The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort

The St Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort is the first truly luxurious resort in the undeveloped Dhaalu Atoll. We just had to include it in our latest island hopping trip — and glad we are that we did. This property is a gem that wows with the astonishing contemporary design, set against the pristine beauty of its secluded lagoon location.

This was the third place we were visiting on the journey. As we arrived in Male, the representatives of the St Regis Maldives Vommuli were already waiting for us on the seaplane jetty. Very swiftly they had us transferred to their own beautiful airport lounge, but the way they did it put broad smiles on our faces. We were invited to take that shortest ride, of no more than 300 meters over the marina grounds, in the only Bentley in the Maldives.

The later arrival to the Vommuli island continued the over-the-top treatment, first simply by the virtue of the beautiful seaplane journey and then by the welcome ceremony. The management and butler greeted us and served welcome drinks and instantly made us feel well taken care of.

But we had barely time to shake all hands before we were being shown around the island, on the way to our very own villa-on-stilts.

The Whale and the shell

Having stayed at quite a few top Maldivian hotels, we ought to have expected the unexpected, for if these resorts share one common trait it is the desire to wow and enchant with something new or unique.

That something at the St Regis Maldives Vommuli is the realization of just how striking its architecture is. Of course, we saw the property photos well before traveling, but to see these sharp, sleek, bold and almost otherworldly structures with our own eyes was quite another thing.

Inspired by nature, the iconic forms of the resort have a dreamy quality, which was quite appropriate for a paradisiacal holiday destination.

Take The Whale Bar, for example. It could have been just another over-water sunset hangout, but at St Regis, it becomes a parable that made us consider whether you could, after all, be swallowed by a giant fish.

Then there is the shape of the Library, referencing a seashell. Its interior will make you feel a child again, gaping in wonder at the fantastical space twisting all the way up to the skylight in the highest point of the ceiling.

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Open-plan

The architectural wonders don’t end there. The sprawling Spa is reminiscent of a giant lobster, while the guest villas are inspired by manta rays, “flying” in the lagoon. Their sharp outer forms are quite unlike any other over-water structures.

As we entered our villa-on-stilts, the first impression was that of a very generous amount of space, but the decor was a slight surprise. After the spectacular sights on the island, we weren’t sure what to expect exactly, but the interior feels almost conservative by comparison.

The decor really does feel “St Regis” though — it is neat and crisp, set in palettes of creme and light wood and infused with natural light. The open plan makes the interior naturally flow into the indulgent outdoor terrace featuring a private plunge pool, loungers, and over-water nets. Accessible directly from the bedroom or bathroom through the sliding floor-to-ceiling windows, the deck also allows to descend directly to the sea.

Cargo and Iridium

We discovered all the other attractions and sights of the resort over the next few days.

One of our favorite places was the lobster-shaped, overwater Iridium Spa. It offers a whole swath of treatments, including the very good steam rooms and sauna. The highlight at the spa is the Blue Hole Pool, a picture-perfect circular water feature (did you see our photos on Instagram?), said to be the biggest hydrotherapy pool in the Maldives. As in, bubbles and water jets etcetera. It’s like a supersized jacuzzi, except it is also an infinity pool.

The food deserves a special mention, as it really is quite amazing. There are as many as six dining venues, from the above-mentioned Whale bar (go there for light meals and sundowners) to the beachfront Alba (serving the most amazing breakfasts), and from the Lebanese-style Cargo (its kitchen is built in an actual shipping container) to the beach style Crust, serving light lunches (we loved the pizzas here).

There is also the underground Decanter, the wine cave, which proudly displays, among hundreds of bottles, two wines from the 18th Century.

From the spa to dining, from snorkeling to cycling (we loved the white bikes!), the few days we spent at The St Regis Vommuli went by way too fast and soon we were being waved goodbye. As were waving back, the only thing on our minds was the wish to stay a little bit longer. Or to be back soon.

in our opinion

The Maldives attracts top resort chains like no other destination, and we were glad that the St. Regis—known as one of the most exclusive hotel brands in the world—has finally gotten on the action. The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort is a beautifully designed, well-run property easily living up to the brand's reputation.

We had a wonderful stay here—and the TravelPlusStyle Editor's Pick is well deserved.

What we love

• Not all atolls in the Maldives are equally well developed and not all of them are easily accessible to visitors. In that sense, Dhaalu Atoll is a new destination, having been recently opened to foreign visitors. Thus the St Regis Vommuli resort benefits from a very quiet and unspoiled location on a remote, gorgeous island.
• Architecture and design overall, by the Singapore-based WOW Architects. It's just dreamy, especially the beautiful spa, designed in the shape of a giant lobster, or the Whale Bar, evoking the whale shark. Its overwater terrace is the best place from which to gaze at the sunset.
• Top-notch service. Everything was perfectly organized and fine-tuned. This impressed us greatly, as at the time of our stay the resort was relatively new. Special thanks to the butler service—these guys are amazing.
• We stayed at the very comfortable Sunset Overwater Villa With Pool. The deck with the pool was fringed by over-water nets and had a platform descending to the sea. We loved snorkeling directly from there. The reef's edge was accessible with just a few strokes of a leisurely swim, and the sight of the reef, swarming with fish and receding into the deep blue depths was a sight to behold.
• Excellent cuisine overall, with a good selection of dining options. The food was the best we had during this trip and is in fact well at the top of the rankings when compared to all the resorts we've been to in the Maldives.
• Our favorite were probably the lavish breakfasts. The choice is incredibly varied and is made up of a very wide buffet selection, as well as plenty of a la carte items. We were never bored with the food.
• The beautiful St Regis airport lounge was maybe the nicest we've been to in Male. Being driven to it in the Bentley was, of course, ridiculously stylish.
• The sprawling Spa is very well equipped. We loved the steam rooms!
• Vommuli House, the spacious entertainment and health hub, is also very nice. It's the biggest of its kind in the Maldives. A 24/7 Exercise Room, Yoga & Meditation Studio, Hair & Beauty salon, as well as Children's Club and a Game Room are all housed here.

What you should know

• The resort occupies a picturesque island in the relatively remote atoll. It takes 40-minutes by seaplane to get here from Malé.
• We had been worried that the St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort, being relatively new, would not be ready or that the service might be not exactly there yet. We needn't have had to fret. They are at the top of the game.
• The Dive & Watersports Center is well equipped and is ready to cater to all manner of water activities. The atoll is praised for the amazing diving experiences, and professional PADI-certified instructors are on hand to show you the best spots. Kayaking, paddleboarding, and snorkeling are free.
• The island is quite small for the number of facilities St Regis had planned, and in the end, it all feels rather tightly packed together. Maybe for the same reason, the beaches did not offer much free-roaming space. What is there is kind of taken, either by the beach villas or the restaurants, for example. Apparently, the resort expands the beaches come the high season.
• The interior design in the villas fits the St Regis style very well, to a fault. We felt the decor could have been that of a city hotel, located anywhere.
• Fun fact: the "two most expensive items in the whole resort" are bottles of wine from Portugal, one from the year 1795, another from 1799. Nobody has any idea whether they are any good, however, and since our curiosity doesn't go as far as twenty or thirty grand, we didn't try to find out either.
• Getting there: The flight-comparison sites such as Skyscanner (www.skyscanner.com) or Kayak (www.kayak.com) will help you find the best flights and deals.