AwardWallet receives compensation from advertising partners for links on the blog. The opinions expressed here are our own and have not been reviewed, provided, or approved by any bank advertiser. Here's our complete list of Advertisers.
It was at Six Senses Laamu during my first stay in September 2021 that I first truly “got” the appeal of an ultra-luxury hotel. Before that stay, I'd stayed at a few — using Hilton free night certificates or splurging with points — but hadn't found one I felt was worth the price enough to return.
But since my 2021 stay, Six Senses Laamu has stuck with me as one of my favorite hotels. And I don't say this lightly, since as a digital nomad for over eight years, I've stayed at literally hundreds of hotels. So, when my wife and I decided to return to Six Senses Laamu for a four-night stay in September 2025, I was eager to revisit a favorite. But I was also nervous I might not find the property quite as magical as I remembered it.
Spoiler alert: I fell even more in love with Six Senses Laamu. Here's what I think makes the property so special, as well as some notes on how we make the resort's high rates as palatable as possible.
Page Contents
Learning Directly From Marine Biologists
What stood out to me during my Six Senses Laamu stays in both 2021 and 2025 was the sheer number of marine biologists who work at the resort. During our 2025 stay, the resort had nine marine biologists on staff. For reference, this property has just under 100 villas.
These staff focus on research, education, and community outreach via Six Senses Laamu's Maldives Underwater Initiative (MUI). Most marine biologists are onsite through a partnership with non-profits such as The Manta Trust, Blue Marine Foundation, and the Olive Ridley Project. However, guests have ample opportunities to interact with the marine biologists.
Each day, marine biologists host multiple scheduled tours of the exhibits at Sea Hub for Environmental Learning in Laamu (SHELL), which Six Senses Laamu opened in 2023. Or you can browse the exhibits on your own, including the interactive “glass bottom boat” exhibit.
I also highly recommend joining one of the snorkel outings with a marine biologist, offered daily at 11 am. While you must book in advance, there's no cost. We joined these snorkels all four days we were there, and each was led by a different marine biologist each time.
In addition to seeing sea turtles, reef sharks, stingrays, and countless fish, we also learned how to navigate the resort's seagrass and house reef snorkeling areas effectively on our own.
Most evenings, a marine biologist hosts a short talk on various marine conservation topics. During our 2025 stay, topics included sea turtle biology, the role of seagrass, and a screening of Born From The Reef — a documentary about the revolutionary techniques Laamu biologists are using to help Maldivian coral.
Additionally, the resort offers a two-hour turtle safari snorkel experience, accompanied by both a snorkel guide and a marine biologist, several times a week for $108 per person (inclusive of taxes and fees). Our trip to two different reefs in the Laamu atoll was spectacular, as we learned a great deal, saw some incredible reefs, and had the opportunity to watch three utterly unbothered hawkbill turtles for as long as we wished.
In short, our interactions with the Six Senses Laamu marine biologists are the element that elevates the resort to being our favorite. Without these interactions, neither of our stays would have been as magical.
Related: How to Book Maldives Overwater Villas With Free Night Certificates
Excellent On-Property Snorkeling
Many Maldives resorts have a house reef, although health, size, and accessibility can vary. Not only is Laamu's house reef vibrant, but it's incredibly easy to access. For instance, you can leave your items on a daybed by Chill Bar, use some of the conveniently provided anti-fog solution, get in using one of the ladders, and swim outward to reach the reef shelf in under a minute.
On the house reef, we saw tons of reef fish, ample white and black fin reef sharks, several eagle rays, multiple green sea turtles, and even some black-footed anemonefish (Nemo's Maldivian cousin).
If you snorkel out from the house reef to pinnacle three (ask a marine biologist for instructions), you'll usually see several green sea turtles resting atop the pinnacle. We were lucky enough to see multiple turtles each time we visited.
In addition to the vibrant house reef, Six Senses Laamu has well-preserved seagrass meadows. This gives you two excellent options when you want to go snorkeling. Both offer a high chance of spotting marine life and are easy for guests to access.
The sea grass meadow is between jetties A and B, but there's a hut where you can leave your belongings on the beach near the start of jetty A. Use some anti-fog solution from the hut, and then swim outward from the beach. You'll likely see green sea turtles, rays, and small fish in the seagrass.
Guests can pick up a mask, snorkel, and fins to use throughout their stay at the dive shop.
Note that I needed to try several fins and masks before I found ones that worked well, so don't be afraid to return to the dive shop to swap out gear if needed.
Related: How To Book Qatar Qsuite Awards to the Maldives for Just 85,000 Avios
Comfortably Rustic Villas
The overwater villas at Six Senses Laamu — which are actually the least expensive lodging type at the resort — have a unique wooden design that looks unique compared to others you'll experience in the Maldives.
Stepping inside the entry door, you'll find the air-conditioned part of your villa, complete with purely decorative bug netting.
Behind the bed, the his-and-hers sinks are made from old suitcases. The resort provides a wide range of complimentary amenities, including after-sun shampoo and conditioner, lotion, and aloe vera — which come in handy after active days in the sun. However, be sure to bring your own sunscreen, as this is one amenity that isn't provided by the resort.
Behind the sink area is a toilet room with a window looking down to the sea. I enjoyed seeing fish swim by and a crab that was usually looking back up from a support pillar.
The resort tucks additional amenities in the closets located on either side of the room — from rain jackets and slippers to a beach bag and even a bag for your wet clothes.
The bedding is comfortable and breathable. You can select scents for your bedding from a menu. There's also a pillow menu you can fill out if you'd like an additional or different type of pillow.
The desk and daybed next to the window provide a comfortable air-conditioned space to enjoy the ocean views.
But if the heat doesn't bother you, the villa's outdoor areas are spacious. The lower deck has more day beds along the windows, a sunken table near the edge of the patio, two adjustable sunbeds, and two overwater nets for lounging. You can also get into the ocean via a ladder from this lower deck.
Just off the bedroom, you'll find the villa's iconic outdoor shower.
Or, if you'd rather, relax in the glass-bottom bathtub around the corner from the shower. My wife loved taking baths while looking out at the ocean — which you'll get a stunning view of when you open the shutters.
You can exit the lagoon directly into the shower area via steps and a ladder.
Finally, you'll see some stairs heading up from the shower area. These steps lead to your own rooftop treehouse.
We found this spot perfect for spotting turtles eating seagrass in the waters below.
Related: How To Earn and Redeem IHG Confirmable Suite Upgrades
Everyone Gets a Bike
I prioritize getting 10,000 steps every day (only missed 42 days in 2024), so I usually walk around Maldives resorts instead of calling for a golf cart. But at Six Senses Laamu, most guests don't walk or call for carts. Instead, most use the complimentary bike that's waiting at their villa at check-in.
You'll know which bike is yours throughout your stay since each bike has the guest's initials on the back.
There's something relaxing and calming about riding a bike everywhere you go on the island. And Six Senses thinks of the small things, such as cloth covers on the bike pedals, since most guests are barefoot. Speaking of which…
Barefoot Luxury
The journey from the floating seaplane dock to the Six Senses boat dock only takes a few minutes. But it's during this time you'll be handed a cloth bag for your shoes and invited to join the Six Senses Laamu staff in their barefoot way of life.
During both visits, we've found that almost everyone opts to join in — us included. All the staff go barefoot, and it's uncommon to spot another guest wearing shoes.
This “barefoot luxury” mentality defines the resort. While the staff provides a luxurious experience, the fact that everyone walks around barefoot keeps the resort from feeling pretentious.
You'll find water and turtle-shaped foot brushes throughout the resort to help clear sand off your feet before entering buildings and villas.
Lots of Inclusions
I hate feeling nickel-and-dimed at Maldives resorts. After paying hundreds (or even thousands) per night, it's frustrating to have to cough up another $80 for sunscreen at the Waldorf Astoria Maldives or $10/day to rent bikes at Le Meridien Maldives.
Meanwhile, Six Senses Laamu includes several things that carry a charge at some other Maldives resorts.
For example, you can get complimentary ice cream at “Ice” each day starting at 12:30 pm.
With over 40 different flavors and no limit to how many times you can visit, we enjoyed stopping by for a scoop (or three) after snorkeling the house reef (complimentary) or when returning from dinner (which was included in our booking).
Six Senses Laamu even provides self-serve popcorn at the free-to-watch jungle cinema three times a week.
The resort also hosts a management cocktail party for all guests every Tuesday night around sunset. When we arrived, we found an invitation and sarongs for us to wear in our villa. At the reception, cocktails, mocktails, beer, and wine were free-flowing — even after the stated end time.
It's also nice that Six Senses Laamu doesn't charge extra to use bikes to get around the resort. It also includes aloe and unlimited drinking water in the villas.
Related: How to Earn and Redeem the IHG Food & Beverage Rewards You Get Through Milestone Rewards
Flying Turtle Seaplane
When we visited Six Senses Laamu in 2021, the transfer from Male to the resort included a domestic flight to Kadhdhoo Island, a cart ride from the airport to a dock, and then a 30-minute speedboat for the remainder of the journey. However, Six Senses Laamu switched to using its own branded seaplane — dubbed the Flying Turtle — in October 2023.
Trans Maldivian Airways operates the nonstop 65-minute flight on the Flying Turtle between Male and Olhuveli Island (the island Six Senses Laamu occupies).
The flight operates similarly to most other Trans Maldivian Airways seaplane flights — with open seating, an open cockpit, pilots in sandals, and baggage weight limits. But there were a few extra perks not found on other Trans Maldivian Airways flights — such as a cool towel and a bottle of water.
The Flying Turtle only operated one or two round-trips each day during our 2025 stay, as occupancy was low (one staff member mentioned the resort was just 23% full). But, during busier seasons, I expect the Flying Turtle would travel more frequently between Male and the resort.
If you have to wait a while for your seaplane transfer to the resort, you can enjoy the Six Senses Lamu seaplane terminal lounge.
You'll find some light snacks and drinks in the lounge, as well as a shower if you need it.
There's also a variety of indoor and outdoor seating in the Six Senses Laamu seaplane terminal lounge.
We booked a package that provided 50% off seaplane transfers. Still, we needed to pay $600 round-trip per person (inclusive of taxes and fees).
That's right… the round-trip transfer cost per adult is usually a steep $1,199, inclusive of taxes and fees. Transfers for children under 2 are free, while transfers for children ages 2 to 11 cost $700.
Appealing Off-season Packages
Think those transfer costs are expensive? Wait until you check room rates. Nightly rates at Six Senses Laamu rarely drop below $1,000 per night — and that's before taxes, fees, and transfers. These sky-high prices were what kept us from returning to the resort for more than four years.
For our stay in September 2025, we booked a four-night stay including half board (breakfast and dinner) and seaplane transfers for a total cost of $4,557. Even though this is a great rate for Six Senses Laamu, it's still by far the most expensive hotel nights we've ever paid for.
Related: 7 Ways to Score Free Breakfast at IHG Hotels
If that price tag doesn't scare you off, the good news is the “limited time with half board” rate we booked isn't a one-off; I've seen similar deals in previous years for stays from mid-May to late September. You may also see a “stay longer with half board” rate that offers smaller discounts across a longer stay period. So, keep an eye on the Six Senses Laamu deals page if you're willing to travel outside of the peak season.
You can also redeem IHG One Rewards points for stays at participating Six Senses properties, including Six Senses Laamu. IHG uses dynamic award pricing. For our dates, we would have needed to redeem 172,000 points per night.
Related: The Top 10 IHG Hotel and Resort Redemptions for Luxury Stays
After an IHG fourth night free — which I'd get when redeeming IHG points as a benefit of my IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card — I could have redeemed 516,000 IHG points for my four-night stay. However, my points redemption wouldn't have given me discounts on transfers or half-board. So, it made sense to book the paid rate and earn IHG points on my stay.
I charged the cost to my IHG One Rewards Premier Card and was happy to see the charge post earning 10X points. Combining the credit card earnings and my IHG Diamond Elite bonus, I earned a total of 85,622 IHG points on this stay. Based on the 0.68¢ per point that AwardWallet users average when redeeming IHG points, that's almost $600 in value from this stay.
- Limited Time Offer! Earn 165,000 Bonus Points
- Enjoy an Anniversary Free Night at IHG Hotels & Resorts. Plus, enjoy a fourth reward night free when you redeem points for a consecutive four-night IHG® hotel stay.
- Earn up to 26 total points per $1 spent when you stay at IHG Hotels & Resorts
- Earn 5 points per $1 spent on purchases on travel, at gas stations, and restaurants. Earn 3 points per $1 spent on all other purchases
- Automatic Platinum Elite status as long as you remain a Premier cardmember
- Global Entry, TSA PreCheck® or NEXUS Statement Credit of up to $120 every 4 years as reimbursement for the application fee charged to your card
- IHG One Rewards Bonus points are redeemable at Hotels & Resorts such as InterContinental®, Crowne Plaza®, Kimpton®, EVEN® Hotels, Indigo® Hotels & Holiday Inn®
- Member FDIC
- Rates & Fees
- Earn up to 26 points total per $1 spent when you stay at an IHG hotel
- 5X points per $1 spent on purchases on travel, gas stations, and restaurants
- 3X points per $1 spent on all other purchases
The earning for spending at IHG hotels breaks down as follows:
- Earn 10X points for being a IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card member
- Earn up to 6X points from IHG® with Platinum Elite Status, a benefit of having this card
- Earn up to 10X points from IHG® for being an IHG® One Rewards member (Being a cardholder is not required to earn this bonus for participating in the IHG® loyalty program)
Generous Anniversary Inclusions
Six Senses Laamu provides a complimentary anniversary package if guests travel within 30 days of their wedding celebration day and book a stay of four nights or longer. My wedding anniversary is in mid-August, so our early September stay was easily within 30 days of our wedding celebration date.
During this 2025 stay, the Six Senses Laamu anniversary package included:
- A welcome amenity
- Anniversary cake
- A bottle of sparkling wine in the villa on arrival
- A 60-minute couples massage (must be taken between 9 am and 1 pm) or a sunset dolphin cruise
- A departure gift
Another couple mentioned seeing a megapod of 50 dolphins on the sunset cruise. But we opted for the 60-minute couples massage, and it didn't disappoint.
The spa at Six Senses Laamu is situated along the beach between jetties A and B, and the massage rooms are open-air nest-like structures in the jungle near the beach.
Related: Current IHG Promotions
Valuable IHG Diamond Ambassador Benefits
It's totally worth signing up for InterContinental Ambassador before your stay at Six Senses Laamu. Based on the terms of the Ambassador program, you'll get the following on stays at participating Six Senses hotels and resorts, which include Six Senses Laamu:
- Complimentary breakfast for two in the main restaurant per day
- Signature amenity of a complimentary 50-minute Six Senses Spa massage for two or a local experience once per stay (not applicable with corporate or negotiated rates)
- Complimentary one-category room upgrade (subject to availability, excluding residences and two-bedroom or greater suites/villas)
- Extended check-out of 4 pm (subject to availability)
- Early check-in (subject to availability)
- Complimentary internet access
- Wellness platter welcome amenity on the day of arrival
Six Senses Laamu sent me an email ahead of my stay saying I'd get the following benefits as an Ambassador member with IHG Diamond Elite status:
- Complimentary breakfast for two guests
- Complimentary WiFi
- Complimentary one-category villa upgrade (subject to availability)
- Upgraded wellness platter welcome amenity with a handwritten card
- Early check-in (subject to availability) at 10 am
- Late check-out (subject to availability) at 4 pm
- Signature Amenity of a 50-minute spa massage for two, a unique local experience, or a $100 food and beverage credit
Related: 4 Ways to Earn Top-Tier IHG Diamond Elite Status With Credit Card Spending
As you can tell, this Diamond Ambassador benefits list is similar to the standard Ambassador list. So, don't expect many incremental perks based on your IHG elite status if you are an InterContinental Ambassador member.
The resort was far from full, so there was plenty of availability for the resort to provide me the space-available one-category room upgrade from a lagoon water villa to an ocean water villa. The villas are the same, although the ocean water villa is located slightly further from the start of the jetty.
I also got early check-in and late check-out — both of which are standard at most Maldives resorts (especially during low season).
Related: Do IHG One Rewards Points Expire?
Our Take
Six Senses Laamu remains a special place for my wife and me. Our second stay in September 2025 was just as magical as our first in 2021. We appreciate interacting with the marine biologists onsite, enjoy snorkeling the resort's house reef and sea grass lagoon, and find the Six Senses vibe and ethos resonate with us. Although Six Senses Laamu is a big splurge for us, we hope to return in a few years.
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card (Rates & Fees)
The comments on this page are not provided, reviewed, or otherwise approved by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.