Review — Time out in paradise

Review — My descent to Amilla Fushi was almost unbearably poetic, as the seaplane landed right by the island to the sight of the setting sun painting a kaleidoscope of color unto the largely white architectural canvas of My Island Home.

Driven down the jetty with my own personal butler, to my very own Ocean Reef House, it indeed felt like arriving home. That is, if I were a Hollywood celebrity in the habit of being constantly fawned over, but no matter!

Relaxing after a shower in the Aesop stocked open bathrooms, and amongst the modern and dare I say, Santorini-esque open concept rooms the atmosphere strikes me as a refreshing venture out from the atypical ‘tropical resort’ dotted with dried palm leaves, hut roofs and largely wooden exteriors.
Being a regular at Salt Grill since my university days in Singapore, I opted for dinner at Lonu by Luke Mangan, the signature restaurant of the island. Delicate sashimi starters, an absolutely sensational Wagyu beef Steak (with fragrant pumpkin puree, almond, orange & asparagus salad), a delightful ginger refresher and a gorgeous Raspberry soufflé later, I could barely move and thanks to the fantastic pairing of wines – I wasn’t quite sure I wanted to. The Mangan touch prevails indeed!

Not one to waste a beautiful evening it was down to Baazaar Bar where I was introduced to their French Martini – a concoction of black berries and vodka that tastes as sensual as it sounds, as I gazed out over the immense pool unto a star studded night before retreating back into my room.
After super satisfying night in my huuuge uber comfortable 7 by 7 bed I headed to one of the five food outlets at Baazaar, Fresh for breakfast where I ordered Eggs Benedict using the techy iPad menus whilst charging my phone on a one of a kind iCoco Charger.
Stuffed already at 10 a.m. my island tour began, where I abruptly fell in love with the Beach Houses and Beach Residences as well. In fact, the bunk beds in the stunning Tree Houses were so adorable they gave me a bout of baby fever so bad that I ran out before I accidentally proposed to my tour guide!

My frazzled heart required extensive relaxation so I booked a massage at the Javvu Spa I had heard so much about. Arriving on scene however, took my breath away. Unpretentious yet easy on the eyes, the spa just had an aura of serenity the surrounded it. The pods and the therapists do not disappoint either, and my back massage was just something out of heaven, with just the right amount of aromas, strokes and therapeutic stretching involved – a dip in the ocean lay stretched out ahead and sauna afterward was absolutely a perfect touch.

A stroll afterward led me to the Wine Cellar & Emperor General Store, an artisan café and a fantastic gourmet shop, adjacent to Amilla’s retail and jewelry stores. The Wine Cellar has a fantastic selection of cheese, wine and charcuterie, sampling all of which was just terribly hard work that took me an hour at least.

I was a little disappointed at the lack of beach to laze about on, but each island is different and Amilla definitely has its own undeniable appeal.
By nightfall, my quick getaway at Amilla Fushi was over and if I were to sum it all up I’d say the heart or rather, “soul” of Amilla Fushi is its forever cheerful and dedicated staff that looked after me like absolute royalty from bookings all through my stay on the island.
All in all, this brand new resort is definitely one to keep an eye out for, with many more fabulous changes underway! For now at least, it certainly seems to be #BetterinBaa!