SAii Lagoon Maldives Hotel Review: An Affordable Paradise!

We all have things in life that we look forward to, right?! You know, something to get your hopes up and to keep you going! One of the things I look forward to in my life is my birthday! Some may be thinking, "She looks forward to turning another year older? WHY?! Is she crazy?" Maybe I am a little (heeeeeeey), but I know every year there's going to be a tropical destination on my bucket list that I get to check off! 3 years ago it was Fiji, 2 years ago the French Polynesia and last year Tulum/Bacalar!

But things got real tricky this year with COVID, so my 2020 birthday holiday was up in the air. Unfortunately, there are a ton of places that we Americans, can't visit right now. Luckily, the universe came through for me and the Maldives said, "Heeeeeey girl! You can come visit"!

My reply: SAY. NO. MORE. 

Once the Maldives reopened it's borders, I started gathering my airline & hotel points and I proceeded to book my vacation! Once my flight on Qatar Airways was confirmed - it was ON!

The Maldives is made up of several natural and manmade islands which boast STUNNING resorts, so choosing a place can be difficult. Since I'm a part of Hilton Hotel's Honor program, I decided to stay at SAii Lagoon Maldives, Curio Collection by Hilton - a BEAUTIFUL resort just 15 minutes from Velana International Airport in Malé (airport code: MLE). 

After a long, long, LONG journey (30 hours one-way) from California to the Maldives, I arrived exhausted yet excited and ready to see what this beautiful place was all about! At the airport you'll be met by the hotel's staff members who'll be ready to collect your luggage and whisk you away on a beautiful speed boat to the hotel!

Arriving at SAii was a dream! The concierge welcomed me with a flavorful, purple ginger drink that I gulped down in probably 2 seconds flat (LOL)! After the check-in process, I was given a tour of the hotel and escorted to my room.

It's time to check out the rooms now! SAii Lagoon offers a mix of guest rooms and villas! I decided to stay in both! Let's go inside the King Beach Room & the King Overwater Villa! 

SAii Lagoon Maldives Rooms 

I split my time between 2 rooms at SAii Lagoon: the King Beach Room & the King Overwater Villa!

Let's get into the deets:

The King Beach Room

You'll find this room in a shared complex with 4 rooms being upstairs and the other 4 rooms downstairs. The King Beach rooms are all downstairs with direct beach access. The King Sky rooms will be on the top floor with a balcony & ocean view.

I fell in love with this room when I walked in! It was extremely clean, spacious (473 sq. ft.) and decorated beautifully! The 1st thing I did was slide the glass door back to walk out onto the beach! Amazing! Room #323 was the room I was in. It's a few feet away from the reception area and restaurants. Some of the rooms on the property will require a beach cruiser (bicycle) to get around. Or you can call the front desk for a ride in the buggy (golf cart).

At certain Hilton resorts, Gold/Diamond members receive free upgrades for their loyalty. But that wasn't the case at SAii. However the hotel did provide a complimentary bottle of champagne to enjoy instead! (Can we say MIMOSAS)?! 

The King Overwater Villa 

After a few days, I decided to upgrade to the King Overwater Villa (#115) to celebrate my birthday! The very 1st step into this bungalow will leave you BREATHLESS! It's airy (904 sq. ft.), secluded and has views of the Indian Ocean that are unforgettable! Plush accommodations indeed!

There are MANY things to love about this room, but my absolute FAV was the bathtub on the deck! CRAZY! I couldn't wait to strip down and hop in - which is exactly what I did with my bottle of champagne! I can't even begin to tell you how much of a relaxing experience that was! Aaaaaaaaah!

This lovely villa sleeps 3 people (1 King-sized bed & a sofa bed) with a separate sitting area. To add to your Maldivian experience, you'll enjoy 300 thread count sheets, complimentary WiFi, air conditioning, mini bar, sound bar, natural bath amenities + more!

The overwater villas will definitely require a beach cruiser or a ride in the buggy! But if you feel like a good walk, that'll work too!

Oh and don't forget your snorkel gear! The ladder from the villa leads right into the ocean! However, if you do forget your equipment, the hotel will loan you gear during your stay!

The Restaurants 

If I did nothing else on this vacation - I ate and I drank' real GOOD! I cannot stress that enough! I got lucky on this trip and met the coolest girl that put me on to some really great eating spots (Heeeeeeeey Agatha)! One of the awesome things about staying at SAii is the meal plans the hotel offers.

Depending on the package you select, you'll be able to dine at SAii, the Hard Rock Hotel (located across the bridge on the opposite side of the island) & the Crossroads (the marina).  I didn't get to try all of the restaurants, but here are the ones I recommend:

☀️ Miss Olive Oyl (located @ SAii Lagoon): This is where breakfast is served! I enjoyed my complimentary eggs benedict, fresh juice & detox water with the perfect beach views in the mornings!

☀️ The Beach Club @ SAii Lagoon: You have to try the frozen blueberry Margarita here! So GOOD! The sliders/fries, pizza, seafood, delicious as well!

☀️ Ministry of Crab (located at the Crossroads): Whew! I could go on & on & ON about this place! I definitely recommend the Garlic Chilli Crab, Baked Crab & the garlic bread! Let me say this - that garlic bread is the most delicious garlic bread I have had IN. MY. LIFE! I'm serious! My mouth is STILL watering!

☀️ Carne Diem (located at the Crossroads): If you love yourself some steak, then this place is for you! It's unbelievable! It truly is! I personally couldn't eat the steak, but I had the burger/fries which was just D E L I C I O U S!

☀️ Sessions (located at the Hard Rock Hotel): Breakfast here in the morning is delightful! And depending on the meal plan you purchase at SAii, you'll be able to use those credits here as well! You can't go wrong with the burger & bottomless Mimosas!

☀️ The Elephant & the Butterfly (located at the Hard Rock Hotel): Two words - CRAB GUACAMOLE! That's all I'm going to say!

Activities ️

SAii offers a plethora of activities & fun things to do while on the island; jet skiing (lots of fun), snorkeling, kayaking + more! Some of the activities are even free! The best way to stay on top of what's going on at the hotel is by downloading the HandiGo app. It will tell you everything you need to know during your stay!

For this trip, I wasn't interested in doing many water activities like I've done on previous holidays. I truly came to unwind and just....relax. I spent probably 90% of my time hanging out at SAii's infinity pool/bar and the Hard Rock Hotel's pool bar! Both are a must do when you visit the Maldives. The food/drinks are delicious at both pool bars. The vibe at SAii's pool is super chill/laid back while the Hard Rock is the turn up spot! I met sooooooo many fun people at the Hard Rock! ​​

Crazy enough, I got talked into taking a beginner's aerial class offered by the Hard Rock Hotel Maldives - Play On Air! This was definitely a slight challenge but ridiculously FUN!

Before I wrap up this blog, there are a few more things that I want you to know about the Maldives! 

More Deets  

☀️ Maldives Weather: I visited the Maldives in October and wouldn't you know - that's monsoon season and their wettest month. It would storm one minute (the most beautiful sight ever by the way) and the sun would be out the next! So keep in mind if you're visiting in October, there can be a high percentage of rain.

☀️ Maldivian Sunsets: There were MANY beautiful sunsets at SAii every night, but my favorite was on my last night in the Maldives! I was hanging out in the pool at the Hard Rock Hotel and BAM! A beautiful, beautiful, BEAUTIFUL purple/pinkish (moody) sunset! It was UNBELIEVABLE! Enjoy the sunsets! Send me pictures of your sunsets, PLEASE!

☀️ Hotel Meal Plans: Be sure to inquire with the hotel about their half board, full board & all-inclusive meal plans to get more bang for your buck on food and drinks!

☀️ Maldives Budget: If you've done your research on this beautiful place, then you know it's not a cheap place to visit (especially if you're staying at the resorts). Burgers/Fries can run about $30 and a Salmon dinner about $45-50. Some days, I was spending over $100 on food & cocktails. So definitely look into the meal plans for your stay!

Easily this was my FAVORITE birthday vacation to date! I originally booked my trip for 7 days, but I ended up having SO MUCH FUN that I changed my flight and booked more nights to stay 2 weeks! And let me be real transparent right now - I cried when I left! That's how fabulous this place was for me! The staff was EXCELLENT and extremely pleasant/helpful during my visit and housekeeping definitely did their thing with keeping the rooms SPOTLESS!

For us Americans, the Maldives is a long journey indeed - but so worth it! I can't thank the staff at SAii Lagoon & the Hard Rock Hotel enough for such an amazing holiday! **virtual hugs** I can't wait to visit again!

Until next time, Maldives! Se(a) soon! ​

Let's chat! Are you planning a trip to the Maldives? Or have you visited and are looking to go back? Drop a comment below!