The most natural roof in the Maldives has to be the Ritz Carlton Maldives teletubbyesque “Ritz Kids” kids club. Its living turf dome provides a rare hill-like impression for its youngster haven. Its circular portal opens to an extensive playground of activities and features (see below) all protectively coddled in this knoll-y corral.
We love seeing sharks in the Maldives…this Neon Bull Shark art installation by Carla O’Brien was an especially bright sighting at the Ritz Carlton Maldives:
The piece is part of the resort’s 14 piece art collection of modern works in a variety of media.
Ritz Carlton Maldives’ villas offer their own way of shading from the sun if you want to stay outdoors with his-and-hers sun hats in every room.
A spa treatment, especially in the Maldives, isn’t just about the targeted part of the body, but is also an immersive experience of relaxation and comfort. With massages, I do sort of appreciate a lovely location, but frankly when you are face down with your eyes closed, there is not much opportunity to enjoy them. So for massage treatments, the sensory luxury is all about touch – the feel of the plush table and of course the expert therapists.
Ritz Carlton Maldives’ spa simply exudes sensual softness in every details. You change into super silk soft robes. The face rest not only featured a spongy cushion, but also it was covered with an ultra soft chamois. The same chamois texture that covered the entire bed. And Dankaj, my masseur, provide a treatment that was fluid and tender while being firm enough to coax the tight muscles out of their tension (I find male masseurs to often be too mechanical and firm) with just the right pressure like the right amount of chili in a curry.
Ropes courses are a classic team building activity in the corporate world, and for those budding executives, Ritz Carlton Maldives’ “Ritz Kids Club” offers and indoor and outdoor net-protected rope climbing (and clambering) frame. With the number of these “Climbing” features going higher and higher, I’ve added a tag for them with this post.
A strong spine is literally the backbone of healthy living. My interest is in sport and I am always struck by how (literally) central the importance of posture was for so many activities. I heard our ballroom dance teacher giving me the exact same tips about “shoulders down and back, pelvis forward, back straight”, that I gave my rowing students. Of course, back pain seems to be the most common affliction of aging which again all boils down to the spine. Ritz Carlton Maldives hosted Lorelei “Yoyi” Bulan who is a spine health expert during our stay. She walked me through a number of demonstrations and exercises (see videos) to gently activate, limber and strengthen my spine. Relieving stress discomfort at the literal “core”.
The main event in the Maldives is the ocean view. Bering such a tiny plot of sand in the middle of the vast ocean (or if you are underwater!), the aquatic vistas surround our and consume you. Whenever I am in an area of outstanding natural beauty, I always am bemused by buildings with small windows. Why don’t they make as expansive a window as possible to enjoy such a distinctive sight? One resort that has gotten this right to the extreme, pretty much bringing the entire outdoors right into the bedroom, is Ritz Carlton Maldives. Absolutely the biggest villa “window” on the water that we have seen in the Maldives.
Bidets always seem to be a superfluous use of space in villas and they are going a bit out of fashion. But I realise that they are valued as a part of bathroom cleansing in a number of cultures. Ritz Carlton Maldives features a toilet with a built-in bidet so you can have the option with out the extra item in the bathroom. It also includes subtle LED lights to help you find the toilet in the dark (so you don’t have to disturb your partner by turning lights on). That is a commode that is very a la mode.
For a destination with a “No Shoes, No News” vibe, a shoe caddy would seem a bit out of place, but actually I quite welcomed this distinctive amenity at Ritz Carlton Maldives. I wear shoes to transfer, and the heat means I sweat. Jetting off to such a swanky place as the Maldives (and the Ritz no less), I bring my nicer clothes. And the soft leather would lose shape and appearance if I didn’t put a shoe tree in them when I took them off. Not everyone wear flip flips and if you want to wear some nice shoes for your gourmet meal, you can keep your fine footwear in pristine shape.
If you prefer a final run around the island before departing or just want to work off some holiday(s) excess, Ritz Carlton Maldives features an inspired “Jogging Station” on one of its main paths. You can grab a towel to wipe off with or a glass of cold water a bit like the aid stations on the side of marathon routes.