In this post, I go into full details about my experience at The Westin Maldives Miriandhoo Resort. If you are planning a trip there then you've come to the right place! This is your ultimate guide to The Westin Maldives and I’ve included everything you might want to know before going there! So get comfy because this is going to be a long post.
After almost 24 hours of flying including three flights from Montreal, we finally landed at Male Airport in the Maldives. Unfortunately, we still had not reached our final destination yet. To reach our resort on Miriandhoo Island, we now had one final flight on a seaplane.
PART 1 - Etihad Business Class Review - Toronto To Abu Dhabi
PART 2 - Etihad Business Lounge Review - Abu Dhabi
PART 3 - Etihad Business Class Review - Abu Dhabi to Male, Maldives
In this post:
SEAPLANE ┃ OVERWATER VILLA ┃ FOOD ┃ ACTIVITIES
ARRIVAL
As we picked up our luggage and walked past the exit, we had a representative from The Westin Maldives awaiting us at arrivals with a sign next to a crowd of other agents from various hotels. (If you want to learn more about the airport and immigration experience, check out my flight to the Maldives)
Our airport agent Aisha welcomed us and we immediately walked to the check-in area for Trans Maldivian Airways, the operator of the seaplane flights. To clarify, The Westin Maldives is located on a remote and private uninhabited island. This means that The Westin Resort is the only infrastructure on this island and the only other people you are going to encounter are either other guests or the resort employees. The price you pay for this secluded and tranquil paradise is $500 USD per person round trip for a 25 minute flight. This is because there are no scheduled ferry/boats or publicly available flight that you can use to the reach the island. Rather, the hotel will reserve you a spot on a private seaplane flight operated by Trans Maldivian Airways. All private resorts in the Maldives operate in a similar fashion although some may allow you to take a cheaper boat transfer if they are located close enough to an inhabited island with a local airport or Male. If you are visiting a local island instead, the cost is much cheaper. I paid $40 USD for my boat transfer to Fulidhoo Island during my second week in the Maldives.
VERY IMPORTANT!!: Seaplanes only run during daylight hours. This means that they start in the morning and end in the late afternoon. If you are landing in Male after 4 pm, it’s possible that there will be no flights out to your resort for the day. In that case, you need to spend the night in Male until the next morning to catch your flight.
Above is the Domestic Policy for the Westin which involves flying into a nearby airport followed by a speedboat ride. This might save you a bit of money instead of the seaplane ride but is of course more cumbersome.
SEAPLANE CHECK-IN
Below is where you will check-in for your seaplane flight. Your luggage will be weighed and you will receive your boarding pass. Something you need to watch out for here is that they have very strict limits for luggage! Suitcases are limited to only 20kg and carry-ons are limited to 5 kg. Anything over and you will be charged extra fees!
Here is their official policy that was emailed to me prior to arrival:
Luggage/ Baggage allowance for Seaplane transfer (Please find attached travel information for your ready reference):
The standard permissible luggage weight in a seaplane is 25 kg, which includes 20 kg of checked-in luggage and 5 kg of hand luggage per person (Hand luggage is limited to one small bag of 5kg . small ladies handbag/smallest size backpack/laptop bag). The weight for any bag should not exceed 32 kg and the linear dimension of any of the luggage pieces must not exceed 158 centimeters. The per kg charge for baggage above the permissible limit is USD 5.00/- plus applicable taxes.
Transport selection is outsourced & travelers approve that resort will not be held responsible for redirecting, rescheduling, or cancellations owing to aviation regulations and/or bad weather/sea conditions. Please travel with valid insurances to cover yourselves with any physical/financial harm.
Our airport representative will wait for the guests at the terminal exit holding “The Westin Maldives Miriandhoo Resort” placard. Guests are requested to identify themselves to the representative and after doing so the representative will personally accompany the guests until their departure to the resort. In order for timely exit from the terminal, guests are advised not to carry prohibited items such as alcoholic beverages, religious images/idols, and food items containing pork.
The above policy applies regardless of your original Airlines’ luggage policy. In my case, Etihad Business Class allowed two 32 kg checked luggage per person and they never bothered to weigh my carry-on but if I did not pack light then I would have to pay for overweight luggage fees on Trans Maldivian. It’s also worth noting above that the resort takes no responsibility for seaplane delays or cancellations.
While I mostly packed beachwear, my diving equipment including my wetsuit and fins did add some extra weight. Additionally, I also brought some snacks for in-between meals because food at private resorts in the Maldives is notoriously expensive. I suggest bringing some granolas bars and maybe some nuts or trail mix for times when you just want a quick snack without having to go to the restaurant for a full meal.
The Trans Maldivian Check-in Counter
Seaplane Boarding Pass
AIRPORT SHUTTLE
We dropped off our suitcases and then followed the agent to a swanky van awaiting for us. The AC blasting on high was very much appreciated as it was hot and humid already at only 6 am.
The Westin Shuttle Van
SEAPLANE LOUNGE
We drove a few minutes away to the seaplane terminal nearby. This is a separate area from the airport and you are legally in the Maldives at this point. This terminal was still under construction and was about four floors high. We went upstairs to the welcome lounge where we were greeted by the staff and offered coffee and a light breakfast. Our flight would not be for another hour or so. The lounge attendants notified us that they will reach out to us when it was time to board our flight. The departure time is often uncertain as the seaplane has to wait for a few other guests before departing. The other guests are not all going to the same resort which means you may have multiple takeoffs and landings at various resorts. We now had some time to relax and freshen up. The lounge was empty at this hour and we were the first ones to arrive. There was plenty of very comfortable seating with electric outlets under them for charging your devices. One side of the lounge had a small breakfast buffet and beverages. There was a balcony from which you could spot the seaplanes taking off and coming in to park. What a lovely morning!
After about an hour or so, our agent Aisha came to the lounge to pick us up for boarding. We followed her downstairs to a small room where around 8 other guests were waiting. The room had a TV with the seaplane departure times. We were called outside and walked out to a row of seaplanes gracefully parked at the docks.
The seaplanes were all parked in a straight line at the docks.
Our seaplane
SEAPLANE FLIGHT
Our anticipation grew as we walked past the busy floating docks and boarded our plane. I cracked up when I noticed that our pilots were barefoot! This immediately added a relaxed and adventurous vibe to our flight. There isn't much room on the seaplane so large carry-ons had to be stored at the back of the plane. There were 3 seats per row with the left seats being solo window seats. I'd suggest grabbing a window seat each if the plane is not full! The seaplane felt like it had less space inside than the shuttle van we took earlier that morning. Another guest jokingly asked if there would be a meal service (we couldn't even stand up inside the seaplane). Soon, the engine rumbled to life and the propellers spun loudly. We pulled out of our parking spot and made our way out to open water. It was an unusual feeling to be on a plane that was also a boat floating on the ocean. Then, with one swift powerful roar, the engine propelled the plane forward and pushed us back in our seats. The ocean water splashed the windows as the plane lifted and slammed into the waves. Before we knew it, we were airborne and slowly ascending into the clouds. Off we go!
Our luggage being loaded at the back of the plane. There is no separate checked luggage here, it’s all in the cabin
The seaplane is pretty cramped inside
Our pilot was flying barefoot!
The view at first was chaotic around Male. The area seemed overdeveloped and crowded with many other seaplanes and boats. But just a few minutes later, there was nothing but us and the open ocean and that's when the atolls began to appear in the distance. They were simply stunning! We could see the resorts and their overwater villas perfectly nestled at the edge of the water and the islands and their vegetation looked perfectly manicured. The plane flew pretty low unlike a jet. The details of the islands below us including the trees and beaches remained visible throughout the flight. We crossed several Islands and I can say this is seriously the most beautiful place I've ever seen on Earth!
ARRIVAL
After about half a hour, we approached the Westin Maldives. It looked even more breathtaking in person than in the photos. The plane circled the island at first and then we came in to land. Since we were flying pretty low, we barely felt the descent. The landing was somewhat bumpy and the plane slowed down almost instantly. (Propeller planes can reverse their angle and use the engine's full power for braking). As we arrived next to the docks we saw a group of employees waving, waiting to welcome us.
Once the engines were off, we stepped off the plane and insured that our luggage was taken off the plane as well. We had our Butler waiting for us in a golf cart and he whisked us off to the lobby for check-in. They welcomed each guest by name. The main lobby was an open air area with several smaller seating sections separated by bamboo hedges. There were some desks on the left at the reception.
Arrival
Our Butler then went through some hotel policies, payment formalities and presented us with their meal plan options. We decided to opt for the half board which included breakfast and dinner. At the time we thought this amount of food might be insufficient but as we later realised, it was more way more than enough food (more on that below!).
We then hopped back on the golf cart for a tour of the island. We drove past the 3 restaurants, the overwater villas, the beach bungalows, the activity hut and also the on-site gym and spa. At the time of booking a private pool cost an extra $500 and I wasn’t sure if was worth it but when I saw the rooms, I realized that I should’ve booked the rooms with a pool. As a Marriott Bonvoy Member with Gold Elite Status or above, you can get a room upgrade for free. Unfortunately they said that all the overwater villas were fully booked so we were not able to upgrade. My suggestion is to upgrade right when you are booking as it definitely seemed worth it to have your own pool! Our Butler then took us to our Villa where our luggage had already been delivered and was waiting for us inside. He created a WhatsApp group for us to keep in contact. From then on, we could contact him for any requests like restaurant or activity reservation via WhatsApp.
THE SUNSET OVERWATER VILLAS
The gorgeous overwater villas. The villas at the top of the photo next to the arrival dock and boat are the ones to avoid as that’s where the seaplane takes off. This means extra noise throughout the day and lack of privacy as the plane flies by your villa.
Our Overwater Villa was nothing short of spectacular! These luxurious villas were truly massive, offering a spacious living room, a generously-sized bedroom, a giant bathroom, and an expansive deck that provided breathtaking views of the ocean. There was also a dining table which we never even used! We even had a second outdoor shower which allowed us to wash off the ocean water and sand before coming inside.
The best part was undoubtedly the side of the room that faced the ocean—it was entirely made of glass, giving us the opportunity to soak in the stunning views from the comfort of our villa. As a warm welcome, a complimentary bottle of champagne and some tasty snacks awaited us in our room. Our villa was the sunset overwater villa which is located on the west side of the island in what looks like the shape of a fish head. The sunrise villas were located in the east, in a single row parallel to the beach.
One thoughtful touch that we appreciated was the separation of the toilet from the bathroom. This practical design element, along with the presence of a full bidet make a world of difference and left us wondering why such amenities aren't more common in North America.
In the heart of the living area, instead of a conventional coffee table, there was a see-through glass floor. This allowed us to gaze directly into the ocean beneath the villa. We often found ourselves mesmerized by the sight of fish swimming below. Nighttime was also fun as the area was illuminated by special lights installed under the glass floor. The Overwater Villas truly offered a one-of-a-kind experience that we'll cherish forever.
The outdoor shower came in very handy to wash off all the saltwater and sand before entering the villa
A drink station nestled next to the main entrance featured a coffee machine and an orange juice press, along with a daily supply of fresh oranges. However, it's worth noting that the mini bar, located below the drink station, came with prices that could only be described as exorbitant.
The drinks station with fresh oranges and Nespresso coffee replenished daily! The water bottles were also regularly replaced with full ones.
FOOD & DINING
There are 3 restaurants on at The Westin Maldives; Hawker, Island Kitchen and The Pearl. Island Kitchen was a buffet in the morning and returned to a la carte service for the rest of the meals. The Pearl featured Japanese Cuisine and is located over the ocean! Hawker is inspired by asian street food style meals and is located directly on the beach.
MEAL PLANS
There are several meals plans you can choose from. You can do a la carte where you simply pay for what you order. Otherwise you can choose from breakfast plan, half board (breakfast + dinner), full (breakfast + lunch + dinner) or all-inclusive which is the full but includes alcoholic drinks as well. The packages and prices change over time so it’s best to email the hotel ahead of time when you are planning your trip. We went with the half-board package which cost around $149 USD per person per night + 10% tax + 12% service charge. (Everything in the Maldives has this extra 22% added for tourists and while local islands include it in their advertised prices, private resorts will often add it as a surcharge on top of the listed price. This can be a nasty surprise if you are from Europe but is pretty standard if you are from North America where we are used to seeing advertised prices that do not include the sales tax or service charge for restaurants and bars). I found that the half-board actually included too much food and on some days we ended up having to stop our dinner orders because we were full from just the appetizers alone! I also found it better if we could have had a lunch followed by a light dinner rather than a breakfast buffet and not eat a meal until dinner, which was often 3 courses and we felt too heavy afterwards before bed. For the next time, I will probably just opt for breakfast and order a la carte for lunch and dinner as needed. If you are a big eater, you will get your money’s worth there.
BRUNCH
Brunch was often the best meal of the day. It was basically one very long bottomless mimosa brunch where we could sample a range of different dishes every day. The breakfast buffet was huge and included a bottomless mimosa station! We took full advantage of the mimosa station every morning except for our dive day. This made for long and relaxed brunches every morning which was an awesome way to start the day while on vacation. I think one of the best kept secrets here was that there was an extensive number of dishes available that you could order but we couldn’t find a list anywhere. You simply had to ask since we didn't actually know what all the possibilities were. I ordered waffles one day and they were delicious! One morning I saw a table having dumplings so I asked and they prepared us some. Another morning we were unsure and asked the staff for recommendations and they prepared us a protein shake for our upcoming workout (it was raining so we got bored)! There were fruits, an egg station, yogurts, a variety of cheeses and even curries with flatbread. You could also ask the staff to prepare you pretty much anything you felt like. The brunch receives an A+++ from me!
The dining hall was huge and despite the overwater villas being full, it often felt like there were only a few guests on the island. The staff outnumbered the guests!
DINNER
Dinners were all 3 course meals consisting of an appetizer, a main and dessert. Some of the appetizers at dinner were so massive that I could barely eat the main course after. There was a wide variety of dishes to choose from and even after a week here, I did not get bored of the food. If you stayed for atleast 4 days then you could book 1 night for dinner at The Pearl. Our Butler handled the reservation for us. Food was excellent and I had no complaints whatsoever. I was actually impressed at the variety considering everything you consume here has been shipped in just for you. It was great to see that they had local Maldivian style fish curries and ice cream as well. They were some of my favourite dishes!
ACTIVITIES
There are plenty of water activities here but you have to love the ocean or enjoy relaxing on the beach otherwise this may not be the best type of vacation for you.
The main pool
Pool
The main pool was located just outside Island Kitchen and featured some lounge chairs with rolled up towels already placed every morning by the staff. There were also some loungers directly over the water in a small pond like area next to the pool.
Snorkelling
Reef Sharks patrol the drop-off area at the edge of the atoll
I often spotted this blacktip reef shark along with tons of fish and a school of spotted eagle-rays
Spotted Eagle Rays frequently swam by the villa
Every day, brunch was often followed by a swim or snorkel from my villa. I put on my mask and snorkel and used the ladder at the end of the deck to descend into the ocean. Masks and snorkels are also available at the dive shop for free. The water was very shallow, about thigh high and with my mask I went off snorkeling. The corals were gorgeous and colourful and there was plenty of marine life to observe. I often swam to the dropoff then alongside the wall and to my surprise, I spotted a blacktip reef shark about a metre and a half in length! It was surreal As I tried to approach it it quickly swam away from me. One morning as I woke up to the view of the ocean from my bed, I spotted Dolphins swimming out in the distance. Another morning a beautiful spotted eagle ray was hanging out just off the deck and eventually went under the villa. I was able to enjoy the view from my living room through the glass floor! Snorkeling is best done in the turqoise areas while the deep blue areas is where the dropoff occurs and where the water can be very deep with currents. If it's too windy and wavy it may be a hit hard to snorkel. If you're not a comfortable swimmer I suggest not straying too far from shore.
Swimming & Water Sports
The beaches were gorgeous and often felt like we were the only ones there
The beach just by the docks, behind the dive shop was the best area to swim at
The best beach for swimming is the area in front of the dive shop which is located just behind the main lobby. It has soft white sand and is quite shallow. I spotted a baby shark there multiple times. Many other guests also congregate around this area. However rest assured it is never crowded. Kayaks are available free of charge from the dive shop. You can also rent paddleboards. I had read that someone went to visit the Brother Island which is the small island that can be seen from the beach however we were told that this was not allowed. When I went scuba diving, I did spot a boat from The Westin that was parked on the far side of the island, the side that is not visible from the Westin and it seemed like the employees were just hanging out on the beach there. It looks like it would‘ve been a great place to kayak to and relax on the beach but perhaps it wasn’t allowed because the water between the two islands can get quite deep and thus more risky.
Scuba Diving
I went scuba diving one day because I was dying to see what the underwater world was like in the Maldives. Sadly, I was deeply disappointed. While the boat and equipment were sparkling new and in good condition and we had a great divemaster, the dive itself was mediocre. The visiblity was poor and we did not see much ocean life either. We dove along the walls next to the house reef. The most exciting part of the dive was when we were getting geared up on the boat and a pod of dolphins popped up next to us. I am infinitely happy that I also decided to spend a week at a local island where I went diving every single day and what a world of difference. There, I really saw the true beauty of the Maldives. I saw were so many sharks that I lost count of them. I also spotted stingrays, schools of fish and vibrant corals. I would not recommend coming to The Westin Maldives for scuba diving. That is far better at the local islands and not to mention way cheaper. For 2 dives each, it cost us an insane $581 USD. We were able to dive on Fulidhoo Island for several days for that amount. Not worth it at all in my opinion. I would avoid this resort if you want to see the true beauty of the Maldives as the diving was mediocre. The local islands offer amazing diving at one third the price.
Hanifaru Bay to see Mantas
The hotel also runs boat tours to go snorkelling at nearby Hanifaru Bay with the Manta Rays. This is however a seasonal activity and based on what they told us, they hadn’t seen many Mantas recently. The price of the tour was close to $300 and could take the better part of the day so we decided to skip it as there are many other places in the world where you can swim with Manta Rays and for cheaper.
Gym and Sauna
It rained on some days while we were there so we went to work out at the gym. The gym was decently equipped with some free weights and both weights and cardio machines. The walls were floor to ceiling glass with a view of the beach and the ocean which gave it a very exotic vibe. There was also a sauna and steam room for after your workout as well as some lounge chairs to relax on. It was a nice way to kill a few hours while it rained.
Yoga
Morning yoga on the east side (sunrise villas)
We watched the sunset every day from our villa deck
One of the complimentary activities was sunrise yoga on the bridge next to the overwater villas on the east side of the island. The class was run by an experienced yogi and all equipment including a yoga mat, towel and block were provided. There was only myself and a couple during the class. The sound of the crashing waves beneath and the sight of the sun peeking up as I felt a warm glow on my skin turned this into one of the best yoga class I've been to. I highly recommend it if you don't mind waking up early. I was very jet-lagged so that made it very easy as I was naturally up before sunrise.
Other activities
There was also an on-site tennis court which I didn't have the chance to try. I also saw some posters for their running group which is something that might be of interest to some. You can also book other activities like fishing, visiting other islands, sunset cruises, etc via the hotel. Take a look here.
My days started with brunch, followed by a swim or snorkel. I exercised on some days depending on the weather and napped in the afternoon. Sometimes the water was so inviting that I wanted to spend the whole day snorkelling. I’d often have a coffee or fresh pressed orange juice in the afternoon. We took evening walks around the island and often spotted baby sharks in the water and other critters like hermit crabs on the beach.. We also spent some time in the evenings just hanging out on the deck with a drink and snack, watching the sunset and listening to music while relaxing. We hung out by the pool when it was sunny and it was usually not crowded because most people hung out at their villas.
Marriot Bonvoy Mixer
Once night we were invited to a Marriott Bonvoy mixer that was organized by management. It featured a live Maldivian musical performance. They served complimentary wine, gin & tonics and their specialty cocktail with hors d'oeuvres to graze on. It was a great opportunity to mingle with the others guests staying at the resort.
The days actually flew by pretty fast! There is not much to do at night here which is why it might be known as a honeymoon destination for couples. If you like to party or sightsee or if you are not into water activities like swimming or snorkeling then this place is probably not for you as you might find yourself getting bored.
BEST TIME TO VISIT
I visited The Westin Maldives in mid-November and I would not recommend it. Even though it was the end of the rainy season, we still received a substantial amount of rain. Next time I would only go from December to March. If you are going for perhaps 2 weeks and don't mind the rain on some days it might be alright but since this is a beach destination, the best activities are unavailable when it pours. We did have some heavy downpours, not just an hour of light rain like I had read about online.
Our Villa during blue hour
OTHER TIPS
It seemed like all these villas built in the middle of nowhere required extensive maintenance to keep in good shape. Some sunrise villas were closed during my visit due to damage from the rain and the ocean waves. There was extensive maintenance going on in the east side of the island on the sunset villas. Our villa leaked during some of the rain showers so it all started to make sense. Every day, we noticed layers of washed up broken and dead corals on the small beach in between the sunset overwater villas. We often spotted the staff packing them up into huge bags. I heard that this might be from construction of the resort itself. We spoke to the staff and to my surprise, apparently the natural portion of this island was quite small and most of the land area was built up and reclaimed in order to build the resort. That came as a shock to me, I thought most of the island was natural! I didn't realize the extent of the damage all this construction can cause to the environment and the marine life.
BEST OVERWATER VILLAS
Map of The Westin Maldives
It's worth noting that because guests arrive and depart throughout the day, there are several seaplanes coming in to land and takeoff multiple times a day. You can definitely hear the noise from the engine and feel the vibration as the engine powers up for takeoff. I would avoid any of the sunset overwater villas on the same side as the jetty because that is where the plane docks and when it's taking off, your room is fully visible from the plane. (That’s the area between 1 and 14 on the map). Not very private after travelling halfway across the world and paying a premium to come here. If you want a better sunset view, those would be the villas at the tip of the fish head shape (next to number 14) located farthest from the island.
I appreciated the limited use of plastic here. The resort only used glass instead of plastic bottles and cups and our villa was provided with glass water bottles that were replenished daily. The island had its own desalination plant to produce potable water. Waste is out of sight, out of mind in the Maldives but from the documentary I watched, they have a huge problem with pollution and plastic often washes up on the shore and is quickly cleaned up by the staff.
WRAP UP
The staff took such great care of us. I felt like there were more staff than guests. Yes this resort is expensive, it's expensive to get to and to stay here but overall in the end I still felt like it was worth it (except for the scuba diving). Everything on the island has to be shipped just for you. The pool was calm most days, there were plenty of beach chairs available as it seems like most guests hung out at their private pool. It rained often while we were here so we made good use of the gym and spa. The seaplane flight to the island is breathtaking. The beaches and the warm turquoise water was unparalleled. The snorkelling was also incredibly fun. I would highly recommend this resort and if there weren't so many other resorts to try in the Maldives, I would definitely come back here a second time. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask below!
I created the following video from my trip which I recommend you watch to get a feel for the Maldives. The locations were The Westin and Fulidhoo Island.
YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN THESE RELATED POSTS:
