Hotel Review: The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands

If you know, you know. Regulars of The Ritz-Carlton know about the “Ladies and Gentlemen” (that’s how the company refers to its staff), and how the brand empowers them to deliver “wow” moments. They are taught to never say no, and instead find ways to cater to guests as best as possible.

This hospitality ethos is at the core of the company’s newest hotel, The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands, which opened in June as the first property for The Ritz-Carlton in the destination. With 100 villas in overwater, beachfront and hybrid (suspended over the water, but with its own beach area) categories, it can be hard to choose where to stay; many opt to spend a few nights in each for different experiences.

All guests are attended to by an “aris meeha,” which refers to a person of trust who looked after the Maldivian royal household in the local Dhivehi language. These personal butlers attend to every need, and mine, Arix, was no exception. 

Arix was just a text message away whenever I needed a golf cart ride to breakfast or help with a broken smartphone cable. (Within minutes, my phone was charging with what I can only assume was his personal cord.)

The Ritz-Carlton’s attention to detail is evident in the villa design, as well. The smallest measures 1,615 square feet, with most villas showing a circular design meant to portray the rotating motion of the ocean and breeze. The late Australian architect Kerry Hill, who worked on the hotel as his final project, chose to eschew the thatched-hut structure so common elsewhere in the Maldives and opt instead for a more contemporary design.

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The hallmark of the villas is the wall-to-wall, ceiling-to-floor windows that slide open to create a seamless flow from outdoors to inside. Furnished patios lead to infinity-edge plunge pools that stretch almost the entire length of the accommodation. My overwater villa had a ladder leading to a platform where you could dip your toes into the water, lounge in a hammock or dive into the sea. I did all three.

Back inside, the plush king-size bed wrapped in Frette linens overlooks the aquamarine water, as does an en suite soaking tub. An enormous bathroom with a double vanity and the option of indoor or outdoor showers received my highest seal of approval.

Remote working, a trend that seems like it will stick around, has never been as easy as while lounging on a day bed or sitting at a dining table outdoors. The ceiling fan was a thoughtful addition, not often found on Maldivian patios.

According to the resort, there have been quite a few extended-stay guests who find the outdoor nature of resorts in the Maldives to be fitting for the COVID-19 era. The staff wears masks, even outdoors, and there are few indoor public spaces (other than the gym and one section of the Italian restaurant). In addition to Americans, the guest list spans a United Nations list, thanks to the fact that the Maldives has been open for a year to arrivals who provide a negative PCR test. 

Guests will find sealed masks and hand sanitizer as part of the bathroom amenity package, which also includes the U.K.-based Bamford line of organic toiletries with hints of geranium and peppermint. (I recognized the same scent elsewhere in the scented cold towels provided at the gym and the products used in the spa.)

In fact, the spa is hard to miss, as designers put it in the center of the resort’s overwater villa section. Its nine treatment rooms seem to float directly over the sea.

I also found the dining to be extraordinary, with options including Cantonese, Japanese (sushi and teppanyaki), Italian, Mediterranean and Arabic, with plenty of Maldivian, Indian and other international flavors on the menu. The details here are exceptional, right down to the breakfast included in most paid rates, featuring an a la carte menu alongside an impressive spread — including fruit carved to order.

The manmade Fari Islands will eventually be home to three resorts (The Ritz-Carlton; Patina Maldives, Fari Islands, which is currently open; and Capella Maldives, Fari Islands, coming in a couple of years). Guests can travel by boat between them and their 23 combined restaurants and bars.

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Families will appreciate the kids’ club with a private pool and a waterslide playground, and all ages can enjoy entertaining watersport options. Jean-Michel Cousteau’s Ambassadors of the Environment program teaches visitors about the marine environment, which they can also enjoy through activities such as diving, snorkeling and even a drone experience that allows them to monitor sea life from the beach. Tennis courts, a photography studio and a circular infinity-edge swimming pool complete the thorough roster of amenities.

The resort’s eco-friendly focus is also commendable, with recycling and energy-efficient systems in place, as well as a no single-use-plastic policy (to the extent possible). The resort has its own water-bottling plant, which sanitizes and reuses bottles for guestrooms and restaurants. There is no imported bottled water on the island at all, and still or sparkling water is complimentary everywhere, even in restaurants. What’s more, a unique design in the shape of the villas’ wooden slats helps air flow through the space to reduce the overuse of air conditioning, and there are solar panels on the roofs.

On the cultural side, a daily sunset ceremony features traditional Maldivian drum players and torch lighting, which is a fitting way to end a day in paradise.

Located in the North Male Atoll of the Maldives, the resort is only 50 minutes from the international airport by speedboat, so guests can take a swift ride without the added complication of adhering to a seaplane schedule.

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The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands