LUXURY RESORTS MALDIVES
"Searching for the best luxury resorts for your holiday in the Maldives? Jonathan and his family share their best luxury accommodation experiences in Soneva Gili..."
Like an oasis rising from the horizon, the luxury Maldives resort’s dome like thatched roofs and charmingly poles were silhouetted against the sky’s sunset mauves and purples. As the colours reflected off the glassy surface of the sea, and golden lights created a bright glow that lit the timber huts from within, Sheira and I looked at each other with delight. What a sight to greet us!
We pulled up to the long jetty where a lovely gentleman in a traditional skirt, welcomed us in gentle Indian cadences, took us on our long promenade along the wooden pier that connected us to our luxury VILLA SUITE, where late drinks and refreshments awaited us. We awoke to the totally different, daytime version of this picture postcard setting, in one of the largest lagoons in all the Maldives Islands, with jetties jutting out across the palest blue, pure water to all the on-water buildings and villas, constructed with beautifully weathered timber.
The resort’s goal of BAREFOOT LUXURY set the tone during our entire stay; it’s impossible not to give in to the sleepy atmosphere. The “No News No Shoes” policy encourages guests to unplug from their urban lives and the outside world - and when you look out at nothing but the serene, ever-changing ocean, transforming from turquoise to marine blue in moments, it’s hard to believe cities even exist. As a guest, you truly step into a surreally beautiful postcard.
Sheira and I loved unwinding by sinking back into the blue, green and teal cushions of one of the open-air, public lounges for a drink, where every design detail reflects an aquatic colour palette, from the textiles to the serviettes. This architecture has the same on-water and beautifully worn timber aesthetic as the villas, with getaway balconies on the upper mezzanine floor giving even greater views out to the horizon.
We also loved to go out to the jetty at night when the lights were switched on, illuminating the ocean from below: all the glorious tropical fish swam to the area, their canary yellow, orange and purples on display in technicolour. The luxury Maldives resort’s big plus is the feeling of infinite space that the 360 degree view of surrounding water gives you, with ample public spaces, restaurants and bars where guests can mingle.
There were no hills or scrub on the actual 250m x 210m island that is the base for the accommodation further out on the waters - just paths through the low-level vegetation, fresh sand as white as sugar, curved palms and the occasional empty kayak waiting for you on the beach…
Although there are 1,190 coral islands in the Maldives, only 202 are inhabited - with 87 belonging exclusively to the resorts. You always feel secluded because each island is spread out over 90,000 square kms, making it one of the most disparate countries in the world.
Soneva Gili may not be as isolated as other resorts, due to its proximity to the biggest airport on nearby Malé: planes, public ferries, glamorous yachts and zippy little speedboats often pass by your eye line. Sitting on the beach with deckchairs, we could see produce like rice and flour coming in by boat. But the faultless, middle of the ocean views still made us feel totally suspended in time and space.
The courteous, yet unobtrusive staff - a mixture of indigenous islanders and Indians - mill around in white sarongs, tee shirts and bare feet, adding to the relaxed feel that we loved. The cross-cultural influence is interesting, from the African drumbeats of the local background music to the distinctive South Asian/Indian/African fusion of the cuisine. It’s exactly the kind of mix that attracts a very European clientele, which Sheira and I always enjoy mingling with.
Many of the local men still spend the day in the traditional way, out fishing in the deep - only now for the tourist trade, not just the village. Their native ancestors from the Indus Valley Civilisation were travelers on the famous Silk Route, and the Maldivians are still hospitable and absolute naturals with people.
This close to the capital, Malé, resort staff are adept in English and also speak an amazing variety of languages like Italian and Japanese, as well as the native DHIVEHI.
Naturally our experience of being in an over-water bungalow was dominated by the surrounding topography. We had tried this style of architecture once before in Tahiti - and it’s a wonderful feeling that every traveler should experience. Being surrounded by deck space only inches away from inviting, sparkling water makes you want to just fall into the ocean all day.
Even when we were inside our suite, the turquoise Indian Ocean set the scene. Massive floor-to-ceiling windows (which swing open halfway) let spectacular ocean views flood the room, creating a wonderfully serene and natural mood. The all-organic architecture of timber and thatched roof has a distinctive, local charm that only adds to the beauty of the spectacular natural setting and makes you feel part of it.
Sheira particularly loved the balance of this carefree castaway feeling with the attention to detail and comfort, which starts with the chilled bottle of Soneva Cuvée waiting for you on arrival… We were really impressed with our Villa Suite’s amazing, 210 m2 size. This is no shack… In effect, we really had our own, airy Robinson Crusoe house!
The air-conditioned bedroom’s fresh, whitewashed walls and floaty net, simply suspended on bamboo over a king size bed, has such a calming, serene effect, you could curl up there all day. An open-air bathroom matches the island mood: with a bath overlooking the Indian Ocean, a simple bowl as a sink - balanced on its shelf as if by magic - a bamboo ladder as a towel rack and a separate walled shower area that you access along an open-air, wooden walkway.
The glass peep-hole into the ocean is a really fun touch. I love the island purity of this kind of décor theme far more than the usual five-star marble and gold tap aesthetic. To me, being able to wash under the stars is true luxury!
The living space is expansive and alluring enough to keep you in your villa for the whole stay, with great design flow from room to room… The huge, double height, open-air lounge has its own dining area, huge daybeds in every corner that are covered in soothing yolk-yellow linen and chess and backgammon tables for the simple pleasures of a slow-down holiday.
There is no question that guests are here to loaf - with a mezzanine balcony and roof top sun deck upstairs, an over-water sun deck with sun loungers downstairs, and plenty of nooks for curling up with your summer blockbuster. The only thing in the villa not designed for relaxation is the fantastic espresso machine!
Although a long wooden pier connects you to your neighbouring villas, each one is surrounded by plenty of ocean area and enough screens, clever positioning and seclusion for privacy (there are a total of 45 over-water villas around the entire resort property). Sometimes we enjoyed the company of others by the MAIN POOL or in the restaurants, but when we did want to isolate, we could really hide away in our own gorgeous waterfront space with unobstructed views. If you don’t want to “walk the gangplank,” you can ride bicycles the long distance back to the island then park them on the sand.
Although Soneva Gili is really on the honeymoon/romantic retreat circuit, the water is waist shallow so you would feel safe having kids swimming around it. (Children are welcome - but there are no specific facilities. Kids aren’t as impressed as adults by the idea of doing absolutely nothing!)
VILLA SUITE PRICE: Approx $US 1,328.00 (Varies Seasonally)
When talking about luxury island holidays, famous regions like Tahiti, Bora Bora, the Caribbean or Fiji instantly come to my mind - but this double chain of 26 atolls, an archipelago set in the relative isolation of the Indian Ocean, is fast becoming a serious new player.
A fresh destination that is less touristy - and quite enigmatic, as there are no widespread clichés yet about the area - is appealing to me - especially in an era when isolation and newness are the new luxury. So I found several very impressive boutique properties on offer.
Even though powerful images of beautiful pavilions and villas on stilts, poised in a turquoise ocean started to emerge when I did my research (and that certainly describes our experience of the Maldives at SONEVA GILI on our visit some years ago), there are still interesting differences between the best luxury resorts in the Maldives. There are three properties that would top my list when returning to the Maldives for a high-end “drop-out” holiday.
They are THE ONE & ONLY REETHI RAH, THE W MALDIVES, and HUVAFEN FUSHI.
I welcome your feedback on our YOUSAID page if you have already visited!
News Flash:
I have been researching Maldives again and The One & Only Reethi Rah is my pick, I have attached 3 photographs for you to see. They not great photos so please look at their website.
I usually associate this famous boutique luxury resort brand with bold, modernist decor and a young, design conscious clientele in urban centres like New York and Istanbul or even Hong Kong, where it’s the “it girls” in the lobby wearing designer labels that are the birds of paradise! So I was intrigued to see how the W name would translate in a remote island setting.
Located in the middle of the North Ari Atoll on FESDU ISLAND, a short, 25-minute seaplane ride west of the capital, Malé, the resort certainly looks impressive online - with the same mod, crisply tapered, sweeping lines in furniture and architecture that Sheira and I love creating when building and designing our own homes.
I love the very ‘W’ look of the sleek, ‘white sail’ aesthetic with simple bleached timber. The suites’ massive signature circular daybeds in white linen are big enough to fit a whole cocktail party guest list! The shape is echoed by a neighbouring round timber pagoda/daybed, on an oversized ‘statement’ deck that lends the suites extra personality. The edge of a long private plunge pool melts into the surrounding lagoon.
Forget parrots and wild tropical colours: this setting has the modern design purity of a black and white Calvin Klein ad. But everything about this raw minimalist look also says, “let me entertain you,” from the BBQ on the deck to the BOSE stereo, which matches the sophisticated, low key party feel of the brand. This resort attracts a lot of well-heeled younger couples who like the idea of hosting cocktail parties or visiting the island’s UNDERGROUND NIGHTCLUB, "15 Below.”
Most high-end luxury resorts in the Maldives have joined the wellness movement, which has take the old ‘flop and drop with a book’ brand of relaxation and deepened it with the rejuvenation and therapies that busy people usually don’t have time for. W has the AWAY SPA: 4 over-water ‘treatment villas’ that are isolated and private, with gorgeous Indian Ocean views and breezes.
But this resort isn’t just for the blissed out… W’s DOWN UNDER diving facilities takes guests out to explore nearby reefs and wrecks and swim with hammerhead sharks or gigantic whale sharks (the world’s largest fish). There are also luxurious extras, like the private DEEP SEA FISHING EXCURSION where staff actually deliver pizza + beer right to the boat - remote paradise with city takeaway!
The reef scooter trips and the 100% Transparent Ka (the latest crossover between a kayak and a boat) sound like something I would love to do with my older boys, Noah and Josh (if I could pin him down long enough, now that he is doing his own traveling. See his JOSH SAID page in MEET THE SAIDS).
In keeping with the chain’s specialist policy and high-end clientele, W also has a trademarked “WHATEVER/WHENEVER” team dedicated to unusual or special requests. I’d love to take on the challenge with Sheira one day!
And there is a fun contrast between the two different styles of restaurant, FIRE, an outdoor jungle barbecue under the stars with amazing spit roasts by torches and a roaring open fire and FISH, where sushi and the catch of the day is served from the traditional thatched huts under linen canopies.
The luxury Maldives resort is pricey, but stunning, and I have heard great reports, with people often choosing W Resort for the private plunge pools, which are in the OCEAN OASIS villas over the lagoon. The sundecks are designed for slipping straight into the water off the steps and there are lots of glamorous W touches, like curtains that encircle the day beds, glass floors and underwater lights you can switch on at night to illuminate the marine life teeming everywhere.
There are BEACH OASIS villas for those who prefer sand access to living above water, and they have second floor balconies with spectacular far-reaching views of the gorgeous, turquoise ocean and expanse of exposed corals every evening at low tide.
At over 70 rooms the luxury Maldives resort is less bijou-sized than Soneva Gili where Sheira and I had our first experience of the Maldives, but the layout is designed to give even the junior suites a quiet and secluded feel. And there are lots of extra touches in the resort that ensure a boutique sense of luxury, like Plasma TVs, free wifi, even thoughtful little stations around the island with free suntan lotion, ice cream, drinks and insect repellent.
Although this small, very trendy luxury Maldives resort is the same naturalist’s wonderland of coral sea and Maldivian tropical weather, the Per Aquum group has made sure that the resort has its own personality, and I would love to experience these points of difference first-hand, especially after the recent multimillion dollar redevelopment.
It is most famous for its SPA: which features the world’s first UNDER WATER TREATMENT ROOMS. Exotic fish literally glide past the massive glass windows, inches away from the massage beds - which I am sure that Sheira and our daughter, Zoe would love to try (kids are welcomed). There are plenty of other dramatic design details, like a MASSIVE INFINITY POOL with twinkling fibre optic lights that make the surface look like a starry sky by night - you can even have a table set up in the shallow end for an interactive ‘poolside’ dinner!
The luxury Maldives resort has luxury bells and whistles for a high-end clientele looking for special experiences - like a cruise on Sensuelle, a 21-metre PRIVATE YACHT. What I find interesting are the hip CULTURAL EVENTS. Huvafen Fushi brings in amazing guests like famous French DJ STEPHANE POMPOUGNAC, who puts together the über-chic Hôtel Costes CD Compilations. The music represents chic Parisian, jet-set nightlife and I have been playing them at home for years. Imagine sipping cocktails while their creator plays live!
The luxury Maldives resort also brings out famous “facialists to the stars,” special yoga instructors and fashion shows - there is always an interesting ‘guest appearance’ going on, which adds a stylish, cosmopolitan element to the usual sun and sand tropical holiday. Sheira and I will definitely keep a look out for who will be featuring in 2010…
The DINING accents just the kind of light, healthy food that we tend to seek out: fresh, simple, but never bland… The ingredients are flown in from around the world daily and served in amazing settings - from the white sand floored deck of CELSIUS to the private dining cove of SALT. You can pay extra for special dinner events like ‘Japanese night’ or ‘Lobster night.’
The island is small enough to walk around and buggies are available if you truly sink into ‘island time,’ and the architectural mix of thatching and modernist cube villa designs is in keeping with the resort’s ‘tropic hip’ flavour.
The luxury Maldives resort is first-class across the board, with plunge pools, a generous layout and iPods for playing music out on the deck.
The BEACH BUNGALOWS are 125 square metres with ocean views, beach access and modernist designer furniture. The DELUXE version has a much bigger outdoor living area (160 sq metres) and a private courtyard with a larger plunge pool.
PRICE: US$1408 - US$1840 Seasonally
DELUXE PRICE: US$2,200 - US$2,875
The 130 sq metre LAGOON BUNGALOWS have fabulous, innovative architectural detailing: a split-level layout that leads straight into the tropical water and a free-standing bath cantilevered right over the Indian Ocean.
PRICE US$1,936 - US$2,530
OCEAN BUNGALOWS are larger at 160 sqm, and feature a three-tier deck, fresh water infinity pool, glass floors to view the marine life below and an oversize Jacuzzi.
PRICE: US$2,640 - US$3,450
MONEY TO BURN
For the clientele who want to experience the very best of the luxury resorts in teh Maldives, the 330 sqm OCEAN PAVILION is a house-sized retreat a further 100 meters out in the Indian Ocean, with amazing water effects. The private fibre-optic infinity pool has the resort’s signature twinkling star effect - and a Kohler bath that fills from the ceiling.
PRICE: US$ 6,480 - US$8,475
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