Beautiful hotel. Great staff. Did not try to up charge us at all and gave great recommendations on what excursions to do vs where to save our money. Learned from Alex that it is one of the few natural reefs in the Maldives compared to others which are manmade. You could tell it was natural by the extensive wildlife in the water - coral, sharks, massive rays, beautiful coral and reef fish of all colors. Overwater bungalow is a must. My wife and I loved being able to hope right in the water or our private pool after catching sun in the privacy of our own patio. Food is expensive, but quite delicious and reasonably priced compared to many of the other islands. If you are doing the Maldives, I would highly recommend the W for great bang for your buck and beautiful reefs.
Our recent trip to W-Resort Maldives was nothing short of amazing! From the friendly and truly authentic staff, all of whom remember your name from day one, to the great food, and most importantly – the pristine coral snorkeling – it truly was a dream come true. The resort itself is stunningly located on a small white sand beach island on turquoise water surrounded by some of the best coral reefs the maldives can provide. Some 15+ years old, the modern-style infrastructure is somewhat tired, however well maintained. It seamlessly blends into its natural surroundings. The moment we unboarded the waterplane and stepped foot in this paradise, we knew our vacation would be one for the books! The hospitality of all staff members at W-Resort Maldives made us feel like family from day one. Everyone went above and beyond to make sure our stay was comfortable (noteworthy are the perpetual smiles of restaurant staff Siska and Yanni with best of service by Minnie, John, Hassan, Nuur, Lonzi...); whether it’s helping us find activities during our time there - they were always happy help out with a smile on their face. Our over water villa was meticulously taken care of several times a day by friendly housekeeper Jambae, a service so well orchestrated by Ibrahim and team. A matter of taste is the rather loud music one can hardly escape anywhere on the island, being in the restaurants, the bar, public areas, even on the overwater walkways or from neighouring villas. We would prefer more sound of nature with serene music, which occasional was performed by musicians live and unplugged. What really stole show here were all of incredible water activities available right outside your door step: snorkeling through crystal clear waters filled with vibrant corals while spotting colorful fishes, turtles, squid etc swimming around? It's an experience unlike any other! And after spending hours under water exploring this underwater world - refueling by indulging in some delicious local or international cuisine prepared by some exceptionally talented chefs just put icing on the cake (big kudos to executive sous-chef Suresh, sous-chef Vasanta and their amazing cooking brigade). Restaurant prices, however, are really quite high if one is not on a full-board scheme. If then too much exercise got you tensed up, the SPA managed by very professional Irma with some pairs of amazing hands will for sure provide addictive relief - we mean it (thank you Nancy and Aulia). All in all if you're looking for relaxing getaway where you can combine both luxury living & nature exploration then look no further than W-Resort Maldives; trust us when say won't regret it!!…
We had the most incredible trip at the W Maldives. From the minute we landed into Male we were hand held through the airport to the beautiful seaport lounge and then across to the beautiful W resort where we were given a 5 star welcome. The food was absolutely beautiful and nothing was too much trouble for the chef to make. Being a mainly vegetarian and eating only a few types of fish, every night I was served up the most delicious of meals. As an almost non swimmer I ventured into the sea with life jackets provided in the room and for the first time ever have experienced the incredible sights under water. The fact you can walk into the sea and still see colourful life beneath is such a rare opportunity for not so confident swimmers. There is plenty of other activities going on all day long should you wish to take advantage of what’s on offer. The water villas are so beautiful and private, it feels like home. The hotel has thought of every single thing you could possibly need during your stay. The rooms were beautifully maintained throughout our visit. Every staff member has been wonderful. Always smiling and happy and just wanting to make our stay perfect. It was my husbands birthday treat whilst we were here and they made it so special for him . Thank you to Jumbo who decorated the room and the cake for his birthday and Thank you to Iku, Ashraf & Muhaimin for help making this a trip we won’t forget. One day we will come back.…
An absolute gem of a place! Scenic and complete peaceful. Their staff, service and location of the resort is of the highest quality. A big shout out to the manager of the resort Alex, culinary head Suresh and Hassan who we would meet at their “kitchen” restaurant for mostly breakfast. Their staff at water sports booth is also extra ordinary and talented in what they are doing, i forgot the name of the lady who I would talk to at the water sports cabin. Water around the island is the cleanest I have ever seen, and I have been to almost all Caribbean islands, various beach in Mexico etc. The take very good care of marine life around the island and what stands out is the corals you can see while snorkeling literally outside your cabin if you had their over water villa which we had all 4 nights we stayed. At the evening/night the best place to be at is the SIP bar where you watch sunset and dinner at the 2 near by restaurants called FIRE and FISH. The view of the baby sharks from FISH while having your dinner is priceless. Their kitchen staff is so knowledgeable in every way and they cater you the food according to your needs and tastes. I would see Hassan and Suresh from day 1 and talk to them about your food choices and taste and they will suggest or go out of their way to cook something for you which was not on menu. I am going to attach a picture which Suresh suggested Sri Lankan recipe dinner (LOVED IT), me and my wife who is vegetarian were blown away by the variety and taste of it. Thank you Hassan and Suresh for catering to our needs for food options thru out the trip. We can’t wait to come back on the W Maldives Island.…
Prepare to be pampered - the weather, the employees (who wait on you hand and foot), the water. So wonderful we didn't want to leave after just 5 days. Seaplane takes you there. We stayed over the water in everything was perfect. The breakfast is almost breathtaking and the Fish restaurant (especially the whole fish) was so great. Terrific snorkeling right from shore. A dream vacation.
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!…
My husband and I had the pleasure and privilege to stay at The W Maldives for our honeymoon. We spent five nights in a Spectacular Overwater Bungalow and enjoyed every minute. We were greeted by Ismail at the airport in Male and he made the process of getting to and from the resort as easy as possible. Aansi was our concierge and he gave a wonderful tour of the island and suggestions of activities to do while we were there. He or someone on the team was always available if we needed help. At one point, one of his team members saw that my husband was sunburned and she had a bottle of calamine lotion sent to the room immediately. We got an unbelievable couples massage from Sugi and Dewi- all the stress from our 20 hour travel was eased away. The package was for a massage, a facial, and a bubble bath, but when they saw that my husband was sunburned they swapped out the facial for an aloe body wrap that immediately started healing the burn and made a significant difference very quickly. I cannot stress how burned he was. The weather the first few days was unseasonably rainy, especially at night, but the staff was constantly keeping spirits up. The bar staff, Ionsi, Azid, John, Mohamin and Ishsara kept the party going all day and into the night, even cheering along with us during the World Cup games. Lakshi from Sip went above and beyond, working with the chef, Washata, to create custom dinners for us, including a Sri Lanka themed feast. Mini and Yana were always friendly and made a point to say hello to us, even if it was just a wave as we walked by. Every day we were taken aback by the level of detail the staff put into each aspect of our trip, such as the roses and bamboo that Ibrahim put on our bed the first night. We even had a complimentary photo session with Maniu who is exceptionally talented. I would recommend booking at a time that includes a Thursday or Saturday, as they have some lively pool parties. I was told that the Ocean side of the bungalows allowed you to hear more of the wind at night, but may be a touch more private. One couple highly suggested doing a few nights in the bungalow and a few nights at the beachfront property. For excursions we did the dolphin sighting, the beginner scuba, and the whale shark diving, all of which were absolutely delightful. Ben worked with us to coordinate these activities ahead of time and his level of responsiveness was remarkable. Be sure to go to Sip for a breathtaking sunset, drinks, and some of the freshest sushi you will ever eat. The gear is free for snorkeling, but I highly recommend bringing a full face mask which you can get on Amazon for about $25. They are an absolute game changer. We did the full board option (open bar and all dining included) and are thrilled that we did. Thank you, W Maldives, for an absolutely sensational trip and for the overwhelming hospitality and kindness. We hope to be back!…
Such a wonderful experience right from the time we came out of the airport at Male till we were handed our boarding passes to return home! The service and attention to detail was simply fantastic! Each and every staff had a smile on their face and went out of their way to make us feel comfortable. We chose the over water villa for our 4 nights there and what an experience! On our final night, we were lucky to have a sting ray right below our villa for over an hour! The room itself was nice and comfortable with really very good internet (we didn’t use our local SIM cards at all). The outdoor sit out and pool were fantastic and with a view to boot! The only drawback if any was that the AC would tend to suddenly go off at night. But it was something so small that we just ignored it. The F&B with the choice of cuisines and restaurants was quite good and especially the sea food was delicious!! As someone who’s travelled a fair bit, I can say with confidence that the service at W Maldives was probably the best I have experienced so far. Long May it continue! Yes, you pay the proverbial arm and a leg for the stay but it is totally worth it if you consider the resort itself, the activities on offer, the tranquility and above all the high levels of service. Sure, I cringed at the cost before going but have returned home wanting to visit the Maldives again just to experience the Whatever Whenever at W Maldives!!!!…
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim Your Listing