The Maldives hotel blazing a trail for accessible travel

Telegraph

29-04-2025

On first impression, Amilla presents as your quintessential Maldivian resort. This privately owned island hotel, popular with the A-list (from Leonardo DiCaprio to Gwyneth Paltrow) has 67 villas, nestled amongst more than 2,000 coconut trees and 400-year-old Banyan trees.
But on closer inspection, after arrival into the Baa Atoll, a Unesco Biosphere Reserve whose marine biodiversity is overflowing with manta rays, technicolour coral and nesting turtles, Amilla is a world apart.
The first time I experienced this extraordinary place was four years ago, as an informal access auditor. A guinea pig in paradise, if you will, I experienced everything the island had to offer, from cooking demonstrations and kombucha-making classes to sunrise sea fishing and even jet skiing. My wheelchair and I visited every hand-combed beach and over-water villa. No coconut was left unturned.
Back then, as Amilla was only at the beginning of its journey to becoming a truly accessible hotel, I thought it sensible to bring along my (extremely willing) boyfriend, whose cyclist thighs could step in as my all-terrain mobility aid when barriers presented themselves.
It was romantic at times, certainly, but painfully practical at others. He spent a lot of time out of breath, dragging my wheelchair backwards through scorching soft sand, heaving me up multiple wooden steps and even manually flinging me off the side of the excursion boat in order for me to learn to scuba dive. A small price to pay perhaps for a honeymoon-style holiday, but nevertheless feedback for improvements was shared.
The second time I visited, a companion was advised, but rarely called upon. Wooden ramps had been installed in each of the seven superb restaurants, serving a wide range of delectable cuisine from Maldivian to Italian, while adaptations such as lowered features and fittings, hearing loops and shower chairs had been made to the villas and some residences.
In a move that would come to earn it the elusive stamp of being the first hotel in the world to be verified by IncluCare (think the Michelin guide, but for accessibility), all the resort staff had undergone disability and inclusion awareness training.
The hope was that hidden disabilities such as autism and ADHD would be better understood, with disability-friendly language and etiquette (eg speak to the guest directly) put into practice. An access guide advising guests with disabilities what to expect was also added to the website.
Word of this had evidently spread, as on my third and most recent visit, to my delight, I was not the only disabled guest on the island.
'At first we were overwhelmed by where to go in the Maldives, but when we learnt that Amilla cares about accessibility, the choice was easy,' the proud father of a bright young wheelchair-using girl effusively told me as we shared use of one of two beach wheelchairs one afternoon. Families with disabled children deserve bucket-list holidays just like everyone else.
Amilla has now welcomed countless guests with different access needs from all over the world, seeing a staggering return on the initial investment in accessibility training of 900 per cent: a figure that proves the sizeable financial reward for catering to a broader demographic of traveller.
Owing to the rising number of guests with reduced mobility, Amilla worked closely with local seaplane carrier MantaAir. On my first ever visit the transfer had been challenging, but when I returned again I was warmly greeted at the sea transfer terminal by a fully prepped – and unnecessarily handsome – sea captain who offered me multiple options for how I could be manhandled: sling lift? Bottom shuffle? Support (if I could walk)? Good old-fashioned brute strength? With no boyfriend in tow, I gratefully opted for the latter. Two sea captains scooped me up in their arms and transferred me on board. Dreamy.
Half an hour later, I rolled onto Amilla and, with fresh coconut and cold towel in hand, was welcomed back to paradise by the current manager Narelle McDougall and her team. Under her leadership, a portable pool hoist had been imported for use while on the house reef snorkelling or scuba diving, or within the island in the private over-water villa pools; creatively and sustainably designed fish-and whale-shaped ramps had been installed along with adapted public bathrooms; and further rooms categories adapted, meaning now an optional companion need barely lift a finger – a prerequisite for all, including carers, on paradisiacal holidays.
From the moment I arrived, there was an instant sense of belonging evident from the well-trained, now well-practiced and confident staff members: thoughtful exchanges, intuitive support and a genuine desire to help without fuss showed that welcoming disabled guests has become standard here.
Today, Amilla is more than an exclusive paradise, it is an inclusive utopia. If you are looking for a honeymoon destination, a family trip of a lifetime or a White Lotus-style holiday with friends, the resort has something for everyone, and by everyone, that truly means everyone.
Five more accessible hotels
La Miniera Pool Villas Pattaya, Thailand
La Miniera Pool Villas Pattaya offers private villas, each with an indoor ozone swimming pool. The resort is both wheelchair-accessible and pet-friendly, catering to diverse guest needs. Located in Nong Prue, it's a serene retreat close to Pattaya's attractions. Doubles from £127
Euphoria Retreat, Mystras, Greece
At the foothills of Mount Taygetos in the Unesco World Heritage site of Mystras is Euphoria Retreat, Greece's premier holistic wellbeing destination. The retreat's expansive spa spans four floors, featuring a Byzantine hammam, tepidarium, Finnish sauna and an outdoor hot tub overlooking the ancient forest.
Guests can partake in personalised wellness programmes, including detox, weight loss and mindfulness retreats, all rooted in a fusion of Greek and Chinese healing philosophies. Accommodations blend monastic elegance with modern luxury, offering serene spaces for rest and rejuvenation. Public areas are wheelchair-accessible and there are two adapted rooms. Doubles from £350. Read the full review here
Ximuwu Lodge, South Africa
Ximuwu in the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve offers an exclusive wheelchair-accessible luxury safari experience. The lodge features suites with roll-in showers and accessible pools with hoists. Guests can enjoy personalised safari adventures, ensuring immersion in the African wilderness regardless of mobility. Doubles from £1,025 per person/per night
The Atlantic Hotel, Jersey
On Jersey's west coast, the Atlantic is a tranquil retreat overlooking St Ouen's Bay. The property offers wheelchair-accessible rooms and facilities, ensuring comfort for all guests. Amenities include an award-winning restaurant, panoramic ocean views, well-appointed accommodations plus 10 acres of private gardens. Doubles from £127
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This new-build addition to Manchester's ever-more-densely populated skyline is now home to a voco, a boutique-inspired part of IHG (the InterContinental Hotels Group). Expect comfortable rooms and a buzzy ground-floor area, including a newly elevated restaurant menu that punches above its weight.
The hotel's previous incarnation (Hotel Brooklyn) made accessibility a key selling point and the foundations of this remain in place. There are 10 well-adapted rooms, designed in the same aesthetic as elsewhere and in different configurations with features including wet rooms (shower chairs available), grab rails, hoists, lowered furniture and buttons including for emergencies, visual alarms and more. Doubles from £137. Read the full review here