Top-Rated Five-Star Maldives Paradise with Two Infinity Pools & Eight Restaurants, South Atoll, Maldives

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Leave it all behind for the postcard-perfect beauty of the Maldives, staying in five-star luxury at LUX* South Ari Atoll – a drop in the ocean just a 25-minute seaplane ride from Malé. Winner of a Condé Nast Traveller Readers Choice award 2020, this dreamy resort is the setting for a once-in-a-lifetime Maldives escape.

Do as much or as little as you like in this island paradise. Relax beside two glittering infinity pools, taste your way around eight eateries and five bars – offering everything from sushi to island-roasted coffee – enjoy music and drinks at Beach Rouge beach club and restaurant, partake in yoga beneath the palms, catch a movie under the stars at Cinema Paradiso or try your hand at watersports. Use the onsite 5-star PADI dive centre to discover the colourful underwater world, with 50 dive sites nearby waiting to be explored, brimming with wildlife from sea turtles to dolphins and whale sharks.

Getting here is easy: connecting flights depart regularly from Dubai, Doha and Singapore, with direct flights available from London, New Delhi, Singapore and more. The Maldives is currently open to fully vaccinated visitors (no negative PCR test required; current as of 8/03/2022). See here for the most up-to-date information on entry requirements.

Looking for overwater luxury? Upgrade to a dreamy Romantic Pool Water Villa, suspended on stilts over the lagoon, with direct sea access and its own private infinity plunge pool.

Viewed 228 times in 3 days

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4.7/5

(3K reviews)

Trustpilot

4.8/5

(10K reviews)

Location

LUX* South Ari Atoll

South Atoll, Dhidhoofinolhu, Maldives

LUX* South Ari Atoll is a private island paradise just south of Malé, where you’ll find untouched white sand beaches and crystalline waters that have been kept pristine thanks to the island’s seclusion.

The resort is located approximately a 25-minute seaplane flight from Velana International Airport (MLE) in Malé. The resort can be reached by a mandatory seaplane transfer, available at an additional cost (payable directly to the resort). Please contact the resort directly to book your transfer (see Fine Print for more details).

Need flights? Our dedicated flights concierge can assist with all your flight requirements. Contact sales@luxuryescapes.com.

Facilities

Eight restaurants
Five bars
Two infinity pools
LUX* Me spa
Cinema Paradiso
Technogym fitness centre
5-star PADI dive centre
Watersports
Tennis courts
Check-in: 2pm / Checkout: 11am

Surcharges may apply to select facilities and services

Fine Print

Update: 11th December 2024: As per the amendments to the Tourism Act issued by the Maldivian Government, applicable to all travellers arriving in the Maldives from 1 January 2025, the green tax payable by travellers upon arrival at hotels (including tourist resorts, tourist hotels, hotels, tourist guest houses, tourist vessels) has been increased from USD 6.00 to USD 12.00 per person per day.

Update [13 December 2023. 1:30pm AEST]: Packages inclusions updated

Update [28 November 2022, 10am AEST]: Payment for the roundtrip seaplane transfer rate at US$488 per adult/per teen and US$244 per child (2 – 11 years old), to settle upon arrival in the resort. (As of 1st January 2023).

See full booking terms and conditions.

Seaplane Transfer:

The resort is located approximately a 25-minute seaplane flight from Velana International Airport (MLE). The resort can be reached by a mandatory seaplane flight, available at an additional cost (payable directly to the resort).
As you exit the arrival hall of the Velana airport, you will be greeted by the resort’s team. They will promptly assist you to the LUX* Lounge, from where you will embark on your seaplane ride to the island.
Baggage allowance: 20kg checked-in and 5kg for carry-on per person. Excess luggage will be charged at US$5 per kg, excluding taxes.
To book your seaplane flight, please contact the resort directly at least seven days prior to your arrival with flight details and the names of all guests at stay@luxmaldivesresort.com.
All transfer information is subject to change. Please contact the hotel directly to confirm transfer details before you depart for your escape.

Please Note: The following applies to select packages only

Room upgrades are strictly subject to availability and cannot be guaranteed.
Check-in: please use the same credit card used to guarantee your booking at check-in or making payments to the resort. Please note that the property may contact the cardholder for verification purposes.
Due to safety and privacy concerns the operation of unmanned aerial systems or drones by any of guests including model aircraft by recreational users and hobbyists is prohibited.

Dining inclusions do not include beverages (unless otherwise stated). Menus are subject to change without notice.

The property, facilities and dining are subject to government regulations and restrictions. Please check the property website for the most up-to-date information as some of the services may be impacted.

Scoopon reserves the right to modify prices for marketing and commercial reasons. Please note that full terms and conditions apply.

Reviews

9.6

Outstanding

Reviews from Google

Victoria R.

Reviewed 14 Aug 2025

Please take Ur time to read that Review

Recommends this hotel

Ahmed D.

Reviewed 09 Aug 2025

Exceptional service

Recommends this hotel

Dimpy A.

Reviewed 22 Jul 2025

4.0

We came to Lux for my sisters 30th birthday and it’s sad to say that we had a very bad experience. The hospitality was very poor and the guest services too. We landed at 7 am in the morning which the staff had been informed prior but our sea plane was booked for 1030 am even though there were earlier departures, on landing we informed our guest service person to book us on all activities that involved snorkeling and we had even emailed them regarding that a week prior, while some activities got cancelled cause of the weather a lot of others we were told were already fully booked even before they letting us know about it. The manager and the team could barely help us with anything besides saying we’ve already mentioned you can’t be on it. We had also informed them regarding my sisters 30th but nothing was done for her on arrival.We were asked to go to the “celebration desk” which was either empty or super busy to even tell them to give us a cake for her bday, till we actually took this up and they later did arrange. I mentioned on arrival that I’m allergic to potatoes despite that on the second last day something was served to me which had potatoes and I got a proper hive attack and they had to summon a doctor to give me medicines and take down a report. Again the doctor was helpful but why must one have to go through this. Must say The staff at the restaurant and the spa were good, options overall in the resort were also very good. The all inclusive package includes the most basic alcohol like Smirnoff and absolute. Before coming we again kept emailing them and called them to let us know the complete beverages and food menu that comes in the inclusive deal since I was allergic and vegetarian but no one replied to that part and we come here and realize that it’s that basic. One comes to Maldives for great hospitality, water sports, beaches and to celebrate special occasions. Anything you call to request the front desk or the guest manager also, the only reply is we are sorry we can’t arrange for it. I booked a cycle one day and the cycle was given sans the code which they said you’ll get on what’s app but didn’t get that either. Either the staff was very busy taking care of others or just not interested, whichever it is, we we’re definitely expecting more from our experience and surprisingly extremely disappointed with the entire experience of being treated unfairly.

Does not recommend this hotel

4.0

HEDGER H.

Reviewed 13 Jul 2025

4.0

We have been to several other Maldives resorts. They have all been far superior to what we experienced at Lux. If your budget can stretch to other resorts, stretch it. Here is a sample of the nonsense we dealt with at Lux. At the suggestion of Lux staff, and with their guidance, we booked restaurants weeks before arriving. Upon arrival, we were told “oh [particular restaurant] is closed on Mondays which is when you’ve booked, so you need to book something else.” And then I was told the other restaurants – all of them – would only be bookable subject to other bookings. Surely when Lux screwed up by allowing us – ENCOURAGING us - to book a closed restaurant, Lux should be sorting out the problem, and Lux should be prioritising a replacement booking for us? We were given no information on activities. When we ASKED for information on “activities and prices” we were given some information on fishing, without pricing, and no other information. We then had to follow up a few times and were eventually sent a table showing the week’s scheduled activities and also pricing. Just bizarre that that wasn’t sent initially. Snorkelling gear must be returned daily – you can’t keep it overnight even if you’re there for eg a week. There are smokers and ashtrays everywhere. We asked at the ice cream shop how much ice creams cost. The employee went to the cash register, played with the screen for a long time, and then finally said “five hundred dollars”. He repeated that number when we asked him to clarify. We booked bikes in advance (something I would strongly recommend given the island is a mile long and the shuttle runs only “every 20-25 minutes”). But the bikes were not at our room when we got there. They only arrived much later and they were each locked up with a combination lock that we didn’t have the code for. We had to request the codes and finally got them – only to discover that the bikes are utterly atrocious pieces of junk. Despite that, and despite it being a private island, we were told we had to lock the bikes at all times. Doing so meant getting our hands filthy in the filthy wheels / chains. The kids club has a room which we watched some kids lock themselves in, followed by the sole employee then repeatedly demanding they unlock it - unsuccessfully so for quite a while. Some food costs are insane – eg US$25++ for two small rice paper rolls. We had a large charge on our account that we did not recognise and so queried. Bizarrely, our contact denied it was on the account. So WE then had to send her a copy of the account that Lux itself had issued to us (!!!). Our contact then said she would check the charge. We didn’t hear back. So the next morning, with checkout impending, we had to yet again follow up several times, after which we eventually received a copy of the items comprising the charge. It was not our charge. We have been to several other Maldives resorts. They have all been far superior to what we experienced at Lux. If your budget can stretch to other resorts, stretch it.

Does not recommend this hotel

4.0

Reviews: 1-4 of 4

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