Evaluate: One&Solely Reethi Rah Maldives

Wednesday newsletters all the time function a lodge or flight overview.

I just lately loved an outstanding vacation within the Maldives, the place I stayed on the archipelago’s 4 most unique ultra-luxury resorts. You may learn my opinions right here:

Evaluate: Beond Airways A319 Enterprise Class from Zürich to the Maldives
Evaluate: One&Solely Reethi Rah Maldives (at this time)
Evaluate: Cheval Blanc Randheli Maldives
Evaluate: Soneva Fushi
Evaluate: Soneva Jani
Evaluate: Etihad Airways B787 Enterprise Class from Male to Abu Dhabi
Evaluate: Etihad Airways A380 First Class from Abu Dhabi to London

Right now: Evaluate of One&Solely Reethi Rah Resort, Maldives

Extremely-luxe One&Solely Reethi Rah Resort supplied a stage of fashion and class unsurpassed on the earth when it opened in 2005 and it nonetheless delivers because the Grand Dame of the Maldives. Set on a partly man-made, octopus-shaped island within the North Male Atoll, the resort is blessed with a rare 6 km (3,7 mi) of shoreline, dotted with white sand coves and turquoise bays. All 128 spacious villas are discreetly positioned amidst lovely landscaping, every occupying its personal secluded piece of sandy shore or non-public deck over the lagoon’s crystal clear waters. Meals is revolutionary and of the best high quality, ready in an inspiring number of methods, and employees are all the time receptive to the private necessities of every visitor. Set aside from the remainder of the resort, the spa is situated inside tranquil gardens and manicured lawns. One&Solely Reethi Rah is a favourite amongst royals and A-list Hollywood celebrities.

One&Solely Reethi Rah additionally options in my prime 10 lists of the finest luxurious resorts within the Maldives, the world’s finest lodge spas, the finest luxurious inns within the Maldives that may be reached with out a seaplane, and the finest One&Solely Resorts on the earth.

Have you ever ever stayed at One&Solely Reethi Rah Maldive? If that’s the case, what was your expertise? Depart a remark.

On this overview (extra data and pictures under my YouTube video):

PROS & THINGS I LIKE

Surrounded by the crystal blue waters of the Indian Ocean, nestled inside lush tropical gardens and fringed with pure white sand seashores, One&Solely Reethi Rah is without doubt one of the Maldives’ most unique resorts, providing an unrivalled stage of seclusion, selection and personalised exploration. The property is located on one of many largest non-public islands within the Maldives, which stretches throughout 44 hectares (109 acres) in space and 6 kilometres (3.7 miles) in circumference, with 6 km (3.7 miles) of shoreline and 12 powder-soft white sandy seashores, each mendacity in a secluded cove. Because the island is so massive, friends get bikes (for water and seashore villas) or a personal golf buggy (grand villas and residences) to get round and discover the island. For comfort, time on the island has been set one hour forward of Malé time, offering an additional hour of daylight.

One&Solely Reethi Rah is definitely reached by a 45-minute luxurious yacht journey from Velana Worldwide airport (the Maldives’ principal airport). Throughout the journey, friends are supplied welcome snacks & drinks by the employees and in addition get pleasure from complimentary WiFi. Alternatively, the ultra-luxe resort can be reached by a quarter-hour non-public seaplane flight. Upon arrival, friends are welcomed by the resort employees & administration, and make their manner by way of a spectacular reception, an open wood pavilion main from the marina to the island’s lush gardens. Tropical in design, with eight giant carved inside columns atop cool black polished terrazzo ground, inset with teak, the house is scattered with low snug seating. From right here, friends are transported to their villa by buggy.

A complete of 118 spacious villas together with 90 seashore villas and and 28 water villas, are located discreetly alongside the shoreline the place crystal clear waters lap gently. Every villa, whether or not on a personal powder-white seashore or suspended above the turquoise lagoon, is a self-contained sanctuary of luxurious. Seaside villas are separated by lush vegetation, whereas water villas linked to the island by overwater walkways are in small clusters of 4, every villa going through a unique course, offering a serene setting. Each villa is historically thatched by native craftsmen and options beneficiant terraces and verandas comprised of Balan wooden from the Malaysian a part of Borneo, seamlessly mixing indoor and outside residing. The villas’ up to date, Asian-influenced interiors exude class and magnificence with pure magnificence, utilizing supplies similar to coconut shell, sea grass, silk and mahogany.

Throughout my vacation at One&Solely Reethi Rah, I stayed in a seashore villa, which occupied its personal stretch of sandy shore on the island’s sundown facet, these villas. Providing a direct view of the Indian Ocean, the villa featured an expansive backyard & seashore space, with a personal pool, giant veranda, outside seating space, hammock and solar beds. The villa was outfitted with two queen beds in addition to a day mattress (which might have been sufficient to accommodate a journey occasion of three or 4). The ensuite bogs was outfitted with double vanities and an enormous, over-sized, custom-made terrazzo bathtub, positioned on the window, for beautiful views over the seashore. The lavatory additionally had a walk-in bathe, which supplied the choice of rain bathe or energy showers. A bottle of Champagne, contemporary fruits and goodies have been supplied as a welcome amenity.

Extremely-luxe One&Solely Reethi Rah Maldives was designed by world-famous architect Jean Michel Gathy, Design Director of Denniston Worldwide Architects. Gathy was tasked with making a design that lives as much as the resort’s namesake – Reethi Rah means ‘Stunning Island’ in Dhivehi. Gathy and his staff have been chargeable for the structure, interiors and lighting of the all villa resort, in addition to the design of the outside areas surrounding every of the 118 visitor villas with three phrases in thoughts – luxurious, house and privateness. The resort’s stand-alone pavilions and villas have been designed to be architecturally easy on the skin and to mix within the lush vegetation surrounding them; nevertheless that is coupled with dramatic, flamboyant Asian fashion interiors that use robust vivid colors, combined with tropical supplies and pure textures – teak, rattan, mahogany, coconut shell, and silk.

Eating choices at One&Solely Reethi Rah are diversified with revolutionary and contemporary delicacies ready with actual ardour and aptitude, served at six various eating places and bars, or privately in-villa or at one of many resort’s secluded outside eating areas.
- Fanditha, an unique beachside restaurant and the very best sundown spot on the island, serves an a la carte menu of scrumptious Center Japanese delicacies.
- On the coronary heart of the island, Reethi Restaurant serves scrumptious breakfasts, providing an array of contemporary bakeries, tropical fruits and wholesome superfood dishes. By night time, the venue provides distinctive eating with exquisitely executed pan-Asian impressed dishes and positive grilled flavours from the land, farm, and sea in a charcoal oven. After dinner, friends could make their option to the colourful cocktail bar, Rah Bar, for reside music, cool martinis and unique cocktails.
- Subsequent to Reethi Restaurant is Rabarbaro, an off-the-cuff restaurant serving an actual style of Italy within the Maldives with views of the long-lasting One&Solely Reethi Rah lap pool.
- Throughout the day, friends can pattern an awesome choice of salads, seafood and grills at feet-in-the-sand eating spot The Seaside Membership.
- The resort’s signature restaurant Tapasake – at the moment present process intensive renovation – is ready on the island’s sundown facet and provides world-class Japanese expertise in addition to some basic Japanese favorites.
- One&Solely Reethi Rah’s lovely setting additionally offers the right canvas for an array of personal eating choices, from an intimate sandbank in the course of the Indian Ocean, to secluded seashores underneath the celebrities.

The award-winning One&Solely Spa at One&Solely Reethi Rah Maldives provides a holistic program of therapies, magnificence, health and wellness. The peaceable retreat is situated on the island’s dawn facet, tucked away from the remainder of the resort inside lush manicured gardens. The spa boasts 14 therapy pavilions nestled beneath thatch roofs, a few of them overlooking the Indian Ocean. Visiting practitioners from across the globe add additional experience to the award-winning spa providing, which incorporates intensive services for friends to get pleasure from together with swirling vitality swimming pools, saunas and crystal steam rooms. The spa additionally homes a studio by the world-renowned French podiatrist Bastien Gonzalez, a hair salon, a smooth gents’s grooming salon and a yoga pavilion. Subsequent to the spa is a totally outfitted health club, that includes state-of-the-art indoor & outside services and a Recharge Bar for a post-workout power enhance.

One&Solely Reethi Rah has a bunch of actions and interesting excursions to select from. Membership One on the seashore membership is the hub for all issues energetic on the resort, together with an Artwork Studio, two outside tennis courts, a floodlit padel court docket, a climbing wall and a FIFA-approved skilled artificial grass soccer subject. The action-packed water sports activities middle provides a variety of water sports activities, together with canoes, pedal boats, windsurfing in addition to jet skis, water ski, flyboard and seabob. Membership One additionally provides seashore volleyball, badminton, desk tennis and board video games to be loved by all ages. Youthful friends can benefit from the KidsOnly and One Tribe packages designed to encourage creativity and creativeness. Company may uncover the secrets and techniques of the Indian Ocean on the resort’s dive centre, with exhilarating snorkelling journeys similar to Shark Safari and Turtle Journey, and dive excursions to discover the underwater marine life.

Reethi Rah is managed by One&Solely, certainly one of my favourite lodge manufacturers on the earth. The fabulous One&Solely model was created in 2002 completely for the luxurious resort market by Solomon Kerzner – a South African accountant and enterprise magnate – and now options a number of the highest-rated resorts in essentially the most idyllic spots on the earth, such because the Mauritius, Mexico, Montenegro, Rwanda and Cape City. Every resort within the One&Solely assortment not solely provides distinctive design and ambiance which embraces the native environment, but additionally an unparalleled dedication to the best expertise on each potential stage. Luxurious lodging is complemented by impeccable service, unique wellness sanctuaries, vigorous leisure and a bunch of actions, in addition to beautiful culinary adventures from a number of the world’s most completed cooks.

CONS & THINGS TO KNOW

A considerable a part of One&Solely Reethi Rah Maldives is man-made (the unique island was largely prolonged). You don’t actually discover it at first sight, for the reason that tropical vegetation, seashores and lagoons have a really pure look. Nevertheless, the seashore on the seashore membership (Membership One) in addition to Reethi Seaside (close to the principle pool complicated) are the one pure seashores on the island, that includes powdery white sands and an extremely blue lagoon. The ten different seashores are man-made and you’ll really feel it when taking a stroll right here for the reason that sand is little rougher (or much less powdery) underneath the toes in comparison with the pure seashores. However don’t let that put you off: the island’s magnificence is past phrases and nicer than a number of the genuine Maldivian islands.

Whereas the overwater villas at One&Solely Reethi Rah Maldives are tremendously spectacular, their outdoors decks don’t provide a lot privateness, particularly throughout daylight. Your neighbors may see you in addition to the (few) individuals on the abandoned seashores as you’re uncovered to them. If (outside) privateness is a should for you, I like to recommend to guide a seashore villa as a substitute of an overwater villa (privateness is assured at most seashore villas).

One&Solely Reethi Rah Maldives lacks a home reef, which is likely to be a bummer for snorkelers. That stated, about 100 meters (or 300 toes) in entrance of the seashore membership (Membership One), there may be good reef with loads of underwater life (you may attain that reef, both by swimming or taking a pedalo). As well as, at night time, there are all the time stingrays and sharks within the waters across the overwater villas.

One&Solely Reethi Rah Maldives is not low cost, however it’s best to know that moving into. Having stated that, the charges and costs are in keeping with the opposite prime resorts within the Maldives. For instance, a 3 course course dinner shall be round $180-200 USD per individual (with out wine and with out the heavy taxes), so attempt to guide a halfboard package deal. Crucial factor is that, whereas it isn’t low cost, it’s well worth the funding as you’ll expertise an excellent, top-notch vacation.

MY VERDICT

Location: 9/10
Design: 9/10
Pool: 10/10
Rooms: 10/10
Meals: 9/10
Breakfast: 10/10
Spa: 10/10
Service: +/10
Wow issue: 9/10
Worth for cash: 9/10
Total expertise: 9.4/10 (distinctive)

TIPS FOR FUTURE GUESTS & SAVE MONEY

Get monetary savings: get complimentary VIP perks when reserving through Virtuoso (e.g. villa improve, day by day breakfast, early check-in, late check-out, and $100 USD resort credit score).

Get monetary savings: learn my ideas for getting the very best deal at a luxurious lodge just like the One&Solely Reethi Rah (and/or obtain many free perks).

Get monetary savings: guide a package deal together with transfers and (breakfast minimal) meal plan to keep away from big further prices.

Room tip: all villas are glorious, no matter location. Whereas the sundown facet of the island is my favourite (merely due to the spectacular sunsets to be loved out of your non-public villa), one has to remember the fact that the sundown facet of the island has extra windy climate and rougher waters as in comparison with the dawn facet of the island (particularly within the moist season, which runs from Could to October).

Room tip: if privateness is a should, guide a seashore villa, not a water villa.

Learn my ideas for getting ready your journey in time.

BEST TIME TO VISIT

The perfect climate within the Maldives is between January and April, which additionally means excessive season (and skyrocketing lodge charges). The monsoon runs from Could to October, peaking in June. It’s value paying greater costs and sticking to the dry season as there may be nothing to do on a wet day besides drink, eat, work out, or scuba dive. Particularly November and December, which are sometimes labelled as dry season months, have been very unsettled lately.

HOW TO GET THERE

One&Solely Reethi Rah Maldives is definitely reachable by a 40 min speedboat trip or a 15 min seaplane flight from Male Worldwide Airport (MLE). Examine the Wikipedia web page of Male Worldwide Airport for an up to date record of airways that provide flights to Male Worldwide Airport.

PHOTOS

Right here’s a choice of my pictures of One&Solely Reethi Rah Maldives To view extra lodge pictures (together with breakfast, lunch and dinner), click on right here.