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We spent our first three nights within the Maldives at Cheval Blanc Randheli. For these not acquainted, Cheval Blanc is the boutique resort group owned by LVMH (which stands for Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy), and the model at present has 5 properties. We stayed at Cheval Blanc Paris final October and have been amazed by the property’s design, so we have been curious to take a look at one among Cheval Blanc’s hottest resorts, which I’ve nearly universally heard good issues about.
All I can say is… WOW. Cheval Blanc Maldives might be probably the most spectacular resort I’ve ever visited. You anticipate this resort to be beautiful, provided that Cheval Blanc is owned by LVMH. However what amazed me most was the eye to element with actually all the pieces. This resort is model and substance, plain and easy.
Even in case you’re not somebody who would normally not keep at propoerties like this, I hope readers can get pleasure from this evaluation for the “resort porn” factor, if nothing else, like my current evaluation of Les Airelles Courchevel. Within the subsequent installment I’ll be reviewing Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi, which is a factors property, and I feel y’all will discover the comparability to be attention-grabbing.
Cheval Blanc Maldives fundamentals
The 46-villa Cheval Blanc Maldives is solely excessive after which some. Whereas many resorts within the Maldives are on a non-public island, Cheval Blanc is on six non-public islands, as a result of why wouldn’t or not it’s? I imply, heck, there’s an island devoted simply to the spa.
Whereas resorts within the Maldives are typically luxurious, Cheval Blanc actually takes it to the following stage, from its non-public seaplane, to every villa having a 12.5 meter pool, to Le 1947 serving a 12-course tasting menu that may make you overlook that you simply’re in the course of nowhere.
Reserving Cheval Blanc Maldives
Generally luxurious resort charges are by the roof these days, and that’s very a lot true within the Maldives as properly. For our dates, charges at Cheval Blanc Maldives began at $2,600 per night time (solely marginally greater than money charges on the Waldorf Astoria).
The resort does have a “keep seven pay 5” promotion, which lowers the speed a bit extra for these staying longer (and albeit in case you’re visiting and may swing it, I’d completely suggest doing seven nights).
Cheval Blanc Maldives sometimes has constant charges between reserving channels, so that you gained’t discover a higher fee than what you’ll get on Cheval Blanc’s web site. Nevertheless, it is smart to e book by a journey advisor affiliated with Virtuoso, as you’ll pay the identical fee, and can obtain a number of value-add perks, together with the next (and these will be mixed with most promotions being supplied by the property):
- Improve on arrival, topic to availability
- $150 USD meals & beverage credit score to be utilized throughout keep in any of the resort’s eating places, bars or for room service
- Early check-in/late check-out, topic to availability
Word that whereas full breakfast can be sometimes a Virtuoso amenity, all charges at this resort embody breakfast. Ford is after all more than pleased to assist with Cheval Blanc bookings, and will be reached at [email protected] He can even reply any questions you’ll have in regards to the property, together with the distinction between villa sorts, and many others.
Within the curiosity of full disclosure, Ford received a journey advisor fee for our keep on the property, although all opinions expressed are my very own.
get to Cheval Blanc Maldives
Cheval Blanc Maldives is situated within the Noonu Atoll, to the north of Velana Worldwide Airport (MLE) and the capital metropolis of Male. The simplest option to get there may be by seaplane, because the flight takes round 40 minutes.
You’ve a alternative of seaplanes, as you possibly can both fly with Trans Maldivian on a “commonplace” shared 15-seat Twin Otter, which could cease at different resorts. Alternatively, Cheval Blanc has a specifically branded Trans Maldivian airplane, which has simply 9 seats.
Right here’s the present seaplane pricing, which is after all topic to alter:
- Flying the Cheval Blanc seaplane prices $1,610-2,050++ per individual, relying on the season
- Flying the “common” Trans Maldivian Airways seaplane prices $1,085++ per individual
Switch prices throughout the board within the Maldives are steep, so this isn’t uncommon. For instance, the Waldorf Astoria Maldives fees $730++ per individual for the brief speedboat experience between the airport and resort.
Cheval Blanc Maldives Lounge Male Airport (MLE)
We arrived at Male Airport on Emirates, and have been met by a pleasant consultant from Cheval Blanc. She escorted us to a ready SUV and drove us to Cheval Blanc’s lounge within the seaplane terminal. Many of the Maldives’ high motels have lounges right here, although Cheval Blanc’s is especially fashionable.
The lounge had loads of seating, a particular room for teenagers, a bathe room, and an intensive menu with snacks, espresso, and contemporary juices.
Given Cheval Blanc’s connection to LVMH, there have been additionally quite a lot of high-end samples fragrances and samples within the lounge, together with from Dior and Guerlain (which runs the Cheval Blanc spa).
Inside an hour it was time to fly to fly to the resort!
Cheval Blanc Maldives seaplane
We had the chance to fly Cheval Blanc’s seaplane between the airport and resort. How cool-looking is that this airplane?!
This airplane feels extra like a non-public jet than your typical seaplane — there are three units of seats going through each other, after which a bench with three seats. It’s actually a extra comfy method of attending to the resort.
As an aviation geek, flying inside the Maldives is so enjoyable, because the views are superb, and you may watch all the pieces happening within the cockpit.
Cheval Blanc Maldives arrival
Upon arriving at Cheval Blanc’s jetty, we have been warmly welcomed by the resort supervisor, Sebastien, and our Majordome (the French phrase for “butler”), Ashra. Every visitor is appointed a Majordome, who’s chargeable for taking care of them for the whole keep, and making preparations as essential. Every Majordome is assigned at most just a few rooms, in order that they actually go nice lengths to take care of you all through your keep.
On the arrival jetty, Cheval Blanc has an air conditioned room for friends to attend in whereas staying cool, however thankfully we may head straight to our villa, the place our check-in could be processed.
Cheval Blanc Maldives property format
Perhaps it’s greatest to begin with a normal overview of Cheval Blanc’s format. The resort is unfold throughout six islands. Three of those islands are linked by bridges, whereas the opposite three should be accessed by boats:
- The primary island has 16 villas, plus a lot of the eating places, the health middle, the pool, the children membership, and many others.
- The second island is linked by a bridge, and has 11 villas
- Then third island is linked to the second island, and has the remaining villas
- The fourth island is the spa island and may solely be reached by boat; it’s devoted to wellness, and has spa therapy rooms, a spa restaurant, and a pool
- The fifth island is a roughly 2.5 acre non-public island, and may solely be reached by boat; it has 4 bedrooms, a 25-meter pool, and many others.; clearly this could’t be accessed in case you don’t e book the island
- The sixth island was acquired years after the resort opened, and may solely be reached by an excellent longer boat experience; it has tennis courts, a jungle bootcamp, and is usually unspoiled
You may get between the three major islands both by foot, by bike, or by golf cart. Talking of which, how cool are Cheval Blanc’s golf carts?!
Cheval Blanc Maldives lagoon backyard villa
We have been assigned villa 39, a lagoon backyard villa on the third island.
Entry stage villas at Cheval Blanc Maldives are 240 sq. meters (~2,580 sq. ft), in order that they’re huge. There was a path resulting in the doorway to our villa, the place there have been two bikes parked.
These villas… WOW! I cherished the open idea, the place you may see the lounge, bed room, and toilet, to totally recognize simply how huge the villa is. Nevertheless, you may as well flip these enormous vertical slats (or no matter you wish to name them) 90 levels, so that every room has privateness.
The lounge featured a sitting space that had a sofa and chair, after which behind that was a correct desk.
Ready on the lounge espresso desk was one of the beneficiant welcome facilities we’ve ever acquired, with seemingly limitless snacks, and a bottle of Ruinart. For what it’s value, so far as I do know the one particular therapy right here have been the balloons (because it was my birthday on check-in day), however that is in any other case the usual welcome amenity.
Alongside the wall closest to the doorway was the minibar. Non-alcoholic drinks and snacks are complimentary, which is a pleasant contact, particularly because the choice was intensive.
Subsequent up was the bed room, which had a four-poster mattress with a snug mattress and delicate sheets.
There was additionally a sitting space with a daybed and rocking chair.
Subsequent up was the toilet, which had a soaking tub, two sinks (one on all sides of the bath), an enormous walk-in bathe, and a rest room in a separate room with a sink.
The number of facilities was limitless, similar to at Cheval Blanc Paris.
Behind the toilet was an enormous closet space, which was mainly the dimensions of resort rooms in some cities.
However wait, there’s extra! Again close to the doorway was a wall with a hidden door resulting in a kitchen, which is the place the espresso machine and tea kettle have been situated. There was additionally a fridge, microwave, sink, and many others., however I can’t think about these get all that a lot use.
“Hidden” within the wall on the other aspect of the doorway was a second rest room, meant primarily for these coming from the surface space. What a considerate characteristic to have.
Just about all of the room’s capabilities, from the air-con to the blinds, have been managed by an iPad. I’m usually skeptical of this sort of know-how, since I discover it generally doesn’t work properly. The execution right here was flawless.
As if the indoor space wasn’t spectacular sufficient, the outside space was no less than as spectacular. Every villa right here incorporates a 12.5 meter (~41 foot) pool. Normally it’s a deal with to get a plunge pool in an overwater villa, not to mention a pool of this dimension.
The outside area additionally had a sitting space giant sufficient for eating, two solar beds, two chairs, and an out of doors bathe.
There are additionally stairs providing direct entry to the ocean. The water across the villas is shallow, and it’s additionally particularly calm because of a seawall that was constructed round these villas.
Along with the outside area behind the villa, there was additionally a backyard in entrance of the villa, which had a lined eating desk. It’s fairly cool to have a villa that’s primarily overwater and has direct entry to the ocean, whereas additionally having a backyard space.
Cheval Blanc Maldives facilities & amenities
Some persons are fearful in the event that they’ll get bored when touring to the Maldives, particularly because you’re typically confined to 1 resort. Of all of the resorts I’ve visited within the Maldives, Cheval Blanc had probably the most to supply, and I think about you may keep right here for one week and nonetheless not have skilled all the pieces.
Not even accounting for the superb eating retailers (and you may actually spend all day right here simply consuming), there’s all the pieces from swimming pools and seashores, to a spa, to tennis courts, to water sports activities, to a surf simulator, and rather more. Let’s go over a number of the highlights.
Cheval Blanc Maldives pool & seashore
Cheval Blanc’s greatest pool is situated on the principle island — it’s enormous and there’s loads of seating round it, although I by no means noticed a single visitor use it. In any case, why would you utilize a “shared” pool, when you possibly can as a substitute use your 40+ foot non-public pool?
The pool was lovely through the day, at sundown, and even at night time.
The resort additionally has loads of beachfront. There’s a small seashore close to the principle pool, and on high of that there are little stretches of seashore on every of the islands, so you possibly can actually hand around in whichever space you’d like.
Cheval Blanc Maldives water sports activities & surf simulator
Cheval Blanc Maldives has a formidable variety of water sports activities, from jet skis, to eFoils, to kayaks, to wind browsing.
The resort even has a surf simulator, which you wouldn’t anticipate finding on a non-public island within the Maldives.
Cheval Blanc Maldives idea retailer
Whereas it’s regular for resorts within the Maldives to have a present store, Cheval Blanc takes it to the following stage. Given LVMH’s possession of Cheval Blanc, the resort has the largest idea retailer you’ll discover on any non-public island within the Maldives. There are even some designer objects and collaborations which might be completely accessible right here.
So that you’ll discover extra than simply hats and Cheval Blanc branded t-shirts right here…
Cheval Blanc Maldives spa island
Cheval Blanc’s Guerlain-branded spa is on a non-public island, which is only a brief experience on a conventional dhoni boat from the three islands which might be linked by bridges. You’ll be able to go to the spa island any time you’d like, and the boats are at all times accessible to take you between the islands.
The spa island in and of itself is the dimensions of some non-public islands within the Maldives.
Once you arrive on the non-public island, there’s the spa reception space. The spa has quite a lot of therapy choices, and you could find the spa menu right here.
Then there’s a spa pool, which is seemingly an amazing place from which to observe the sundown (although we by no means made it there within the night). We did hang around right here one afternoon, and we had the pool to ourselves.
The spa has 4 single therapy villas, two {couples} villas, Thai therapeutic massage and yoga pavilions, and a hammam, steam room, and chilly plunge pool.
The therapy villas are all secluded and exquisite, with ocean views, indoor and outside showers, terraces, and extra.
Cheval Blanc Maldives tennis & jungle bootcamp island
When Cheval Blanc Maldives first opened in 2013, there have been “solely” 5 islands. Now there are six islands, because the property bought a further island that’s a bit additional away. This island is generally untouched, and can make you are feeling such as you’re on “Survivor,” or one thing.
The first amenity on this island is 2 tennis courts, together with a tough court docket and grass court docket.
There’s additionally a jungle bootcamp. We have been going to take a category on our departure morning, however it ended up getting canceled resulting from climate, sadly.
Cheval Blanc Maldives health club
Cheval Blanc Maldives has a health club on the principle island, with a coach readily available. That is each bit nearly as good as a health club you’d discover at a high metropolis resort, so that you don’t should make any health sacrifices whereas right here.
Cheval Blanc Maldives children & teenagers membership
Okay, I’ll admit I’m no professional on children golf equipment, however in my effort to see nearly all the pieces on the island, I visited the children membership as properly. The Maldives is more and more turning into a household vacation spot slightly than only a {couples} vacation spot, and that’s mirrored within the property’s children membership.
My gosh, this place made me wish to be a child once more. I’ll let the photographs converse for themselves, however suffice it to say that this isn’t your common non-public island children membership.
Cheval Blanc Maldives eating
The number of eating choices at Cheval Blanc Maldives is exceptional, particularly when you think about there are simply 46 villas:
- There’s White Bar & Restaurant, that are marketed individually, however are in the identical space; White Bar is open for lunch, dinner and all-day drinks, whereas White Restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner
- There’s Le 1947, which is open for dinner; Le 1947 serves a 12-course tasting menu, and it’s an offshoot of Cheval Blanc Courchevel’s three Michelin star restaurant
- There’s Diptyque, which serves dinner; that is an Asian restaurant with a few distinctive ideas, together with teppanyaki
- There’s Deelani, which is open for lunch and dinner; that is an Italian restaurant
- There’s Spa Bar, which is open for lunch; this has a concentrate on wholesome and light-weight dishes
On high of that you’ve 24/7 in-villa eating, plus La Desk de Partage (primarily a non-public eating space the place you possibly can have a customized meal).
Let’s get into every of those major retailers in a bit extra element.
Cheval Blanc Maldives White Bar & Restaurant
White Bar & Restaurant is correct subsequent to the resort’s major pool. White Restaurant has loads of seating, with the pool and seashore on one aspect, and a pond on the opposite aspect.
All charges at Cheval Blanc Maldives embody breakfast, and you may both dine within the restaurant between 7AM and 11AM, or anytime in your villa. In the event you dine within the restaurant, there’s a small buffet meant to complement the menu, with contemporary fruit, freshly baked pastries, cereal, and many others.
Past that, the resort has what’s most likely probably the most unbelievable breakfast menu I’ve ever seen. It was 17 pages lengthy. Sure, 17 pages. The menu had all the pieces you may think about (and many stuff you couldn’t, like avocado juice), and you may order as a lot as you needed. We cherished the freshly squeezed juices, smoothies, and iced lattes.
The meals high quality was high notch, from the fattoush salad, to the tuna mashuni, to the tuna kulhimas, to the avocado toast, to the shakshouka.
There was even a featured pastry of the day, and someday we couldn’t resist after we noticed one other desk order it. It was a strawberry croissant, and it was probably the most superb factor ever. The image doesn’t do justice to its dimension, because it should have been a very good 8″ (and I’m not doing the standard math the place folks add a number of inches).
Along with White Restaurant, White Bar is correct by the pool, with loads of outside seating and a DJ within the afternoons.
White Bar served a different lunch menu, with all the pieces from salads, to sushi, to sandwiches, to quite a lot of Asian dishes, to pizza. We had a marinated tuna poke bowl, yellowfin tuna tacos, just a few items of sushi, a poached prawn salad, and a few profiteroles.
Cheval Blanc Maldives Le 1947 Restaurant
On our first night (my birthday) we had dinner at Le 1947, the resort’s signature restaurant. As talked about above, that is primarily based on Cheval Blanc Courchevel’s Le 1947, which has three Michelin stars. For higher or worse, this restaurant will fully make you overlook that you simply’re on a non-public island in the course of the Indian Ocean, as you don’t anticipate this caliber of meals or the sort of ambiance (or air-con!).
The restaurant has a lounge space, the place you possibly can get pleasure from a pre-dinner drink.
There’s even a cigar room and wine cellar you possibly can sit in.
Then the restaurant as such has simply seven tables, with 4 providing an enormous quantity of privateness (as they’re surrounded by curtains and home windows).
The menu continuously adjustments, and you can also make requests primarily based on dietary restrictions and preferences. Yow will discover our menu beneath. At $340++ per individual this was clearly a splurge, however frankly most likely no more than you’d pay for a meal of this caliber in a metropolis. In order that’s spectacular when you think about how rather more costly it have to be to supply many supplies right here.
We began our night within the lounge, the place we ordered some cocktails.
We have been additionally served the canapés right here, which included tuna & crab, pink rose tomato confit & jelly with olive pearl dressing, and crispy potato mille-feuille with beef tartare.
After that we moved to our desk — what a setting!
First up on the desk was line caught sea bass carpaccio with dry citrus and yuzu gel, and a wholesome serving of caviar with gold leaf.
Subsequent up was pan seared carabineros with crunchy coronary heart lettuce romaine and black truffle mayonnaise.
Then there was foie gras royale with candy corn cream and vanilla oil.
Then there was crispy egg with bitter cream and one other very beneficiant portion of caviar. Additionally, have a look at the trouble that goes into the presentation right here!
Then there was scallop with creamy seaweed and parmesan foam.
Subsequent was the primary of two major programs, which was a turbot filet with greens, black truffle, ginger, and chives.
Then there was pigeon with baked pumpkin palet and roasted seeds.
Subsequent up was a truffle brie with frisée salad.
Then there was dessert, which consisted of contemporary pink berries and compotes with yogurt ice cream and vanilla foam.
Subsequent up I used to be introduced a birthday cake with ice cream, as if we would have liked any extra meals.
Then to complete off the meal we have been supplied mignardises.
And as if that wasn’t sufficient, once we returned to our room there was a field of 9 goodies, meant as a “final candy contact” of the meal.
I can’t say sufficient good issues in regards to the eating expertise, from the standard of the meals, to the service, to the ambiance. Whereas forgetting that you simply’re within the Maldives in your first night time won’t appear superb, this was such a singular expertise you gained’t discover at many resorts.
Cheval Blanc Maldives Diptyque Restaurant
On our final night we had dinner at Diptyque. No, this isn’t a collaboration with the posh candle firm, however slightly it’s named after the French phrase “diptyque,” which means “in two components” (or one thing like that). That’s as a result of the restaurant serves each Japanese and East Asian delicacies, with one counter centered on every sort of delicacies.
Along with the indoor counters, there was additionally an out of doors teppanyaki space, the place we dined.
The teppanyaki restaurant offers diners the selection of an eight or 10 course set menu, and we went with the previous.
As a lot as I really like Benihana, I’ve to say, this was a step up out of your typical teppanyaki expertise. The meal began with salted edamame.
The second course was clams with wakame salad, shiso dressing, and yuzu ponzu.
The third course was a miso soup.
The fourth course was tuna tataki with fermented daikon, kumbu, dashi jelly, and tofu foam.
The fifth course was seared duck foie gras with eggplant miso, pickles, gomasio, and a bao bun.
The sixth course had three decisions. I ordered the lobster with asparagus, seaweed tartare, and spicy lobster bisque sauce.
Ford, in the meantime, had the hen yuzu teriyaki with bok choy, black sesame seeds, lemon confit, and yuzu sauce.
The seventh course was a palate cleanser of types, consisting of sakura tea granite with cherry gel.
The eighth course was strawberry and shiso with soya milk foam, kalamansi sorbet, and kizami nori.
Once more, this was an unbelievably good eating expertise.
Cheval Blanc Maldives Deelani Restaurant
On our second night we had dinner at Deelani, Cheval Blanc’s Italian restaurant. That is situated on the very finish of the arrival jetty, so it has nice water views (we even noticed just a few sharks from our desk at dinner).
The meal began with an enormous basket of freshly baked bread.
Then to begin we had tuna tartare and calarmi.
For mains, I had gnocchi, whereas Ford had the fish of the day.
The gnocchi rivaled a number of the greatest I’ve had exterior of Italy.
Cheval Blanc Maldives Spa Bar
Spa Bar is the resort’s lunch restaurant that’s situated on the spa island, and it has a singular eating idea. It is a small restaurant, because it has simply a few tables, plus just a few units of chairs with aspect tables overlooking the pool (you may as well be served meals on the pool).
A whole lot of eating places declare to be wholesome, after which serve burgers and membership sandwiches. However this place is definitely wholesome, which positive was a deal with between all the opposite overly indulgent meals we had. There’s an enormous menu of contemporary juices, so we tried a few these.
To eat, I ordered the rock lobster spring rolls, whereas Ford had the zucchini, inexperienced papaya, and pumpkin spaghetti with pomegranate and Thai dressing.
We additionally had some dessert (admittedly a bit much less wholesome), as I had some mochi, whereas Ford had sorbet.
Cheval Blanc Maldives service
Service within the Maldives will be hit-or-miss, although we had the most effective service we’ve ever had within the Maldives at Cheval Blanc:
- Throughout the board, it’s clear that Cheval Blanc hires for persona, and nearly each worker we interacted with was personable and genuinely needed friends to have a very good time
- Our Majordome, Ashra, was a celebrity; she was so pleasant, and responded to us by WhatsApp inside minutes whatever the time of day
- The resort supervisor in addition to meals & beverage supervisor have been extraordinarily palms on, and checked on friends at nearly each meal
I additionally wish to discuss a bit in regards to the stage of consideration to element at Cheval Blanc Maldives. Typically you keep at a resort and surprise if the one who designed the expertise has ever stayed at a resort earlier than. At Cheval Blanc Maldives, conversely, you surprise if there’s something they didn’t consider when designing the property and repair.
The quantity of consideration to element that went into nearly all the pieces is what actually units this aside.
Let’s begin with the villa. For instance, the sheets have been modified day-after-day. How have you learnt? Effectively, as a result of they alternate the colours of the sheets each night time simply to remind you. 😉
There’s a cute little canoe with sand close to the doorway to the room, and day-after-day a unique message was written in it.
For that matter, a number of occasions per day there have been additionally messages written within the sand main as much as the villa.
And talking of message, because it was my birthday, “HAPPY BIRTHDAY” was written in shells in entrance of the door.
Additionally, the variety of little items and goodies within the room jogged my memory of Cheval Blanc Paris, with limitless toiletries, candles, and different surprises.
I cherished how even thought was put into the in-room notepad, because it was within the form of an island.
I really feel like simply to show that they put thought into all the pieces, the resort provides complimentary dry cleansing, laundry, and urgent providers, to your arrival apparel, as much as three items. This implies your journey garments will be “contemporary” and loved for the remainder of your keep.
There was the same consideration to element in public areas. One small instance is that you simply’re supplied a refreshing towel nearly all over the place you go. Every time it’s introduced out on a tray, after which every outlet has a signature perfume that’s sprayed on it. Unbelievable.
Backside line
Cheval Blanc Randheli is regarded by many as being the most effective resort within the Maldives, and now I perceive why. It’s actually my favourite island resort I’ve ever stayed at. This resort is jaw-droppingly lovely, from the six islands as such, to the gorgeous amenities. To high all of it off, the resort has impeccable service and probably the most spectacular meals & beverage program I’ve seen at any secluded resort.
In the event you love luxurious motels and are contemplating a visit to the Maldives, I’d extremely suggest Cheval Blanc in case you can swing it.
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