I paid nearly $20,000 to stay at a luxury resort. Here’s what I learnt

An overwater bungalow at Milaidhoo Maldives starts from $A2600 a night.

As the cost of living rises, and ever-increasing interest rates push our spending to the limit, it may seem like a strange choice to make the notoriously expensive tropical destination of the Maldives my first overseas holiday post-COVID.

However, as I doom-scrolled Instagram looking for the perfect destination to celebrate my impending 40th, the past few years of hell seemed to justify the potential cost involved. Little did I know just how expensive my little five-day escape to the Maldives would become.

After weighing up the options between a few incredible-looking five star resorts, a fellow Instagrammer recommended Milaidhoo – a private island accessible only by seaplane, around 25 minutes from the capital Male.

The bungalow is a generous 245 square metres, with a large walk-in robe, bathroom with a two-person bath overlooking the deck to the water, and king-sized bed.

"It's what I would call 'six star'," she told me, "because it's just that extra level up."

So I extended my credit card limit and closed my eyes as I booked the $2600-a-night resort for four nights of tropical, white-sand, azure-water bliss with my husband.

What's included?

The spa features its own private overwater rooms.

We opted for the overwater bungalow – it is the Maldives, after all, and a destination known for its crystal clear, vibrant blue water. The overwater bungalow is also, weirdly, cheaper than the beach residences, which can set you back about $3000 a night, depending on the time of year.

The bungalow is a generous 245 square metres, with a large walk-in robe, bathroom with a two-person bath overlooking the deck to the water, and king-sized bed. The deck is just impressive – big enough to fit a couple of deck chairs, a separate outdoor table, a swinging lounge and a chaise lounge next to the infinity pool.

The gorgeous pool, matched to the colour of the ocean beyond, lights up at night with starry constellations, mimicking the expanse of space above. Of course, you also have a private jetty, allowing you to walk straight into the water and snorkel the reef off your villa.

The only way to reach Milaidhoo is via a seaplane transfer.

We chose the bed and breakfast option but you can also opt for a half- or full-board. We decided against this, as it didn't include in-room dining – and with such a gorgeous villa and a private pool, why go out?

Upon arrival, we are greeted by our own private butler Akoo, who is available at any time of the day to attend to our various whims, as well as a half-bottle of champagne, and a pretty birthday cake thrown in for good measure.

There's a free daily yoga or meditation class on offer, if you book in early (as there's only six spots), and snorkelling equipment was also included. They also have a well-equipped gym (for guests who prefer to stay active rather than drink mimosas at 8am).

Ba'theli – set across three traditional ba'theli boats moored permanently offshore – is an opportunity to experience Maldivian food in a high-end setting.

What's not?

There's only one way to get to Milaidhoo and that's via seaplane for an additional $A2040 per couple. As we opted only for an included breakfast, we had to pay for any additional meals and drinks (although thankfully mimosas were included in our breakfast buffet – after all, it was my birthday).

Milaidhoo offers various activities each day, including half-day trips to nearby reefs, fishing adventures and sunset cruises, all for an additional cost. They also have a spa, with treatment rooms set in private overwater bungalows overlooking the fish-dotted shallows. below. Treatments start at about $A300 for a one-hour massage.

So … was it worth it?

To quantify worth for a holiday is a fundamentally hard question to answer, because everyone's budget and wants are different when it comes to a much-needed getaway. For me, after three long years without a break, the answer was yes – with a few caveats.

Predictably, the food and wine was eye-wateringly expensive, although of good quality on the whole. Despite an unfortunate experience with a funky oyster (which, to be honest, shouldn't happen at a luxury resort), the food was fresh, tasty and had good variation across the three standard restaurant options.

Milaidhoo also hosts the first Maldivian fine dining restaurant in Ba'theli – set across three traditional ba'theli boats moored permanently offshore – and, as an opportunity to experience Maldivian food in a high-end setting, it was a must-visit.

Although the spa was a little expensive, the treatments were of excellent quality – and our snorkelling trip was great, delivering colourful tropical fish in abundance, as well as turtles, reef sharks, and rays.

But what you're actually paying for here is the service and the setting. The service was unparalleled; the second you arrive in the Maldives a representative is there to greet you and escort you through the entire process: from checking into the seaplane flight, all the way to your room.

Akoo, our butler, was incredible; predicting our love of ice and limes by placing them in our room each morning without asking, adjusting my birthday dinner plans from a beach table to a private table in our villa when we were rained out, and even completing our exit cards for customs on our behalf to ensure a smooth departure.

The setting – well, it's the Maldives. The water really is that blue, the sand really is that white, and even on cloudy days it's a balmy 27 degrees (day and night) at the right time of the year.

My only criticism of the overwater bungalows is that the bath was quite uncomfortable to sit in, and there wasn't quite the level of privacy I'd imagined, due to the proximity of other bungalows – so although you have visual privacy, you can often hear other people's conversations.

Did I love it? Yes. Would I go back? I'm not sure. Now, having been, it's hard to imagine that gorgeous resorts in Fiji (like the adults-only Likuliku, or the super-popular Vomo) couldn't offer the same experience for less, with a much shorter flight – particularly from Australia's east coast.

The final bill

The accommodation came to a grand total of $15,300 for four nights (including buffet breakfast and seaplane transfers), and our final bill added another $4579 on top (for lunches, dinners, a couples massage and a snorkelling tour). This brought the final bill to a whopping $19,879. While we were there, we were lucky enough to be hosted by the hotel for our dinner experience at Ba'theli, as well as an additional massage.

Details

Accommodation at Milaidhoo Maldives starts at $A2600 a night for an overwater bungalow including buffet breakfast. Seaplane transfers are an additional $A2040 per couple. See milaidhoo.com

Bianca O'Neill paid for her travel, but was hosted for dinner at Ba'theli, as well as the Milaidhoo spa for a treatment.

See also: More than a million tourists visit the Maldives each year. Here's what they don't see

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