We're in need of a restorative and refreshing sleep. Is this the place to stay and why?
Yes, if you're in need of restorative and refreshing sleep, Gili is absolutely the place to stay! Being on a private island in the middle of nowhere definitely contributed to the relaxing sleepy vibe. The whole theme of the island is ""No news, no shoes"" promoting really disconnecting from the outside world (no TVs, no newspapers, etc.) So that disconnect and escape from the world, being mentally and physically so isolated in Maldives, for us, really helped the entire restorative sleep experience. We were always a bit sunkissed from the day since we were snorkeling, lounging, boating, playing tennis all day...so in our opinion, there's no better sleep than after a day like that where you shower, lotion up, blast the AC, and cozy into our cloud bed.

Please tell us the bed won't let us down.
More than any other place in the world we've been, the bed itself was truly customized to our desires even before arrival on the island. We filled out a pre-departure profile sheet from the housekeeping team, which asked us to pick what type of pillows, feather beds, toiletries, and even scents for the bedroom. So obviously this was a huge factor in making us walk into a place that was customized for our PERSONAL sleep experience and allowed us to drift on each night feeling like we were on a cloud.

How about the rest of the room — what else made your best sleep memorable? (Was it the decor? Seclusion? Silence? Etc…)
The villas are designed with sustainable luxury and open-air living at its core.  When you enter through the front door, you look directly through the open-air living area and large overwater deck to the picturesque blue lagoon. The massive bathroom is also open to the outside, with a perfectly situated bathtub view and a separate outdoor shower area. The bedroom is the only fully contained and air-conditioned space and has one of the comfiest vacation beds we’ve ever slept in. While the villas exude a rustic treehouse vibe, the sheer size, amazing blue water backdrop from every room, and little details like personal bamboo bikes, make this a truly special and luxurious hotel and sleep experience.

What about the hotel services and features — did your experience directly aid in your sleep quality/relaxation? (spa, fitness, etc.)
Given the endless supply of delicious food and drinks, we felt the need to start our mornings in the beautiful gym. It’s not hard to work out on vacation when you have a view of the stunning palm-lined beach outside the window. We were lucky to experience one of the best couples’ massages we’ve ever had in Gili’s spectacular overwater Meera Spa. In addition to the treatment rooms, in which you can watch the fish swimming on the reef below during the massage, they have steam rooms, saunas, and a rooftop post-treatment relaxation area with lounge chairs to take in the open-water view and enjoy the breeze.

Sleeping aside — what was your experience outside the hotel—what were your days like?
From the moment we arrived on the island, we were thrilled with the seamless blend of privacy and relaxation with options for activities. Gili is the perfect-size island for us, and since most people choose not to leave their villas most of the day, it almost felt like we had the whole place to ourselves. We were blown away by the dining experience at Gili Lankanfushi, so many of our “experiences” revolved around these special meals. We also spent much of our time enjoying the privacy of our villa – lounging in the sun, reading, listening to music, and taste-testing as many cocktails as possible on the deck.

Bottom line us: Was the stay worth the travel and expense and what was the biggest takeaway from this place?
The sheer beauty of the island, ultimate disconnected sense of relaxation, and exotic escape puts Gili at the very top of our list of best hotels we’ve ever stayed at in the world. It's absolutely worth the travel distance and expense!