Inside My $2,000/Night Overwater Villa Stay in the Maldives
24 hours of travel, $1,000 boat rides, and one of the best breakfasts of my life—here’s everything I experienced staying at one of the Maldives’ most exclusive resorts.
Like a lot of people, visiting the Maldives had been on my bucket list for years. I was actually supposed to go in 2022, but life got in the way—so in 2023, I finally said fck it* and booked the trip for 2024. I planned a year out, no regrets.
When most people dream about an overwater villa vacation, it usually comes down to two places: Bora Bora or the Maldives. Bora Bora is the easier option if you're on the West Coast—it’s closer to L.A., and the travel time is more manageable. The Maldives? That’s a whole journey. From the U.S., you're looking at about 24 hours of flights, connections, and layovers. But let me tell you: it was absolutely worth it. Some people think the Maldives is overrated or too hyped, but I genuinely fell in love with it—and now I’m already plotting my return, this time to explore a different island.
I flew into Malé, the capital, and from there, the Waldorf Astoria had a private yacht waiting for us. That’s how it works in the Maldives—most resorts are on their own private islands, so once you land, you still need to take a speedboat or a seaplane to reach your final destination. The yacht transfer was next-level luxury (as it should be—it’s about $1,000 per person for a 30-minute ride). We were welcomed with chilled towels, drinks, and snacks while gliding across clear turquoise waters. It was honestly a whole vibe.
When we pulled up to the Waldorf, the staff was standing by waving like we were in an episode of The White Lotus. We were immediately greeted by our personal butler, Moe, who whisked us away in a golf cart for a tour of the island. The resort itself was breathtaking—but our villa? Unreal.
We stayed in a 1,000+ square foot overwater villa with a massive private pool, a huge deck, and direct access to the ocean. It was literally bigger than my apartment. But after all that travel, we were exhausted—so we headed to dinner, had lamb chops and caviar (as one does), and then knocked out.
Here is a room tour:
The next morning, we woke up to paradise and headed to breakfast—one of my favorite parts of the trip. As a Hilton Diamond member, breakfast was complimentary, but I believe it's included for everyone. And let me just say: Waldorf does breakfast right. This was easily one of the best resort breakfasts I’ve ever had (maybe tied with the Waldorf Astoria in Cabo). They had everything from red velvet pancakes to dumplings to fresh tropical fruits and every juice imaginable. Honestly, I started looking forward to waking up each morning just to bike over to breakfast.
Speaking of bikes—each villa comes with its own set, and biking around the island became a little daily ritual. It’s such a fun and relaxing way to explore the resort.
One afternoon, we booked a clear kayak session. Some resorts offer water sports like that complimentary, but here it was extra. Spoiler alert: we quickly realized kayaking wasn’t for us. We paddled for maybe 15 minutes, looked at each other, and said, “Let’s just go lay on the beach.” And that’s exactly what we did.
On our last day, we treated ourselves to a spa session. I can confidently say it was one of the best massages I’ve ever had—I actually fell asleep mid-treatment, which says everything. After five days in paradise, it was time to pack up and leave, and honestly, five days felt just right. The resort is private and intimate, so by the fifth day, we felt like we had truly experienced everything we wanted to.
If you’re thinking about going to the Maldives, I can’t recommend the Waldorf Astoria enough. It’s consistently ranked as one of the best resorts in the world—and now I understand why. From the service to the food to the complete sense of escape, it’s the kind of trip that stays with you.
And yes, I’m already planning my next visit.