Evaluation: JW Marriott Resort & Spa, Maldives

The JW Marriott Maldives Resort & Spa opened up in 2019 and has been a strong contender among the many luxurious properties within the archipelago. But 6 years later we needed to know if it’s nonetheless on high of their sport trigger the competitors in fierce and new resorts are popping up quicker than ever earlier than. Being branded as a household pleasant resort we felt this was the proper event to check it out.

So following our keep at Le Méridien Maldives we flew onwards to the attractive JW Marriott Maldives Resort & Spa. To be clear, this isn’t the brand new JW Marriott Kaafu Atoll Island Resort which equally seems spectacular but continues to be on our ‘to do’ listing.

The welcome

From the second the doorways of your seaplane open, it feels such as you’re stepping right into a James Bond film and everybody on the island heard about your arrival. Really an exquisite welcome by a small military of workers that clearly have unlocked the key of being completely happy at work trigger you couldn’t wipe the smile of their face, even for those who tried.

The room

We stayed in a duplex seaside pool villa. A mouth full however so is the villa. Tons of area, 2 bedrooms, an higher stage which is sort of a tv-room that may double as an additional bed room in case your husband snores or your spouse is nagging about why it took this lengthy earlier than coming over right here.

From the second you stroll in you’ll discover the practicality of the villa. An enormous dressing the place you may simply retailer all of your baggage, excessive ceilings, 3 loos (there are by no means sufficient for those who keep as a household of 4), a great deal of home windows to absorb the verdant gardens and pool surrounding the villa and a giant backyard with a number of seating preparations simply to be sure you and everybody else in your loved ones finds their very own favorite spot within the solar.

The direct seaside entry is in fact supreme however to be truthful, it’s equally enjoyable simply to hold round your individual personal pool and sit back within the privateness of your individual backyard.

The toilet

The loos are bathing in pure mild and all of the little toiletries you may consider are at your disposal, thoughtfully introduced in eco-friendly packaging. Bathrobes for everybody, slippers for inside, slippers for out of doors, the listing goes on and on however suffice to say that every part is nicely taken care of.

The services

As with many luxurious resorts within the Maldives, there’s a plethora of services on the island, beginning off with the kids-and teenagers membership. Already splitting the 2 is an effective way to make everybody completely happy. See, my youngest is 6 and my oldest is 11. Whereas the primary one loves group video games and all that jazz, my oldest feels he’s too cool for that and somewhat hangs out between the PS5 and the air hockey desk. Each golf equipment are actually welcoming and it allowed us as dad and mom to extend our personal free time considerably.

It’s not laborious to crack the code of a great youngsters membership, trigger it all the time comes all the way down to the workers working with the youngsters with a purpose to preserve them entertained and engaged. Nonetheless too many resorts preserve considering that an overload of toys and area will preserve any little one completely happy, however fortunately JW Marriott obtained it proper over right here. Add to {that a} huge pirate ship within the backyard, proper subsequent to the pool and you’ve got the proper combo.

So what does a middle-aged couple do once they get some kids-free time on a tropical island? Certainly….first cease is the spa! Spa by JW is good for {couples} that includes 6 couple’s therapy rooms and even an entire deluxe therapy suite. After all went for the latter, I imply who wouldn’t?! And to be truthful, it was probably the most spectacular therapy suite I’ve seen and skilled within the Maldives with a plunge pool, superb views exterior, expertise showers, rest space,….to not point out the therapeutic massage itself which was completely executed.

Subsequent cease? The wine room! JW Marriott Maldives actually has a formidable wine assortment with over 300 labels which in a distant location as this, isn’t a given. Plenty of selection from each the outdated and new world. We even discovered wines from the South African wine property the place we obtained married, so you may already guess which one we picked.

Drinks are nice however what in regards to the meals choices? Properly, I’m completely happy to report that none of us even remotely remembered what’s was to really feel hungry after we left the resort because the meals is constantly of very prime quality. There are 5 totally different eating places starting from Italian and Thai to worldwide and Japanese. Every of them providing a variety of meals choices, and for the youngsters there’s equally an adjusted menu in every outlet which is way appreciated as a mother or father and infrequently ignored by opponents. My favorite was Hashi, the Japanese restaurant. I immediately felt like I used to be again within the streets of Tokyo, attempting out all types of yummy dishes.

An honourable point out goes to Kasha, the Thai restaurant. Not solely due to the outside kitchen that jogged my memory of the numerous open kitchens in Bangkok, however primarily due to the design of the restaurant. It’s positioned on stilts in between the bushes, with small suspension bridges in between, making it really feel like you might be in a real jungle restaurant a number of ft up.

One culinary expertise I haven’t talked about but is the latest addition Riha. Think about a sunken eating and kitchen space on the seaside the place you go on a culinary 8-course journey by means of India. Because of the centuries of buying and selling between the Maldives and India, this expertise is one to not be missed. I might recommend making reservations on time trigger seating could be very restricted.

And did I point out the floating breakfast which appeared extra like a floating market because of the quantity of meals that was introduced? It didn’t even match on the floating system, leading to our complete outside space being coated in probably the most yummy breakfast unfold I’ve seen in a really very long time.

Let’s discuss how one can attempt to go away no less than of few of all these gathered energy on the island. There’s a fitness center with gorgeous views over the lagoon and we noticed an abundance of marine life swimming proper beneath it. Similar goes for the yoga deck which is positioned close by and the place you may follow your downward dealing with canine within the morning whereas the solar gently rises on the horizon. Should you can collect just a few mates, or need to cheat and bribe the teenagers within the teenagers membership, you may present your soccer expertise on the sphere which is positioned proper behind the youngsters membership. And naturally you’ll additionally discover all potential water-sports obtainable for those who’re bored with taking part in on land.

All of this makes you thirsty isn’t it? Fortunately there’s this cool JW Backyard the place you, accompanied by the in-house mixologist, can forage your individual elements to create your private cocktail (or cocktail for the youngsters). I actually appreciated this backyard to glass idea, and it’s a enjoyable exercise for the entire household which ultimately finally ends up with a cocktail in your hand. That’s a win-win in my books!

The placement

The JW Marriott Resort & Spa is positioned within the Shiviyani atoll, a few 90-min flight with the seaplane from Malé. It’s a bit additional than many of the different resorts which you fly to BUT….as a result of it’s a little bit extra distant, it additionally feels just a little bit extra tropical island. Let me clarify.

Most resorts in and round Malé have planes flying over and ships crossing your horizon all day lengthy. I don’t thoughts that, however many individuals do. Nonetheless, for those who go someplace a bit extra distant like this resort, you’ll have countless views with hardly any ships passing by means of, and the one planes you’ll hear and see are the seaplanes dropping or selecting up visitor which is most a handful of instances a day.

One closing bonus of its location is the truth that you get a barely longer flight on one of many Trans Maldivian Airways (TMA) plane, permitting you to soak in a few of the most gorgeous surroundings on the planet totally free. And also you get to expertise what might be the one airline on the planet whee the pilots rock up in shorts and slippers.

Different good touches

One other benefit of the extra distant location is the truth that you may go on excursions the place few different folks come. For instance, we went line fishing with the native workers on a dhow close to a abandoned island within the late afternoon. Actually simply 20-Half-hour out, dropping anchor and beginning to fish with some good camaraderie and banter amongst everybody. Experiencing this in such a distant location just isn’t all the time a given however right here it’s comparatively simple to do.

Finest a part of all of it? No matter we caught can be delivered to the cooks on the island and they might put together it for us as dinner or lunch, relying in your choice. My son obtained fortunate and as a lover of Japanese delicacies he had one of the best sashimi for dinner and lunch because of his huge catch, placing me to disgrace in entrance of everybody.

Price

Surprisingly the price for staying at this luxurious resort within the Maldives begins from round 470 USD per night time for a 1 bed room seaside pool villa. After all, taxes, charges and transfers nonetheless should be added (they usually do add up), however for that worth you get a strong product in one of the crucial high-end locations on the planet.

Our 2 bed room duplex seaside pool villa begin from round 700 USD per night time with out the taxes, charges and transfers. After all being a Marriott Bonvoy property you may e book an evening right here from as little as 79.000 factors which in my view is a steal!

The most effective bit

The folks….no query about it. An expertise I’ll cherish was the one throughout our closing night the place we organised a seaside dinner and abruptly a dozen of workers members got here to convey our Maldivian feast however stick round to sing and make music beneath the attractive night time sky. Merely wonderful and an absolute deal with for the entire household.

The ultimate verdict

Whereas there’s a new JW Marriott resort simply opened up, the unique one continues to be shining brilliant with tons of actions, very spacious and well-appointed villas and a thriving culinary scene. Very household pleasant however completely appropriate for {couples} too.

Disclosure: Our keep was sponsored by JW Marriott Maldives Resort & Spa.

Kristof Eyckmans

Kristof Eyckmans is a journey author from Antwerp, Belgium. He’s been residing all throughout the globe and whereas he loves wildlife and nature, he can nonetheless take pleasure in a great city jungle.