Another dream come true in the Maldives! Five nights in a luxury beachfront villa. Sand between the toes, blue skies, and blue seas. This was our stay at the Outrigger Konotta Maldives. So, what’s like to stay in a beachfront villa in the Maldives? Here is our Outrigger Maldives review.
Outrigger Resorts
Outrigger is a hotel company that specializes in boutique and luxury accommodations in tropical locations. Outrigger started in the Hawaiian islands. Currently, they operate tropical hotel properties in Mauritius, Fiji, Guam, Thailand, and of course, the Maldives. We knew little about the Outrigger brand before traveling to the Maldives but were impressed by the focus on nature and casual relaxation.
Outrigger Maldives Room Options
There are two ways to really experience a luxury stay in the Maldives. One of the most recognizable ways, is in an overwater villa, surrounded by blue seas. We certainly experienced this while staying at Hurawalhi, in one of the northern atolls.
But, not every property is exclusively filled with overwater villas. In fact, most of the rooms in the Maldives are beachfront villas. That was just our experience at Outrigger Konotta Maldives. At first, I was a little disappointed that we didn’t have another overwater villa experience. But, our beachfront villa was lovely, comfortable, and huge!
A little more in tune with nature than Hurawalhi, our beachfront villa included a small plunge pool, a comfortable seating area, and even a jacuzzi on the roof! Our thatched roof villa was surrounded by tropical greenery and felt entirely private. I was also happy with the extra space in the villa, as it did rain a bit during our stay. I did not feel “stuck” inside because we had the extra space.
Beach Front Access At Outrigger Maldives
But, the best part of our beachfront villa was that we could walk directly from our deck, onto the white sand beach, and directly into the clear blue waters. Frankly, this was particularly important with the rain, as we were able to take advantage of the beach and return to our room when weather dictated. But, it also meant that we could split our time between the blue waters on the beach, and our little private pool. It felt exclusive.
When the weather broke, we swam in the clear blue waters. Or, we just relaxed on our private lounge chairs. We also enjoyed a luxury sunset dinner on the beach while staying at the Outrigger Maldives. The dinner was set just outside our beachfront villa. It felt as though we had a small footprint on the island that was all for us!
Check out our Video about the Outrigger Konotta Maldives beach villa:
Dining At Outrigger Maldives
When choosing a resort in the Maldives, it’s important to choose one with great food. It’s not as though it is possible to pop out and explore the local dining scene. We ate all of our meals at the Outrigger at Blue Salt, their all-day dining option.
Breakfast At Outrigger Maldives
In the morning, Blue Salt had a small breakfast buffet, mostly with pastries and fresh juices. But, it was nice to order from an a la carte menu rather than be limited to a buffet. I am just a big fan of fresh made-to-order dishes at breakfast. In addition, Blue Salt served breakfast each day with sparkling wine and a Bloody Mary bar! Yes, I was in a bit of heaven.
Meals At Outrigger Konotta Maldives
From our first breakfast on, we bonded with a lot of the wait staff. When we travel, we love to taste local food. This can be difficult when traveling in the Maldives because you are “stuck” on an island. Yes, Blue Salt offered some great dishes for both lunch and dinner. But, once the wait staff found out we were big-time foodies, they went a little off the book to make sure we had an authentic experience. And, this is what set the Outrigger Maldives apart.
It started when Eric ordered the tuna curry at breakfast. Tuna is a staple of the local diet in the Maldives. The locals eat tuna three meals a day. And, yes, they usually start with tuna curry at breakfast. I was afraid the curry would be too fishy. Instead, it had a little spice, with big chunks of tuna. The Outrigger served the tuna curry with a bit of coconut sambal on the side.
From that point on, the servers went out of their way to offer us both Maldivian and Sri Lankan dishes, from spicy curries to local breads. They even brought Eric some Maldivian chili. When it wasn’t spicy enough, they found him some “real local” chili peppers, from the staff canteen!
Yes, Chef Chris and his team offered up seafood and steaks, and even test ran some desserts with us. But, the real treat was in getting to know the staff. They had such pride in the local cuisine. It made our stay at Outrigger Maldives!
What to Do at a Beach Front Villa in the Maldives
Pretty much every day revolved around eating. But, that is no different from most of our trips. The difference is that we didn’t have to think about where to eat. That was a refreshing treat.
Although there were loads of adventure activities on offer, and Outrigger could have helped us plan all of them, we stayed put. We used our time in the Maldives to just relax. To recuperate. I know it might seem like we live a luxe lifestyle, but the months leading up to our stay in the Maldives was stress filled. We needed the break.
After a day of reading on the beach (yes, reading, I read an actual book), we enjoyed an Aperol Spritz overlooking the beach, while waiting for the sunset to arrive. We ate, we swam, we ate, we napped, we ate, we slept. Then, we repeated it all.
Navasana Spa at Outrigger Maldives
One of the few times we escaped our beachfront villa, we visited Navasana Spa for a signature spa treatment. The Maldives is known for amazing spas, and getting a luxury massage is just one of the best things to do in the Maldives. We had our own spa villa, set up for two people. I enjoyed my massage treatment while listening to the sound of the waves breaking on the rocky shore just outside the window. I have to say, it was one of the best massages I had in a long time.
My therapist was from Bhutan, and Eric’s from Vietnam. Not only were they both incredibly friendly, but Eric’s therapist was also quite intuitive. At the end of the massage, she asked if Eric recently hurt his back (which he did) and offered him some suggestions on how to calm his mind (which he never does).
After the massage, we enjoyed the spa’s hydrotherapy pool. As relaxing as the spa was, this experience was downright fun. It was like a small water park for adults. We moved from one area of the pool to another, letting the jets apply pressure on our backs, legs, and feet.
Practical Information About Outrigger Maldives
Overall, we enjoyed our stay at the Outrigger. But, one thing should be noted. In the few months before we stayed at Outrigger, there was a major change in management. A new General Manager and Executive Chef, along with a ton of new staff. The good news is that all of the new staff came with the GM and Chef from another resort in Asia. The GM essentially brought along all of his best staff from their prior resort.
I wanted to note this because when we visited the resort had some minor growing pains. For example, we ate some very tasty meals, but some dishes we ate were misses. Chef Chris Long and his team are in the process of revamping the menu, and I feel confident in the future there will be less misses and more hits. There were also a few minor issues with housekeeping. Again, I feel confident that the resort is on the right track under the new management.
Pin It For Later! Outrigger Konotta Maldives Beach Villa – An Outrigger Maldives Review
Beach pool villa rooms at Outrigger Maldives on the All-inclusive plan start at $899 a night. For a room and breakfast for two people, rooms start at $665. Roundtrip air and sea transfers to the Outrigger Maldives is $490 per person. It’s best to book directly with the resort as traveling around the Maldives can be complicated. We were hosted by Outrigger during our stay, but all opinions are my own.
Amber Hoffman, food and travel writer behind With Husband In Tow, is a recovering attorney and professional eater, with a passion for finding new Food and Drink Destinations. She lives with her husband, Eric, in Girona, Catalonia, Spain. Together over the last 20 years, they have traveled to over 70 countries. Amber is the author of the Food Traveler’s Guide to Emilia Romagna.