JW Maldives Resort & Spa is around 45 minutes to hour away by seaplane from Male, and it is a luxury hotel brand under Marriott Bonvoy. JW is in short, a paradise on Earth where you can enjoy luxury living and dining at its finest.
WEATHER DURING OUR VISIT
The weather was absolutely beautiful during late April, and it was actually quite hot during our stay. We didn’t experience any rain, and we thought it was a good time to visit as the resorts in the Maldives weren't too busy as well.
ARRIVAL WELCOME
When we arrived at the resort, the entire staff came to greet us and the other guests. We received welcome drinks, cold towels, flowers as well as the whole drumming performance. The whole team walked with us while playing drums and clapping. We felt super special and welcome, and it set such an amazing start of our stay at JW.
ACCOMODATION
Just like most of the resorts in the Maldives, JW consists of 2 main types of accommodations: Beach villa and Overwater villa.
We stayed the Duplex Beach Pool villa but also got to check out the Duplex Overwater Villa as well. The duplex beach villa that we stayed at is secluded in a lush area, and just steps away from the beach. The villa features complete privacy with a private swimming pool, lounge area and 2 floors unit. The main floor features the bedroom and bathroom, while the upper floor features a whole lounge area where you can watch TV or enjoy a cup of coffee or tea. You can also see the beach view right from the second floor, and open the large windows for some ocean breeze.
The Duplex Overwater Pool villas at JW were very spacious, however quite far away from the restaurants and other areas of the resort. This wouldn’t be a problem as you will have your own private butler who will be available at anytime to take you around by buggy, or to help with anything to help your stay more comfortable and memorable. The Duplex Overwater Pool villa has a similar concept to the duplex beach Pool villa, where you have 2 floors and the top floor features the living space with large windows where you can open and enjoy the ocean breeze to flow through.
Even though we are normally fans of the overwater villa, we actually really enjoyed the beach villa at JW as it was really close to all of the facilities and restaurants, whereas the overwater villas were quite far. We were able to walk to most places without the use of the buggies.
STAFF
The staff at JW were so sweet and kind. Everyone was very attentive, and there was such a positive energy flowing around the resort and it kept us smiling wherever we went. We always felt so welcome and really taken care of.
Our butler, Jaleel was incredible! He was always patient, observant and took care of everything for us before we even asked. We were able to connect with our butler through Whatsapp and he was always just a message away.
DINING
Dining at JW was definitely our highlight here as there were so many restaurants available and the food was incredible! Make sure to opt in a Full Board meal plan to maximize your dining experience here. We got to tried all of the restaurants at JW and really loved the food here. The portion was so generous and the ingredients were always super fresh.
Aailaa
Aailaa offers international cuisine and is available for all breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The breakfast buffet is also at Aailaa, where you have a variety selection of food to choose from, and we love that the restaurant is located right above the water so you can enjoy the beautiful view while dining in. We tried both of the breakfast and lunch here, and our favourite was their poke bowl. We seriously think that Aailaa makes the best poke!
Fiamma
Fiamma is an Italian restaurant and it's located right by the main pool. The restaurant opens during lunch time between 12-3pm. We haven't tried this restaurant out specifically.
Kaashi
Kaashi is a Thai restaurant, opens from 1-4pm. and it has the most unique location on the entire island. The restaurant is located on a tree top, and you will cross a couple of small 'suspension bridges' to go up to the restaurant. We thought the restaurant concept was so unique, and it was our absolutely favourite spot for lunch. From the tree top you will get to see the whole view of the pool (not the main pool, but another pool at JW), as well as the ocean view. The view up here was so beautiful and we love feeling the breeze flowing through our skin as we dined in. The Thai food here was very authentic as it was made by a Thai chef.
Hashi
Hashi is a Japanese restaurant which opens from 7-10pm. We tried almost the entire menu at the restaurant and honestly thought that it was the most tasty Japanese food we have ever tried around the world. The sushi pieces just melted in our mouth, and leave such a beautiful taste afterward. We couldn't pick our favourite dish at Hashi as we really enjoyed all of the food here.
One highlight about Hashi is that you will also get to see how the chef makes the food as the restaurant has an open bar concept. The chef also made conversations with guests here and even performed some fire shows for you. The whole dining experience was truly spectacular!
Shio
Shio is a fine dining grill restaurant, which opens from 7-10pm serving the finest meat and fresh seafood. We had a chance to dine here on our last night and not only the food was amazing, the portion was also enormous. If you are a meat/seafood lover this restaurant is definitely for you!
Private beach dining
Private beach dining was totally our favourite experience. The set up was so beautiful and magical, and it feels so private that we could really enjoy a romantic dinner for just the two of us. Our waitress observed us from far away to give us complete privacy, and only came to check up on us when he noticed that we finished our food. We loved listening to the ocean waves, while enjoying the best food and chit chatting about life.
WHAT TO DO AT JW MALDIVES RESORT & SPA
JW offers an ocean view gym, water sports, a spa and even a hair salon right inside the property.
Spa
The spa at JW is located right above the water and you can listen to the ocean waves during your treatment. We got to experience both of the foot massage and the couple massage at JW. The massage therapists here were so professional and we absolutely loved our treatments. Our couple massage room features a huge relaxing area with lounge chairs, an observing deck, steam room and a plunge pool. We spent a good 30 minutes before and after our treatment to relax and enjoy our time at the spa.
Water-sports
JW offers many water activities, such as diving, snorkling, jet-ski, paddle boards and more. Make sure you visit the water sport centre for fun water activities at JW!
Movie under the stars
Even though this activity is not listed on the website, you can request for the movie under the star experience. This is where you will get to experience a private movie on the beach, while have the stars shining above you. It's something you definitely should experience while visiting the property.
Lounging at the bars or wine room
JW has a wine room and 3 bars (Wabi Sabi, Rum Baan, and Horizon) available on their property. We did wine tasting here as well as lounging at the Horizon bar. We loved the Horizon bar as the bar has a very chill concept, with swings around the bar where you and relax while having the best time with your loved ones. The Horizon bar is also located on top of the water, so this is the best place to enjoy a cocktail while watching the sun goes down.
Spend the day at the beach or pool.
Last but not least, there's nothing better than enjoying the crystal clear water and soaking in all the sun in this paradise island. The beach at JW stretches along the beach villas, and they have lounge chairs, as well as umbrellas for guests use. You can also spend time at the main pool, or the second pool which is located below Kaashi restaurant.
OVERALL EXPERIENCE
We loved every minute of our stay at JW Maldives Resort & Spa and 4 days at the resort felt so short. There was so much to do and we are already thinking of going back in the future to enjoy all of the facilities, activities, and dining at the resort. We would recommend to stay at JW for as least 5 days to enjoy everything the resort has to offer, and opt in for the Full Board option so you can enjoy all of the food available on the island. JW Maldives Resort & Spa is definitely our favourite resort in the Maldives up to date!
Much love,
Annie Pham
@anniepwanderlust