We arrived at The St. Regis Maldives after spending five days at the W Maldives. Bad weather delayed our onward seaplane connection in Malé, but the St. Regis lounge team kept us comfortable and informed while we waited.
What followed was quite an arrival. Our flight was meant to take approximately 30 minutes, but after circling above the resort in poor weather, we diverted to a nearby atoll. A St. Regis boat met us at an offshore platform, where the crews transferred everyone from the seaplane in rough seas. The operation was handled calmly, safely and with complete professionalism—a reassuring first indication of the standards we would experience throughout our stay.
When we finally reached the resort’s jetty, we met our butler, Sinah. I do not use the word “magical” lightly, but Sinah was like a genie. He never hovered, yet somehow appeared exactly when we needed him and quietly made things happen before we had even thought to ask.
We were quickly taken to what would become our home: Sunrise Overwater St. Regis Suite 508. It was beautiful, spacious and exceptionally comfortable, with a sunrise view that proved perfect for us. My Marriott Ambassador status was genuinely acknowledged throughout the resort—not simply at check-in, but in the consistency and thoughtfulness of the service everywhere we went.
Our first dinner was at T•Pan, where we had the restaurant to ourselves. Chef Sabin prepared an outstanding menu in front of us, while Yeni looked after us wonderfully. It was one of those meals that immediately tells you that you have arrived somewhere special.
That evening, we also met Yevgeni, the Food and Beverage Manager. Over the following ten days, he seemed to be everywhere: breakfast, lunch and dinner, across every restaurant. He did not simply supervise from a distance. He spoke with guests, noticed details and made sure that everyone received an experience worthy of the St. Regis name.
We are keen snorkellers, so the house reef was high on our agenda. Reaching its outer edge requires a reasonable swim, but it is well worth the effort. Visibility at the drop-off was frequently more than 20 metres, and the marine life was exceptional. We saw three or four blacktip reef sharks most days, along with whitetips, turtles, moray eels, large groupers, schools of snapper and an active cleaning station. I even managed to get over my fear of sharks.
Having snorkelled at numerous island resorts, we would place this house reef among the best we have experienced. We also took a private atoll snorkelling trip, which was superb, but the drop-off on the resort’s own reef was every bit as rewarding.
Our other activities included a private sunset reef-fishing trip, while my wife completed two dives with Iris from the dive centre. The equipment, safety standards and professionalism were all first-rate.
A private dinner with wine pairing in Decanter is another experience we would strongly recommend. Dining among a collection said to be worth approximately US$3 million—and being shown extraordinary bottles, including one dating to 1795 and a Burgundy valued at US$55,000—is certainly not an everyday occurrence.
The food was exceptional and expertly paired by sommelier Jiju. His wine knowledge was world-class, but just as impressive was his ability to explain each pairing in an engaging and approachable way. Any wine we did not finish followed us to whichever restaurant we visited next, without our needing to arrange it.
Breakfast at ALBA provided a wonderful start to each day. The buffet was excellent, and the staff quickly learned our morning coffee order. Yeni again seemed to be wherever we were. We also had two dinners at ALBA: one from the à la carte menu and another featuring the fish we had caught on our sunset trip.
At this point, our original five-night reservation came to an end—or at least it was supposed to. We were enjoying ourselves so much that we extended our stay by another five nights.
Sinah once again worked his “genie” magic. He arranged for us to remain in the same villa, a quick call to Qatar Airways took care of our flights, and we happily returned to island life for another five days. There can be few stronger endorsements of a resort than choosing to double your stay while you are already there.
We visited the spa twice for treatments and returned a third time for the Blue Hole hydrotherapy experience. The treatments ranked among the best we have had at any resort, while the setting itself is difficult to match.
The weather improved beautifully during our final few days. We would enter the water directly from our villa, snorkel along the reef for several hours and emerge near the ALBA Beach Bar, ready for an excellent pizza and a much-needed cocktail. Anoof looked after us brilliantly, with towels waiting, sunscreen always available and a watchful eye on us while we were in the water.
Then there is the St. Regis sunset sabrage. We have experienced this tradition at many St. Regis properties around the world, but the ceremony at The Whale Bar is in a different league. The storytelling, the setting, the pride of the team and their respect for the tradition made it genuinely memorable. The tapas were outstanding, and the resort’s Island Mary—a Maldivian interpretation of the St. Regis Bloody Mary—was so distinctive that photographs cannot quite do it justice.
We dined twice at Orientale. Its à la carte menu was excellent, but the highlight was the Peking duck we pre-ordered for our final evening. It was world-class. Yeni was there once again, Yevgeni stopped by to say goodbye, and many members of the team came to wish us a safe journey home.
Is there anything we would fault? Genuinely, no. This was one of the finest resort experiences we have ever had.
No review, however, could properly conclude without returning to Sinah. He deserves to be known from this point forward as the “St. Regis Genie.” If you are fortunate enough to be assigned to him, you are in exceptional hands. He is the best St. Regis butler we have encountered, ably supported by the wider butler team. Every request, arrangement and passing thought was handled almost instantly, always with warmth and discretion.
Our standout recommendations are T•Pan, Decanter and the spa. From a villa perspective, any of the overwater villas would be special, but the Sunrise side was perfect for us—particularly with the upgrade to a St. Regis Suite.
We arrived expecting five wonderful nights. We left after ten, already wondering how soon we could return.
Recommended: 100 out of 10.
