Baros Island Review: The Maldives Best Resort For Romance

Baros, the luxury 5-star resort in the Maldives, is the ultimate dream destination.

It has won the Most Romantic Resort in the World for seven consecutive years, as voted by the World Travel Awards.

It also picks up awards from Conde Nast for the Readers Choice Award 2021 and TripAdvisor Travellers Choice Awards 2021.

And not forgetting the Elle 2021 Best Honeymoon Resort Award.

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Is Baros Really That Special?

So many travellers return from a trip and say that the destination they visited was like “heaven on earth” that you begin to believe that nowhere can top the list. Well, I can tell you that this tiny island in the Maldives can do just that.

Everything you have ever heard about the Maldives in the Indian Ocean is right. Azure waters, white sandy beaches, tropical foliage and an abundance of sea life are all at Baros, one of the most romantic and luxurious resorts in the Maldives.

Of course, many luxury resorts come with a hefty price tag, but can you put a price on perfection? My answer is no – this is a once-in-a-lifetime trip, probably for an exceptional occasion, so you need to make it as memorable as possible.

Baros water villas with a private pool offer you an experience you will never forget as you enjoy the uninterrupted views, so tranquil that you won’t want to leave.

Don’t just take my word for it – let me take you through a photo journey and review of what to expect at Baros Resort, one of the most beautiful and romantic places I have ever stayed.

I was there to celebrate my 25th wedding anniversary and would 100% recommend it for special occasions.

Check out my post: 16 Really Useful Things You Should Know When Booking a Maldives Holiday

The azure waters of the Maldives (no filter needed!)

Check-in at Baros

Departing in the resort’s speed boat from Male’s airport was a breeze. Just 25 minutes later and we were greeted by four members of Baros Maldives staff. We were helped off the boat and led to the open-sided reception area, where refreshing drinks and cold flannels were waiting for us.

Our concierge went through our booking – we would be staying in both a beach villa and an overwater pool villa – and then, after dealing with formalities, we headed to our villa. We had decided that we would book two different types of accommodation so that we could compare them.

We wanted to be on the beach for a few days and then, of course, stay in the ultra-luxurious overwater pool villas. Let’s face it – you can’t come to the Maldives without experiencing a stay in one of the most romantic villas on the island.

Beach Villa

Hidden in the jungle-like foliage and decked out in dark teak wood, with a thatched ceiling and muted accessories, the villa was beautiful. The small entrance hall had a cosy seating area, and the bedroom had a magnificent four-poster bed. A Baros hessian bag and flip-flops, along with a gigantic Baros embroidered towel, were left for us to use (and keep).

An iPod docking station was tuned in to relaxing music, and DVDs were available should we want to watch a film – I initially thought, who watches movies while they are in the Maldives, but then it rained, and I realised what a good idea it was! A coffee maker and daily cookies were also excellent for coffee addicts like us.

My beach villa also had an indoor and an outdoor bathroom – luxury personified! With luxe products from L’Occitane and an outdoor bath and shower – not forgetting his and her washbasins – what isn’t there to love about the decadence of Baros?

A beachside deck led to the powder-soft sand that the Maldives is renowned for, and believe me, it is like talcum powder. We ordered breakfast on our decking and wandered to our private area with sunbeds and umbrellas. No rushing to grab a sunbed here, just pure unadulterated relaxation!

The beach slopes very gently into the lagoon, where the water is crystal clear. If you want to snorkel, then you need to go outside the house reef, where a myriad of fantastic sea creatures will be waiting to meet you, including the black-tipped reef sharks. Don’t be alarmed; they are just curious and will not hurt you!

Baros Water Villas

So this is what most people come to the Maldives for, and at Baros, they have some of the most luxurious and prestigious over-water villas of all the island resorts. They come with a hefty price tag of approx £1,500 per night, but can you put a price on total luxury?

Staying in a water villa had been a lifelong dream, but we had never gotten around to it until now – after all, how else could we possibly spend our 25th wedding anniversary?

Pricing and availability for accommodation at Baros

So for that amount of cash, what exactly do you get for your money? Well, to start with, just our walk onto the decked pathway towards the thatched overwater villa filled our stomachs with butterflies. Would it be as good as it looked online, or would there be a slight feeling of deflation?

Baros and the WOW Factor

The door swung open, and we just stood there with dropped jaws; this was everything, if not more, than we could ever have anticipated. The voile drapes blew in the warm air as the in-villa docking station pumped out the melodic tones of Corinna Bailey-Rae. And that view was to die for – almost like a painting a child would do of blue skies and even bluer water.

We scampered around the water villa, checking out the bathroom with windows out to sea, bouncing on the bed and dipping a toe in the secluded pool attached to our water villa.

Yes – the overwater villa was fantastic!

Outside our villa – Room 323

The view as you walk through the door is incredible.

A king-sized bed with a canopy will allow you the most comfortable sleep. A television rises out of the foot-end of the bed if you want to watch a movie.

Soak in the tub before dinner with a view of the turquoise ocean. Your 24hr butler will fill the bath with rose petals should you require it.

The private plunge pool measures 6.6m x 3.6m and is illuminated by tiny lights at night – blissful Baros at its best.

Behind the daybed, a stairway descends to the crystal-clear waters of the house reef, ready for you to explore.

Special romantic touches make the guest feel valued.

Prepare for the most amazing sunsets you have ever witnessed.

Beach Time

At Baros, you can do as much or as little as you want, and the beauty of this resort is that you never see another guest. I know it sounds crazy because we arrived with three other couples, so we knew they were here somewhere, and we had seen plenty of guests at breakfast, but during the day, it is deserted.

Many of the beach villas have pools, so I imagine guests stay around them all day. We didn’t have a pool with our beach villa as we were moving on to an overwater pool villa, so I didn’t see the point. Instead, we spent our days languishing on the powder-like sand, swimming in the resort pool and snorkelling around the house reef.

Wander along the sandy pathways and find a hidden hammock or oversized sofa made for two and do nothing – it is your holiday, and so entirely your choice how to spend it.

It’s tricky working out where the infinity pool stops and the ocean begins!

Snorkelling on the House Reef

One of the highlights of our stay at Baros was the snorkelling. The water is so clear you can see far ahead, which is excellent. Exploring all manner of colourful underwater creatures became a daily routine.

An Encounter with Black Tipped Sharks

Two things stick in my mind. Firstly my encounter with the black-tipped sharks that swam around me while I was oblivious to their presence. It was only when my husband caught up to me and said he wanted to show me a photo he had captured on his GoPro underwater camera that I realised they had been beneath me and behind me all the time.

They aren’t man-eaters (or lady-killers!), and if there were anything dangerous in the waters, the Baros team would let you know; however, it is a little bit scary but very thrilling to know you have swum with sharks.

Bumping Heads with a Turtle

The second encounter was when I bumped heads with a turtle. Yes, honestly, I was swimming along, looking down at the beauty of the deep, and suddenly something struck me on my head. Shocked, I looked up to see an even more startled turtle looking at me. It seems like neither of us was watching where we were going!

At the on-site diving centre, I identified my turtle from the chart on the wall. The team at Baros know all the turtles on the house reef.

If you are a scuba diver, the sea is your oyster, and trips run daily from the resort.

Restaurants

Lime Restaurant offers lagoon-side dining and is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Breakfast (included in the room rate) is a decadent affair with champagne, an international buffet and traditional breakfast classics to begin the day. Enjoy bucks fizz on the deck (orange juice and champagne) while you gaze out to sea and plan how you will spend another day in paradise.

At lunch, you must try the club sandwich and mango lassi – you won’t be disappointed.

There are plenty of international dishes on the menu to suit all palates, but our favourite was the Maldivian curry – delicious.

Cayenne Restaurant, which has more of a grill concept, think beef, lamb and shellfish, also has several teppanyaki courses for two, which are delicious. We also dined on fresh red snapper that we had caught while out fishing with the staff. Seasoned and cooked perfectly, for us, this was a highlight, being able to eat your daily catch!

Is Dining at Baros Worth the Cost?

On our last night, we ate at the Lighthouse, which is the hotel’s fine dining restaurant. We sat outside as the illuminated water around us highlighted the black-tipped sharks out on their evening hunt. Wagyu beef steak was our choice, and the chef cooked it by our table.

Dining does cost a fortune; however, to experience a meal like this in an unbeatable setting was worth every penny. It was an experience rather than just an evening meal, and the food and wine were out-of-this-world.

A meal such as the one we enjoyed will cost approximately £150-£200 per person for three courses, depending on what you choose and excluding drinks.

Resort Bars

Sails Bar is the place to head for barefoot intimate drinks underneath the palm trees. We enjoyed our first-night welcome drinks here, which was the perfect location.

Sink into one of the oversized couches with your significant other while the flickering candles lining the beach dance in the breeze. Sip on your favourite cocktail and listen to the sounds of the Maldives as soothing music gently drifts all around you.

Lighthouse Lounge sits above the restaurant of the same name and is where you can relax in the shade of the iconic canvas roof.

From here, you can enjoy the best sunset views on the island as you listen to the sultry sounds of a live band. Indulge in fine wines, canopies or a cocktail.

My favourite was a Brandy Alexander, which I enjoyed before (and after) dinner while watching the evening draw to a close.

Baros Activities

Serenity Spa – Offering relaxing and intoxicating treatments in a tropical setting. I didn’t use it myself as I ran out of time. I know that sounds ridiculous on a tropical island but relaxing and doing nothing is serious business at Baros.

Yoga – Again, I didn’t partake in this activity – purely because I’m about as flexible as a wooden ruler – but it is available for those that would enjoy a session each morning.

Diving – for certified scuba divers, there is an on-site dive school with boats to take you further afield than the house reef.

Night Snorkelling – Baros diving instructors take you around the house reef and illuminate the water with torches. My husband reported back that he had seen all kinds of sights in the depths of the dark waters, and it was a great experience.

Fishing – Line-fishing with the staff proved harder than anticipated, but we finally caught red snapper for our evening meal at Cayenne Restaurant. A memorable time for us both.

Sunrise and Sunset at Baros

The incredible sunrises and sunsets in the Maldives are something to write home about. We tried to drag ourselves away from our overwater pool villa on one occasion and watch the sunrise.

It was beautiful watching the sky turn from yellow to gold and then blue first thing in the morning.

And without a doubt, sunsets are as dramatic as you will find anywhere in the world. Watch the skies above Baros change in stages from blue to orange and finally to purple.

As you sip your cocktail, with the ocean gently lapping the beach, acknowledge that no matter what anyone else says, you have found the real “heaven on earth” at Baros.

Conclusion

Romance, luxury, first-class service and top-notch gastronomy are all waiting for you at Baros Maldives.

Whether it is a honeymoon, anniversary, birthday, or simply a luxury getaway, then I would recommend a stay at Baros to fulfil all your expectations.

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