Review: Soneva Jani Maldives (phenomenal resort!)

Wednesday newsletters always feature a hotel or flight review.

I recently enjoyed a phenomenal holiday in the Maldives, where I stayed at the archipelago’s four most exclusive ultra-luxury resorts. You can read my reviews here:

Today: Review of Soneva Jani Maldives (phenomenal resort!)

Located on an uninhabited five-island cluster in the Noonu Atoll, Soneva Jani is the Maldives’ most exclusive and famous resort. The property features 51 overwater pool villas, spread along two jetties that curve into a 5.6 km (3,4 mi) magnificent lagoon of crystal clear waters. Known as the North Jetty and the South Jetty, both jetties are connected to the Maldives’ largest resort island, a tropical paradise fringed by pristine beaches and blanketed with lush tropical greenery. Highlights at Soneva Jani include the villas’ retractable roofs, private water slides, a wide range of sublime restaurants, personalized experiences & excursions, and a spectacular new spa facility, Soneva Soul. Guests of both jetties can benefit from an all-inclusive way to experience the best of the resort with Soneva Unlimited.  

Soneva Jani features in my top 10 lists of the best luxury resorts in the Maldives, the most fabulous overwater villas in the Maldives, the most astonishing beach retreats in Asia, and my favorite hotels in the world.

Have you ever stayed at Soneva Jani? If so, what was your experience? Leave a comment.

In this review:

REVIEW SONEVA JANI: PROS & THINGS I LIKE

• Upon arrival at Malé International Airport and after passing immigration, guests are met by the Soneva airport staff members, who take care of the luggage and provide assistance with the check-in at the Manta Air counters so secure the seaplane boarding passes. Once checked in for the seaplane transfer, guests are transferred to the seaplane terminal, which is located on the other side of the airport’s perimeter (a 5 min drive away). Here, guests can wait for the connecting seaplane transfer to the resort at the Soneva lounge: they are offered a refreshing drink and some snacks, while a Soneva host takes care of the check-in prices.

• The (sea)plane transfers arrangements are very well-organized as Soneva operates its own fleet of exclusive seaplanes, which means that Soneva is quite flexible with regards to the operating schedule and luggage limits. This is good news for guests, as waiting time at the airport is reduced and they can take more luggage on board. These DHC-6 Twin Otters are custom-painted in a magnificent grey and purple color livery, matching Soneva’s unique’s branding. On the inside, these seaplanes, which normally seat 15 to 19 passengers, only feature 10 VIP seats and a cabin fitted in Soneva’s signature design style. You can read my review of the Soneva seaplane here.

• Getting to the resort is half the fun since the 40 minute seaplane transfer to Soneva Jani is a breathtaking sightseeing trip in itself. The seaplane flies quite low over the Indian Ocean, offering an amazing view of tiny, sugar-white island rings sparkling atop turquoise colored lagoons and the brilliant sapphire blue ocean. Flying on board a seaplane in the Maldives and admiring the picture-perfect archipelago from a bird’s eye perspective is one of the ultimate experiences that the destination has to offer.

• After a 40 minute flight, the seaplane lands at Soneva Jani International Airport, which must be one of the most amazing airports in the world: a small wooden, floating deck just off the island’s shores. From there, it’s a five minute speedboat ride to the arrival jetty of the magnificent resort. During the speedboat trip to the resort, guests may remove their shoes and slip them into a linen bag until their departure. This reflects Soneva Jani’s ‘no news, no shoes’ policy, which encourages a casual, barefoot atmosphere among all the guests.

• From the moment guests touch down (barefoot) on Soneva Jani’s shores, a personal butler is on hand to assist them throughout their stay. These butlers are obviously handpicked for their extreme likeability and their level of discrete, intuitive service – you only have to think it, and your wish has materialized! IMHO, Soneva offers the best service in the hospitality service worldwide.

• One of the many highlights of the resort is its location within a 5.6 km (3,5 mi) lagoon of crystal clear waters with uninterrupted 360° views of the Indian Ocean, the largest of its kind in the Maldives. The lagoon is so huge that more than 7,000 Olympic swimming pools can fit inside it. It’s impossible to find words to describe the intensely mesmerizing blue of the lagoon’s waters. The fifty shades of blue strike the entire Maldivian archipelago and are present in the shallows of every atoll’s islands, but nowhere are they as blue and clear as at Soneva Jani. In fact, these are the most vibrant shades of blue and most stunning lagoon that I have ever seen in all my years of traveling across the globe.

• A unique feature of Soneva Jani – which sets it apart from all other resorts across the Maldives – is that its lagoon has access to five islets. The main island Medhufaru – the largest resort island in the Maldives – is fringed by pristine beaches and blanketed with lush tropical greenery. It was home to a farm for 10 years before Soneva Jani was conceptualized, and the extensive gardens on the isle still supply the fruits, vegetables, herbs and mushrooms to the resort’s kitchens, as well as to Soneva Jani’s sister resort, Soneva Fushi. Here, guests can wander through the Labyrinth, a meditative maze created out of ficus hedge that follows an ancient circular pattern. Medhufaru features a small beach club on its northern tip (North Beach), and a much larger beach club on its southern tip (South Beach). The other four islands in the lagoon remain entirely undeveloped, so there is always somewhere a place to play castaway.

• Within this massive lagoon are 51 overwater villas and a few beach villas, making Soneva Jani one of the lowest density resorts in the world. The scale of the villas is extraordinary, with both one bedroom (catering to couples and families with young children) and multi-bedroom villas (catering to larger travel parties) available. The overwater villas are located along two jetties that are connected to Medhufaru island and curve over the blue water like a snake. At more than 410 square meters (4413 square feet), the one bedroom villas are the largest entry-level villas in the Indian Ocean. Every water villa has a private pool (which is large enough to swim laps) and opens to its own stretch of lagoon, with most villas featuring curved slides going directly from the top deck into the lagoon below. The villas at the North Jetty are called Retreats while the villas at the South Jetty are designated as Reserves.

• During my holiday, I stayed at a two bedroom villa with slide on the South Jetty. Spread across two floors, the villa came with its own 13 m (43 feet) private pool, surrounded by exansive decking for sunbathing and taking in ocean vistas. In addition to a spacious master bedroom, there was a small glass-encased kitchenette, study room, walk-in wardrobe, and living area with sunken seats perfect for lounging. A sleeping area for children was conveniently located within the main bedroom (so parents can be assured their children are never too far from them in an overwater environment). The open-air bathroom – located adjacent to the master bedroom – featured a secluded, wooden surround with sufficient space to swim in and out of. Three different glass-bottomed areas in the villa guaranteed that the underwater world was never too far away. Upstairs, there was a second bedroom, seating lounge, and a dining sala with roof deck.

• All villas feature a retractable roof in the master bedroom, which slides back at the touch of a button so guests can lie in bed and stargaze. After an evening in the on-property overwater observatory (cf below), you can try to identify Orion, the Southern Cross, the Bear and more stellar constellations from your bed as you drift to sleep, with just the relaxing sound of the lapping waters outdoors. And there is no reason to worry about rain, since sensors detect an on-coming shower and automatically close the roof.

• Like all other Soneva properties, the spacious villas feature beautifully designed interiors by Eva Shivdasani, one of Soneva’s co-founders and wife of Soneva CEO Sonu Shivdasani. The eco-chic design complements the stunning Maldivian surroundings and represents barefoot luxury at its best. The soft-colored interiors are flooded with light, with a few deep purple stains adding a nice contrast. With sandblasted pine decking and Shingle Red River Gum tiles adorning the outside of the fairytale-esque villas, the insides are made from subtly weathered woods and natural materials in a color palette of white, pastel greens and mauves. The overall effect is ethereal, light and airy to encourage the ultimate state of relaxation.

• Soneva Jani features the largest overwater structure in the Maldives, the so-called ‘Gathering’, which appears like something out of a fairytale. At three storeys tall and located halfway the main jetty, the Gathering is the heart of the resort. It houses the various dining outlets (more on that below), as well as a gym, library, boutique shop, chocolate & ice cream parlor, wine cellar and kids club. The Gathering features a soaring open-sided atrium, with a maze of stairs and walkways connecting all the floors, facilities, inside and outside. There are 104,000 pieces of Red River Gum Shingles from Laos on the Gathering’s roof. Also, there’s a large slide that delivers guests directly from the Gathering’s second floor to the ocean. A Soleni Dive Centre and Marine Biology Champa as well as a bookshop are located next to The Gathering.

• Soneva Jani features the Maldives’ first overwater silent cinema – Cinema Paradiso – at the southern tip of the main island Medhufaru. Here, guests can relax on comfortable loungers under the stars and snack on fresh popcorn. Bluetooth headphones are provided, leaving the surrounding nesting turtles and wildlife at peace. Several times a week, there is a movie selection for both children and adults, with a focus on classic and inspirational movies. Cinema Paradiso also features a Japanese restaurant – called Director’s Cut – where guests can dine on the delicate flavors of Japan’s famous cuisine while taking in a classic film.

• Soneva Jani’s guests can gaze into the night sky at the twinkling jewel-like stars at the first overwater observatory in the Maldives. This popular experience has awed and amazed guests of all ages at Soneva Jani’s sister resorts, Soneva Fushi and Soneva Kiri, and the resort designers have made the observatory at Soneva Jani even better. A sophisticated telescope rises up through the floor of the observatory deck, offering enchanted views of the starry sky. The deck is surrounded by four dining tables, at which you can dine if you wish (more on that below).

• Soneva Jani is one of the largest resort’s in the Maldives, and getting around does require some time. Buggy service is available 24/7 and bicycles (including e-bikes) are also provided to help navigate the fun, snaking jetties that connect the villas with the main island, home to Cinema Paradiso, tennis courts, padel courts, deserted beaches, the Gardens and Labyrinth, and various walking and cycle paths. In addition, a speed boat shuttles guests between the four untouched islands in the lagoon as well as between the Chapter One and Chapter Two jetties.

• Rooms make money, while food and beverage make reputations, and Soneva Jani does not fail to impress here as the menus are as extravagant as the resort itself. Everything is of the highest quality and presented with total care and attention, from the freshest tuna and thin pizzas, to delicate Indian curries, slow roasted lamb, and delicious salads. Between the two sections of the island (Chapter One & Chapter Two), there are twelve dining outlets in total, offering various destinations cuisines and private dining experiences, where the resort’s chefs trick your taste buds and mind with elaborate disguises.
  • The main restaurant, called Down To Earth, is located within the Gathering on the North Jetty, and offers a sumptuous breakfast buffet, lunch and dinner. Down To Earth has a myriad of nooks, boardwalks, decks and other spaces to choose from, so every meal can be set in a totally fresh environment if you wish.
  • Overseas is the brainchild of celebrated Swedish chef Mathias Dahlgren. Inspired by its spectacular location next to The Gathering, this casual, overwater restaurant serves lunch and dinner menus of plant-based and pescatarian dishes, with produce freshly picked from Soneva Jani’s organic gardens, or sustainably caught in the waters around the resort.  
  • So Wild by Diana Von Cranach is a fully plant-based restaurant in the midst of Soneva Jani’s organic garden. Diana’s 50 years of experience in plant-focused dining come to life in a menu that draws inspiration from Ayurveda and highlights ingredients grown at the resort. 
  • So Engaging is Soneva Jani’s chef’s table, which offers a mystery menu for five very special guests. Here, guests get a front row seat to the action, and converse with the chef as he prepares exciting, delicious dishes.
  • So Primitive’s centerpiece is a fire pit where different cooking techniques are honored. Think roasting, grilling, searing and cooking in a kettle, clay pots (on coals), salt-crusted baking and cooking over coals. Guests choose from a menu that features fresh seafood, meats, and plant-based dishes.
  • Chef Nikki heads up his Japanese kitchen at Director’s Cut Restaurant, serving modern style sashimi, black cod and other Japanese favorites with a contemporary twist. Guests enjoy a set meal while taking in a classic film at Cinema Paradiso.
  • Flames, smoke and unspoilt views of the Noonu Atoll set the stage for the So Bespoke open-air teppanyaki table. Situated next to Cinema Paradiso, this intimate dining destination seats just ten guests per sitting.
  • With an upstairs deck to watch sunsets from, the Crab Shack serves Sri Lankan Mud Crab curry and Alaskan crabs. A selection of rosés are the highlight of the drinks menu. The Crab Shack was voted as the ‘world’s most romantic restaurant’ on CNN.
  • Seating up to 20 guests, So Imaginative is a private room perfect for celebrations. Soneva Jani’s sommeliers can create inspired wine tastings and wine dinners here, selecting the perfect pairings from the wine tower.
  • So Starstruck comprises four dining tables around the first overwater observatory in the Maldives. Here, guests dine on an expertly crafted menu while a resident Astronomer is on-hand to help navigate the skies.
  • Located within the resort’s organic gardens, So Local is a meeting place for both Soneva hosts and guests alike to share inspiring stories from a wide variety of cultures. Inspired by Soneva’s diverse hosts’ home countries, the versatile, rotating menu showcases one cuisine from around the world each month.
  • So Chill on South Beach is a casual eatery offering a scrumptious breakfast, including a range of local, international and nutritious delecacies. Gourmet charcuterie, cheese and preserves can also be enjoyed here throughout the day and evening.

• When guests stay at Soneva Jani, they can upgrade ther booking to Soneva Unlimited, an indulgent offering that invites guests to enjoy every facet of Soneva Jani to their heart’s desire, all included in the price of the villa. Soneva Unlimited includes unlimited dining at all bars, restaurants and in-villa dining; unlimited alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks at all bars and restaurants; unlimited access to visiting Michelin-starred chef dinners and experiences; wines from the Soneva Unlimited list; and unlimited spa treatments. Also included under Soneva Unlimited is a dedicated Barefoot Butler, daily laundry service, and daily replenishment of the in-villa minibar. The full Soneva Unlimited menu can be viewed here. 

• The Den at Soneva Jani is the Maldives’ largest children’s club. Awakening children’s sense of adventure, two majestic waterfalls cascade into The Den’s large swimming pool. Intrepid adventurers will also enjoy crossing the pool’s waters via a zipline that makes a splash as it traverses through the waterfall. Just beyond the pool lies a pirate ship and skateboard ramp, keeping even the most active of little explorers entertained for hours on end. Venturing inside, a bowling alley, Lego and craft area, dressing-up room, library and cinema provide space for books, films, fantasies and more. The Hangout is a dedicated roof deck for teens featuring an array of attention-grabbing activities, including a music room, telescope deck, pool and foosball tables, pinball machines, table tennis table set above a reflecting pond, as well as a dry slide for speedy escapes.

• Soneva has gained a worldwide reputation for its wine collection and Sommeliers, and at Soneva Jani, the wine is housed in a six-meter (20 feet) high glass tower and the list contains around 50% organic and biodynamic wine.

• The resort has its two chocolate & ice cream parlors (one located within the Gathering and one located on South Beach), which are open from noon till late night and complimentary to all guest. There are over 20 constantly changing flavors of homemade ice creams and sorbets to choose from at the ice cream room. Guests can also indulge in every child’s dream of never-ending chocolate by sampling cardamom chocolate truffles, passionfruit pralines, and a continually changing profusion of confections. Also, bread, cheese, and cold cuts are available during the day (on a complimentary basis).

• Soneva Jani features not one but two wellness centers:
  • The resort’s newest wellness center is called Soneva Soul (opened in 2022). Located on Medhufaru island, not far from Soneva Jani’s picturesque South Beach, Soneva Soul sets a new standard in holistic wellness. The facility has been designed to harmonize with its breath-taking setting and features two indoor therapy rooms and three open-air treatment pavilions with unmatched views of the spectacular natural surrounds. The wellness center includes a dedicated Ayurvedic Clinic as well as an indoor consultation room for visiting specialists. Alongside a cross-functional fitness area, an open-air yoga pavilion includes facilities for aerial yoga. The new complex also features a retail area, featuring sustainable apparel, wellness products and accessories. 
  • Soneva Soul complements Soneva Jani’s original overwater spa, which is located within The Gathering. The latter is a small intimate facility, which houses a couple of treatment rooms, a relaxation lounge, and sauna & steam rooms.

• In constructing the resort, Soneva Jani’s management kept its environmental impact as low as possible. The pools use seawater with UV filtration and the villas have been built over the sandy floors of the lagoon, with no damage to any part of the reef.  Furthermore, solar PV is e a significant source of power generation at the resort, all waste-water is collected and treated on-site, and water is also produced on-site, including drinking water. Soneva’s Eco Centro Waste-to-Wealth centre ensures that waste is recycled, while the extensive vegetable garden gives local produce for the restaurants based on organic principles.

• The resort is managed by Soneva, my absolute favorite hotel brand in the world. The acronym SLOW LIFE (Sustainable-Local-Organic-Wellness Learning-Inspiring-Fun-Experiences) explains the Soneva philosophy: it aims to create unforgettable, innovating, and enlightening experiences that illuminate their guest’s lives whilst treading lightly on the earth. The ethos and values it is run by are what sets Soneva on different footing as compared to other high-end hotel brands. In addition, there’s also a lot of love and romance in the story of Soneva, which was founded in 1995 by Sonu Shivdasani, an Indian-British hotelier, and his wife Eva Malmstrom, a Swedish fashion model. I have previously reviewed the fabulous Soneva property in Thailand, Soneva Kiri, and its sister property in the Maldives, Soneva Fushi.

• A stay at Soneva Jani can also be combined with a stay at Soneva’s newest ultra-exclusive outpost in the Maldives, Soneva Secret. The first resort in the Haa Dhaalu Atoll, Soneva Secret is a 30 min seaplane flight from Soneva Jani and features 14 overwater and island villas, including the Maldives’ only floating villa. Designed to offer the ultimate in Soneva hospitality and exemplary service standards, each villa features a dedicated team of three, which includes a Barefoot Guardian, Barefoot Assistant and dedicated chef, to ensure every stay is wholly personalised. Thirty years in the making, the Soneva Secret resort concept builds upon Soneva’s experience at the forefront of exceptional hospitality, and sets a new, unmatched standard in intuitive, personalized service, exquisite private villas and unspoiled settings, surrounded by nature.

REVIEW SONEVA JANI: CONS & THINGS TO KNOW

Never in my life have I stayed at a resort that is quite as beautiful and mesmerizing as Soneva Jani. It is without any doubt the visually most striking resort in the Maldives, re-writing the rules of Indian Ocean perfection. Phenomenally beautiful and thrillingly visionary, Soneva Jani raises the bar for luxury travel, not only in the Maldives, but around the globe. Soneva Jani will sweep you off your feet and leave you speechless, but there are a few things worthwhile noting to ensure you have the perfect stay:

• While incredibly beautiful, the lagoon is not teeming with fish, although I noted that there is more wildlife present now than there was during my last visit two years ago (harmless sharks and stingrays daily frequented the waters around the villas). Due to the lack of fish within the lagoon, Soneva Jani offers snorkeling trips by boat to its house reef at the outer edge of the lagoon. Corals of all species are present here, as well as a great deal of fish and huge old coral colonies creating a nice shallow 3D reefscape. You may also be lucky enough to encounter beautiful sea turtles and manta rays, which are native to this area of the Maldives. There are also many dive sites with rich marine life around the resort, sure to tempt all marine enthusiasts.

• There are two seaplane choices available: either the Soneva seaplane or the Manta Air seaplane. The Soneva seaplane is private and more comfortable (seating 8 passengers in a VIP layout), while the Manta Air seaplane carries more passengers (15 in total) and may stop en-route at other destinations before arriving at Soneva Jani. Unfortunately, it’s not possible to know upfront whether you will be transferred in a Soneva seaplane or in a Manta Air seaplane (the schedule depends on Manta Air, which also maintains the Soneva seaplanes). Guests who are flown to Soneva Jani on the Manta Air seaplane (instead of the Soneva plane) will receive a resort credit as compensation, valued at $150 USD per person per voyage during peak season, and $100 USD per person per voyage during shoulder season. The resort credit can be redeemed against food and beverages, experiences and Soneva Soul treatments, excluding third parties and retail outlets.

• The villas on the South Jetty (Residences) have an improved design & layout compared to the villas on the North Jetty (Retreats). For example, the residences on the South Jetty have been raised high enough above the ocean so that the waves do not break against the underside; their pools have been moved to the front of the pool deck; their terraces offer more shade during the heat of the day; and they also have more indoor spaces which are airconditioned (e.g. the lounge area in the villas at the Soutgh Jetty is airconditioned while that’s not the case at the North Jetty villas).

• The jetty planks at the South Jetty are laid lengthwise rather than width-wise to reduce the noise of buggies and bicycles riding along them (which is sometimes an issue on the North Jetty).

• Halfway the North Jetty is an enormous overwater structure, called The Gathering, which houses various dining outlets, as well as a gym, library, boutique shop, chocolate & ice cream parlor, and wine cellar (cf supra). The South Jetty does not feature any communal buildings, except for a small boutique. On the other hand, guests staying at the South Jetty are closer to some of the resort’s key facilities, such as Soneva Soul (the new spa), the outdoor cinema, and facilities at South Beach. However, all guests of both jetties are given (electric) bikes for the duration of their stay, so it’s easy to explore everything that the resort has on offer.

• Guests staying at the South Jetty will mainly have their breakfast on the beach (at South Beach), while guests staying at the North Jetty will mainly have their breakfast inside the Gathering (which offers more choices). However, guests of both jetties can have their breakfast wherever they want to.

• The lagoon surrounding the North Jetty is deeper and brighter blue compared to the water at the South Jetty. During my visit, I also had the impression that there was more maritime wildlife present around the Chapter One villas.

• With a price tag to match the experience, Soneva Jani is one of the world’s most expensive resorts though it’s difficult to argue that it doesn’t offer value for money. It’s the ultimate in exclusive holidays and one of the most divine and fabulous hotels in the world.

• Be warned: all your other trips, whether to the Maldives or beyond, will pale in comparison to the memory of a Soneva Maldives vacation. One wonders what comes next after a Soneva holiday?

REVIEW SONEVA JANI: MY VERDICT

• Location: 10/10
• Design: 10/10
• Pool: not applicable
• Resort grounds (beach): 10/10
• Rooms (villas): 10/10
• Food: 10/10
• Breakfast: 10/10
• Spa: 10/10
• Service: 10/10
• Value for money: 10/10
• Overall experience: exceptional: 10/10

REVIEW SONEVA JANI: TIPS FOR FUTURE GUESTS & SAVE MONEY

• Save money: contact me to receive complimentary VIP perks at Soneva Jani before any booking is made. These perks include:
  • A resort credit valued at 10% of the net room revenue (when booking a Best Available Rate) or 5% of the total package revenue when booking one of the Soneva special packages. For example, if you book 7 nights at Soneva Jani at a best available rate of $2500 USD per night, you will get a resort credit of 7 x $250 USD = $1750 USD, which you can use on food, spa, and activities.
  • Two personalized Soneva experiences per stay (complimentary) from the Soneva experience brochure (excluding Soneva In Aqua). You have the opportunity to select premium activities such as a private Cinema Paradiso experience with dinner; father & son picnic and mother & daughter spa; private dinner at the Starlight Table and a session at the observatory; cooking class for children and family; sunrise breakfast; and gourmet dining experience which includes chocolate and wine tasting.
  • Best available rate.
  • An additional benefit to be disclosed by the Soneva reservations team.

• Room tip: About half of the villas at Soneva Jani faces the sunrise, while the other half faces the sunset (so book or request a villa according to your preference).

• Read my tips for preparing your trip in time.

REVIEW SONEVA JANI: BEST TIME TO VISIT

The best weather in the Maldives is between January and April, which also means high season (with low availability and very expensive room rates). The monsoon runs from May to October, peaking in June. It is worth paying higher prices and sticking to the dry season as there is nothing to do on a rainy day except drink, eat, work out or scuba dive. Especially November and December, which are often labelled as dry season months, have been very unsettled in recent years.

REVIEW SONEVA JANI: HOW TO GET THERE

Getting to the Soneva Jani requires a 40-minute seaplane transfer from Male International Airport (MLE). Check the Wikipedia page of Male International Airport for an updated list of airlines that offer flights to Male International Airport.

REVIEW SONEVA JANI: PHOTOS

Below is a selection of my photos of Soneva Jani. To view more hotel photos (including breakfast, lunch and dinner), click here.

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