How To Guides

One nation, the Maldives, is made up approximately 1,200 islands. It is located in the Indian Ocean. While some are small enough to be surrounded by sand and trees they also house some of the most stunning resorts on the planet. Vommuli Island is one such property. It is home to The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli resort and one of many Marriott Bonvoy properties.

Get a glimpse into the St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort’s incredible design.

The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort, located on a private island 45 minutes south from Male by seaplane is a wonderful destination. Although it is not a budget-friendly place, it is a great spot to save for your bucket list. Marriott Bonvoy points are a great way to redeem Marriott Bonvoy points for a stay.

Round-trip costs for a seaplane ride are $808 per person. In a lounge located at Male’s Velana International Airport guests can wait for the seaplane flight in an area with complimentary snacks.

All amenities are located on the main island, or in the section of overwater villas that is accessible via a wooden boardwalk.

This contemporary design is unique among other Maldivian thatch-roofed resorts. The emphasis is on eco-friendly operations, while still preserving local Maldivian culture.

There are four areas on the property. The first is the lagoon and beach zones. These are home to overwater villas, while the former houses land-based accommodations. Many garden villas are hidden by trees in the jungle zone. The coastal zone contains a dozen family homes that are located on the water’s edge.

At the jetty, staff will greet guests with fresh coconuts. Guests are then taken to their accommodations by golf carts. All zones are connected by sandy pathways, except the lagoon zone where there is a wooden boardwalk that crosses the ocean to reach the villas. If guests don’t want to use their butler to drive a golf cart, they can ride bikes around the island.

You’re wrong to think that you will be hungry while on private islands. The St. Regis has a wide selection of bars and restaurants to offer guests a variety of dining options.

T-Pan is a new teppanyaki restaurant with two tables that offer panoramic views. The Omakase tasting menu is available to guests, which allows them to sample a selection of sake and specialty liquors. This resort boasts the country’s largest sake collection and the only one with its own sake sommelier.

The Whale Bar is a popular overwater bar known for its sundowner cocktails. The menu includes cocktails, drinks and a selection of Spanish-themed tapas. The chef has a knack for combining traditional dishes with modern island flavors. The resort’s version of the Bloody Mary, which originated in New York at the St. Regis Hotel, is also popular.

Each St. Regis now has its own version. Here, we have “The Island Mary”, which contains kala Namak salt, a local flavor that is used in cooking. Here you can also watch the famous St. Regis ritual of Champagne sabering at Sunset.

Alba serves buffet food at the Champagne-fueled Breakfast and a la carte throughout the day. Every morning, live cooking stations, an acai and smoothie station, and made-to-order eggs dishes are all available. You can choose to dine indoors or on the terrace with pool views. Later in the afternoon, the menu will shift to Mediterranean and Italian flavors.

Orientale serves pan-Asian and sushi on a terrace overlooking the sea, while Cargo offers Middle Eastern cuisine in a space that is surrounded by greenery.

Crust & Craft offers something more casual in the afternoon. They make delicious pizzas in their wood-fired oven, as well as a variety of drinks and salads that can be enjoyed on the shore.

There are special dining options such as romantic dinners on sand, wine pairings with Decanter, and even a sandbank picnic prepared by the hotel’s chef. Guests love to order a floating breakfast to be delivered to their villa and enjoyed in the pool.

There are many overwater villas available for rent. Many people love the idea of sleeping in a floating home. Each bedroom has a comfortable bed and ceiling fan, as well as plush mattresses. A tablet controls all in-room functions including TV, lights, and menus for room service.

Beautiful terraces offer plunge pools with views of the ocean and steps leading down to the sea for an instant dip. The marble bathrooms are elegantly decorated with indoor and outdoor showers.

There are deep soaking tubs as well as his-and-hers wardrobes. The latter also has beach bags, flip flops and hats that guests can use on the property.

Many villas overlook the sunset and have sofa beds. Some suites have two bedrooms and larger living rooms. The John Jacob Astor Estate, which has three bedrooms and is one of the largest Indian Ocean estates, is the most exclusive.

The garden and beach villas are located on the same land as the overwaters and have their own plunge pool and similar interior spaces. They are located a few steps away from the ocean, rather than directly above it. These units have high ceilings that are stunning and can be opened and closed in dramatic fashion at the touch of one button.

All requests are attended to by Butlers, who can be reached via WhatsApp or telephone at any hour. Every night, a turndown service is provided to refill glass bottles with water and toiletries as well as bring more towels. Other services offered by St. Regis include unpacking and repacking luggage, as well as the delivery of coffee or tea at any time.

Like the JW Marriott Maldives resort & spa, the resort offers guests who redeem points a standard room category that is an overwater villa. These rooms can be very expensive so this is a significant benefit for points. It is possible to redeem points if the standard villa is available. This is not an option that every resort in the Maldives offers to guests who wish to redeem points.

To reduce the cost of some expenses, guests can use Marriott Bonvoy points. This may sound like a good deal, but 250 points will only reduce the cost of $1.

There is plenty to do on an island. Every age can find something to do, from the children’s club for younger guests to Iridium Spa with private treatment rooms, to the overwater Iridium Spa. A fitness villa is available with both modern equipment and scheduled classes. The resort also features a jumping exercise system, which is a first in the Maldives.

The main pool is enclosed by lounge chairs and umbrellas on the patio and along with the beach. It has an infinity edge. For children, there is a second pool under the palm trees. The spa’s Blue Hole Pool spills onto the ocean and has massage jets as well as a private patio. This pool can be reserved for private use.

Watersports and diving centers offer guests the opportunity to participate in a variety of watersports, such as parasailing, stand up paddleboarding, snorkeling, and sailing. Tennis and table tennis are available on land. There is also an entertainment pavilion that offers video games, billiards and air hockey.

American AAdvantage currently has two partners, Etihad and Qatar, that offer regular service to Maldives. AAdvantage also considers the Maldives part of the Indian Subcontinent. If you are unable to find award space from Male, another option is to fly on Sri Lankan Airlines to Colombo. Colombo is part of Oneworld and can be reached using points or miles.

Etihad Airways is an American Airlines partner and flies to many U.S. airports, including New York-JFK in Los Angeles, Chicago-O’Hare in Chicago, and Los Angeles in Los Angeles. This flight links the Maldives with Abu Dhabi. Redeeming a flight from the U.S.A to Male in economy costs 40,000 AAdvantage points or 70,000 each way in business.

Qatar Airways offers a great alternative: Qsuites for business class in enclosed Qsuites. These Qsuites are available in a dozen U.S cities at similar prices to Etihad but with Doha as transit.

The Redemption rates at The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort can be adjusted to suit Marriott Bonvoy’s dynamic pricing system. On the dates that we checked in 2023, 88,000 points was the lowest rate. This is if you spend enough on Marriott credit cards or take advantage of sign up bonuses.

(Top Photo courtesy of Marriott)