Three Distinct and Separate Resorts

There are three fantasy destinations. A happening beach resort on one island, a quiet water villa resort on another and a destination spa on stilts over the lagoon. By the end of 2011, the water villa resort will have been made even better, with some small and some significant changes.

The 5 categories of Water Villas already seem to me to run from gorgeous to outrageous. Increasingly large and well appointed, with their wide wooden decks facing west and the Bulgari amenities in the standard Water Villas to the Philippe Starck fittings, revolving bed and chromotherapy lighting in the swimming pool of the Sunset Water Villas.

On this island (Rangali) it is all about one's own space and privacy, about receiving and expecting the very finest goods and services, about a sense of being elite. It is also about peace, quiet and romance. The Quiet Zone sets the tone  on the island, enhanced as it is by the green richness of the gardening and the impressively tall palms.


The island has its own overwater spa that uses even more exclusive products, a restaurant of even higher standards and views out to the open ocean (next stop East Africa) that are even finer than those on Rangalifinolhu.


Across The Lagoon By Bridge

Across the 500 metre bridge to Rangalifinolhu, the large, beach villa island, the holiday style is much more about fun, activity and new experiences. The bar, lounge and swimming pool area is quietly grooving during the day and buzzing at night, heightened by the excellent music choices and lighting designs. The wine cellar just here is a great venue for special dinners and fascinating evenings of cheese and wine appreciation.

The cuisine is pretty much faultless everywhere, from butler service for two on the beach to the main restaurant, called The Atoll Market Place. This latter is real culinary theatre where the restaurant is the kitchen and the kitchen is the restaurant. The 8 distinct show kitchens inspire you with their own sights, sounds and smells then delight you with their tastes. Yet even more theatrical than this is the now justly famous glass underwater restaurant, which really is as remarkable and as original an experience as you imagine it could be.

The beach rooms have extraordinary floor to ceiling glass doors yet remain private because of the walled enclosure and clever gardening. When the silent fan is switched on and all four sides are drawn open, the sense of being a part of the beautiful environment yet still ensconced in luxury is not bettered anywhere else in the Maldives.

The Spa Village

The spa is not a new idea fitted into the existing set-up, as it is on many another resort, but a separate dream destination in itself. The Spa Village sits entirely on stilts over the water and is only connected by wooden walkway to the outside world. 

Each lovely, light and spacious bungalow has its own treatment room (wonderfully lit with blue spots) and an open deck that entices you to plunge into the water below.

As you would expect from a destination spa, the concept is thorough-going, with gym, restaurant, consultations and spa all working together to enhance your health and well-being. For those who are not ultra spa purists the packages can be combined with a longer stay in one or even both of the other Conrad Maldives environments.

A special word should also be added for the restaurant at the spa village. Called Mandhoo, it is so good that once guests from the other islands come here for a meal, they invariably come back again and again. The fresh, imaginative and healthy dishes are a revelation.

Until Perfect Comes Along

The built environment, the options and the service are all so faultless that it rarely comes to mind that the resort isn't, in fact, perfect. The lagoon is occasionally shallow enough to restrict swimming — particularly between the two islands, the beach is extensive but not of the finest sand, and there is very little quality house reef snorkelling to speak of. These are not insignificant considerations by any means but, on the other hand, until perfection is achieved elsewhere the Conrad Maldives will do very nicely indeed.

Review written on 6 March 2011