JW Marriott Maldives Resort & Spa

My wife and I stayed at the JW Marriott for 6 nights from the end of February and into the beginning of March for our Honeymoon. We originally had the W hotel booked, but due to delays in the resort remodeling, we ended up rebooking at the JW Marriott. My wife and I both agree that this was probably for the best since the JW Marriott was a truly unforgettable experience! Getting there: We flew in from Singapore and arrived in Male around 11:30 AM. Once we arrived, we were shuttled to an airport lounge to wait for our seaplane. Unfortunately, we had to stay in the airport lounge for 3 hours due to delays, but plenty of food and drinks were served, so we were comfortable. When we finally boarded the seaplane, we had a 1-hour flight to the resort. The flight is truly spectacular since you fly over dozens of islands. When we landed at the resort, we were greeted by dozens of resort staff. After arriving, we were introduced to our resort host, named Saddaam. The room: We stayed in an overwater villa on the sunrise side. It was a huge villa with ceilings that were so high you almost felt exposed while sleeping. We spent a lot of time hanging out by the private pool and deck. One of the nice things about being on the sunrise side is that it doesn't face the resort island, so you feel like you have a lot more privacy than on the sunset side. However, if we stayed again, we would probably want to be on the sunset side just because it is a little better for snorkeling since the water is deeper there. A few mornings on the way to breakfast, we could even see Manta Rays surfacing just outside of the villas on the sunrise side. We were so jealous! Overall, the room was great, but you could tell it was starting to show signs of age. When you closed the front door, the wall would move a little bit with the door. It would be wonderful to stay again after a remodel sometime in the future. The staff: The resort was beautiful and probably one of the best places you could be in the world, but what really made it feel special was the staff. Every staff member made you feel welcome and like they were truly glad you were there. One staff member in particular, who I really enjoyed speaking to at breakfast, was named Adam. Adam always had such a positive attitude, which he would pass on to you if you talked to him. Everyone who stays at the resort is assigned a host who will take you anywhere on the island, you just have to send them a text. Saddaam was also responsible for managing activity bookings, dinner reservations, and room service. We really enjoyed having Saddaam as our host and if you are staying at the resort soon, I would see if the resort would let you be assigned to him. He did a great job of making sure our needs were constantly met and took photos of us throughout our stay. He even gave us Polaroid versions of the photos he took of us. Saddaam went above and beyond as our host! The food: The food was amazing! We were able to take advantage of our Platinum Marriott Bonvoy status to get free breakfast every morning. The variety of food at the breakfast buffet was probably the largest we've ever experienced. There was everything. The pastries were some of the best we've ever had too. The chefs were so kind and always did their best to make sure we were satisfied! They also made sure we had a chance to try all of the local Maldivian cuisine. There were 3 dinner options you could choose from. A main restaurant where you could show up without a reservation (this was also where the breakfast was served) and 2 other restaurants that required a reservation. We really enjoyed the restaurants that required which served steak and sushi, respectively. However, these restaurants were more expensive than the main restaurant because of the food they served. There was also a really great Thai restaurant that was inside of a tree house, but this was only open for lunch. The activities: We snorkeled a lot during our stay. The snorkeling around the overwater villa was honestly not the best since there wasn't much coral, but the house reef on the other side of the island was truly spectacular. The only bummer was that you could only snorkel on the house reef when the water was calm, which was only 2 out of 6 days there. We did 3 scuba dives during our stay. The first dive was at the local house reef and the other 2 were boat dives. I have never seen so many sharks while snorkeling or diving. You were almost guaranteed to see at least one shark each time you entered the water. They weren't large or dangerous sharks, just black tip reef sharks, but it was still exciting to see if you weren't used to swimming with sharks. Along with snorkeling and scuba diving, I tried wind surfing and we went to the spa. Both were a lot of fun. The spa was very relaxing! The verdict: We really enjoyed our time at the JW Maldives and hope we get to come back soon. It was a very family-friendly atmosphere so we hope to bring our kids here when we have them! We would recommend JW Maldives to anyone who wants the entire Maldives luxury experience! Read less

We are lucky to have had previous holidays on other islands of the Maldives with a young family . In comparison as a couple on this occasion, the JW Marriott was absolutely amazing. The service was one of the highest we have had. Najaah our private butler could not do enough for us . The personal service and attention to detail was excellent . We booked the over water pool villa . Did not disappoint . Our 4 day trip was much more than we had expected . Great food , vino , accomadation , service . Lots to do on the island if one should choose . We choose to do nothing!! if that is what you may need. We can’t imagine choosing any other island in the Maldives after this experience . We look forward to going back . Read less

As a Marriott Bonvoy Ambassador Elite, I travel weekly and stay in Marriott hotels around the world—but the JW exceeded all expectations! Two close friends had highly recommended the resort, and we were absolutely not disappointed. The service here is world-class. Only a handful of hotels globally manage to offer this level of warmth, professionalism, and genuine hospitality. Every staff member made us feel truly welcome, and saying goodbye was hard—I felt like I was leaving family behind. At this resort, the philosophy of “the guest is king” is truly lived, and especially children are treated like royalty. The Island: Perfect for families, but also ideal for couples. There’s plenty of privacy and space to relax throughout the island. The Villas: We stayed in both the Beach Villa and the Overwater Villa—both were spotless, modern, spacious, and beautifully designed. We loved them! The Food: As a professional chef, I was blown away. From the authentic Thai restaurant to the ultimate steakhouse, there was something for every taste—absolutely sensational! The Staff: The team treats you like family—attentive, warm, and truly professional. Every wish is anticipated. A heartfelt thank you to: Gasim, our butler, who made our stay truly special. We had such a wonderful time with him thank you for everything! And thanks to mmm Lahiru, Ita, Cindy, Samira, Reny, Syaag, Manish, Asrafrul, Mala (Sorry if I forgot any names—the chefs were also fantastic and so attentive!) Words can’t fully capture the experience—you simply have to live it for yourself. Thank you for everything. We truly hope to see you again very soon! Warmest regards and keep up the amazing work! Read less

We stayed at JW Marriott Maldives in April 2025 as a family of three, and it was nothing short of perfect. Our Overwater Pool Villa was breathtaking—immaculately clean, spacious, and offering stunning views with direct lagoon access. Waking up to that turquoise water each morning felt surreal. The food was outstanding across all the restaurants—fresh, flavorful, and beautifully presented. A special shout-out to **Saddam**, whose warm, attentive service made us feel so welcome throughout our stay. We also enjoyed **amazing snorkeling right from our deck**, and the **excursions were expertly arranged**—safe, exciting, and family-friendly. Our child loved every moment, and we appreciated how the staff made it comfortable and memorable for all of us. JW Marriott Maldives offers luxury, privacy, and top-tier hospitality. We left with beautiful memories and can’t wait to return. Highly recommended for families looking for a high-end yet relaxed island experience. Read less