By John O’Ceallaigh
One of the many things that’s insufferable about me is that I go to the Maldives a lot. I know it’s typically a very pricey, once-in-a-lifetime destination for so many, but working in luxury travel means it’s a country I get to visit frequently: at my last count I’ve stayed in something like 25 different luxury resorts throughout the country. Unsurprisingly, they’re generally very beautiful but after you’ve seen your first three they start to feel a bit samey. But then on my most recent work trip, I bolted on a two-night break at Waldorf Astoria Maldive Ithaafushi and I was reminded all over again of just how remarkable the levels of hospitality on offer in this idyllic Indian Ocean nation can be.
There are lots of things that work in the resort’s favour, but I’ll get a few of the basics out of the way to start.
First things first: getting to the resort is easy. Lots of Maldives hotels stand vast distances from the capital Malé, meaning jet-lagged travellers often need to wait hours before the next available seaplane whisks them to some distant atoll. The Waldorf Astoria is a 45-minute yacht ride away, with departures scheduled to coincide with guests’ international flight arrivals.
Next is the size of the three man-made islands that comprise the resort. By Maldivian standards, the scale here is massive. From tip to tip you’re looking at a length of about 4 kilometres, staggering when measured against so many local resorts which can be circumnavigated by foot within 10 to 15 minutes. There are just 119 beach, reef and overwater villas spread across this landmass so there’s no shortage of space and plenty of privacy.
Thirdly, this is the global flagship property for Waldorf Astoria as a whole. Not only is that a compelling indicator of how impressive Hilton Hotels (Waldorf Astoria’s parent group) consider this resort to be, it’s an assurance of sorts that anything new that happens here will be of particularly high quality. (As an aside, I’m expecting a revival of interest in the Waldorf Astoria brand as a whole among the UHNW set considering the long-awaited New York and London properties are due to open soon.)
I was staying in a King Grand Overwater Villa, which I feel even the most jaded, pampered luxury traveller would consider wow-worthy. Accommodation throughout the resort is vast, with towering ceilings, generous outdoor areas and private pools (plus spruce bathrooms packed with Aesop toiletries); elegantly designed and a touch minimalist, my thatched villa also featured glass flooring in the bathroom and taut hammocks suspended over the sea so I could hover above the water in comfort.
While the entirety of the resort is fancy, by far the most aspirational place to bed down here is Ithaafushi – The Private Island. There’s scope for semantic confusion here, because while every luxury resort in the Maldives occupies its own private island, those islands are shared by many disparate guests concurrently. But this exclusive-use outpost is a private island in the most literal sense possible. Measuring some 32,000sqm and incorporating three residences, it accommodates up to 24 guests as part of one booking. Entirely removed from the main resort, it is one of the world’s ultimate addresses for an ultra-extravagant party. All the accoutrements you’d expect are there too, including multiple private pools, kids’ play zones, a huge communal entertainment and dining area with lots of high-tech cinema equipment (good for away-day work presentations if you must, but also used for karaoke) and an impressive standalone spa and gym; a dedicated culinary team is on hand for round-the-clock tailored dining.
I was lucky to do a walkabout of the private island during my stay, before being returned to not-quite normality back on the main island. Dining back at base isn’t at all shabby either: with 11 different restaurants and bars to hand, the resort provides some of the most varied culinary options to be had at any resort in the country. I was already familiar with Zuma’s high-end and lively Japanese offering, packed on the night I visited, but this was my first time encountering chef Dave Pynt, the Australian chef-owner of Singapore Michelin-starred barbecue spot Burnt Ends. Serving lots of robust meaty dishes cooked over a wood fire, his Maldivian outpost The Ledge is superb. The resort’s most romantic venues are likely Terra, where couples sample extravagant dishes such as Dover sole with green pea mousseline and beluga caviar alongside complementary Krug champagnes from one of seven elevated bamboo pods that rise above the island’s palm-tree canopy, and Rock, an intimate wine-focused address embedded within a limestone cave. Though I didn’t have enough time to dine everywhere, I loved the ambience at Chinese restaurant Li Long – served with the likes of Wagyu beef, crunchy veg and plump scallops, its simmering DIY hotpots are excellent – and the impeccably presented and diverse breakfast buffet offered at Tasting Table is one of the best I have encountered at any luxury resort.
Juxtaposed against all that indulgence is a comprehensive focus on wellness. As is standard throughout the better resorts in the Maldives, every resort has its own allocation of bicycles and the resort’s heft meant I accidentally got plenty of exercise (and frequently arrived a few minutes later than expected) as I made my way between appointments. (Butlers are allocated to each villa and can easily arrange buggy transfers, but I was at least attempting to do things for myself while I was there.) Another expanse of the main island is additionally given to the resort’s tip-top gym, which also hosts a number of fitness classes, plus there’s a hydrotherapy circuit, overwater spa treatment rooms, and courts for padel and tennis.
But again as I write about the Maldives I’m reminded that in this ultra-competitive market so many of the most impressive hotels offer so much when it comes to sophisticated spa treatments and memorable dining experiences. What additionally stood out to me here was the resort’s sense of polish. Pretty much everything I encountered was immaculate, service throughout was superb. With room rates starting from £1,850 (€2,170/$2,350) per night, staying here is a huge investment – but from my perspective on the Maldives, 25 resorts or so in, this is undoubtedly one of the most exceptional luxury resorts in the country.
