bed or by the pool. Each of the three restaurants has a menu, but this is just a starting point to discuss with the chef the taste preferences of the guests. You can come to spa treatments without an appointment, and if you want to rent a yacht and go to neighboring islands for a picnic, the butler will arrange everything you need. Guests are invited to sunset cocktails every evening and deli style snacks by the pool all day long.
The Nautilus begins to take care of its guests right at the gate of the plane at Male airport (Velana International): each guest is invited to the VIP area to calmly complete all customs formalities, and then escorted to the hotel’s own lounge, where guests wait for a 35-minute seaplane flight to the famous Baa Atoll.
The rooms are called “houses and residencies” to make guests feel as comfortable and relaxed as at home. The Nautilus reveals to travelers all the possibilities of the island – a private pool, ocean views from every home, cozy sandy beaches surrounded by tropical greenery and a rich coral reef just a few dozen meters from the beach. Originally uninhabited and too small for habitation, the island – its diameter is only 250 m – has retained most of its plants and trees.
Each of the 26 villas is a suite with a separate living room and bedroom. A total of 15 houses with one and two bedrooms are located along the beach, hidden in the greenery of coconut trees and tropical plants. 11 houses with one and two bedrooms are built on stilts in the lagoon. Natural light fills the tropical-style rooms with boho-chic touches. The style of the hotel is relaxation. The designers were tasked with decorating the rooms in such a way “to make it look like someone’s luxury home, only better.” Most of the furniture was made specifically for The Nautilus.
Already in the first year of its existence, The Nautilus received phenomenal international recognition. So, according to the Readers’ Choice Awards 2020 of Condé Nast Traveler magazine, the hotel was named the “Best Resort in the Indian Ocean” and entered the top 3 “Best Resorts in the World”. In 2021, it was also named to Condé Nast Traveller’s prestigious The Gold List and was recognized “Best Private Island Resort” at Tatler Magazine’s Travel Awards. Condé Nast Traveler in the Middle East has also included The Nautilus on its The Gold List.
Three restaurants and a pool bar offer “gastronomic improvisation”, meaning guests can order whatever they want, even if it’s not on the menu. The Nautilus is a world where the menu is just a source of inspiration, and dishes are prepared especially for the guest, whenever he wants to eat. For those who want to follow the chef’s recommendations, there is an unusual mix of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine at Zeytoun, an overwater restaurant, the elegant simplicity of Japanese and Latin American cuisine at Ocaso Grill, and delicacies from all over the world at Thyme, open all day. Restaurants have no opening hours, no designated hours for breakfast, no dress code. Guests come as they please and in what is convenient for them – even barefoot.
On an island located in Baa Atoll, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, the incredible marine life is endless to explore: head to the world-famous Hanifaru Bay and swim with whale sharks and manta rays, dive in fluorescent coral reefs, explore remote sandy beaches and uninhabited islands, or just surf the ocean on a yacht custom-made by The Nautilus. And these are just some of the adventures that await hotel guests.
The Nautilus invites guests to find their way to health and transformation through ancient knowledge and innovative methods in four spa rooms in the center of the island. SPA specializes in individual programs and daily rituals designed especially for each guest, which refresh, relax, care and protect. Guests can salute the sunrise, try alternative therapies, participate in free wellness classes, or find their own path to recovery. On a quiet unhurried island, in The Nautilus, life flows at a completely different pace.
Any care is aimed at activating the natural healing processes in the body. And the organic cosmetics of the French brand Maison Caulières and the Hungarian Omorovicza are designed to make them more effective. These brands were chosen for the naturalness and effectiveness of the components. Cooperation with Solasta Spa is exclusive in the Maldives. Maison Caulières cosmetics are created from plants, oils and herbs from the Loire Valley, famous for its gardens. The brand’s treatments are inspired by natural elements. Omorovicza cosmetics, created on the basis of the thermal mineral waters of Budapest, are “magic” from a medieval source known for its healing properties.
Young Wonderers is more than the ordinary average kids club. Here, guests aged from 3 to 12 are given the opportunity to explore the wonders of island life. All entertainments are built on the fact that children can discover something new for themselves, gain new knowledge, find ways of self-expression.
New Year Holidays at The Nautilus Maldives
The New Year’s season at The Nautilus will begin on December 19th. Upon arrival, all guests will receive a gingerbread cookie, which can be decorated and then added to the hotel’s large gingerbread house. During the traditional Naiboli Rising ceremony with cocktails, Christmas songs will be played at sunset, and the festive tree and the beach will light up with a thousand lights.
There are many entertainment options at the hotel: you can explore the house reef on seabobs, go on a turtle snorkeling tour with a marine biologist or a diving tour for the sunken boats, learn how to windsurf or draw, attend a Southeast Asian cuisine master class, do yoga in an overwater pavilion or listen to podcasts on meditation and mindful breathing from the experts at Ananda in the Himalayas Indian Ayurvedic Resort (exclusively in the Maldives). Or, for example, go for a tasting of oysters, cheeses, wine, whiskey, coffee, rum, truffle, chocolate or gin – The Nautilus boasts the most impressive collection of this drink in the Maldives (64 types of gin from 14 countries).
Children will also have fun under the close supervision of the specialists of the Young Wonderers club. Why not to plan an underwater treasure hunt, watch a movie on the beach, or bake cookies for Santa? Santa Claus will arrive at The Nautilus on December 25th to give gifts to the little guests and treat the adults to celebratory drinks. It will be possible to take a photo with Santa, after which he will return to the North Pole.
Of course, the hotel also offers a variety of gala dinners. So, on December 24, culinary stations will appear on the beach of the Thyme restaurant, where chefs will prepare hot and cold dishes in the accompaniment of live music, offer a variety of delicacies and desserts; On December 25 and 26 at the Zeytoun restaurant over the water, you can enjoy the Christmas menu accompanied by a harpist, on December 28 – a special menu with an emphasis on seafood. On December 31, guests will enjoy champagne and canapés on the beach, dinner under the starry sky and New Year’s fireworks; January 6 – Orthodox Christmas dinner with cooking stations, DJ and live music.
The pop-up exhibition of Maldivian art, which will be held at The Nautilus on December 26 and 27, is worth special attention. There you can buy handmade jewelry and dream catcher amulets, as well as learn the traditional Maldivian drumming Bodu Beru.
