W Maldives

Soo perfect. Lush style without being stuffy. Service and staff were great. Rooms fantastic, location and privacy awesome. Food amazing. Everything a 10. Want to go back. Everything from Food, service, beaches, rooms, staff all rate a 10

We read an embarrassing amount of reviews before booking and knew this was going to be a wonderful. We were blown away. The W is a lovely hotel and property. But it is so much more than that. It is an experience and a vibe. Pictures do not do the Maldives and the W justice. White sandy beach and serene crystal clear turquoise waters that I had never seen before. From start to finish, the service was impeccable. The best we have ever had. While everyone talks about the amazing service and Whatever/Whenever, it is difficult to describe the feeling until you experience it first hand. First, it really is Whatever/Whenever and they think of everything. Yet, it is not stuffy but warm, friendly and approachable. It is like being invited into someone’s home and being a part of a community. Everyone genuinely wants to chat with you and make sure you are enjoying paradise. This is what will have us coming back to the W Maldives. The list is long and I know we are missing some folks. Special shoutouts to Alex, Abdul, Hassan, Nasih, Areem, Noor, Sabina, Maanu, Dipu, Eeft (sp?), Yasir, Ting, and Cindy. We were also so thankful the W has an onsite doctor when my hubby had some motion sickness issues. Everyone was so helpful. We stayed in an overwater bungalow on the lagoon side (room 220). It was at the end of the jetty so it was quiet, peaceful, and more private. The room was well appointed, clean and comfortable. Everything drew your eye to the amazing view and outdoor space. We spent a lot of time enjoying our villa, especially the beautiful deck. Outdoor Bose speakers, loungers, covered cabana, outdoor shower, private infinity pool, overwater hammock, and a ladder so the Indian Ocean is at your doorstep. Our room stylist, Abdul, was awesome. We enjoyed getting to know him and he was always one step ahead (putting extra water in our room noticing how much we would drink in a day, heart bubble bath, and the list goes on]. The W Maldives is a bit of a choose your own adventure. They will have some activities for mixing and mingling with other guests (e.g., a pool party) which makes them a little different than other properties. But it is perfectly fine to stay to yourself. Everyone we met was friendly, including the Canadian couple who helped us find Bob the turtle on our last day snorkeling (tip: he was towards the Spa). There is some music playing (some reviews suggest this is a drawback), but it was part of the vibe and an appropriate volume. The island is small, but there is plenty to do. We snorkeled almost every day. Their house reef is stunning. We saw so many fish, turtles, stingrays, and reef sharks. The snorkeling right off the room in the lagoon was plentiful too. We also enjoyed a lovely photo shoot session with Maanu and have some lovely photos to remember this amazing trip. We really enjoyed time on our villa escape and the deck - from the pool right to the Indian Ocean. This was the most relaxing trip we have ever taken. The food was very good, and especially the local Maldivian dishes. Hassan arranged for us to have the local breakfast one day. The kulhimas - spicy tuna served with chapati - was SO good. So good Hassan, going above and beyond, sent the recipe to my husband. Our favorite restaurant was FISH - we love the fresh seafood and enjoyed special off menu appetizers our last night Sabina organized. We loved catching sunsets at SIP especially with the live DJ - Adrianna killed every set. There is no question it was a hike to get to the Maldives (36-40 hours from the US) and the jet lag was more than we anticipated. We were there 8 nights and wish we had more. It is expensive and having that remote island vibe adds to that. We’re thankful to have Titanium elite status and points to help offset the cost. However, we will be back. It is worth every penny. The W jinxed me during checkout - functionally saying don’t cry, it is see you soon. There may have been some tears leaving paradise and again as the W folks walked us to the send off point at the Male airport because it was that amazing. I can 1000% say it is see you soon. Just not soon enough.

Idaho temperatures this week: High - 15, Low - single digits. W Maldives this week: High - 82, Low 78. Priceless! 5 stars top to bottom! Excellent staff, excellent food, excellent atmosphere, excellent snorkeling (lots of fish, reef sharks, rays, turtles, coral fans, etc), excellent x10 overwater villa! The room is great, and the deck area is orgasmic! Sorry if offensive, but that's the best word I can come up with to describe our deck. All of the overwater 1-bedrooms are identical that I could see, but I recommend asking for a room on the lagoon side, #201 (closest to shore) to #220 (the walk isn't bad). Better swimming/snorkeling, and this week at least, the prevailing wind was from the Northeast, so our deck was more sheltered. Pictures of the deck area don't do it justice. The plunge pool is sizable and multi-leveled, the rope net is a great place to watch the stars or the dawn break, and the gazebo provides welcome shade when the sun beats down. The decking is a little worn, but what do you expect in the middle of the ocean? I don't give 5 stars much, but the W exceeded expectations! Thanks for a great vacation!