Alila Kothaifaru Maldives: the Barbican-style sanctuary that's the new jewel in the Maldives' crown

When I go on vacation, I want to feel like a James Bond villain. A little unconventional, I know. It’s clear those gargantuan lairs, remote locations and forward-thinking design concepts are supposed to inspire fear, not awe or aspiration.

But haven’t you ever secretly wondered whether Rami Malek’s ultra-modern No Time To Die island palace might actually be on Airbnb? Or felt a little jealous of Goldfinger’s wood-panelled “Rumpus Room” decor?

If it’s a yes, Alila’s Kothaifaru outpost in the Maldives is exactly your bag. It’s like the Barbican of the Maldives, with less height and considerably more luxury.

Located within the Raa Atoll, the resort's modern minimalist architecture was realised by Singapore-based architecture firm Studiogoto, who used their rectangular, brutalistic buildings to ‘frame’ the natural paradise of the island.

On top of the design, Alila Kothaifaru offers an elevated spa with wooden walkways that slink through its trees, multiple gourmet restaurants and unparalleled natural surroundings. Every single one of the villas has a pool and direct access to the sea, whether via the beachfront or via a ladder directly into the water, as in the overwater villas.

And just in case that’s not Bond villain-y enough for you, Alila Kothaifaru is also the only resort in the Maldives to have its own private sandbank, which you can travel to via boat for a secluded cocktail at sunset, or to snorkel among the butterfly fish and turtles.

Here’s what to expect from the 5-star resort.

Where is it?

Alila Kothaifaru is located on Kothaifaru Island, in the Maldives’ Raa Atoll, surrounded by a stunning house reef (that’s that bright blue bit of sea that surrounds the island, like an iris surrounds a pupil). The Raa Atoll is also home to a number of other resorts, including The Standard, Emerald and Heritance Aarah.

Because of the intrinsically private nature of islands in Maldives, guests are required to travel from Velana International Airport in the capital of Malé to their hotel via boat or seaplane. For Alila’s visitors that’s a 30 minute seaplane — the far more fun option, even for those a little wobbly with flying.

Before the seaplane, you’ll have to board a regular plane from Heathrow, either direct with British Airways or with a stopover in Abu Dhabi or Dubai airport when flying with Emirates. The total flight time for this stint is around 10 hours direct, or 12 hours with a connecting flight.

Style

Alila’s design is rather unique for a resort within the Maldives: many others stick to a traditional aesthetic of thatched roofs and multi-coloured walls, as seen on the main islands, but Alila offers something more minimalist.

It’s main buildings are comprised of layered concrete, creating a stylish dichotomy between brutalism and the natural beauty of the rainforest. Internally, the rooms and restaurants are all about crisp fabrics and sharp lines, with windows instead of walls, as well as East Asian-inspired wooden partitions and low seating.

Dotted across the island, there’s a lobby, cocktail bar, dive centre, gym, clothes shop, café and two restaurants, as well as Yakitori bar for mid-dip beach bites.

The resort’s main restaurant, Seasalt, is the epicentre of the island. This is where you’ll come across most of the guests, either draping themselves over the seemingly endless edge of the infinity pool, taking photos on the ultra-Instagrammable beach swing, or hopping across the sand towards the sea.

The small area between Seasalt, the shop and the resort bar is separated by cement slabs laid neatly across square pebbled pools. The geometric combination of concrete, greenery, sand and water is a winning theme which runs throughout the resort.

Which room?

Meanwhile, Alila’s 80 villas neatly line the coast of the island and its jetties. The villas are split into 44 beachfront villas and 36 overwater villas, all of which come with their own pool and access to the ocean.

The overwater villas are the kind you can immediately call to mind when thinking of the Maldives — raised on stilts, jutting out like limbs from a long jetty suspended over turquoise sea. With a full wall of windows in the combined bedroom/living room, waking up in one of these yields an uninterrupted view of the ocean. Just sea and sky.

They’re the showstoppers of Alila, and indeed most Maldives resorts, but real consideration should be paid to the beachfront villas, which are larger, more private and somehow homelier.

The bathrooms of the beachfront villas are situated outside (though completely hidden), near the front of the villa, so you can take a bath or shower while at one with the draping vines and canopy of leaves.

At the back, there’s a private pool and ‘garden’ of sand which leads straight to the beach, perfect for more secluded sunbathing when you don’t fancy ambling to the main pool.

I stayed in one of these, and they’re ideal for anyone who adores feeling like they’re in a home away from home on holiday.

Food & drink

Anyone who knows anything about the Maldives knows this crucial fact: once you are on your island, you do not leave your island. That means you need to have plenty of places to eat, because you’ll either be staying on a half or full-board basis, eating exclusively at your resort. Luckily Alila has multiple restaurants and bars, as well as cooking classes and buffet nights.

Seasalt, the main restaurant, aims to cater to all tastes, offering Maldivian curries and south east Asian noodle dishes at dinnertime, as well as lighter bites at lunch (including some exemplary chicken satay). It’s where you’ll find the special seafood buffets, staffed by some of loveliest local chefs you could wish for, as well as the bespoke noodle and pasta making stations.

Umami is the resort’s Japanese restaurant for finer dining options, including an array of Teppanyaki dishes, impossibly tender Wagyu beef and fresh fish sashimi. If you’re a fan of Japanese flavours, it is a non-negotiable feature of the island, and likely where you will find your best meal. Or, if seeking a smaller snack, the Yakitori Bar next door has endless appetising skewers.

The resort’s cooking classes also make for a nice departure from eating at the same restaurants. You can learn how to cook with coconut like a Maldivian, assembling one of the country’s signature tuna and coconut snacks, as well as a comforting curry and nutty desert. Or you can put together fresh pasta in the island’s spice garden, where the kitchen’s herbs and vegetables are grown. And don’t worry, it’s not too much sweating over a stove in the heat — the resort’s super knowledgeable staff thankfully lead the charge in these activities.

Facilities

As well as having plenty of places to eat, island living means you also need plenty of things to do. The Maldives are the destination for doing nothing, so a packed schedule isn’t at all necessary, but the restless among us may need a few things to keep them stimulated. Thankfully, Alila has its own dive centre, perfect for snorkelling — or even scuba diving, should you wish to delve deeper.

There’s also the opportunity to do various excursions, including a dolphin cruise (we saw over 100 of them, the trick is to clap!) and a boat trip to Alila’s private sandbank bar, The Shack.

And then there’s the spa. Aloft within the trees, walkways thread between treatment centres, spreading out from the spa’s central hub, where you’re met by attentive staff and given ginger tea with a handwritten welcome letter etched onto a dainty leaf.

The rooms show off their unparalleled surroundings by featuring ceiling to floor windows, often taking up a whole wall of each treatment room and their adjoining dressing rooms (which, inexplicably but amazingly, have free-standing cement baths, I guess in case you should wish for a soak after your massage).

During the signature massage, a pre-treatment foot spa is offered, with the chair facing out towards the windows and the dense greenery, so you can feel immersed in the rainforest before you’re face down for a full hour. And what better place to be face down — they even position a small local flower on the floor in alignment with the hole of the massage table, so you’re never looking at boring tiles. Once you’re done, you’re offered tea, ginger shots and water aplenty, as well as a small coconut snack. The attention to detail is second to none.

Best for?

Mandatory, enforced relaxation, and connection to nature. If the spa treatments and stunning views aren’t enough to reset your stress levels, snorkelling with the resort’s local turtle, Emma, sure as hell will.

When should I go?

They say the Maldives have a “wet” season between May and November, but this often just involves the occasional downpour, followed by clear skies. It’s not like the stubborn British rain, it moves on quite quickly, and can also make your trip more cost-effective than travelling during dry season. Definitely consider going off-peak.

Half-board rates at Alila Kothaifaru Maldives start from £609 a night for two adults sharing on a half-board basis. This includes breakfast and dinner served at Seasalt, Pibati, Yakitori bar or Umami restaurant (excluding Teppanyaki). Signature dishes and all alcoholic beverages will incur supplementary costs. Return seaplanes are £498 per adult. This is not included in the room rate however, when booking a package it is usually included.