The best thing to be greeted by when disembarking a plane? A sign with your name on it. Which is exactly the thing that awaits me as my feet hit the tarmac at Velana International Airport and that is held up by two men beside an Audi. They spirit me away from the horde of passengers waiting to board the bus to immigration and to the VIP lounge, then tell me to help myself to some hot food while they get my passport stamped remotely. There is no need for me to hover over a counter, much less join a queue.
Although brief, it is a heady experience, and the special treatment is because I am a guest at The Nautilus Maldives. Opened in 2019, the luxury property in Baa Atoll is the only UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in the country and has been steadily building a reputation for being a class apart. If we’re honest, how many hospitality brands can say that their service begins once your flight lands?
Like its neighbouring resorts, The Nautilus Maldives sits on its own island and is accessible via a 30-minute seaplane from the airport. But unlike them, it operates its own aircraft, which means guests are transported directly to their destination and aren’t at the mercy of multiple transfers.
The eye-watering rate starts from $4,000 a night for a one-bedroom villa and $11,000 for a two-bedroom, but paying top dollar not only ensures off-the-plane-and-into-the-car type of privilege, but also privacy. With only 26 villas on the island, you’ll be more likely to run into one of the 150 employees than fellow guests, and that’s if you even feel the need to step out. As it is, each accommodation offers beach or ocean access, a private pool, a sundeck, and a round-the-clock dine-in menu.
Holding itself to superlative standards, the Nautilus Maldives masterfully manipulates one thing. “On this island, time stands still,” my butler Rafu tells me. Want pancakes for dinner or a spa or yoga session in the dead of the night? Consider it done. Everything here is “unscripted”, as they will tell you. Whatever you want to get up to at whatever hour, the staff will try their utmost to make happen.
I’m no time bender, but for four days in a row, I gleefully order spaghetti bolognese for breakfast. The restaurants also do not have set operating hours, so if you feel like coming by at midnight, they will be happy to stay open.
Photo: The Nautilus Maldives.
In addition to offering bespoke service, Rafu declares that I’m free to “ask for anything”. I request for an antihistamine. Worried that I am under the weather, she thoughtfully follows up by leaving immune-boosting shots in my refrigerator.
If you worry about twiddling your thumbs, it might help to know that the staff has no qualms teaching you how to play the guitar, make bohemian art (a free-spirited aesthetic that fuses together different cultures and artistic expressions) or cook. As multi-talented and passionate individuals, they are enthusiastic about imparting skills. One employee is even trained to conduct a tea ceremony and meditation workshop.
With a clientele that presumably have little patience for mediocrity, the Nautilus Maldives boasts four stellar restaurants including the popular Zeytoun, which stirs the soul with Mediterranean-Middle Eastern cuisine. However, I prefer the outdoor grill Ocaso, which has a more laidback ambience and that serves Japanese, Peruvian, and Mexican fare—the miso cod is perfect; the tiger prawns, sweet and hearty, and the A5 striploin wagyu, expertly seared and the most tender medium rare.
Photo: The Nautilus Maldives.
Given that I’m anchored in the Indian Ocean, the food isn’t all I feast on: I also have my fill of the cerulean waters from my table on the coast, and in the evening, it is juxtaposed against a sky ablaze in deep orange. As a doomscrolling millennial, my disinterest in looking at my phone is not lost on me. Why squint at postcard-worthy pictures on Instagram when the real thing is right in front of me?
No one expects to do much in the Maldives—it’s a slice of paradise where we kick back without feeling guilty and let slip from our minds our first-world problems. If I’m not lounging by the pool, I’m snorkelling in the waters at my doorstep, but if you crave adventure, there is also windsurfing or catamaran sailing. Alternatively, indulge in Instagram-worthy expeditions such as deep-sea fishing and swimming with manta rays, though it should be noted that the latter is typically only possible between June and November because of the lunar tide.
Towards the end of my stay, Rafu informs me that one in three guests returns to The Nautilus Maldives. I’ve been living the life of Riley on this island, so I reckon it checks out. Would I come back? There’s no question about it. Would I be able to afford it? I can’t say. But if time stands still here, I hope it can wait for this (wo)man.
