Included in Conde Nast Traveller’s list of best hotels in the Maldives, voted the‘Indian Ocean’s Leading Luxury Resort’ and the ‘Indian Ocean’s Leading Villa Resort & Spa’ at the 2014 World Travel Awards, Ayada Maldives is a private island resort offering a truly luxurious retreat with a genuine Maldivian style.

Set in the relatively unexplored Gaafu Dhaalu Atoll in the south of the country – just a few kilometres above the equator – the luxury resort offers 112 spacious villas and suites, all with private pools, butler service and thoughtful five-star detailing. Traditional thatched-roof water-villas stand on stilts over the resort’s peaceful lagoon, while beach villas offer absolute privacy amid tropical greenery alongside powder-soft palm-lined white beaches.

Food lovers can explore the six restaurants, while those seeking complete relaxation will find their haven in the large spa which boasts a Turkish Hammam and eight private treatment villas.