Luxury Hotel · The Maldives
Velaa
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At a glance
Velaa Private Island is one of the Maldives’ most exclusive resorts, a 47-villa private island in remote Noonu Atoll with a golf academy, a snow room, and near 1:1 service.
Opened in 2013 in the remote Noonu Atoll, Velaa Private Island is among the most exclusive resorts in the Maldives, the passion project of Czech billionaire Jiří Šmejc. The name comes from the Dhivehi word for turtle, a nod to the sea turtles that have long lived on the island, reached by a 45-minute seaplane flight from Malé.
Accommodation is kept deliberately small at 47 villas, houses, and residences, all with private pools and either beach or lagoon access, from Beach Pool Villas up to the four-bedroom Velaa Private Residence.
What sets Velaa apart is the depth of its facilities: a José María Olazábal-designed golf academy, the Maldives’ first snow room, a fully covered tennis court, and a near 1:1 staff-to-guest ratio.
Highlights
- Just 47 villas, houses, and residences, all with private pools and a near 1:1 staff-to-guest ratio.
- A José María Olazábal-designed golf academy, the Maldives’ first snow room, and a covered tennis court.
- Signature dining at ARAGU and the TAVARU teppanyaki and wine tower, with a 500-plus-bin cellar.
Accommodation
Deluxe Beach Pool Villa
Velaa Private Island One-Bedroom Beachfront Pool Villas feature a large separate living room, outdoor terrace, private pool and indoor bathroom.
The Zen-like outdoor bathroom features a huge bath and deck, and a reclining daybed under a pillared podium connected by a garden atrium.
The alfresco dining area by the pool is the place to be at sunset.
Velaa Private Residence
Velaa Private Island Residences set a new level of ultimate luxury in the Maldives for friends and families alike, the Four Bedrooms Velaa Private Island Residence accommodates up to 10 guests.
These two-story Velaa Private Island Residences are laid out with privacy in mind. Each of the four bedrooms faces the ocean and beach; the first floor bedrooms have generous balconies, while the ground floor rooms open onto the pool.
Indoor and outdoor bathrooms are connected by a garden atrium.
Flanked by two gazebos for dining, relaxation, or playing, the pool reflects the ocean and is the central focus. Behind the living space a gym, spa room, and outdoor living area offer plenty of quiet spaces to retire to.
Sunrise Water Pool Villa
Along an extended jetty, the villas on this crescent have uninterrupted views of the ocean and private pools.
Overhanging thatch offers shade over the dining area, while the bedroom and bathroom open onto the terrace, pool, and sun deck, with steps leading into the ocean.
Inside, the comfortable living room is designed around a viewing window set into the floor, while the bed faces the ocean.
Ocean Pool House
Prestigiously located on the tip of the island in an exclusive private domain, Velaa Private Island Maldives Two Bedroom Overwater Residence offers an elegant living space with carefully curated elements, such as traditional Maldivian thatched roofs.
Louvered shutters let the breeze flow through, while a deep sofa is covered in scatter cushions.
Romantic Pool Residence
Accessible only by boat, this ultra-private Velaa Romantic Pool Residence is a one-bedroom villa suspended above the lagoon with uninterrupted views of the ocean. It offers the utmost privacy, making it perfect for ultra-luxury honeymooners. The Residence includes a private chef and butler.
All rooms open onto the terraces, where the Jacuzzi, pool, sundeck, and sunken bath.
With a personal gym and spa treatment rooms inside the Velaa Private Island residence, there’s little reason to leave.
Further information
Dining
Velaa runs three restaurants and two bars. Aragu is the signature, serving modern European cooking with a sustainability focus under chef Gaushan de Silva. Tavaru is the showpiece, an elevated white tower combining teppanyaki with the Maldives’ largest private wine cellar, holding over 500 bins. Athiri is the main all-day restaurant, with chefs from 14 nations, while Faiy covers light garden-to-table dishes. Cru is the champagne lounge, with Avi and the Beach Bar handling casual drinks.
Wellness
The spa is one of only a handful in the world run in partnership with My Blend by Clarins, with six treatment suites set over the lagoon, two of them for couples. The standout features are the Maldives’ first snow room, for a post-sauna chill, and the Cloud 9 flotation pod, the only one of its kind in Asia. The menu spans Velaa Signature Rituals, Ayurvedic therapies, and oriental treatments, with an outdoor jacuzzi, steam room, and sauna alongside.
Activities
The headline is the Velaa Golf Academy, a nine-hole course designed by José María Olazábal and managed by Troon, the first of its kind in the Maldives. The island also has the country’s only fully covered tennis court and runs one of the Maldives’ largest coral restoration projects, led by in-house marine biologists. Water sports stretch to a semi-submarine, Seabobs, flyboarding, big game fishing, and guided snorkeling with a resident marine biologist.
The Maldives
The Maldives is made up of more than a thousand coral islands scattered across the Indian Ocean, each resort occupying its own private atoll. No shared beaches, no neighbouring properties, no traffic. The geography does something that no amount of hotel design can replicate: it removes you completely from everything else. The range across those islands is wider than most people expect.
Our Experts
The Maldives is a stand-out when it comes to luxury travel and our most popular destination. We are also proud to be able to work with properties that are welcoming to the LGBTQ+ community.
Staying in an over-water bungalow is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I'd recommend to any traveller. It's amazing to swim in some of the world's most impressive coral reefs and the sunset's divine.
Stellar service. Stellar products. Stellar people and it gets so much better when you pick up the phone and call.
Anthony S.
Super client centred service. From first contact I have had warm, efficient, friendly and flexible service.
John
I’m confident in giving Out Of Office a 5-star review! They are one of the leaders in this space without a doubt.
Tiberiu
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Frequently asked questions
What does Out Of Office do?
Out Of Office is a luxury LGBTQ+ travel company specialising in tailor-made holidays and extraordinary journeys around the world. We create bespoke luxury holidays, LGBTQ+ honeymoons, safaris, cruises, beach escapes, private tours and group trips, with every itinerary designed around you. Our travel specialists combine global expertise, first-hand destination knowledge and trusted local partners to create seamless, highly personalised experiences.
Is Out Of Office a gay travel agency?
Out Of Office is an LGBTQ+ owned and run luxury travel specialist, with particular expertise in gay and LGBTQ+ travel. We understand the additional considerations that can come with travelling as an LGBTQ+ person or couple, from local laws and customs to finding genuinely welcoming hotels and experiences.
We welcome every traveller, including friends, families and allies. Many of our clients are not members of the LGBTQ+ community, but choose Out Of Office for our luxury travel expertise, personalised service and discretion.
Do you create tailor-made LGBTQ+ holidays?
Yes. Every tailor-made trip with Out Of Office is designed from scratch around your interests, travel style, budget and the way you want to experience a destination. We can arrange luxury hotels, private transfers, flights, guides, excursions, cruises and special experiences as part of one personalised itinerary. The journeys shown on our website are there to inspire you rather than restrict you; only clearly identified group departures operate as fixed itineraries.
How do you choose LGBTQ+ friendly hotels and destinations?
We combine first-hand destination knowledge with trusted local expertise to recommend luxury hotels, resorts and experiences where LGBTQ+ travellers can feel informed and welcome. We also consider the laws, customs and attitudes of each destination, because LGBTQ+ rights and experiences differ around the world. Our team regularly visit many of the properties we work with and where a destination requires greater awareness, we give you clear and considered advice so that you can make an informed decision about where and how you travel.
We plant trees for every booking
For every booking made with Out Of Office we commit to planting trees in your name to help reduce the impact of travel on future generations. You'll even get a link to see where your trees are planted in the world via our partner Ecologi.
We donate to Rainbow Railroad with every booking
Rainbow Railroad helps LGBTQ+ people escape state-sponsored violence and persecution. A donation goes with every trip we sell, funded by us and never added to your price.
Start Planning Your Trip
Tell us where you would love to go, when you are thinking of travelling and what kind of trip you have in mind. One of our LGBTQ+ travel specialists will create a tailor-made itinerary designed around your destination, style and preferences.
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