SAii Lagoon Maldives, Curio Collection by Hilton: A Maldivian Escape Like None Other

If you are considering a holiday to the Indian Ocean, the SAii Lagoon Maldives, Curio Collection by Hilton, is worthy of all your attention. Offering a unique concept in the Maldives, this resort allows for a luxurious stay on the beach or over water. Additionally, it provides access to the Hard Rock Hotel and Marina at CROSSROADS, with its lineup of entertainment, restaurants, and bars.

Afraid a Maldivian holiday may get too boring? You literally cannot run out of things to do, places to eat, or ways to relax at the SAii Lagoon Maldives, Curio Collection by Hilton. It offers an experience beyond the 'one island, one resort' setup, boasting a fully integrated lifestyle destination with a 30-berth quay, the legendary Hard Rock Cafe, award-winning dining options, and unparalleled adventures. 

We recently stayed at this one-of-a-kind resort and have plenty to share! Read on for a closer look at all the incredible offerings at SAii Lagoon Maldives.

Getting to SAii Lagoon Maldives, Curio Collection by Hilton 

As with other hotels in the Maldives, you will fly directly to Velana International Airport in Male and prebook your boat transfer to the resort.

Owing to its proximity to the capital, SAii Lagoon Maldives allows for transfers in the evening or even at night. However, if you want to make the most of those ocean views (and you must!), we highly recommend staying the night at one of the many boutique hotels in Male and taking the first speedboat out instead.

This holds particularly true for Singapore Airlines flights that land late at night - just hop over to your hotel in Male, and get on the speedboat the next morning. We promise the hues of blue are worth it!

Arrival and Rooms at SAii Lagoon Maldives

Speedboat transfers take place at the airport. Simply check yourselves in at the hotel desk after arrival, and they will usher you to your very own boat. Note that these transfers are shared, and you may need to wait for the rest of your passengers to arrive. If you don’t have lounge access, you can sit at the open food court outside the hotel, which offers several food and drink options.

It takes around 15 minutes to arrive at the deck of the Marina, where you will be shuttled off to your hotel destination, either the SAii Lagoon Maldives or the Hard Rock Hotel Maldives. Both of these hotels are located on separate islands and connected via a bridge that you can access freely throughout your stay, but more on those perks later.

SAii Lagoon Maldives is designed with cheerful explorers in mind and features a boho-chic aesthetic that reflects natural textures, marine-inspired decor, and views that you can only enjoy in the magnificence of the Maldives. Walking, exploring, and indulging are highly encouraged! And when you tire, buggies can take you to your choice of destination, or you can opt to ride a bicycle instead.

Larger groups or families can delight in the hotel’s 2 Bedroom Family Beach rooms, which offer up to 44 Sq Metres of space, generous interiors, and direct access to the beach. Sleeping up to 4 adults and 2 kids, these Family rooms come equipped with a private balcony and the ability to touch powdery-soft sand from the get-go. Luxurious amenities, daybeds, and fully-kitted two bathrooms give you ample space to spread out with your young ones.

SAii Lagoon Maldives also house Overwater Villas that allow for easy dips right into the ocean. For a real splurge, book the 2-bedroom overwater villa with a pool that includes waterfall showers and an inspiring Seaview bathtub for Instagram-worthy shots!

Consider Going Full Board at SAii Lagoon Maldives

The food, drinks, and diversity at SAii Lagoon Maldives truly come to life with the meal packages, making it one of the best perks of staying here. We highly recommend choosing the Full Board Menu, which is a popular option among most residents.

Unlike other resorts, this meal plan grants you access to the F&B locations at SAii Lagoon Maldives, Hard Rock Hotel Maldives, as well as the Marina. For non-buffet options, you can choose 3 dishes from à la carte menus or receive dinner credit at up to 14 restaurants in and around the resort. With such an array of choices, you can try a new restaurant for every meal during your holiday!

If you desire alcoholic beverages as add-ons, consider the All-Inclusive package instead, which includes Still & Sparkling Water, Non-Alcoholic, and Standard Alcoholic beverages.

The breakfast buffet at Miss Olive Oyl is an indulgent and international experience. Whether you crave a healthy menu with yoghurt, chia puddings, fruit, and salads, or prefer the comfort of freshly-prepared Eggs Benedict and Crepes, the range here will tempt and impress you. You can also try Maldivian local dishes and South Indian staples like Idly and Vada, or savour bacon and eggs, along with a diverse pan-Asian menu featuring noodles and dumplings. One look at their sauce and flavoured oil setup, and you'll know this breakfast is worth waking up for. And if you still need some prodding, Sparkling Wine and Mimosas are on the house!

Guests will also enjoy the beachfront setting for laidback lunches and intimate dinners at Terra & Mar. The Asian menu boasts fresh seafood delights, with notable dishes including Fast Parced Scallops, Grilled Jumbo Prawns, and a tropical holiday essential - Coconut ice cream.

Special Mention: Badhige at SAii, for a Private Cooking and Dining Experience

While there’s no dearth of family bonding activities on the island, we highly recommend trying the exclusive cooking and dining experience at Badhige. This interactive family meal is all about healthy and sustainable cuisine and is set amidst SAii's very own organic garden.

Watch as Chef Isura showcases fruits, vegetables, and herbs growing in the garden, and teaches your kids to harvest them. Later, he uses the same produce to prepare a menu of tantalizing flavours, using local spices and recipes that are sure to spark conversations.

Our afternoon here included learning to prepare a delicious Papaya Salad from scratch and indulging in the freshest Tuna cakes made with herbs from the organic garden. The main course, a Coconut Fish Curry, was alive with flavours and excitement as our kids doled out warm Rotis with Chef Isura at their side.

Finally, a dish that deserves to be on SAii's main menu, the Kurumba, is a 3-Coconut textured dessert waiting to be dressed by its diners. Served in a whole tender coconut (flesh intact), a creamy coconut milk-based mousse is sprinkled with sugar and berries. Guests are then guided to flambé this beauty into perfection.

Kids Club and Amenities at SAii Lagoon Maldives

The Koimala & Maalimi's Junior Beach Club and Camp is an exciting centre where you will find all things fun and imaginative. Designed for kids between 4-15 years of age, this may be one of the best-equipped kids' holiday clubs we've seen in a while. It is spread over three outdoor and three indoor areas, including a family room where adults and guardians are welcome to join the fun. The club is complete with the infrastructure for indoor games such as air hockey, basketball, video games, Zumba on TV screens, and even a separate workshop area for painting, cooking, and other messy-play activities.

Outside, a private beach allows for a variety of games and activities, and there is also a dedicated area to get back to nature and camp under the stars. The outdoor set-up includes a massive playground with trampolines, swings, and slides, which come alive with natural fauna, such as Cranes, Crabs, and even Baby Sharks!

The real stars of the show are the staff who speak multiple languages and go all out to make this a fun adventure for your kids. They take them to snorkelling lessons and ice cream tastings and organise activities like painting coconuts and delicious mocktail crafting lessons. Nothing is too much trouble here!*

*Kids who travel during the Summer Holidays get to enjoy SAii's Kids Summer Fun Workshop. This interactive educational program is designed for 5 to 17-year-olds and offers 7 days of activities focused on creative and innovative arts and crafts, healthy exercises, and environmental awareness. All activities are free of charge when staying for a minimum of 3 nights at the SAii Lagoon Maldives. There's even a certificate and awards ceremony at the end of the week. The workshop is available from 1st July 2023 until 15th September 2023.

Watersports and Marine Discovery Centre

Needless to say, a holiday in the Maldives is incomplete without some over and underwater action! Venture off to Best Dives, a PADI 5-star dive and watersports centre, where they offer Sunset Cruises, Dolphin Discovery tours, fishing trips, and other local island excursions. Best of all, guests from SAii Lagoon Maldives can borrow their snorkelling equipment, pedal boats, and kayaks for free!

If there's room for one excursion, we recommend booking the Dolphin Discovery tour, which takes you on an ocean adventure on a traditional Maldivian Dhoni (boat). Dolphin spotting is subject to weather, but a sunny day and clear water could give you views of hundreds of playful dolphins - an experience you're unlikely to forget!

The island is also home to a Maldives Discovery Centre, a facility designed and equipped to provide interactive and in-depth information about Maldives' culture. Get a glimpse of the people, their history, and the country's unique environment and climate struggles.

Also, channel your inner conservationist at the Marina Discovery Centre. Featuring a marine biology laboratory, coral propagation, and a clownfish release program, the facility offers coral nursery exploration and other marine conservation programs for you to learn about.

Pro Tips for SAii Lagoon Maldives

1. Use the App: You may not want to download one more app, but the hotel's concierge via their application is one of the best ways to access a variety of information. From finding out the latest happenings on the island to accessing menus and entertainment times, this is a great app to download as soon as you check-in. The app also allows you to chat directly with the hotel staff, enabling you to ask for buggies, reserve a restaurant, and request any other assistance without having to pick up a phone line. It helps that the resort's WIFI is pretty strong throughout the island!
2. Walk at Night: The bridge connecting the Marina with the Hard Rock Hotel is the best place to spot underwater life - especially at night. Post-dinner walks will be rewarded with sightings of sharks, stingrays, colourful fish, and even the occasional Crane.
3. Live Band and Entertainment: There are quite a few dining options with live bands and entertainers/dancers on the island, particularly at the Hard Rock Hotel. Check with the staff or the information on your app and make a booking accordingly. Don't miss Karaoke nights at the Hard Rock Cafe!
4. Dine at a different restaurant for every meal. Barring the breakfast menu, which you really should wake up for, take the time to dine at a different restaurant for every meal. With the range of cuisines on offer, including award-winning options such as the Ministry of Crab, it would be a waste not to explore dining outlets beyond the ones at the hotel. Kinkao Thai Bistro serves traditional Thai Cuisine with a modern twist and is one you should book.
5. M.I.Y Aroma Lab: Rainy day? Should you run out of fun things to do on the beach, the M.I.Y Aroma Lab allows you to create your very own bathroom amenities from scratch. Guests are invited to select a base product and pair it with one of the many scents on offer. 
6. Snap: Snack Box. After check-in, make sure to drop by Snap Snack Bar and pick out your own treats from a complimentary collection of healthy, family-friendly snacks. Munchies, savoury crisps and more!
7. Babies: Cribs are set up for free at the hotel and babysitting services are provided for kids between 11 months to 3 years at an extra cost. 
8. Day tripping: Didn't book the SAii Maldives but have time to kill before your flight from Male? CROSSROADS Maldives is an incredibly popular day-tripping destination for locals and tourists alike. You can take the boat to the island, and enjoy a full day of relaxation before heading back to the airport. 

About SAii Lagoon Maldives, Curio Collection by Hilton

At a multi-island destination, an original and inspiring Maldives island resort experience combined with the Maldives’ largest lifestyle hub – The Marina – awaits just 15 minutes from Malé International Airport by boat. SAii Lagoon Maldives is a cerulean bolthole created for couples, families, and friends in search of a tranquil and playful destination getaway.

Make your bookings via their website, phone (+960) 6651300 or email at [email protected]