This was our fourth visit to the W Maldives, and the first since the property refresh. I've been a weekly, global business traveler for the past four decades, and take a couple of extensive vacations yearly. In other words, I've grown to be pretty picky and discriminating when it comes to vacation properties. I have to tell you, the W Maldives has become my absolute favorite, anywhere. While it was outstanding in each of our prior visits, it has now achieved true perfection, something I have never witnessed at any other hotel property in my travels. Kudos to their management and entire staff...WOW, do they ever deliver!
Let's get one question out of the way, as it is the first one I am always asked when returning home from the Maldives..."was it worth the 20+ hours travel time each way?" You will get a strong hint the second you step out of customs in Male to be greeted by the W Maldives staff; whisked away to their seaplane terminal's business class lounge; and fly over gorgeous islands and water as you head to the W. The answer becomes even clearer as your seaplane pulls up to the W's dock, and you are greeted by their entire management team and your personal W Insider (Butler) with a cold drink, taken on an island tour, and whisked away to your bungalow. Then the answer becomes totally clear once you step onto your overwater bungalow's outdoor deck. Yes, indeed, there is a heaven on Earth! And, the answer to your second question...no, Hawaii, the Caribbean and Tahiti do not hold a candle to the Maldives. And perhaps your third question, "how does the W compare to other Bonvoy properties in the Maldives?" We've stayed at the Ritz and St Regis. While both the Ritz and St Regis are outstanding properties, with great service, the W beats both of them hands-down. The sea life at the W, associated with it's house reef (which is widely considered to be the best in the Maldives), is reason alone. The rest of this review will fill in any blanks. Maybe your fourth question, "how was the Bonvoy recognition?" It could not be any better. It matched the best recognition experience I have ever had, which was at the Ritz in Tokyo. I have Ambassador status, and the W Maldives did not disappoint!
Now, back to the W Maldives property. Let me address the property refresh, as the pictures online do not at all do justice to the tremendous and successful work put into this refresh. From the greeting area, to the Wet Deck, to SIP, to the restaurants and bungalows, the property simply looks stunning. The bungalows have been modernized, and are incredibly luxurious and comfortable (water pressure, bedding and A/C are all great for those of you, like me, who prioritize these). There isn't a thing about the bungalows I would change...truly gorgeous.
One relatively minor gripe we had from past visits was the food. Anyone who regularly visits islands knows the food on islands is always expensive...they have to import 99% of it to the island, which is expensive, of course. The past problem we had was value for the money...the food was not quite up to par with the pricing. Wow, has that changed. The food in every venue, including room service, was phenomenal, with service to match. A special shout out to the Omakase team at SIP...they prepared an Omakase experience that was one of the best (and most fun) we've had anywhere. Also, don't miss the wagyu burger that is available at most of the venues...the best burger I've had anywhere, with fries to match! For those who have been there in the past...no worries, the breakfast has not changed, and is still fantastic!
Now let's talk about the W Maldives staff...let me say THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, for making this a fantastic vacation!!! Each bungalow is assigned a W Insider, who acts in the same manner as the butlers at the St Regis and Ritz Maldives. Our W Insider was Aiham, who was absolutely fabulous. Aiham prepared our itinerary, with restaurant reservations, prior to our arrival; checked in with us multiple times daily (without being intrusive); asked if we wanted to make any itinerary changes daily; and truly did everything possible to make our vacation memorable and fun. His service was genuine, and unmatched at any property I've ever visited, anywhere, period. I read a recent article about W properties reinventing and raising their service game globally...if this was an example of that, they have done something truly special for the brand. A sincere thanks, again, to the Omakase team at SIP; Mani and Silva at SIP; Lakshan at the Wet Deck; and, John, our buggy driver...what an amazing team; you made our trip so much fun! The amazing thing is, from the restaurants, to the spa, to the maintenance folks...all you will see around the W Maldives are smiling faces and genuine greetings wherever you go.
When you travel 20+ hours to a vacation destination you want to be pretty confident you are going to like it. Perfection in the hospitality industry is something I've only witnessed once, and this was it. Go, just go, to the W Maldives. Have fun!
