For the second year in a row, Soneva Fushi has been voted the World’s Best Beach Hotel as part of The World’s 50 Best Hotels. The Best 50 list aims to showcase exceptional hotel experiences from every corner of the globe that inspire guests, travellers and hoteliers from around the world.
About Soneva
Founded in the nineties, Soneva has always been a pioneer of luxury hospitality, from its Maldives locations, Fushi, Jani, and Secret, to Soneva Kiri in Thailand. Defining true luxury by peace, time, and space, Soneva allows guests to discover a slow life and reconnect with themselves and the world around them through rare and enriching experiences, with a mantra of ‘no news, no shoes’ every element of the Soneva resorts to focussed on pure relaxation to create an environment that feels worlds away from day-to-day life.
The Soneva resorts are widely considered trailblazers for luxury resort sustainability, having pioneered marine conservation, coral rehabilitation, waste minimisation, community outreach, and staff training.
Soneva Fushi
Nestled in the Maldives’ Baa Atoll UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, Soneva Fushi is the original barefoot hideaway. Accessible only by a 40-minute seaplane ride, guests are welcomed to island life at check-in when presented with their bicycle to access the facilities around the resort. Cycle between the Balinese-inspired spa, pool complex, tennis courts, library, and gym, which is a cut above the general five-star hotel standard.
Accommodation
The resort’s 63 private villas are dotted around the rich jungle or perched above the sparkling turquoise waters, offering so much privacy you almost forget there are other guests at the resort. With a theme of bringing the outdoors in, the villas feature retractable roofs, expansive bifold doors, airy bedroom spaces and outdoor bathroom spaces with showers cascading over rocks and bathtubs built into stone. The open-air environment gives guests a feeling of freedom and privacy. Each villa features vast living spaces and views towards the sunrise or sunset, with their own pools as well as being steps from the beach or a waterslide away from the ocean. Plus, all villas have their own personalised 24/7 Barefoot Guardian service on hand whenever you need anything.
Luxury Family Stays
Soneva Fushi is set up for luxury family holidays, from the leafy gardens, sandy beaches and lush jungle there is so much to explore! Home to The Den, a dedicated playground (the largest in South Asia), and overseen by qualified childminders, children have free run of two pools, a water slide, dressing up, Lego, music, and more. Older children and teens also have access to the Soneva Academy, where they can learn about the area, explore the night skies, and search for ancient treasures with resident educators—giving parents time to relax and enjoy other resort facilities.
Dining
Wellness
Soneva Resorts features the world-class Soneva Soul Spa, which unites ancient practices with modern innovations. Therapies include Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Medicine, and herbalism, working alongside Western treatments such as vitamin therapy and integrative medicine solutions like hyperbaric oxygen therapy and ozone therapy. Each journey starts with a consultation to customise each treatment to personal needs, including rest, recovery, regeneration, detoxification, movement, and health optimisation.
About the World’s 50 Best
As the leading authority in global hospitality, the 50 Best list showcases worldwide trends, highlighting great restaurants, bars, and hotels from all over the world. For the last twenty years, an anonymous voting panel of over 600 hoteliers, travel journalists, educators, and seasoned luxury travellers has provided unrivalled guidance to the world’s travellers. Soneva Fushi was voted eighth best hotel overall and is the only Maldives resort on the list.
