The tropical island destination of Maldives is home to a lot of resorts, ranging from 2 star all the way to 5 star and then some. They all manage to tick off the basics of what a private island resort should have quite easily too, such as having stunning backdrops, mesmerizing views, year-round picturesqueness both above and below water, dreamy and lazy atmospheres as well as lots of activities for the active travelers. With the amount of uninhabited, gorgeous islands, atoll formations and reefs that Maldives has to offer, this is no surprise. However, when it comes to a resort there is more than just the setting of the environment as perfecting the quality of the rooms and their overall look, interior design, feel and atmosphere it is not as easy. You can find average and above average rooms quite at any resort, but only a few resorts have managed to perfect the art of crafting top notch accommodation.

Straight out of a honeymooner's pipe dream...

There are many types of accommodation as there are a variety of travelers and a good resort would be able to cater to all of them. As such, the romantics and the honeymooners will almost always find the chic rustic water villas standing on stilts overlooking the lagoon the most alluring. These overwater villas have a charming atmosphere coated in seclusion, privacy and timelessness that these romance chasers just find irresistible. Maldives offers a beautiful setting and most resorts are able to capitalize on it and build a hideaway so perfect it's almost as if it's straight out of a honeymooner's pipe dream. Most overwater villas in most resorts are great, but which ones offer the best? And to further enhance the feeling of seclusion, what better atoll than Raa Atoll? For a fair comparison, the water villas compared will be each resort's best and deluxe category of water villas, right below the standard of the presidential or grand overwater residence.

A little about Raa Atoll

Also known as the Northern Maalhosmadulu, this atoll is a little outside prime tourism zone in Maldives that tends to be a little overcrowded. With just 17 or so resorts, the atoll is very tourism friendly and most resorts are just a 45-minute seaplane journey away. An alternate travel would be taking a 30-minute flight to the domestic airport. The atoll is one of the largest atolls in Maldives and are home to some amazing world-class diving spots.

Aqua Suite with Pool at You and Me Maldives

Let's start the list with the smallest, but coziest and classiest water villa that you can find in Raa Atoll. Say hello to the Aqua Suite at the one of the newer resorts that opened in March 2019. The whole resort follows the trendy rustic chic theme that many resorts try to employ, but few resorts in this slightly remote northern atoll have managed to do it as well as You and Me Maldives. The Aqua Suites with Pool are large overwater villas that cover an area of 80 sqm but don't let the size fool you, the clever architecture and charming décor make the villa feel very cozy.

The walls are cream colored to go with the wooden grains and textures present throughout the whole villa, and the wooden look of the wall right behind the cutely decorated king-sized bed is a very nice touch to the idyllic atmosphere that the villa creates. The wooden floor, décor and the brown curtains with intricate designs on the full-sized glass door right in front of the bed also adds to the rustic charm. Additionally, there's a sofa inside the bedroom as well as a very spacious bathroom with a rain shower and a couple's bathtub that overlooks the ocean. So, romantic couples and honeymooners, feel free to indulge!

Facing the sunset, these overwater villas also have an extensive deck that protrudes out into the turquoise lagoon and although it is quite small compared to the other options on this list, it is still very spacious. These decks still feel very open as there are not many wooden screens that sometimes cramp up the deck. Right outside the bedroom, there are two sunbeds that are shaded by an extended section of the thatched roof and a wooden structure that gives part of the deck a feel of a balcony. There's a dining gazebo and a private plunge pool on the deck as well.

Cheerful Overwater Villas at The Standard

The more upbeat couples that are looking for something other than the dreamy overwater villas or the idyllic water bungalows would absolutely love the overwater villas at the stylish new resort by one of the most powerful brands in the boutique hotel business, The Standard. Not only will you be at a loss choosing between your two options, the Lagoon Overwater Villa and Ocean Overwater Villa, but you will also love the mischievous touch in the design and architecture of these villa that marks the culture of The Standard. Both of the water villas are a 110 sqm and have almost the same exact features and décor. The Lagoon Water Villas are for those who want to relax and enjoy in one of those Instagram worthy villas looking over the lagoon, and the Ocean Water Villas are for the snorkeling enthusiasts, as these villas are just a few meters away from the house reef.

The interior of the villas is super unique to the resort and you won't find this style anywhere else. Most of the interior is whitewashed to create a contrast with bright colors such as hot pink and yellow splashed here and there throughout the villa. Even the ceiling is startling white and the floor grey, and a few other mute colors. When they clash to create the contrast, it creates a very bright, cheerful atmosphere along with the charming ornaments and décor of the villa. There are also some nice touches such as the activity wall hung with snorkeling equipment and a disco ball above the bathtub.

The outer deck stretches out into the expansive lagoon of Huruvalhi island and the exterior of the villas are built to look the style of traditional Maldivian huts. There's a table with some chairs and sunbeds to lounge around on, as well as a private plunge pool where you can soak in views with a drink. Moreover, you have direct lagoon access from the deck.

Heritance Aarah

If you're after the quintessential honeymooner's experience where you have a whole villa that's grand its style, spacious and just overall dreamy with a lovely view of the vast ocean, then look no further than the Ocean Suites at the resort of Heritance Aarah. Although these luxurious Ocean Suites Cover a 158 sqm which might not seem that large at a glance, don't be mistaken. These suites have two floors, the top floor with a gorgeous bedroom and the ground floor featuring a separate living area, a charming open-air bathroom and a kitchen like area as well. To add to that, the deck is quite extensive as well. 

The overall look that the interior goes for is a combination of rustic themes and contemporary design. This can be seen by the combination of the wooden floors and ornaments along with the sleek lines and geometry that you'll see in more modern designs. Living area is cute large, with a huge sofa and the decorated partition wall is a nice touch. The bathroom is not as large but feels spacious as it's open-aired. The bedroom however is the main attraction of the room on the second floor with a very attractive slanted and decorated ceiling. You can step out from the bedroom from the full-sized glass door into a balcony on the second floor for some nice views.

The deck and exterior of the villa is also quite well built with most of the deck being shaded by the huge slanting roof structure topped with thatch. There's a lot of options to lounge as there's a Maldivian porch swing, an oversized daybed for two and a dining gazebo. Additionally, there's a private plunge pool that's larger than most pools you'll find in water villas in Maldives as well as steps leading into the gem-colored lagoon of Meedhoo Island. 

Superior Water Villas with Pool at Emerald Maldives

Superior is the only word to describe luxurious, overwater villas that stand on stilts with the sparkling blue water of a lagoon beneath. Dive into opulence in these spacious, lavish water suites that can only be described as oversized. Covering an area of a staggering 310 sqm, these villas are easily three times the size of the usual high standard villas at most other resorts you'll come across in this northern atoll. Not only are these villas super high standard with sleek design and every luxury and comfort, but you can enjoy all the benefits of an all-inclusive package since the resort of Emerald Maldives is a platinum all-inclusive resort. Perfect for the romantics who want to indulge and splurge a little.

Each of these stilted villas are built with the environment in mind as not to harm as well as blend in with the majesty of the natural surroundings. Natural materials have been used in the building process, such as bamboo, natural stones, Langhi Langhi leaves and a focus on energy efficiency and the preservation of the environment. These villas have unbelievably large bedrooms and separate living spaces decorated with a wooden floor and a very tropical and turquoise based color scheme. There's lots of authentic artwork and charming décor with an overall sleek, modern design of the interior that creates a dreamy, grand ambience. The bathroom of the villa is the most impressive feature of the villa, with it being as large as the other spaces in the villa and it's alluring, sleek design heavy in marble. There's a large glass door that leads to the deck, a walk-in closet as well as an oversized circular bathtub.

The deck of the villa as very expansive and probably half of the overall size of the villa itself. It's a large open-air patio with wooden screens on either side features a large daybed right outside the bathroom, sun loungers and a dining gazebo that's slightly shaded by the thatched roof and a huge 8x3m plunge pool. There's also steps that lead to floating platform where there are an additional two more sun loungers right above the water level and a ladder that leads straight into the beautiful blue lagoon.

Sunset Luxury Water Villas with Pool at Joali Maldives

At the top of the list, would definitely be the Sunset Luxury Water Villas with Pool at the very recently opened Joali Maldives. These are some of the water villas of the highest quality within the atoll with their unbelievable attention to detail and ability to craft a completely unique look for the island tropical destination life. With a combination of traditional Maldivian techniques and exciting, sleek contemporary art styles as well high-tech wizardry, the resort produced these overwater suites that are as sophisticated and elegant that you can get. Not only is the architecture and design built in perfect craftmanship that soothes the eye, but they are also quite large, covering a huge portion of 208 sqm. It might not be the largest, in comparison with the Super Water Villas by Emerald, but the amazing design and architecture does wonders for the ambience.

The inside of the villa is as grand as it can get with it's high, slanting ceilings and floorings covered in thick carpets and a color scheme involving neutral tones along with the occasional touch of rose gold material. The living room has multiple sofas and armchairs and a bar that's a very luxe touch that makes these villas a very premium accommodation option. The standalone piece itself constitutes of a cocktail mixer, thermos, an expresso machine, blender as well as a premium selection of spirits and liquors. Add to that the unique, authentic art pieces and usage of expensive wood and rare marble throughout the villa makes the feeling of luxury is almost overwhelming. 

On the outside, the villas are designed in the traditional rustic hut style but the similarity ends there. The infinity pool is huge and the deck makes up for more than half the space and is mostly shaded by the huge wooden structure of the thatched roof. Additionally, there's lots of space and options to lounge on such as the sofa beds, sun loungers and of course, direct lagoon access from the patio.

If one villa is not enough you can rent out the entire resort. According to Forbes it costs $90,000 per night. Prices change based on seasons, so it is uncertain this price is for which period. Sure way is to drop an email and in time you will get what you want to find out.