Best of the Maldives: “Bucket” List – Soneva Jani

Soneva Jani - bucket sink

The Maldives is one of those ever-present bucket-list destinations, and it turns out that Soneva Jani literally puts the ‘bucket’ into this ‘bucket list’ paradise. First of all, their main restaurant is outfitted with a quirky sink made from a bucket (and I always appreciate an inventive wash basin). But also, their crab shack outlet featured two distinctive beverage “buckets”. While we all know about the commonplace, “wine bucket” to keep your bottle cold by your table, Soneva Jani had a “beer bucket” for your bottle of beer. They also had a special “wine glass bucket” which kept your glass of wine chilled during your meal. All great fun and very practical as well.

Soneva Jani - beer bucket

Soneva Jani - drink bucket

Best of the Maldives: Recycled Construction – Soneva Jani

Soneva Jani - crab shack 2

Many resorts recycle the small consumables like bottles and packaging, but Soneva Jani has recycled so much of its construction materials that it was able to make an entire restaurant out of them. In fact, the construction design of the “Crab Shack” was also inspired by the story of a local fisherman:

  • “For years, the fisherman collection small pieces of driftwood and any other gifts the sea would bring him. Friends who saw his enthusiasm started to collect useful items for him, from wherever they could find them. A discard chair, mismatches plates and cutlery, pieces of driftwood…He didn’t mind that every chair in his restaurant would be different, he actually liked the thrown-together feel of it all.”

Soneva Jani - crab shack 3

Soneva Jani - crab shack

Best of the Maldives: Electric Bikes – Soneva Jani

Soneva Jani - Electric bikes

All my middle-aged friends (of the MAML species…Middle Aged Men in Lycra) have been raving about the new generation of electric powered bikes. Not being a road warrior, I’ve never had the chance to try one until our stay at Soneva Jani. Especially with Soneva Jani’s considerable size, these two-wheeled electric buggies made getting around quite easy and quite a bit of fun. Just powerful enough to give that boost to facilitate the pedaling, or even just letting the bike coast and do all the work for you on the flat bit (but not so powerful to be at all hard to control).

 


Best of the Maldives: Kids Pool Area – Soneva Jani

Soneva jani - kids pool area

The very first resort attribute that I researched, long before Maldives Complete was a website, was which resorts had pools. We knew from visiting Lori’s sister’s beach house, that despite being surrounded by an expansive ocean for swimming, the kids got tired of the salt and sand after many hours, but still wanted to carry on with the water fun. So having a pool was a valued option for us (plus, us parents could lounge more easily especially with poolside drink service). Soneva Jani “The Den” the kids club includes a 1,668-square-foot swimming pool features a waterslide, catamaran nets, shallow areas for toddlers, and two waterfalls.

Soneva Jani - kids pool area 2

Best of the Maldives: Kids Cub Telescope – Soneva

Soneva - kids telescope
Photo Credit: CREDIT: Aksham Abdul Gadhir, Ahmed Jailam, Aminath Haneen Siddiq for Soneva

Telescopes are becoming fairly common among the luxury properties so guests can take advantage of the crystal-clear skies and remote from civilization’s light pollution to explore the cosmos above. Soneva Jani’s kids club has its very own telescope viewings for the younger generation of star gazers.

Soneva - kids telescope 2

Best of the Maldives: Biggest Lagoon – Soneva Jani

Soneva Jani - lagoon

With their distinctive drop-offs, accessibility to shore, world-leading snorkeling and colourful marine life, Maldives house reefs have long been a criterion for guests. But the more visible and equally Maldivian lagoons also have their own allure. The azure tapestries enshrouding the islands are the first startlingly beautiful vision a visitor has of the destination as their plane starts its final descent. Some guests specifically seek out expansive lagoons for their choice of resorts. And no resort is more expansive than Soneva Jani’s Medhufaru Lagoon t 5.6 km in length. Blue for miles!

Best of the Maldives: Sinks – Soneva Jani

Soneva Jani - bucket sink

I love a creative sink. I have been featuring them for a while here, and we designed our own ‘cantilever’ marble waterfall sink in our previous house. Soneva Jani provides not just another addition to my wash basin compendium, but three distinctively designed ones. A converted literal basin, a subtle carved wooden plank, and a glass bowl (which we also had in our master bedroom at home).

Soneva Jani - sink

Soneva Jani - sink 2

Best of the Maldives: Average Revenue Per Room – Soneva Jani

Soneva Jani - overview

Soneva Jani’s “completely by the numbers” is especially impressive even by Maldivian standards as shared in the article “New Chapter Opens for Asia’s Soneva Hotels With a More Than $200 Million Investment”. The piece shared the Average Revenue Per room for the property:

  • According to Shivdasani, Soneva’s top 100 clients account for 40 to 50 percent of revenues. They arrive in private jets and spend between $100,000 and $1 million. Soneva Jani rakes in an eye-watering average rate of $3,500 and an average occupancy of 70 percent, making it the RevPAR (revenue per available room) leader in Asia.”

Just wow!

Best of the Maldives: Teen Hangout – Soneva Jani

Soneva Jani - waterfall bar

The most natural and aquatic “walls” to any Maldives resort space is Soneva Jani’s “Cave Bar” in its Den kids club. The pool bar especially designed for teens is secluded behind one of the two pool waterfalls. The other leads to the Cave Bar, an evening hangout for teens, complete with a DJ booth, and dance floor.

This feature has prompted me to add two new site Tags: “Teenager” (activities for which are in increasing demand with the rise in family holidayers at the destination) and “Waterfall” (I do appreciate water features).

Best of the Maldives: Jellyfish Sculpture – Soneva Jani

Soneva Jani - jellyfish

Happy Halloween! While resorts are adorning their properties with spooky décor for the occasion, Soneva Jani’s main restaurant is permanently bedecked with a hauntingly alluring mobile of ghostly jellyfish. This post is the latest instalment in its catalogue of suspended sea life sculptures so I’ve added the handy “Mobile” tag for them.