This Community Review covers everything you need to know about the newly renovated and refined W Maldives, from airport transfers and redesigned overwater villas to house-reef snorkeling, dining venues, and the exact Marriott Bonvoy award math and credit card strategies you'll need to make the trip happen. But first, a little context. In the 2020s,…
@ 1990_ -- What an absolutely stellar and detailed review! I hadn't realized the W Maldives had been renovated, and this actually looks great. I really appreciate the time you took to write this!
Splendid review! I've typically shied away from W properties as they're not quite my taste, but I must admit this refresh looks smart. I'd consider a stay here if I ever make it back to the Maldives. Since you've been to a few different properties around the islands, can you give a quick gut check on where the W sits in comparison to the others you've experienced in terms of room product, service, F&B (particularly breakfast)?
Thanks, Khan! I'll admit, before this, that was my perspective on the 'W' brand as well. (Like, for whatever reason, I just remember lots of neon and bright colors. Maybe that's more of a 'Moxy' brand thing, nowadays) If W in the Maldives is any indication, I think it's a good shift for them.
As far as room product, focusing on points-redemption options in the Maldives, other than the W, I'd specifically recommend any newer (or newly renovated) luxury properties, like Ritz-Carlton Maldives and Fari Islands or Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi, because you get such a 'grand' villa, overwater or beach. For Hyatt enthusiasts, and perhaps at a lower total points cost, I'd actually recommend Alila Kothaifaru Maldives (over Park Hyatt), because it is newer (opened 2022), even though its villas are not as 'grand' as the RC or WA.
On service, I must say, nearly all these properties are pretty top-notch, compared to almost anywhere else in the world. While the W did not have a dedicated 'butler' for each villa, I personally don't really need that level of attention, so it didn't bother me. (Like, I can unpack my own stuff.) At properties like RC, WA, St. Regis, etc., you do get that individual attention, which can be helpful for those who seek it.
As far as breakfasts go, the standouts to me are the St. Regis Maldives Vommuli (I couldn't resist their lobster omelet with crab and caviar, daily) and Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi (best buffet and a la carte ordering, overall), namely because of the complimentary breakfast benefits with their respective program's status, for Marriott Platinum and Hilton Gold (and above). You're right to focus on breakfast because you can basically load-up on that first meal, skip lunch, and make it through to dinner (a la carte), saving a lot of money that way. F&B is how they 'get' ya.
If Ben hasn't already covered some of those other properties, I can dig up my photos and notes, maybe make this into a running, monthly 'community review' topic on the other spots. I've been a lot of other places, but the Maldives is one that I keep wanting to go back to, especially since I like snorkeling and also because it can be outsized value for the points redemptions. Hope this helps!
@1990_, “lobster omelet with crab and caviar, daily”, wow! And yep “focus on breakfast because you can basically load-up on that first meal, skip lunch, and make it through to dinner” is good advice; I’ve done that as a Bonvoy Platinum (BTW, thankfully for life cause I wouldn’t be pursuing Platinum nowadays.)
@ricky_ Bah! I can't blame you. I've found it frustrating how some of the higher-end Marriott brands don't always include complimentary breakfasts for Platinum. Like, plenty of Ritz-Carltons in the US don't seem to include it; I've had better luck with St. Regis (and W, apparently). Fortunately, I do recall breakfast was included at the RC Fari Islands during my stay, but I don't know why!
5 nights for 700k points.
Long gone for me to go back especially when StR used to be 26k SPG and Conrad was 50k.
"It was a genuine disruptor at the time—swapping buttoned-up traditional luxury for an energetic, design-forward lifestyle concept."
Club Med was already there, ChatGPT or Claude should know better than that.
"country’s first property—Kurumba Village"
Bart Simpson was the owner?
'Ay, ...Kurumba!' (Aww, you remembered, I'm a fan of the show.) Hope you took full advantage of those early days... Consider yourself very lucky if you find less than 100K/night peak season these days; you can still find some last-minute deal, but it'll be in the shoulder season, or at older properties. (Club Med? Ok, now you're showing your age...)
Is there anything new on the islands? Maybe except the new terminal.
Excellent review (this and the airport). But just not enough to make it worthwhile to visit. Especially looking at the prices these days.
But if you like Maldives, your next trip needs to be Bora.
There are some new resorts (2nd JW, just south of Malé, opened 2025, but haven't been; Hilton opened a property just west of Malé, have been, it's like a mini-WA; that RC, north of Malé, opened 2021, have been as well), and more coming (supposed to be a new Bulgari, Mandarin Oriental, in the next year or so; eventually even Aman has plans...), and newly renovated properties (like the W), and, yes, the new infrastructure in Malé (the new international terminal, the new seaplane terminal; depending on when you were there last, the 'new' Sinamalé bridge opened in 2018, and much of Hulhumalé has been developed in the past several years.)
In terms of 'new' activities, I mean, individual properties are attempting to innovate, but, I don't really need that stuff; personally, I'm a fan of the snorkeling, delicious seafood, sun, etc. For me, to escape winter, if you can manage the long-journey, it's great.
Of course, from NYC, there are closer places, like the Caribbean (or Florida... *shivers*). I've had a good introduction to the Pacific (have been to BOB, as well as NAN, Hawaii, Galapagos, Great Barrier Reef, even IPC), and still think each is worthwhile, in their own ways. But, unlike Maldives, I haven't rushed back. It's also far, but I'd put Seychelles up there with Maldives; the Six Senses and new WA there are pretty great for redemptions, if you can manage those. . I also really like some parts of Indonesia, which is usually far less expensive. Likewise, parts of Thailand and Sri Lanka are exciting, but the ocean there isn't always as clear or calm as you'd hope.
Eskimo, I digress, you seem to already know a thing or two, so what/where should I be focusing on next for my travels? I've wanted to get to Palau, Okinawa, Jeju, finally see Raja Ampat, explore more of Malaysia/Borneo, etc. Totally different place, but, gotta say, Matthew's recent reviews of Greenland look stunning. Mongolia seems cool, but I've been told to only go in their summer. How'r the Stans? Feed me.
Very nice review. I went to STR Vommuli last year and I really liked that property and service. One thing that is absent the STR though is night life, and it's nice to see the W remodel looks great!!
@sandiegodereck It's funny you mention night life, because the W Maldives does have '15Below,' which they claim is 'the country's first and only underground nightclub.' It's located near the 'Fire' restaurant; actually, it was not open every night, and wasn't really promoted during our stay (maybe that was because we didn't express enough of an interest?) The resort did have some tasteful afternoon DJ sets by the main pool, but it was never so loud as to even hear from our overwater villa. Not sure what it was like before the renovations, but it seems the W is trying to take a slightly different approach these days.
Looks nice! Though how is that seaplane transfer? That’s the one thing that gives me pause, I’m a little scared of flying on tiny props…😖
@ricky_ Oh, I do very much understand your hesitation. After a few visits (and rides), I've personally 'learned to stop worrying and love the seaplane.' If it helps ease your nerves, Trans Maldivian Airways is the largest and most experienced Twin Otter operator in the world with an impressive safety record, flying VFR during daylight hours with barefoot pilots who know those waters inside and out. And, since you're surrounded by the ocean, any open lagoon can become your runway, if needed. *gulp* TMA's 15 passenger Twin Otters do have a tight 1-2 layout. Yes, it's loud (they provide earplugs, if needed), often hot (they do have some fans inside), and there's the very real possibility of motion sickness (they have bags for that, too), especially while bobbing on the water, but I still think it beats the alternatives and the views are pretty incredible (trying to attach a photo for you). Some resorts closer to Malé will offer speedboat transfers (or, a luxury yacht transfer, like from the MLE airport's marina to the Waldorf-Astoria Ithaafushi). However, for an atoll as far out as the W, the 45-60 minute seaplane ride is vastly superior to a brutal, pounding 5+ hour speedboat ride across open ocean. Hope this helps!
(Gonna re-attempt this comment, since the photo I tried to attach may have prevented posting.) Just wanted to say, your hesitation is rational; it is a small propeller aircraft. That said, after a several visits (and many rides on them), I've personally 'learned to stop worrying and love the seaplane.' The views of the atolls from up there are incredible (that's why I hoped to include a photo). Trans Maldivian Airways is actually the world's largest Twin Otter operator, and they have a great safety record; if it means something to you, they only fly VFR in daylight. Rest assured, even though their pilots are often flying barefoot, they take their jobs very seriously. Fortunately, any open lagoon can be a runway, so lots of options, if needed. Yes, the 15-passenger cabin (tight 1-2 layout) is loud, hot, and can trigger motion sickness while bobbing on the water. But, for a remote atoll like the W, that 45-minute flight is far better than a punishing 5+ hour open-ocean speedboat. TMA does a decent job of providing earplugs, sick bags, little water bottles, and there's a fan inside once the engines are on. Overall, I'd say, well worth it. Hope this helps!
Thanks for the great review @1990_! Will definitely put this one on the bucket list. If you don't mind, can you share how you got to/fro the Maldives (points, cash, combo)?
@philbob Thanks! For this trip, I really wish that I had a compelling "I did this all on points" tale to tell for the international flights to get to the Maldives. But, for better or worse, I paid cash for the tickets (it was peak-season, so it's never easy to find good award availability then, especially when locked into specific dates). In this case, I prioritized the hotel points booking over the flights.
It also depends where you route from. If you're coming from North America, (unless you have a G800) you're probably going to need to connect somewhere (believe me, I wish there was a commercial airline nonstop option, like a JFK-MLE... though at 8,500+ miles, they'd practically need an A350-ULR. Who knows, maybe someday Singapore Airlines can negotiate a fifth-freedom route, JFK-MLE-SIN... bah!)
For now, year-round, there are plenty of options with Qatar, Emirates, Etihad, Turkish, Singapore, and Air India, meaning most connections happen through the Middle East or Asia. (Personally, I haven't been since the conflict escalated, so I'm not sure I want to test out the ME options just yet.) Seasonally (mostly during the Northern Hemisphere winter), some European carriers offer service as well (like Air France, British Airways, Condor, Lufthansa, Edelweiss Air, etc.) Interestingly, on this trip I also noticed an influx of mainland Chinese carriers (literally saw China Eastern, Sichuan Airlines, Xiamen Air) servicing the route, which I hadn't seen as much of before. You also have regional and connecting options like Maldivian, SriLankan, IndiGo, flydubai, and Malaysia Airlines.
There's definitely room to "get creative" with routing, but it really comes down to what you want to prioritize—convenience, schedule, minimizing backtracking, or saving on costs. Hope this helps!
The decor in this W looks much nicer than those you see in other hotels. Before seeing this I would've written off the W offhand assuming that it would be as garish as their design usually is
@rain That was my experience with other W properties around the world as well. (Not that it's inherently bad, but just that it's flashy, and maybe more 'fun' than 'serious.') For whatever reason, when they did this renovation, they opted for more neutral tones. I think it was a wise choice. This W is 'growing up!'
Excellent review! Despite living on an island, I'm not much of an island life traveler, and sadly this does nothing to convince me. That said, I could see from your review how it would appeal to many others. May not be cheap, but YOLO and all that.
Thank you, Peter! You could say, I, too, live on 'an island.' (Would that be... Manhattan? Long? Staten? Roosevelt? Hopefully not Rikers...) You see, not all islands are the same. I'll put it this way, W Maldives has *much* better snorkeling than Coney Island. YOLO, indeed.