Take a sneak peek at JW Marriott Kaafu Atoll Island Resort, which only opened this week
Marriott International has just unveiled its latest resort in the Maldives, JW Marriott Kaafu Atoll Island Resort. This brings the American company’s Maldivian portfolio to eight properties in total.
The new resort is located in Male’ Atoll (which is also known as Kaafu Atoll, hence the name). While it’s only 15 minutes by speedboat from the international airport, JW Marriott Kaafu Atoll lies in a secluded position towards the centre of the atoll, surrounded by sandbanks and dive sites.
It’s Marriott International’s second JW Marriott-branded resort to open in the Maldives. The first was the JW Marriott Maldives Resort & Spa in Shaviyani Atoll.
The new Marriott International resort features 80 contemporary pool villas overlooking the ocean. No less than 47 of the villas are overwater pool villas (villas on stilts over the lagoon, with private plunge pools). It also has seven dining venues including a speciality steak restaurant, as well as a signature Japanese-Peruvian restaurant.
At the spa (‘Spa by JW’), you can experience treatments by luxury German brand, BABOR – it’s the first time they have been made available in the Maldives. While the aim is to curate a relaxed vibe, the resort is also kid-friendly and offers a Family by JW Kids’ Club as well as a Teens’ Zone.
JW Marriott Kaafu Atoll Island Resort’s General Manager, Srikanth Devarapalli, said: “When envisioning this resort, every detail was carefully crafted to reflect the timeless beauty of the Maldives, with a focus on creating not just a memorable vacation, but an unforgettable journey.
“Our goal is to provide guests with a true sanctuary, where luxury and well-being converge. With JW Marriott’s signature warmth and hospitality, we invite guests to fully immerse themselves in the magic of the Maldives, nurturing both the mind and body”.
Designed by Turkish architect, Cuneyt Bukulmez, the new Marriott International resort in North Male’ Atoll takes inspiration from the natural world. Brightly painted villa doors echo the luminous turquoise waves of the shallow lagoon. The sandy tones of the soft furnishings blend seamlessly with the vermillion shades of the open ocean reflected in the patterned rugs.
The craft of traditional Maldivian lacquerware is woven into the interior design, underlining JW Marriott Kaafu Atoll Island Resort’s Maldivian identity. Indoor and outdoor areas seamlessly blend into each other, with floor-to-ceiling glass doors, open-air showers and private pools.
As the natural world is such a vital part of the Maldives resort experience – with the Maldives on the frontline of climate change – Marriott International has teamed up with Invena climate technology company. They have created a pioneering 30-metre-long underwater coastal structure to combat beach erosion. This is an issue that all Maldivian resorts face to varying degrees, although the traditional approach is normally sandbags and sea walls, which are not as aesthetically pleasing.
The project also includes a fledgling reef habitat to grow coral and attract diverse tropical fish. It was designed in collaboration with the Self-Assembly Lab at the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology. According to the resort, guests will have an opportunity to interact with the project, contributing to scientific efforts that address climate challenges.
There are many good diving and snorkelling sites within a short boat ride of JW Marriott Kaafu Atoll Island Resort where stingrays, nurse sharks, hawksbill turtles and colourful fish are frequently sighted. It’s also close to popular haunts for dolphins.
Other than the new JW resort in Male’ Atoll and its’ sister JW resort in Shaviyani Atoll, the remaining Marriott International resorts in the Maldives are The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort; The Westin Maldives Miriandhoo Resort; Le Méridien Maldives Resort & Spa; The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands; and Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa. The W Maldives will reopen on March 1 after what Marriott is touting as a “bold transformation”.
For more information, visit: www.jwmarriottkaafuatoll.com.
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