Marriott’s iconic JW Marriott brand opened its first property in the Maldives today. The 60-villa JW Marriott Maldives Resort & Spa is located on the private island of Vagaru, Shaviyani Atoll, a 55-minute seaplane flight from the capital of Male, Maldives.
“We are thrilled to open our JW Marriott brand in this truly amazing destination,” said Mitzi Gaskins, vice-president and global brand leader, JW Marriott.
The resort’s villas start at approximately 2,500 square feet and include private pools and wooden sunbathing decks. Designs available are:
- Duplex Overwater Pool Villas and single-storey Overwater Pool Villas, which are set on stilts overlooking the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean, with a choice of sunrise or sunset views;
- Beach Pool Villas with direct access to the island’s sandy white beaches;
- and Duplex Beach Pool Villa designed to cater to multigenerational families and featuring separate lounges, bedrooms and bathrooms to accommodate larger groups.
The design of rooms throughout the resort draws inspiration from the natural surroundings and Maldivian culture. For example, the thatched roofs on villas are reminiscent of inverted dhoni boats, the traditional Maldivian wooden fishing vessels, and slated roof tips recall white herons dipping their heads into the water.
The resort, which is focused on delivering holistic well-being and enriching experiences, features an overwater gym, open-air pavilion, daily workout classes, yoga sessions and easy movement and breathing exercises, and a signature Spa by JW.
Guests can also explore a natural reef teeming with sea life, which is located just a few meters from site. An on-site marine biologist oversees the health of the reef along with organizing diving and snorkeling and other water sports.
On the f&b side, it offers five restaurants, three full-service bars and a chef’s garden that supplies the resort with fresh produce daily. The restaurants serve up dining options ranging from classic Maldivian seafood to Thai cuisine in a treetop restaurant, wood-fired brick oven pizzas and Japanese teppanyaki. The bars offer more than 300 labels of old and new world wines, fine Japanese sake and handcrafted cocktails with 98+ types of rum available. Twenty-four in-villa dining services are also available.