Anantara Kihavah in the Maldives has been decided as the most Instagrammable hotel in the world by the insiders publication for travel and tourism operatives, Luxury Travel Advisor. The inaugural contest saw 121,000 votes cast online, with Anantara Kihavah taking 45,385. 

Set in the Baa Atoll Island and on the doorstep of the popular Hanifaru Bay - the idyllic hotel is designed by Maldivian architects Group X Design Associates and  features 80 thatched-roof villas that offers luxury of solitude against the worlds most stunning backdrop. Some of them are on stilts over the water, while others sits on pristine stretch of private beaches.

Each villa boasts large personal infinity-edge pools, dining pavilions, expansive wooden sundecks and ample lounging areas complete with swinging daybeds, hammocks and sun loungers as well as his and hers walk-in wardrobes, rain showers, outdoor showers and over-sized bathtubs big enough for two.

"I would like to thank Luxury Travel Advisors many, many voters for recognising the unparalleled beauty of our island," says the hotel's general manager, Dylan Counsel.

"Weve been lucky to have award-winning landscapers, architects and interior designers working in harmony to perfect our surrounds, and their good work is enhanced everyday by the resort team who take care of our island, reefs and ocean with such dedication and add the small touches that perfect the guest experience."

The hotel boasts an underwater restaurant, where guests can watch the sealife as they dine; an observatory offering stargazing sessions with an-house astronomer; as well as opportunities to cruise with dolphins and swim with turtles and manta rays. And then there's the hammocks that are draped across the Indian Ocean.

Set on Kihavah Huravalhi, one of the most pristine Maldivian islands, the resort is 30-minute seaplane flight from Velana International Airport, an unforgettable experience in itself as the plane flies over a string of glowing coral islands and Maldives resorts amidst turquoise waters.