JW Marriott Maldives Review – NerdWallet

Trip paradise can take numerous varieties for various folks. Nonetheless, the picture that involves thoughts for a lot of is the dream of an overwater villa hovering over turquoise-blue water. JW Marriott Maldives Resort & Spa is the quintessential instance of that, though the Maldives, normally, is just not missing in spectacular overwater villa resorts.

One factor units this Marriott Bonvoy property other than the competitors; for now, it is our little secret. Right here it’s. When redeeming loyalty factors for many resorts, the redemption is for the usual room class until you pay extra factors for a premium room. In resort locations, such because the Maldives, the prized overwater villas carry a value (or factors) premium that, in lots of circumstances, can break the financial institution. Not right here.

The JW Marriott Maldives Resort & Spa classifies its overwater villas as one of many commonplace room classes, which suggests you’ll be able to redeem factors for one with out worrying about paying additional or getting an improve. This resort makes its seaside villas premium since many households choose them for the sandy expanse the place youngsters can play; some select to separate their keep between the 2 room varieties.

Are you considering of taking a visit to the Maldives and contemplating staying on the JW Marriott Maldives? This JW Marriott Maldives evaluation provides you with the fundamentals on what to anticipate at this dream vacation spot, the place your factors can unlock a postcard-perfect expertise.

This resort is way north, virtually an hour by seaplane flight from Male Worldwide Airport. The Maldives is a protracted, vertical stretch of islands, and this property is located on the personal Vagaru Island within the Shaviyani Atoll.

Fortunately, when making an award redemption or paying money for a keep, the price of a seaplane flight is constructed into the taxes and costs of the speed. Whereas the value is just not low cost, it makes the arrival course of smoother since you needn’t fear about making separate preparations. When you land, a van will take you to the seaplane terminal. The seaplane will carry you on to the resort.

Opened in October 2019, the resort has not but had its likelihood to make a giant splash, given the journey pause of current years. With borders reopening, now could be the time to make a reservation earlier than phrase will get out on the unbelievable Marriott Bonvoy redemption alternative right here.

When visitors step off the seaplane, the tropical pomp and ceremony start as a bevy of employees members, together with the supervisor and every villa’s personal thakuru (like a butler) greets arrivals. There are flowers, welcome drinks and stay Maldivian music whereas visitors are escorted from the dock towards their rooms. It is an thrilling expertise that takes place a number of occasions per day. Whereas there’s an air-conditioned reception space, visitors full check-in formalities of their room.

You are mistaken if you happen to assume you will go hungry or tire of the fare on this personal island. For such a small property, this resort has plentiful eating choices. Aailaa is an all-day eating venue serving three meals. The breakfast buffet consists of a number of cooked-to-order stations for eggs and Indian dosas. There’s additionally a Maldivian, Indian and Chinese language station, a contemporary juice stand and quite a few choices for vegetarians and vegans.

Breakfast choices embrace eating indoors or al fresco on the deck going through the water. The employees is outstanding, and the manager and pastry cooks are sometimes seen checking on every desk, generally with trays of freshly baked treats. Later, the menu shifts to a global choice, all the things from burgers and salads to native curries.

Fiamma is an Italian restaurant with a brick oven for pizza and freshly ready pasta.

A Thai restaurant, Kaashi, has seaside seating and a treehouse setup the place diners can take pleasure in an aerial view of the island. The open-plan kitchen prepares a wide range of aromatic Thai dishes which might be paired with craft cocktails.

Sharing the identical constructing are Japanese eating places that includes a teppanyaki desk and a steakhouse. Right here, visitors can begin with a sundown cocktail from the al fresco bar earlier than selecting between the 2 menus. At Hashi, the menu consists of contemporary sushi, teppanyaki meals ready in entrance of you, and a variety of different specialties paired with a protracted checklist of whiskey, sake and Japanese teas.

On the opposite facet is Shio, a steakhouse serving prime cuts of beef and smoked cocktails which might be as a lot in regards to the present preparation because the style.

Company can decide to dine on the seaside with a non-public romantic setup. They’ll additionally sleep in and order a floating Champagne breakfast to their personal pool that arrives with such aptitude that it’s a feast for each the eyes and the urge for food.

The Wine Room right here is spectacular, too, with a novel wine-pairing dinner expertise as but an alternative choice for visitors. It’s tucked away inside Aailaa and has a menu of 1,620 bottles spanning 320 labels, offering one thing for everybody.

All overwater and seaside villas right here have personal swimming pools, that means irrespective of the place you keep, you might be assured your personal plunge. Solely 60 lodging make this resort comparatively relaxed and intimate, with no crowds.

Your thakuru is offered by cellphone or WhatsApp at any time. They’ll make reservations on the restaurant or spa, help with on-property actions, ship issues to the room or fulfill different particular requests.

Regardless of the lodging sort, they’re all related in fashion. They’ve a up to date design that includes a wood deck with an outside pool and interiors boasting duvet-covered beds, tender sofas, and facet tables and chairs.

Bogs are spacious with an array of Aromatherapy Associates toiletries, and the first rest room all the time has a separate bathe and soaking tub. The out of doors bathe in every unit provides to the distinctive enchantment of sleeping on a non-public island within the Indian Ocean.

There are completely different classes of lodging beginning with the usual sort, the famed overwater pool villas. There may be additionally an upgraded class: duplex overwater pool villas if you happen to want more room.

Each lodging sit on stilts over the water and are simply accessible by foot or golf cart switch. They fluctuate between dawn or sundown views, they usually have a non-public wood deck from which you’ll be able to leap into the water under for a swim. All of them have separate couch beds and day beds, however the duplex items have an upstairs lounge space with separate loos and sleeping areas, good for households.

The seaside pool villas and duplex seaside pool villas are on the island. They’re related in structure and design to these over the water however have each a wood deck and direct entry to the seaside, the place lounge chairs and an umbrella await.

The lodging embrace a moist bar with a espresso maker, closets with complimentary flip-flops, and seaside luggage. Bottled water is in each room, and the resort is working to create its glass bottling plant to chop down on utilizing single-use plastic and supply water in glass containers.

Whether or not you wish to chill and chill out or immerse your self in nature, there’s a lot to do. You possibly can work out within the fashionable health heart, which has a fridge of chilled towels and bottled water and sits on stilts over the water.

Close by is the Spa by JW, which floats over the water with six remedy rooms and an extra couple’s room with its plunge pool, sauna, steam and ice rooms. Company can even take part in complimentary yoga periods within the open-air pavilion every morning. The spa menu consists of massages, physique wraps and scrubs, facials and a protracted checklist of salon providers.

There are two swimming swimming pools, together with a lately renovated pool with colourful mosaic tiles in entrance of the Italian restaurant. Company can even order from an inventory of refreshments and snacks on the pool as they stare off into the aquamarine infinity.

On the opposite facet of the island is an adult-only pool with an infinity edge. Additionally accessible to visitors over 18 is a lounge with a number of actions similar to a shisha and karaoke room, billiard tables, a cigar room and a library with board video games.

Company can even swim alongside the seaside and lounge chairs with umbrellas lining the waterfront. The watersports heart gives loads of alternate options, too. There may be:

• Stand-up paddle boarding.

Whereas mother and father take pleasure in themselves, youngsters can benefit from the Little Griffins Youngsters Membership, which has a multi-lingual employees and separate areas for youthful and older youngsters. They embrace a wide range of instructional and leisure actions. There may be even a separate pool with a playground. Ringing the pool are cute miniature cushioned lounge chairs with small umbrellas.

Better of all, this property doesn’t cost a resort price.

American AAdvantage has two companions (Etihad and Qatar) which might be among the many extra handy methods to achieve the island nation, which it classifies as a part of the Indian subcontinent area.

Etihad Airways is an American Airways accomplice connecting passengers from U.S. cities through Abu Dhabi. It prices simply 40,000 AAdvantage miles one-way to fly from the U.S. to Male in economic system or 70,000 miles every means in enterprise.

Qatar Airways, one other in style approach to attain the Maldives from the U.S., typically has award area, together with on their enclosed Qsuites in enterprise class, accessible from a number of U.S. cities for related costs as Etihad, however flights are via Doha, Qatar.

Redemption charges on the JW Marriott Maldives Resort & Spa fluctuate now that Marriott Bonvoy has switched to dynamic pricing. The bottom charges on the dates we checked clocked in at 62,500 factors for an overwater villa. Now that is a discount that’s powerful to beat within the Maldives, even with the seaplane price!

Featured picture courtesy of JW Marriott Maldives Resort & Spa.

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