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FIND YOUR DREAM HOLIDAY
In June 2023 we were blessed to travel to the Maldives and enjoy a 5-night stay at the beautiful Heritance Aarah. Flying again on Singapore Airlines, the flight as expected was uneventful and Singapore Airlines in our eyes, is still the best carrier in the world. Interestingly the check-in procedures in Melbourne Airport were exceptional, we were scheduled to depart on a 11.30 pm flight and arrived at the airport to check-in at 8.00 pm. From the moment we checked our bags in, to the moment we completed customs and immigration, was a total of 6 minutes, and this is easily the fastest we have ever experienced when traveling abroad from Melbourne Tullamarine International Airport. On arrival at Singapore Chiang International Airport, we enjoyed a 4-hour transit and then enjoyed a comfortable 4-hour flight to Male Velana International Airport in the Maldives.
On arrival at Male Velana International Airport, clients staying at Heritance Aarah are greeted by their airport representative and accompanied on a short walk to the Trans Maldivian Airways check-in desk where they will again, check-in their luggage, then board a private bus and enjoy a 5-minute journey from Velana Airport to the seaplane airport, interestingly it is the largest seaplane airport in the world! On arrival, Heritance Aarah clients are escorted into the private Heritance Aarah lounge where they can enjoy a refreshing cool drink, a small bite to eat and enjoy the stunning views of the Indian Ocean. After enjoying a short stay in the lounge, our seaplane flight was ready for departure, and we were escorted down to the plane for the flight to the Heritance Aarah. The seaplane transfer is in a word, stunning! On this blue-sky day, we enjoyed the 45-minute flight, at an altitude of only 2,500 feet, allowing passengers to enjoy a stunning view of this amazing part of the world. Landing on the water at the resort, we disembarked and were greeted by smiling and friendly staff, who load your luggage onto a golf buggy, and passengers are invited to jump on another golf buggy, bound for reception to complete check-in procedures. After completing check-in procedures, we were then invited onto another golf buggy to be dropped at our accommodation, and for this stay, we were blessed to be accommodated in an Ocean Suite.
Once comfortably in our Ocean Suite, it was time to investigate our accommodation and, in a word, it is impressive! As the name suggests, the Ocean Suite is built over the water, and the wonderful sound of the water lapping at its base is very relaxing. Downstairs the Ocean Suite has a large living area, a large bathroom and toilet, a kitchen area equipped with a coffee machine and a bar fridge, the contents are free of charge and it is re-stocked every day. Outside is a lovely balcony area facing the ocean, a large sunbed, a more than large enough plunge pool and a ladder leading into the ocean for those visitors wanting a swim. The next few hours were allocated to relaxing and enjoying our new accommodation and spending a lot of time swimming in the warm Indian Ocean!
One important element to keep in mind is when you stay at the Heritance Aarah, it is a Premium all-inclusive package, and this means everything is included in your price, from food and drinks including alcohol, re-stocked mini bar every day, cooking class, green tax, seaplane transfers, non-motorised water sports, so there is a lot of value included in your price.
This evening we enjoyed dinner at Baani Restaurant, only a short walk from our accommodation and dining on the decking, with a lovely warm breeze and the sound of the water lapping at your feet, made for a very pleasant dining experience. One of the highlights of our evening was the expertise of the sommelier, who provided wonderful suggestions on the wines to consume, additionally we must express our appreciation for the sommelier as he is one of the highest quality sommeliers we have met for many years. After enjoying a wonderful meal and some beautiful wines it was time to secure a decent night’s sleep.
We woke the following morning well rested and as we often try to do on the first morning, spend some time in the gym. The gym at the Heritance Aarah is very respectful and houses several high-quality appliances and this morning, a few kilometres on the treadmill was just what we needed. After a 5km run it was time for breakfast and this morning we chose to dine at Ranba Restaurant which is located a leisurely 15-minute walk from our accommodation. Ranba is very popular for breakfast as it is largely buffet-style breakfast featuring both international and local cuisine, and again offers stunning views of the Indian Ocean.
Our stay over the next few days consisted of a series of business meetings combined with a few hours of free time to experience some of the activities the Heritance Aarah offers. One of our daily activities was to enjoy some snorkelling near our accommodation and as some of our days were bright and sunny, some of the fish we observed were spectacular and the ocean water was a warm temperature to swim in each day. We were fortunate enough to dine in every restaurant on the island and every restaurant is different and can cater for every palate imaginable, and we can categorically say every dining experience was memorable and will be a highlight of a visit to Heritance Aarah.
It is important to not isolate the resort as only being for the exclusive or well-heeled clients as this would be a mistake! It is also important to consider the value for money you receive from your stay at Heritance and remember, it is a premium all-inclusive property. This means you will pay for everything before arrival, therefore you will not pay for anything on the island not included under the premium all-inclusive banner, which covers nearly everything except, motorised water sports, perhaps a cigar, or a visit to the doctor on the island.
On this visit, we had 2 occasions to visit the doctor on the island, and firstly let us please extend a thank you to the medical staff however, more importantly, we can categorically say we received outstanding service from the doctor, and not once were we concerned for our well-being.
The Heritance Aarah is a magnificent place to visit and offers something for everyone, from couples to families and for those with young children, a fully staffed kids club will keep the kids occupied for hours whilst the parents can enjoy some adult time for families considering a visit. For guests looking to be pampered there is a lovely spa treatment and beauty salon, and for guests looking for more active things to do, the Heritance Aarah is the only property in the Maldives that has a full soccer pitch, in addition to a couple of tennis courts.
A visit to the Maldives and a stay at the Heritance Aarah is everything you expect. A beautiful warm climate, stunning beaches, a stunning range of accommodation options, magnificent cuisine, an amazing staff, and all at a very affordable price.
Until further notice, we have a wonderful special to the Heritance Aarah on our website www.ornatetravel.com.au/tours/maldives-heritance-aarah/ whereby, you as a potential passenger can book and pay directly for what, we can assure you will be a wonderful holiday, in the stunning Maldives at the beautiful Heritance Aarah.
