Sabrina L
Google
My husband and I visited to celebrate our anniversary, a dream trip that took years of savings. We love the Marriott brand and the JW seemed like the perfect place after months of mind boggling research (there are SO MANY resorts in the Maldives). ||I’ve stayed at Ritzs and St. Regis and Four Seasons at other locations and really appreciate the attentive service and attention to detail, but this place blew them out of the water.||We had quite high expectations and we were blown away. Of course the resort is gorgeous - glittering water of every shade of blue and green imaginable and beautiful beaches and buildings. But what struck us most was the staff. From the second our sea plane landed, we were doted on - I was hesitant with having a “butler” because I am a no fuss kind of person and would rather die than someone wait on me. But the staff here was so genuine, helpful, and chatty without being overbearing or intrusive…which is an extremely difficult balancing act. ||I reached out to the team early in our booking to review the process and they kept in touch very efficiently and answered a ton of my questions. I didn’t realize just how “full service” it would be! We literally didn’t have to do anything! ||From the moment we landed at the airport, someone was there to greet us by name and drive us to an off site lounge in the sea plane terminal (wifi in the van, and the huge lounge was gorgeous and relaxing with snacks and drinks and very comfortable chairs, also wifi). We waited an hour or so for our seaplane to take us to the resort. Once we landed at the property, there was a huge team of people waiting on the dock for us with a welcome drink, playing drums, clapping, and introducing themselves. It was like out of a movie - they whisked us off to our overwater villa and let us get acclimated for a few minutes and then delivered our luggage. They offered to unpack for us but we declined. Our butler gave us his information and arranged a tour of the island for us in the morning. We texted him anytime we needed anything and he promptly assisted. Our room was gorgeous, and they decorated our bed for our anniversary and provided wine and a welcome cake as well. There was always tons of water in the room to stay hydrated and no wasteful plastic! We really loved the conservation initiatives. The shower was great, plus we had an outdoor shower! Also - whatever water filters they have were amazing! My hair so so light and soft! ||If in any doubt - go for the rate including breakfast. It’s an amazing buffet of delicious food for all cultures, and you can eat lagoonside with views of the sharks, fish and rays. The coffee and fresh juices are delicious, and we were able to try so many options to fuel up for the day. Eggs to order, dim sum, fresh fish, yogurts, pastries, bacon, rice dishes, paratha, charcuterie, pouridges, salads, tropical fruits, cheeses, etc. we didn’t eat lunch most days because the breakfast was so good. ||The property is SO QUIET and exclusive. We barely saw other guests. Most days at the adults pool we were the only ones there. No screaming children, just a few couples or families enjoying breakfast for the day. Half the time we didn’t see anyone! It was almost bizarre, but with only 60 rooms there’s so much space and privacy for people. ||If you’re at all adventurous, you must come here! My husband and I are big divers and the staff at the dive center were wonderful. We did 5 days of diving and had an incredible experience. We were always the only ones going out so it was basically private tours. We saw several dive sites nearby and the equipment was in excellent condition, the staff was very knowledgeable, and we felt extremely safe the whole time which is very important to me while visiting other countries. ||We also spent almost every other minute snorkeling around the resort. We brought our own gear but the dive shop can lend you some also. The house reef all around the island was teeming with life. We saw turtles, sharks, coral, eels, puffers, trigger fish, butterflies, angels, squid, cucumbers, rays…literally everything you could want to see is steps from your room. It was incredible! Also felt extremely safe because every time we went out (and we go way out since we’re strong swimmers) security was always on a boardwalk nearby keeping tabs on us which at first was kind of weird until we realized you could really get hurt easily here. It felt so comforting to know the resort owned our safety and took that responsibility seriously at all times in case something happened). ||We did dinners at Aaila and the food was always delicious. Dining outside under the stars and watching the sunset over the water while watching dolphins in the distance and sharks below your feet was exactly what we wanted. We also ate lunch at the treetop restaurant which was great and so fun! ||We did not opt for the private beach dinners or the fancier Japanese or steakhouse. We really just wanted to have casual nights so we also ordered in room dining a few times which was perfect. Who doesn’t want to chow down in your private pool watching the sunset? ||The entire resort is themed and kept so beautifully. All the buildings just fit into the landscape perfectly and feels so breezy and comfortable. There was always teams of gardeners working to keep the grounds gorgeous and we really appreciated all the greenery. Tons of lizards running around which was fun, and we even saw resident fruit bats flying around in the evenings. We visited the garden on site and saw so many of the veggies and herbs grown for the restaurants. The care of each staff member really stands out and you can tell how proud they are of their work. ||We really love nature and animals and this place was so well suited for us to adventure all day and relax at night. The pools are beautiful, and there was very comfy chairs and big umbrellas all around, with plenty of towels ready. We literally never had to ask for anything or search for what we needed. ||I had an extremely bad sun reaction with some meds i was on, and had to visit the on site clinic. The in house doctor and nurse were so reassuring and the clinic has everything i needed. They gave me an IV injection of hydrocortisone to treat my rash and blisters as well as painkillers. And the clinic was clearly stocked for any and all illnesses people could have - free of charge. It was so nice to know we were in good hands during the trip. I saw prescription meds for ear infections, stomach issues, allergies, you name it! ||Most people who have visited the Maldives have always said “oh the food is terrible so just get ready” but we had the opposite experience. All the food was perfectly cooked, fresh, and a huge variety. The executive chef often stopped by the tables to chat with everyone and we really enjoyed all of our meals. Of course - be prepared because the food and drinks are obviously expensive..everywhere in the Maldives. Everything must be shipped to the middle of the ocean. But if you just go into it knowing it will be expensive, just accept it and move on. It was well worth the cost. ||We had the best time and really enjoyed getting to know the staff. The attention to detail is kind of crazy - they all knew our names and room number without asking. I can’t imagine the crazy WhatsApp groups to keep tabs on all guests! They are incredibly smart, pay attention, are perfectly professional and welcoming, and can solve a problem before it could ever becomes one. Of course we left with beautiful memories and scenery, but we really got to know more about Maldivian culture after discussing family and culture with the staff. They were so proud to discuss when we asked about their favorite traditions, foods, islands, and their home in general. ||We brought some cash for tips but it’s also easy to add it to your bill for individuals to be recognized or to be split among staff as well! So no need to bring a ton of cash, they make it super easy. ||Shout outs to our favorite Maldivians!:||Shamil was our butler and was great the entire stay! ||Shuau was our favorite server at breakfast and was just a wonderful soul. He’s still fairly new to the resort and we absolutely loved chatting with him in the mornings at breakfast. He knows we love animals and always pointed out sharks when they came around. ||Surath was an F&B manager i believe and we loved chatting with him as well. Always a wonderful smile on his face and was always nearby to ensure we didn’t need anything. He was always around at arrivals and departures for guests and was definitely a welcoming sight to make you feel happy to be there. ||Raoof from Aaila was amazing. He was our server for dinner and explained so much about Maldivian culture and language when we asked. He taught us a lot and made our dinner so special. ||One of our favorites was Lahiru at the pool bar! What a gem. So special - always greeted us by name and made the absolute best margarita of my life. Was so excited chatting about working at the resort and how great it was, and was just a burst of sunshine. He took great care of us and was always so efficient in caring for all guests. ||We dove with Igor and Winnie at the dive shop and had the best time! Great instructors who were ultra safe and made sure we had great dives and accommodated our schedule and made sure we saw and experienced everything we hoped for. ||But in all honesty - every single person we came across was incredible. Once i was standing outside the clinic waiting for the doctor to let me in for a couple minutes and three people walked by and immediately asked if i was okay and if i needed help. Genuine concern was felt and it was really appreciated. Gardeners to servers to leadership to dive shop …. They would all greet you and smile. In a very genuine way. I can’t really explain it. I’ve worked for Marriott before, and theme parks… and I’ve been in guest service my entire career. And i know how hard it is to put on a smile and be guest ready. But this staff truly gets it - there was no faking it (because i know a fake smile cause I’ve done the fake smile!) We left weirdly kind of emotional because this staff really made us feel like family in the most non cliche way. ||If in doubt at the price tag - JUST. DO. IT. You won’t regret it. We can’t wait to go back next year! ||Only cons - Marriott pillows (oof they’re awful. Shamil brought us foam ones but just in general - Marriott needs to up their game. But that’s not really a property issue that’s a brand issue). |No fan in the room - wish there was a ceiling fan to help air movement especially if you’re sunburned and toasty at night. Also not a deal breaker. |No makeup mirror. For us blind ladies it helps, but also who needs makeup in paradise, right? |Kind of wish the tv had Netflix or mirroring capability. I know you’re on vacation and unplugging but i always go to bed with a show on in the background and i would’ve loved if i could throw my Netflix from my phone up there. Also not a deal breaker just something that would be a nice touch for familiarity and comfort. ||Thank you so much to everyone on property for a perfect experience! We loved everything!
