Best of the Maldives: Buffet – Soneva Fushi

Soneva Fushi buffet 1

Soneva Fushi turns the buffet into a smorgasbord.

Buffets are one of the resort world’s staples. They can be a simplified logistics way to cater to large numbers and diverse tastes without a massive outlay of service staff or preparation staff. As such, the focus tends to be on diversity and efficiency than gastronomic excellence. Of course, there are exceptions – Bellagio in Las Vegas, Porcao in Rio de Janeiro, Queen Mary all over the place. Soneva is one of those exceptional buffets.

No quality seems to have been spared in the sheer quantity of delectable offerings. The sushi is better than most places in London (I love the fish egg garnish and the pieces weren’t dry as can be the case with many pre-prepared sushi offerings).

Part of Soneva’s secret is taking the notion of a “station” to a whole new level with specialty “rooms” catering to special foods. There a cheese room, cereal/bread & pastry room and of course its infamous ice cream room.

Soneva themselves describe their culinary cornucopia…

“We aim to anticipate our guests’ desires. In the words of Oscar Wilde, ‘Nothing succeeds like excess.’ In that spirit we have gone delightfully overboard for you at the culinary heart of our island. Mihiree Mitha means ‘Here it is’, and almost any dish you crave is here. The day begins with a bounty of just-baked goodies, two dozen imported cheeses, eggs any way you like, a treasure chest of homemade jams and fresh fruits… luscious mango, papaya, passion fruits. For lunch or dinner, choose from the freshest sushi and sashimi, organic salads, wood-fired pizzas, grilled fish, delectable tandoori. For a sweet finish, more than 60 homemade ice creams and sorbets await, including unexpected flavours like honeycomb and rosemary, piña colada and chocolate-lemongrass.”

Soneva Fushi buffet pizza oven

Best of the Maldives: Gift Shop – Kurumba

Kurumba - gift shop

Gift shops in the Maldives are usually of two extremes – very basic, not too impressive souvenirs (coconut shell turtles), snacks (Pringles and Tobblerones) and toiletries or over-the-top luxury fashion and jewellery. Resorts that (a) don’t exploit the opportunity for effective cross-sell, and (b) don’t equip better for the things I might actually want to buy are a bit of a pet peeve for me. I’ve found a few fine establishments, but more often than not I am left wanting.

The one resort retailer that does stand out is Kurumba’s Nala boutique. Every visit, we find something there to buy. Our latest visit, it was not just one, but two items that we had failed to find during our entire 10 resort tour. Lori had misplaced her USB cable to attach her GoPro to her computer. Needed for both charging the camera and downloading the photos, we had been borrowing these little chords (of which we have about a dozen kicking about in our cable drawer at home) throughout our trip, but for the life of us could not find one to buy. Until we arrived at Kurumba which had one for sale. On top of that, this trip was Lori’s first go at her new GoPro and the incompetent dive shop in North Carolina which sold it to her (as well as the very expensive underwater light) neglected to advise her to get a basic $30 red filter for enhancing underwater shooting. Those too were nowhere to be found…until we came to Nala which has a whole line of GoPro accessories.

It’s not just the practical, gadgetry where Nala excels, but fashion too. I’ve already penned a post about their signature burkini. Lori has bought a number of wraps and tops there, and the only jewellery I ever bought in the Maldives was at Nala (a pair of lovely round enamel earrings with the Maldives azures and turquoises).

You can also find some properly distinctive mementos and gifts to bring home. One of my favourites is the line of coconut products. Coconut is the zeitgeist of Kurumba, and as I have written, Kurumba even produces its own coconut oil which it uses in everything from cooking to the toiletries at your villa. And if you want to bring home a bit of Maldives essence, then you can purchase these same products and even the coconut oil itself at the shop.

Most gift shops are pedestrian “phone it in” affairs, but Kurumba’s is an entrepreneurial inspiration by the manager Victoria Kruse (see above…wife of the resort GM). She scrutinizes the fashion range, introduces inventive products like the burkini and the resort-made coconut oil and makes sure that it caters to what people really need and want.

Best of the Maldives: Cool Character-ature – Huvafenfushi

Huvafenfushi - Irma style

It seems like every possible moment of a holiday is captured by the ubiquitous digi-gadgets snapping every possible permutation of sunset, seascape and romantic pose. For a more stylish and creative worth-a-thousand-words memento, Huvafenfushi has introduced celebrity portraiture. Feature last week in the Sunday Times, they describe…

“The award-winning artist Jasmin Khexri – whose cool fictional character Irma doles out fashion and beauty advice in Vogue, Tatler and Marie Claire – will be in residence at the resort in October. Kherzi will draw portraits in her distinctive style which giving sitters creative tips on how to bring a bit of Irma’s World into their lives. A session costs £360.”

 

Best of the Maldives: Custom Complimentaries – Soneva Fushi

Soneva Fushi toilettries

Even getting free gifts right can be tricky. We often feel bad when the resort management has left a traditional complmentary greeting in our room and it’s something for some reason or another we can’t enjoy. Sometimes it’s not something we fancy at the moment or just isn’t our preference.

The same can be true in the bathroom, that trove of complementary items. We still often bring our own shampoo and conditioner because we’re not certain that the resorts will supply some to our liking.

Soneva Fushi makes sure that all of its generosity hits the mark from the moment they first greet you at the airport lounge. As well as offering you refreshment and sorting out your registration, the hostess also presents you will samples of Soneva’s fragrances (lemon grass and peppermint for shampoo, conditioner and lotion) and bath salts (lemongrass and rosemary). You get to sample their fragrance and choose the one that you would like your room will be equipped with.

They also ask you for your choice of bottle of red, white or champagne for a welcome libation.

There’s an old adage in customer service…”Ask the customer what they want, and give it to them.”

Best of the Maldives: Bling Welcome – Jumeirah Dhevanafushi

Jumeirah Dhevanafushi - bling goodies

 

 

When Jumeirah came to the Maldives a few years ago, I think the expectations were that the two properties (Vittaveli and Dhevanafushi) would be all Dubai bling. Even I held these preconceived notions and was delighted when the properties took a much more subtle approach to Maldives chic with natural and local design inspiration.

Our arrival at Jumeirah Dhevanafushi this summer did indulge us in just a taste of Jumeirah’s guilded style, though, with their most distinctive welcome platter. White chocolate with pistachio, velvet macaroons, coffee bean chocs, peanut brittle truffle. And all of these delicacies topped with a hint of gold leaf.

One tick box to a super-premium (5-plus stars) is distinctive welcome treat on arrival at the room (the first and last impressions are so powerful). In general, the “rating” of a resort can be belied by its welcome refreshment…

  • 3 star = nothing
  • 4 = fruit
  • 5 = something prepared
  • 5+ = something special prepared.

Super deluxe is all about those special touches, and Dhevanafushi dazzles with its extra-special golden touch.

 

Jumeirah Dhevanafushi - bling goodies close up

Best of the Maldives: Pillow Menu Samples – Anantara Kihavah Villas

Anantara Kihavah Villas - pillow menu samples

 

 

The other extreme from electronic virtual menus…scale model replica menus. Anantara Kihavah Villas offers its own pillow menu (now at a number of the super premium properties), but instead of just a description of the different varieties, Kihavah presents 6 little pillows in a box for the guest to touch and handle to get the perfect feel for each different one. From Ipad to minI-pad. 

Best of the Maldives: iPads – Park Hyatt Hadahaa

PArk Hyatt Hadahaa - ipad apps

My wife can live without her computer in the Maldives and even her phone, but her tablet is still standard equipment. It’s handy light reading and comfortable way to check on email and update her Facebook posts in the comfort of her lounger.

Park Hyatt Hadahaa has embraced the iPad with its own rich resort app. And each room is equipped with their very own iPad which includes useful information such as dining menus, activities, spa menus, island map, etc.

Paradise?…There’s an app for that.

Best of the Maldives: Wireless Technology – Cheval Blanc Randheli

Cheval Blanc iport

 

 

A bit slow posting this week working my day job at the International Broadcasting Convention in Amsterdam where we at Ericsson and 1,500 other firms were showing off the latest electronic gadgetry to hit the home screen.

Probably our biggest tech pain when visiting the Maldives with this suitcase full of tech toys is charging the battery of batteries – computers, camera, ipad, phones, GoPro, dive light. We always seem to miss one out and it dies right when we need it most.

Cheval Blanc Ranheli recently announced its new iPort LaunchPort service which not only provides a leading edge villa control unit, but also performs the magic of wireless charging…

“The world's first and only wireless charging and magnetic mounting system for the iPad. LaunchPort is available in all 45 villas on the property and for use at the front desk, concierge, spa and on-site restaurants and bars… The custom-branded LaunchPort for Cheval Blanc Randheli consists of a sleeve and a magnetic mounting and inductive charge station for the tabletop or wall. Initially created for residential home automation, LaunchPort allows guests to operate all electronic controls in their villa including door locks, TV and lighting. An iPad is easily mounted and dismounted via discrete magnets that are embedded into the case and charging station…LaunchPort will also be available throughout the resort for staff to update and charge their iPads used to provide concierge services including booking reservations in the on-site restaurants and scheduling appointments in the spa.”

Today’s post prompts a new “Best Of” category that I am seeing quite a bit more of recently across the archipelago – Technology.

(thanks Francisco)

Best of the Maldives: Turtles Snorkeling – One & Only Reethi Rah

One and Only Reethi Rah Turtle Adventure

One of the new items on House Reef profiles is the “Resident” field. This notes if there is a particular creature who is regularly found on the house reef and who can be distinctly identified. The first “Resident” I met in the Maldives was “Camilla”, a turtle on the Vakarufalhi house reef.

Turtles are quite readily identifiable by their shell markings which has allowed a few marine biologists to take Snorkel Spotting to a whole new level. The most spottable grounds might just be the eponymous “Turtle Reef” in the North Male atoll. This terrapin terroir is closest to the Makanudhu resort, but the the nearby One & Only Reethi Rah really gives the excursion the first class treatment (see video link above). Reports Reethi’s Scott Le Roi…

“Turtle reef is where we go for the Turtle Adventure trip (every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday). It is one of the most popular reefs we go to. The reef is next to Makundhoo resort, which is about a 25 minute dhoni ride or about 7 minutes in a speedboat from our resort. We take lots of private trips there as well and the dive centre also do there evening snorkel there on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. It’s a hawksbill turtle feeding ground so there is always a good chance of seeing lots of turtles there. The most I have seen in one snorkel is 23! The turtles here are pretty relaxed. As it is their home territory, they don’t feel threatened by people, so our guests can have a really amazing encounter with them; Swimming alongside them or turtles coming up to breathe right in front of them! It is also a very beautiful reef. Nice corals and fish life, sometimes sharks and eagle rays.”

In the spirit of Snorkel Spotter, the Reethi Rah marine biologist also runs a spotting program (see pictures below)…

Since February 2012 our resident Marine Biologist has been identifying the different turtles seen during the Turtle Adventure Snorkel at both Turtle Reef and West Point Reef. Every turtle has a unique scale pattern on each side of the head which it can be identified by. Photographed turtles are uploaded into a photo identification database to try to establish their population size, foraging sites and migration patterns. So far over 100 different Hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) have been identified at Turtle Reef and over 40 at West Point Reef. Many of these turtles are common residents of the reef and can be seen regularly.”

For people interesting in “Turtle Spotting” across the Maldives, the Four Seasons Marine Savers’ Turtle ID Project takes this ID programme to Maldives-wide level.

 

One and Only Reethi Rah turtle spotting