Coco Bodu Hithi – Maldives – Hotel Review
Coco Bodu Hithi is Coco Collection’s premium luxury resort in the Maldives and part of the L.V.X. Preferred Hotels collection. The luxurious five-star resort provides a chic island escape while staying true to the Maldivian charm and its natural island surroundings. This hotel review will dive deeper into the resort’s features and reflects my personal opinions of our experience at Coco Bodu Hithi.
DISCLAIMER: WE WERE HOSTED ON A PRESS TRIP AT THIS HOTEL, WHICH DOES NOT INFLUENCE MY PERSONAL THOUGHTS AND REVIEW ABOUT THIS HOTEL. ALL EXPRESSED OPINIONS ARE MY OWN. THIS BLOG POST CONTAINS AFFILIATE LINKS. I MAY RECEIVE A SMALL COMMISSION FOR PURCHASES/BOOKINGS MADE THROUGH THESE LINKS, AT NO EXTRA COST TO YOU.
The Location
The Maldives is one of the most geographically dispersed countries in the world and consists of around 1,200 islands. Coco Bodu Hithi is located on a small island on the western stretch of the North Malé Atoll. With only 29km in distance to the capital Malé, the resort is just a short speedboat ride from the International airport. The blissful island features a lush jungle surrounded by white sand and a crystal-clear turquoise lagoon. Stepping on the island, we immediately felt the tropical island vibe that made us fall in love with the Maldives in the first place.
The Transfer & Check-in
We arrived at Velana International Airport early in the morning as we intended to spend as much time at Coco Bodu Hithi as possible. In the arrival hall, we went straight to the resort’s counter and were greeted by a friendly staff member. We then had to wait about an hour for other guests to arrive for the shared speed boat transfer (which is nothing unusual in the Maldives). After everyone had arrived, a staff member brought us to the jetty right outside the airport and we embarked on our 40-minute speedboat transfer to the resort.
Arriving at Coco Bodu Hithi, we were welcomed by the resort staff and our designated host. Our host led us to the reception area to do a quick check-in and provide additional information about the resort. After enjoying our welcome drinks, our host brought us to our Island Villa.
The Property & Amenities
With 100 villas, Coco Bodu Hithi is moderate in size and has all the amenities you expect when staying at a luxury resort in the Maldives. For your culinary wellbeing, the resort features five restaurants and two bars.
The buildings and villas on the island are kept in a Maldivian style while offering a chic and luxurious ambiance at the same time. The lobby is designed as an open-style area with multiple sofas. Next to the reception, you will also find a small island shop and a recreation center.
In addition, the resort features an infinity pool close to the reception area, offering a fantastic view over the azure ocean. The sun loungers and cabanas make this place a perfect spot for an afternoon cocktail.
Close to the Coco Residences at the northern end of the island, Coco Bodu Hithi features an overwater spa area that includes a yoga pavilion and a state-of-the-art fitness center, which all offer a view over the surrounding lagoon.
The resort also has a house reef for snorkeling where you can see turtles, sharks, rays and other fish.
Honeymooners can enjoy special packages and it’s also possible to have a Maldivian wedding ceremony to renew your vows.
The Rooms
Coco Bodu Hithi features 100 villas which are divided into island villas and water villas. The 44 Island Villas are scattered all over the island and nestled into the lush tropical forest. The 56 water villas are further subdivided into 16 Water Villas, 16 Escape Water Villas (both located in the East) and 24 Coco Residences arranged in an oval at the northern tip of the island.
We split up our four nights at Coco Bodu Hithi and stayed two nights in an enormous Island Villa and two nights in an exquisite Coco Residence. Wifi is complimentary in all rooms and throughout the resort. Below, I will give you a quick overview of the two villas we stayed in:
Island Villa
We started our stay in an Island Villa. All Island Villas are hidden within green vegetation and offer true privacy and seclusion. These villas are also Coco Bodu Hithi’s largest villa type. Their 188 square meters are divided into a beautiful garden area, an indoor area and an outside deck.
The spacious garden area is located behind the villa’s indoor space and features a massive pool, a huge daybed, an outdoor shower and a seating area. We loved to take a dip in the pool and enjoy the sun on the lounge bed.
In the indoor living area, overlooking the garden area, you can find the king-sized bed. The heart of the villa is the open bathroom in the middle of the living area. It features a huge freestanding bathtub for two, an indoor shower and two sinks and mirrors.
Moreover, the villa has a sunken living area with a large, comfortable sofa. The spacious outdoor deck offers a lounge area, a seating area, sunbeds and direct beach access. Unfortunately, we barely had a beach section in front of our villa. The beach access had to be secured by some sand bags due to erosion which some islands in the Maldives have to cope with. However, Island Villas closer to the Coco Residences have a better beach access.
Coco Residence
After two nights, we moved to a spacious Coco Residence, one of Coco Bodu Hithi´s water villa types, which measures about 184 square meters. The residence featured a living room area including a work table, seating area and a minibar, as well as a small dressing area and a bedroom with a king bed, sofa and floor-to-ceiling windows.
The accompanying bathroom is equipped with two separate sinks, an indoor shower and a freestanding bathtub with a view over the outside deck and the beautiful lagoon. From here, you can also enter the separate outdoor shower, which is also overlooking the ocean.
All areas have access to my absolute favorite part of the residence: the split-level outdoor deck. The spacious deck had an amazing infinity pool, a four-poster daybed and two loungers to relax in the sun, as well as a seating area. Using the lower level ladder, we could quickly get into the ocean, which was perfect for a quick swim or snorkeling in the lagoon.
Staying at the Coco Residence also came with the luxury of a designated lifestyle host who responded to every need and question we had.
Looking at the two villa types we stayed in, I can fully recommend both of them. Usually, I prefer water villas over beach villas, but Coco Bodu Hithi has done an excellent job creating unique villas at land and sea.
The Restaurants & Bars
If you are a severe foodie like we are, Coco Bodu Hithi has many options for you. There are five restaurants offering local as well as international cuisine, a wine loft and two bars. You can also choose to dine in your villa or do destination dining.
Air is the resort’s poolside main restaurant that serves buffet-style breakfast and themed dinners with live cooking stations. You can choose to either sit inside as well as on the outside terrace right by the water. Apart from Air, there are three specialty restaurants: Aqua (seafood), Tsuki (Japanese) and Stars (Fusion kitchen of Mediterranean and contemporary Asian flavors).
Unfortunately, Aqua was closed due to renovation, but we had the pleasure of dining at Tsuki and Stars. Both restaurants serve dinner à la carte and the dishes were out of this world. The prices are on the higher end but absolutely reasonable because the food experience was truly outstanding. If you stay at Coco Bodu Hithi, make definitely sure to dine at least once in one of the specialty restaurants. You won’t regret it!
Next to the specialty restaurants, our dining highlight was a beach barbecue at Breeze Beach. This feast, including live cooking, is offered twice a week. Having our toes in the sand while savoring amazing dishes (I loved the grilled pineapple!) as well as delicious sides and desserts made us enjoy this barbecue to the fullest.
If you crave a cocktail, mocktail or any other drink and stay at the Coco Residences, Stars Bar is the closer one of the two bars. Stars Bar is also the perfect option for an aperitif before switching to the Stars restaurant. Located at the infinity pool, you can find Latitude, the island’s main bar, which offers beautiful vistas over the Indian Ocean. Here, you can also have à la carte lunch. However, we found that the taste of the dishes from the lunch menu at Latitude couldn’t keep up with the other restaurants at Coco Bodu Hithi. But other than that, the food experience at Coco Bodu Hithi was exceptional!
The Staff
Our lifestyle host was the person we had the most interaction with. She was lovely and helped us whenever we had a question or two. In addition, she organized all our dinners, room changes and activities.
Coco Bodu Hithi’s resort staff was also welcoming and kind throughout our stay. Every person had a genuine smile for you when passing by. We loved how nice the resort staff interacted with us.
At the restaurants, service was very attentive and quick. The staff responded quickly to everything, whether it was taking beverage and food orders or taking empty plates away. The level of service was impeccable.
Activities
When it comes to activities, Coco Bodu Hithi offers many sports and recreation activities as well as experiences. Water sports enthusiasts can visit the water sports center located in the South-West of the island and enjoy motorized and non-motorized activities. The center also rents out snorkeling equipment in case you want to snorkel around the lagoon. In addition, Coco Bodu Hithi provides a PADI dive center behind Air restaurant.
There is also a multi-purpose court and a recreation center on-site.
You can further pick from an extensive range of excursions and experiences. While staying at Coco Bodu Hithi, we opted for a champagne breakfast and a cinema under the stars. The champagne breakfast was set up at our Island Villa with a view of the beach and ocean. This exclusive private breakfast was a wonderful and romantic couple experience. It could only be topped by having our very own cinema at the beach under a million stars in the evening. Comfortable beach bags, drinks and popcorn made us enjoy our movie even more. I can highly recommend this unique and unforgettable experience.
Other activities that are offered at Coco Bodu Hithi include but are not limited to a sunset cruise, a dolphin cruise, a sandbank escape and snorkeling trips.
Spa & Wellness
Coco Bodu Hithi has an excellent spa that includes eight treatment rooms, a jacuzzi, a cold plunge pool, a sauna, a steam room and a boutique. The Coco Spa is located close to the Coco Residences and has its own overwater area, connecting to the resort’s gym and a yoga pavilion. The spa offers an array of treatments and massages which are inspired by Indonesian, Thai and Indian techniques.
We chose the 90-minute Coco Fusion Massage which is one of their signature treatments. The staff found the perfect balance of pressure and relaxation to relieve our muscles and used Maldivian coconut oil to nourish our skin. The spa rooms also feature small windows in the floor so we could watch marine life passing by during our treatment. We fully immersed ourselves into the massage and would go back for a treatment right away!
Sustainability
The resort also cares about its environment and uses many sustainable practices to retain its lush island and reduce its carbon footprint. Coco Bodu Hithi partners with conservation programs, supports neighboring communities in buying fresh local produce and offers Go Eco experiences.
Guests are welcome to join a personal tour guided by marine biologists to learn more about the reefs and marine life in the Maldives or help plant corals in the lagoon. We would have loved to join either of these two activities but didn’t have the time to do so.
The One Unique Thing
The One Unique Thing at Coco Bodu Hithi is the wellness & fitness area with a view. The whole spa complex, the gym and the yoga pavilion are built completely into the lagoon. So, no matter if you work out, enjoy a relaxing treatment or go through your yoga flow, you can always gaze at the crystal-clear waters around you.
Although there are other resorts in the Maldives that also feature an overwater spa, they usually have positioned their gym and yoga area (if available) on the island. That’s why the wellbeing area at Coco Bodu Hithi as a whole complex still stands out among other resorts.
Conclusion
Coco Bodu Hithi is an excellent choice if you are looking for a luxurious Maldives vacation in a beautiful tropical setting with a focus on physical and culinary wellbeing. This chic island retreat offers outstanding food experiences as well as a magnificent spa & wellness area. The island villas as well as the water villas at Coco Bodu Hithi are aesthetically designed and feature everything you need for a relaxing vacation. Coco Bodu Hithi is the perfect location for couples and honeymooners who are looking for an unforgettable Maldives vacation full of memorable experiences.
I can highly recommend staying at Coco Bodu Hithi and I would go back in a heartbeat.
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