Situated in the North Male Atoll, only 45 minutes from the airport, the Ritz-Carlton epitomizes Maldivian luxury, designed by famed Australian architect, Kerry Hill, who also designed several AMAN properties. Many Maldivian properties did not want to take him on until the Ritz Carlton, which was his final project and instantly recognizable as such a uniquely stunning property, both from above and also by foot.
GETTING HERE:
Situated so close to the airport, guests have the luxury of taking a 45 minute speed boat to the property from the Male airport, an extreme convenience with the stringent weight restrictions on the seaplanes, and the sometimes difficult scheduling times required. For those that wish to, there is also a 10 minute seaplane ride available, to have the traditional Maldivian arrival experience.
BEST TIME TO VISIT THE MALDIVES:
High Season falls between December and February, which is the dry season in Maldives, which means a lot of sunshine and not much rain. We first visited the Maldives in March, and only had one evening of thunderstorms, and pure sun, the remainder of all of our days there.
Low Season is from May to November. This is the rainy season in the Maldives, which means more rainfall than the rest of the year, but still some sun. We visited the Ritz-Carlton Maldives in May, and were quite lucky, with only brief sprinkling showers one evening (though we did have quite a bit of rain and gray skies at our next destination in the Maldives immediately afterwards). Visiting during this time means lower rates and much less crowds.
ACCOMMODATION:
The Ritz-Carlton Maldives has a variety of options between their 100 villas, all featuring panoramic views of the Indian Ocean and infinity pools, both overwater and beach villas, to fit different preferences.
RESTAURANTS:
La Locanda : located overwater, with a southern Italy theme. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Jared enjoyed coffee and champagne here every morning, and we had a wonderful dinner with tartare and fish here (our favorites!).
Summer Pavilion: floating over the lagoon, featuring Cantonese cuisine. Dinner only.
IWAU: open air, a lively and interactive Japanese habachi experience (our favorite dinner of our stay!), featuring lobster, and an assortment of different fish and meats. Open dinner only.
EAU Bar: fresh oysters, caviar, and table side cocktails. Perfect for drinks by the pool, or at sunset for viewing Defining Moment. Open for lunch and dinner.
Beach Shack: grilled seafood on the beach, with the sand between your toes. Another of our favorite dinners! Open lunch and dinner.
Arabesque: located at neighboring Patina, provides the experience to arrive by speedboat from the Ritz-Carlton. “A journey from Lebanon to North India,” featuring the likes of Turkish coffee, Moroccan tea, and flavorful hookah should you so desire! Open for lunch and dinner.
COMPLIMENTARY ACTIVITIES:
Snorkeling gear for the duration of your stay, a beautiful and oversized fitness center overlooking the ocean open 24 hours per day, with a state of the art tennis court (the prettiest we’ve seen in all of the Maldives), the Ritz-Carlton Kids center (ages 4-12), featuring a futuristic indoor/outdoor space, playground with playgrounds, napping pods, video games, movies, a pool with slides, and babysitting services.
RITZ-CARLTON SPA:
A ring shaped sanctuary over the lagoon, with nine treatment rooms and products by Bamford UK. It is located a circular space which is one of the most defining and recognizable aerial scenes on the island. We had the most luxurious couples massage!
We had heard from so many prior to our stay that the Ritz-Carlton Maldives is one of the absolute best hotels in all of the Maldives, and it did not disappoint!
