Luxury Hotel · The Maldives
Shangri-La’s Villingili Resort & Spa
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At a glance
Shangri-La Villingili is a five-star all-villa resort on a lush private island in Addu Atoll, the Maldives’ southernmost atoll, home to the country’s only golf course.
Shangri-La Villingili reopened at the end of 2025 after five years closed, and remains unlike anywhere in the Maldives. It is the country’s southernmost luxury resort, on a big, jungly island in Addu Atoll, just south of the equator. You reach it by a domestic flight to Gan, then a five-minute boat ride, no seaplane.
The island itself is the draw. At 50 hectares it has towering banyans, coconut palms, three lagoons, two kilometers of beach, and the Maldives’ only golf course, nine holes. Villas are spread through the jungle, over the lagoon, or along the sand, most with a private pool.
Dining centers on Javvu and a couple of bars, with the lineup still being re-established. There’s also CHI, The Spa, jogging and cycling trails, and a reef to dive. It suits couples, families, and golfers after somewhere off the beaten track.
Highlights
- All-villa five-star resort in Addu Atoll, the Maldives’ southernmost
- The only golf course in the Maldives, nine holes
- Lush jungle island south of the equator, reached via Gan
Accommodation
Pool Villa
Surrounded by forest and overlooking the ocean, the Pool Villas have a private terrace, open-shower and pool. The decor combined Asian influences with Indian and Middle Eastern elements.
All villas include:
- Premium toiletries
- Hair dryer
- Pillow menu
- Twice daily housekeeping
- LCD TV
- Free Wi-Fi
- iPod dock
- Nespresso machine
Water Villa
Built on stilts in the lagoon, the Water Villas give you the perfect Maldivian overwater experience. Surrounded by clear blue waters with abundant marine life, the setting is spectacular. Unwind in your hammock and enjoy the castaway experience.
Villa Laalu
Villa Laalu is the most luxurious villa. There are two large bedrooms, a living area and a spacious outdoor deck. The private pool overlooks the ocean. Carefully curated artworks are displayed throughout the villa including rare Indonesian urns and sculptures.
Enjoy round-the-clock dining at the villa or in the al fresco pavilions.
Enquire for information about other accommodation types.
Further information
Dining
Dining centers on Javvu, the main restaurant, with Endheri and Manzaru covering the bar and lounge side of the day. The island’s scale means meals also travel: in-villa dining and private beach dinners are easy to arrange, and the jungly setting lends itself to long, slow lunches in the shade or sundowners overlooking the lagoon. Cuisines draw broadly on Asian and Indian Ocean traditions.
Wellness
CHI, The Spa is Shangri-La’s signature wellness brand, and the Villingili version makes the most of the setting. Treatment villas come with private gardens and steam rooms, and a yoga pavilion looks out across the Indian Ocean. The menu reaches across Asian massage traditions, Indian Ayurveda, and locally inspired rituals, plus longer well-being programs. A fitness center and the island’s three jogging trails handle the active side.
Activities
Even by Maldives standards, the activity list is broad. The headline is the nine-hole golf course, the only one in the country, but Villingili also has a reef to dive, a fleet of bicycles for exploring the island, and guided cycling tours over to the linked islands of Addu. The on-site Eco Centre explains the conservation work, and, this being south of the equator, you can pick up an equator-crossing certificate while you’re here.
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 specializing in tailor-made vacations and extraordinary journeys around the world. We create bespoke luxury vacations, 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 personalized 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 traveling as an LGBTQ+ person or couple, from local laws and customs to finding genuinely welcoming hotels and experiences.
We welcome every traveler, 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, personalized service and discretion.
Do you create tailor-made LGBTQ+ vacations?
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 personalized 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+ travelers 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 traveling 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.
One named specialist, first inquiry to homecoming. No call center, and nothing is charged until you decide to book.