Best of the Maldives: Massage View – Sun Siyam Iru Veli

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Iruveli - massage view

Sun Siyam Iru Veli isn’t the first spa treatment with a view, but it is the one of the best I have come across. Both the glass floor portal and the head rest are open enough for easily opening your eyes and gazing at the aquatic life passing by. And the ocean underneath has several fish-attracting coral croppings to maximise the visual interest. [NOTE: I titled this post “Clear View” to distinguish it from another fine spa view at Coco Bodu Hithi, but which it obstructed a bit by the design on the glass and the flower arrangement on top]

A treatment room with a view.

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Best of the Maldives: Arrival Jetty Glass Floor – OZEN Maadhoo

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OZEN MAadhoo - arrival jetty glass floor

Maldives is defined by its intimacy with the water, and resorts have become renowned for underwater and overwater facilities to put guest as close as possible to this main event. The glass floor has become one of the iconic elements to extend this aquatic vista even further. OZEN Maadhoo starts every visitor off with this perspective featuring a prominent one right on their arrival jetty. One of the first things you do when you arrive in the Maldives (even after two decades, I can attest) is to look down to see the myriad sea life frolicking below as you walk along the arrival jetty, but at Maadhoo this thrilling sight started as soon as we had our welcome drink in hand.

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Best of the Maldives: Fitness Centre Glass Floor – LUX North Male Atoll

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LUX North Male Atoll - gym glass floor

I’ve been comprehensively cataloguing glass floors in the Maldives for years, and LUX North Male Atoll’s is the first I’ve seen in a fitness centre. Years ago, all fitness centres were stuck away in some remote, claustrophobic centre of the island making one’s effort to work off last night’s pina colada binge all the more excruciating. More recently, top resorts have moved their gyms to a pride of place with an ocean view with the spectacular vista as inspiring as any video on a little screen. LUX provides not just views of the sea beyond, but also the marine life below (or the gives the fish below a framed shot at the fit bodies above, depending literally on your point of view). And it is not just a token little portal, but an expansive area that covers the entire entry area to the centre.

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Best of the Maldives: Glass Coffee Table – Safari Island

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Safari Island - glass coffee table 1

The favorite, even iconic, holes in the boards in the Maldives are the infamous glass floors of the water villas. But, Safari Island has lifted this feature with its indoor glass table. Sure beats a coffee table boo of underwater photography to instead sit down and gaze at the real thing. It’s a nice twist so that you can linger, perhaps over a cuppa or a cocktail to real savour this special view instead of staring down at your feet.

Safari Island - glass coffee table 2

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Best of the Maldives: Value Glass Floor – Embudu

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Embudu - glass floor

The heart of any Maldives trip is the unworldly seascape and resorts do everything to bring with water wonderland front and centre – snorkelling, glass bottom boats, decks overlooking. One of the hot features at the glitziest water villas is the glass floor. A portal to this maritime magic even when you are sequestered inside. But you don’t have to be a millionaire to enjoy this fancy foot-level fenestella. The value priced Embudu resort sports lovely versions in their Water Bunglows. And there is plenty to see. We watched a couple of puppy reef sharks and a baby stingray during our short stay.  The most affordable glass floor water villa in the Maldives.

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Best of the Maldives: Massage Head Support – Velaa

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Velaa - massage head support

It’s hard to find any fault with even the worst massage. But if I do have pet peeve with spa treatments, it is the face hole in the massage bed. The worst ones are barely padded or use an awkwardly rolled up towel. At the end of the massage, you have a big, red, aching indentation mark across your forehead. But Velaa has figured out the ultimate head support at its spa…

1. Glass Floor View – Good. If you are going to stare straight down for an extended period, then have something pleasant to set your eyes on is a treat.

2. Coral View – Better. A couple of resorts do provide glass floor views for their over-water spa treatment rooms. In every case that I’ve seen the view is just a sandy bottom (not the good kind). The sandy deserts of the lagoon floor have very little marine life to gaze upon aside from the stray white fish. But Velaa has situated its view directly over some fine coral croppings for an enchanting spectacle of small tropical fish darting to and fro.

3. Gel Mask – Best. Wow. I’ve had all sorts of face pads on massage beds from the aforementioned hard board to plush cushiony affairs. But you don’t get any more soothingly soft than a gel mask. Perfect.

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Best of the Maldives: “Glass Floor” – Soneva Fushi

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Soneva Fushi spa glass floor 1

One of the classic “wow” features of the super-deluxe properties are the glass floors in the water villas to peer down on the aquatic playground below. Soneva Fushi’s lack of water villas hasn’t stopped it from it from offering its own version of a truly ‘glass’ floor in its yoga pavilion. Down the centre of the room are glass floor panels. But instead of maritime life beneath, it has a sparkling canvas of crushed glass recycled from the island. It’s like an aquamarine carpet. Just another example of Soneva’s glass ingenuity.

Soneva Fushi spa glass floor 2

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Best of the Maldives: Glass Table – Six Senses Laamu

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Six Senses Laamu - water villa glass table

 

 

Glass floors have become a signature design feature in Maldives water villas, but Six Senses Laamu has literally raised the concept to a new level. Their Lagoon Water Villa has transparent portal into the colourful lagoon below, but by making it a table, it’s easier to sit down and enjoy the spectacle with a tropical cocktail.

Today’s post has triggered the addition of a new category tag of the best “Tables” in the blog.

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16 Glass Floors in the Maldives

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W Retreat glass floor

 

GlassFest started yesterday featuring every imaginable translucent creation. But for the bottom line (or should I say ‘bottom plane’?) on glass, then the heartland of glass flooring is the resorts of the Maldives featuring portals to the aquatic wonderland below. When you come to the islands, so enchanting is its beauty above and beneath the water, you just don’t want to take your eyes off it. And the resorts there do everything possible do that you don’t have to. Here are a collection of the best in every imaginable nook and cranny of an over water stay…

1. ENTRYWAY – Lily Beach: Clearly welcome matt (Deluxe Water Villa)

Lily Beach - entry glass floor

2. SITTING ROOM – Velassaru: Set yourself down, put your feet up, and enjoy the scenery (Water Suite).

Velassaru glass gloor

3.  LIVING ROOM – LUX Maldives: Scotch and water anyone? (LUX Villa)

LUX Maldives glass floor

4.  DINING ROOM – Conrad Rangali Maldives: Up there you be on da plate… (Sunset Water Villa)

Conrad Rangali dining room glass floor

5.  STUDY – Conrad Rangali Maldives: And glass desktop to boot so nothing stands in the way of oceanic inspiration to your writing… (Retreat Water Villa)

Conrad Rangali desk glass floor

6.  BEDROOM – Iru Fushi: G’nite Anchor, g’nite Chum. G’nite John-boy. (Water Villa)

Iru Fushi bedroom glass floor

7. BATHROOM – Vadoo: What’s taking you so long in there (are you watching the fish instead of getting ready)? (Sunrise Water Villa)

Vadoo bathroom 2

8. BATHTUB – Anantara Kihavah: Great view of fish for bathers (maybe the view for the fish is not so great). (Over Water Pool Villa)

Anantara Kihavah glass bottom bath tub

9.  TOILET – Four Seasons Landaa Giraavaru: WATER Closet. Beats a newspaper. (Sunrise Water Villa with Pool)

Four Seasons Landaa Giraavaru glass floor toilet

10. OUTDOOR SHOWER– Anantara Kihavah:  Note to fish – don’t look up. (Over Water Pool Villa)

11.  MASSAGE ROOM – Conrad Rangali Maldives: Feel like floating away. (Overwater Spa)

Conrad Rangali Maldives spa glass floor

12. INDOOR DECK – Gili Lankanfushi: Right this way to see the marine life…(Private Reserve)

Gili Lankanfushi Private Reserve glass floor

13.  OUTOOR DECK – Jumeirah Vittaveli: For those people who don’t live on the edge… (Lagoon Suite)

Jumeirah Vittaveli deck glass floor

14.   POOL – Coco Palm Dhuni Kolhu: Pool with a 360 degree view. (Lagoon Villa)

Coco Palm Dhuni Kolhu glass floor pool Sakis Papadopolous

15. MEZZANINE – Huvafenfushi: You don’t need an ocean under you to provide a glass floor view of the water (Two Bedroom Beach Pavilion)

Huvafenfushi two bedroom beach pavillion with pool glass floor 1

16. BOAT – Paradise Island: And even a mobile glass floor for those guests on the move (Glass Bottomed Boat)

Paradise Island - glass bottom boat

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