Kenwood Travel we’re always thrilled to receive feedback from our customers. Sofia Rees recently went to stay at the Jumeirah Vittaveli in the beautiful Maldives and has very kindly written a glowing review of this incredible resort for us. Read on to discover Sofia’s open opinions as she shares her Maldives experience with us.
Who said you need to die first to go to paradise? It’s been worth waiting 40 years to finally meet the beautiful Maldives.To say it’s a little corner of heaven is an understatement for sure! Since we flew back home in December we’ve reflected on our dreamy time in the Maldives with a smile, even as the UK has been battered by winter storms!
Where to begin describing the marvel that is the Jumeirah Vittaveli?
It is quite simply a spectacular resort, where everything is designed to tantalise your senses and ensure absolute relaxation for die hard romantics.
Before I go into our thoughts and experience of the resort, we must say a very special thank you to Graham Kiy, the General Manager, and his superb team who ensured that every aspect of our stay exceeded expectations. When staying at a Jumeirah resort, one becomes accustomed to a certain set of expectations that could easily rival some of the most famous luxury hotels in the world. We have been fortunate enough to have experienced some of their sister properties in Dubai and Europe, so we expected it to be terrific. With the Maldives as a back-drop, how could it not be?
So what sets them out from the rest? For us it really all came down to the design, architecture, hard-ware and software offered by the resort. However, above all else it is the natural and excellent service that really transcends this wonderful place to another level.
So as to specifics, here we go:
Bolifushi Island
The Jumeirah Vittaveli Resort is located on Bolifushi Island and is conveniently located only a 25 minute speedboat ride away from the airport in Male, so no need for a sea plane transfer. This was very important to us as the sea planes have very strict weight restrictions for your luggage, no air-con and very bijou seating. I suffer from a bad back so the swift speed boat transfer was really ideal after the long journey from London.
The grounds are what you’d expect of a tropical island; palm trees galore and tropical shrubs, all extraordinarily well maintained with the hushed elegance of understated luxury.
Enjoying the beautifully calm waters of the Maldives.
Transfers
We were met by a hotel representative at the airport who took us to the boat for our transfer. The staff members were friendly and professional. The boat was comfortable, but not a flash yacht like some other transfers we’ve enjoyed over the years. This is only a minor remark, but surprised us nevertheless as the Jumeirah group have a tendency for flashy things, a more luxurious yacht really would give that extra wow factor in our opinion. Having said that we were very lucky to have the boat to ourselves as no other guests joined us from our flight.
Upon arrival at the resort, we were greeted by the general manager Graham Kiy and a group of tambour players, which was a really lovely touch. They gave us a handmade leaf necklace, some cold towels and the most amazing welcome drink made from lemons, lime, honey, brown sugar and apple. We were then introduced to our butler Rijaz who took us on a quick buggy ride to our perfectly situated water suite ‘Mantaray 10’. Rijaz was wonderful during the entire time we were there and took care of so many things for us, he set about his work effortlessly and always with a genuine smile, the care and attention he gave to his job really impressed us. He’s a real asset to the resort and we’re very grateful for all he did for us.
Water Villa at Jumeirah Vittaveli
The villa was the absolute highlight of the holiday. Everything in the room and outside is designed to satisfy all of your needs and ensures the ultimate romantic stay. It was so comfortable, big and spacious and yet so private, with every little bit of modern technology available, my husband was over the moon with the Apple TV facilities including free WiFi! The super comfy imperial king size bed was amazing and had helpful light sensors underneath it for when you needed the bathroom in the middle of the night, we loved these so much we now have them fitted under our bed at home! The fabulous living/dining room area had a glass floor allowing us to look into the turquoise sea beneath and the state of the art bathroom was the icing on the cake.
Oh, and did I mentioned the breath-taking vistas from every single window overlooking the spectacular sea? We also particularly liked how everything was designed with local materials to reduce the impact on the environment. The air con was very efficient and silent, I had a chest infection during our stay and the aircon didn’t aggravate it in the slightest; proof of a very good quality system!
The infinity pool was the jewel in the crown and we used it all day long and at night under a sky full of shimmering diamond stars. You also have your own steps leading to the immaculate sea, the best snorkelling is always in the morning when the water’s at its clearest, we would have a snorkelling session before breakfast every morning, pure bliss. Often the sea water would be warmer than the pool! Another nice touch is that life vests are provided in your room and you can hire snorkel gear for free at the water sports centre.
Please note: we would lose the sun on our decking from around 3pm, this wasn’t a problem because if we still wanted to enjoy the sun we would simply go to the guest pool on the island, which is beautiful, and stay for sunset cocktails at Bar-Ee Bar. If you’re a die-hard sun worshipper who doesn’t want to miss 2 hours of extra sun on your deck, then perhaps a sunset villa is a better choice.
Each villa is also provided with 2 complimentary bicycles, these are a great idea as they help you get from one side of the island, which is quite large, to the other without the need of a buggy. We noticed that at night the bikes didn’t have lights on them which sometimes made for tricky surprise encounters with fellow guests coming around the corner. When we brought this up with the management an order for 300 bike lights was placed and I suspect they’ve all been fitted out by now. Talk about taking action on feedback!
Housekeeping
Our room attendant came three times a day and ensured everything was clean, tidy and replenished. He was polite, unobtrusive and ensured he kept his routine discreetly even when I was unwell for a couple of days due to sun stroke. I cannot stress enough how strong the sun is, even for a well-travelled, seasoned sunbather such as myself. I got cooked whilst snorkelling for a little too long, not enough sunscreen reapplication, etc. but in my defence when you’re so enthralled by the reef’s beauty and variety of fishies it’s easy to lose track of time and reality!
Another bonus is that the resort has its own desalination plant, this means that complimentary water is provided in the room and bathroom in glass 500cl bottles at least three times per day.
I was surprised that after our third night on the resort there had been no sign of “towel art” on our bed after returning back to the room from dinner, I asked one of the reception ladies if that was something the resort no longer did as I had been admiring them in other people’s reviews and I simply love them. We were told at the time that it was only for honeymoon couples which left me a little disappointed (this explanation was later pointed out by Graham as being incorrect), however that same night we were pleasantly surprised to find a crocodile in our bed! It was amazing, and from then on every night we had a different creature joining us. So a big thanks to our towel fairy who really excelled themselves and made us very happy!
Sunsets
We love our sunsets wherever we go around the world and we were very much looking forward to them, but ironically that was the only thing that let us down on our 10-day stay there. We sadly didn’t enjoy what we would describe as a spectacular sunset, there were a few that were cute or pretty, but nothing mind blowing. Perhaps it was just the days we were there, but due to the extreme heat every day by the time the sun goes down there were always big clouds hanging over the horizon. Again not a problem at all, just an interesting observation that you’re not guaranteed a stunning sunset in paradise.
Food at Jumeirah Vittaveli
We’re passionate foodies, and although we didn’t have high expectations of the cuisine in the Maldives, many friends had pre-warned us, we were pleasantly surprised and enjoyed great meals every day at the main restaurant ‘Samsara’. We cannot praise James, the Director of food and beverages, and his team enough. By the end of our stay we were on first name terms with most of the staff, they are always friendly and remember your favourite drinks which is a really nice personal touch. A special thanks also to Saleem and Radly, as well as the two brothers Jefree & Oliver who made me my very own cocktail, the ‘Ginger B-Rees’! What I’d give for one right now, just thinking about it brings a massive grin back to my face!
Relaxing at the poolside bar is an absolute joy.
Another bonus about this resort is that the Samsara restaurant has an outdoor seating area as well as an indoor, air-conditioned room which was great for sometimes escaping the extreme heat or humidity outside. This isn’t a criticism, but merely as much as we loved the sun and appreciated the warmth, sometimes it can get a little overwhelming and so a little fresh escape was very welcome at times.
The food was consistently good, fresh, well presented and quick. The pool service was also fast; we particularly liked their new pizza oven which was great for a late lunch snack to share by the pool. What we did observe is that compared with some other Jumeirah resorts in the Middle East, the pool service is not as fussy. They don’t come around cleaning sunglasses, there are no pillow or sun cream menus and they don’t come around with endless treats, this was not something we wanted or expected, but just an interesting difference.
Breakfast: nice buffet with lots of choices catering for all cultures and needs, but the pastries were possibly the weakest in terms of taste and texture, they somehow tasted stale-ish most days, but that was probably due to the heat and humidity to be fair. Their raspberry jam is among the best I’ve ever tasted in my life though!
Room service: It’s a very good menu with lots of diversity and as the rooms are so wonderful, I would strongly recommend you try an in-room dinner one night. We enjoyed the best green Thai curry ever! I cannot recommend it enough!
Fenesse: We enjoyed two dinners at their fine-dining restaurant and although not all the dishes are included in the half board option, the supplements are very reasonable and the food, service and setting were fantastic and made for some unforgettable dinners.
Drinks: Alcohol comes at a premium in a Muslim country like the Maldives, and we were pre-warned to expect a huge hike in prices for wine and beer, but we’re very happy to say that the resort is not taking advantage of that and we found the prices to be very fair and not necessarily much more expensive than in any other resort of this quality. We commend this conscious decision on behalf of the management.
Mu Beach Bar & Grill: We never had dinner here as being on the opposite side of the island from where we were staying, it was a long way to walk. However, it looked very nice and the staff were always trying to entice you in with their friendliness whenever you walked past to go to the water sports club or the Spa.
Talise Spa at Jumeirah Vittaveli
We enjoyed two couple treatments whilst there which were both very relaxing, especially in the water villas. The names of the two ladies who spoilt us escape us, but they were on a par with the therapist we enjoyed at the Pangkor Laut Spa resort in Malaysia, which until now has been our benchmark for Spa perfection.
Resort Activities
There are so many activities at the resort, we particularly enjoyed the lagoon snorkelling, swimming right off our deck and the pool. The lagoon is unbelievable, it’s like swimming in an octopus’s garden! There is complimentary top of the line snorkel gear available from the water sports centre, where the staff really can’t do enough for you.
Another great experience is watching the enormous sting rays, tuna fish and massive reef eels being fed near the Spa every night at 5pm. It’s incredible to think those animals have an inbuilt alarm clock and GPS as to when and where this feed takes place daily, it was a privilege to watch this stunning spectacle of nature.
This slice of Maldivian paradise is perfect for a romantic escape
Excursions
There are several boat trips on offer, but we felt we really wanted to enjoy the island and so we opted out of most of the big excursions, apart from one night when we joined the sunset fishing trip. This was amazing! It was my very first fishing trip and took place on a Dhoni (a traditional wooden boat) with a crew of 4. They teach you to fish with a simple fishing reel, I managed to catch a tiny yellow snapper whereas my wonderful husband caught a huge Trigger Fish! The neat thing is they then cook whatever fish you’ve caught at the restaurant later the same night, or in our case the following night for a small additional cost. I can honestly say it was probably one of the best fish we’ve ever eaten, the lemon sauce that accompanied was pretty special too!
During our fishing trip we were also greeted by a pod of dolphins, groups of flying fish and some huge bonito tuna fish; it was almost like being in one of David Attenborough’s documentaries, definitely one of the best nights of our lives!
The Service
To be honest we were all set to stay at the Four Seasons when we originally decided to do this trip as the company is very well known for its service. Although we’ve always enjoyed the other Jumeirah resorts in Dubai, I can honestly say that I don’t believe the staff could have been any better. The service easily matched the Four Seasons or the One and Only group. Every request was met courteously, promptly and thoroughly. The best parts were the little extras: the welcome bubbly, surprise birthday cake, sweeties in the room every day, the fruit offered at the pool and the amazing towel fairy art on our bed from the 4th night onwards!
The general Manager Graham invited us out for drinks one night where we were able to find out more about the young history of the resort and its plans for the future. Graham strikes us as a very good leader with a clear vision and a brilliantly inspired team. We enjoyed a great night with him and felt like friends afterwards; a lovely feeling, thank you once again Graham.
The same has to be said about the food/beverage manager James Sutcliffe, who always made sure we had everything to our liking and ensured every dining experience was picture perfect; he’s another great team member and destined for a very bright future we are sure.
Everyone seemed to love working for the Jumeirah brand and were very proud. This was great to see as all too often you hear how staff can be exploited by larger hotel chains, we are passionate about responsible travel, so this gave us peace of mind.
Suggestions
It’s difficult improving what is almost perfect, and one feels guilty for even looking for suggestions. If there was one thing I would recommend to improve what is already fantastic, it would be to perhaps add jacuzzis around the island. These would be great near the beach where you can escape to as a couple to enjoy a drink while watching the sea life, sunrise, sunset, or the magnificent views and soothe some of the hard snorkelling aches endured during the day. Oh the hardships in paradise!
Unparalleled beauty
There is something about the resort and the beauty of the Maldives that is too difficult to put into an exact word, but perhaps it can best be described as a feeling of relaxation that you melt into. The effortless, understated luxury of the surroundings and the ability to do what you want pretty much any time you want makes this wonderful resort truly magical.
We were so sad to leave and were amazed to see so many of the staff waiting on the jetty to wave us goodbye, many tears of joy ensued. I always thought this place would be a once in a lifetime destination, but now that we’ve been I think we will definitely be back one day! For one last time, thank you all so much for this unforgettable 40th birthday trip of a lifetime!
A final thank you also to Dipshaa from Kenwood Travel, without whom we wouldn’t have stayed at this gem, she understood exactly what our needs were and suggested the Jumeirah Vittaveli, I’m so happy to say she was spot on! The service from them was also flawless and I can’t recommend her and the travel agency enough!
If you fancy your own trip to this marvelous resort or any other in the Maldives, visit our page for Kenwood Travel Maldives Holidays.