The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands

Our experience at this resort was exceptional from the moment we landed at the airport. We were welcomed and guided smoothly to the luxurious speedboat where Mr. Lulu and his team greeted us with warm smiles. Mr. Lulu’s positive energy set the tone, and the boat captain was highly skilled – even in rough sea conditions, we felt safe and comfortable with no seasickness at all. Upon arrival on the island, Mr. Salah and the team welcomed us with genuine hospitality. He assured us we could always reach out directly if we needed anything – a promise they truly honored. Mr. Affan – what can I say? “Ari’s Meha” is the genie of this resort. No request was too big for him. He made the impossible possible, and it’s clear that this level of excellence is driven by the outstanding leadership of Mr. Abu, the Guest Experience Manager. Mr. Affan truly made our stay unforgettable. From our first day to the last, his attention and thoughtfulness went far beyond expectations. My birthday wasn’t just a day – it turned into a celebration throughout our stay. Every breakfast came with a surprise or a small gift. At dinner, some dishes were offered complimentary without any prior request. One afternoon, I received a stunning flower bouquet, and on my birthday, a full Maldivian music group came to sing for me. Later at dinner, I was shocked to see a private, beautifully decorated room with my name in flowers – a surprise we didn’t ask for and weren’t charged for. That’s real care. Another incredible moment: a live singer performed an Arabic song just for me – such a thoughtful gesture. Mr. Noufel also delivered excellent service – always smiling, warm, and generous. I received a free cake during dinner and a beautiful gift representing traditional Maldivian clothing, which made me very happy. I must also mention Mr. Saeed (nickname “EOD”) who served us during the best dinner of the trip. His service was outstanding and made the evening unforgettable. Mr. Nahulaan (nickname “Nahel”) was also incredibly helpful at dinner, assisting us with meal selections and making the experience smooth and enjoyable. Ms. Marilyn deserves a special thank you too – her kind smile and attentive service during breakfast brightened our mornings. My spa experience was relaxing and memorable, complete with a birthday message arranged on the floor of the treatment room. The sunset experience was a highlight. All guests were invited for complimentary drinks and signature bites – a lovely touch that brought everyone together. We also had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Abdulaziz (Zee) who was interning at the resort. He shared great conversations with us during the sunset, and I hope he brings the spirit of this resort to Ritz-Carlton properties in the Arab world. One of the biggest and most delightful surprises was meeting Mr. Oscar, the General Manager, during sunset. Coincidentally, we share the same birthday. It was a wonderful moment to connect with the person behind this excellent operation. Happy Birthday to him as well. Although I didn’t bring my children with me on this trip, I visited the kids’ club and was truly impressed. It’s beautiful, creative, and thoughtfully designed. I was especially touched when Ms. Rhona kindly gifted me handmade crochet turtles for my children and promised that when I return with them, she will make it the most magical day of their lives at the resort. This stay was more than a vacation – it was a deeply personalized and heartwarming experience. Thank you to every staff member who made our time unforgettable.

A Dream Come True at The Ritz-Carlton Maldives From the moment we arrived via a luxury yacht transfer, we knew this was going to be a special experience. Our host, Aya, greeted us with a thoughtful box of Ritz-Carlton treats, and we sipped refreshing drinks during the 70-minute scenic yacht ride to the resort. The warm, traditional welcome with the sound of the conch shell was a beautiful introduction to the Maldives. We stayed in the Ocean Pool Villa, and it was honestly the best villa we’ve ever had. The view was absolutely surreal—every morning felt like we were watching a live movie as we greeted the sunrise. The villa itself was pristine, offering both comfort and elegance. The special touches, like fresh fruit, macarons, and a bottle of champagne on arrival, made us feel truly pampered. Shaghaf, our Aris Meeha, was the heart and soul of our stay. She went above and beyond to make us feel cared for, without ever being intrusive. She helped with a last-minute dress issue before our ceremony, and when rain canceled our free photo shoot, she offered to take personal photos of us, capturing some of our favorite memories. We could tell that she genuinely cared about making our trip perfect. We also felt the same level of warmth and kindness from Dzera, Ennie, Nishhad, and so many others. Every staff member we encountered made us feel like family. Our experience was filled with memorable activities. We loved snorkeling through the coral gardens, spotting colorful fish and even a few sharks—Dzera made sure we felt safe despite the strong currents. The spa treatment was heavenly, and the personal touches, like the custom shell decorations with our names, were thoughtful and unique. Dining was another highlight. From casual lunches at Tum Tum to fine dining at Iwau, every meal felt like an experience. The teppanyaki at Iwau was a standout, and the Truffle Hummus at Arabesque had us coming back for more. It was the small details, like the wine glasses at Tum Tum, that made everything feel so personal and special. Our vow renewal ceremony was the perfect way to celebrate our love in paradise. Every aspect, from the ceremony to the intimate dinner, was beautifully executed by the Ritz-Carlton team. This trip truly exceeded all our expectations. We feel so grateful for the exceptional service, the breathtaking surroundings, and the warmth we felt from everyone at the resort. Thank you, Ritz-Carlton, for making this an experience we’ll cherish forever.

My wife and I stayed at The Ritz-Carlton Maldives this past April and it was truly unforgettable. From start to finish, the service was top-notch, everyone was incredibly kind, attentive, and made us feel special every single day. Our villa was absolutely stunning, spacious, private, and with incredible views. The entire resort is beautiful and peaceful. A big thank you to our Aris Meeha, Aslam, who took care of everything with such care and professionalism. He really made our stay effortless and extra special.

My stay at The Ritz-Carlton Maldives was truly unforgettable. The overwater villa was spacious, beautifully designed, and offered breathtaking views of the ocean. The entire resort is incredibly quiet and peaceful — even with 80% occupancy, it truly felt like I was alone on the island. That level of privacy is rare and so appreciated. I want to express special thanks to the amazing staff. My English is not very strong, but the hotel went above and beyond to make me feel comfortable. Although my butler spoke English, they kindly arranged for a Russian-speaking assistant from another department to help me during my stay — and she was wonderful. The cuisine was exceptional — every dish was full of flavor, fresh, and beautifully presented. I especially appreciated the variety and attention to detail. This is a place where luxury feels effortless and every moment is infused with care and calm. I can’t wait to return.

Rewrite We had an incredible and unforgettable stay at the Ritz-Carlton Maldives, its next-level service, thoughtful surprises and its staffs — easily one of our most memorable stays anywhere!. In fact, the family agrees that we should make RC Maldives an annual family get-away vacation from now on!! We transferred in from the Waldorf, and Shaan met us at the dock to make sure our journey to RC was seamless. Although he couldn’t be there to send us off during our flight back home, he made the effort to stop by during our check-in back just to say goodbye, a very kind gesture. Another gentleman (I wish I got his name!) handled our luggages and check-in and was equally wonderful, warm and helpful. Our Aris Meeha (which we learned means your “closest one”), Shuhu, deserves a huge shoutout — she was efficient, super professional, warm and friendly, and always there when we needed anything. Super professional and thoughtful. She surprised us one day delivering cold cut fruits to the villa and made sure our daughter’s snorkeling excursion a smooth and exciting one, which turned out to be one of her trip highlights. Dining at this resort was a blast of gastronomy highlight of our trip. We had dinner at La Locanda, Eau Bar, Summer Pavilion, and Arabesque — all are exceptional. Breakfasts at La Locanda were something we looked forward to each morning. Azu, Retno, Martina, and other team members (whose names we unfortunately didn’t catch) always greeted us warmly and remembered us — it felt like being welcomed by friends. The breakfast spread is amazing and taste sooo yummy. Don’t miss the chicken gyoza — it’s a must try. We later saw Retno again during my partner’s birthday dinner celebration at Arabesque. A special thank you to Naseem and the amazing chef who suprised us with a super delicicious and refreshing complimentary fish soup, man it was super delicious. Naseem also gave my partner some Maldivian chilis to take home, after noticing how much she loved them, he made sure to show up and that she received it personally on the day we were leaving— a small but incredibly thoughtful gesture. Please please try Arabesque truffle hummus — it’s divine. Chef Komang from Eau Bar blew us away with her japanese cookings. On top of that, she surprised us with complimentary fried rice, a generous spread of desserts, and fresh fruit. The bartender from Bali (I wish I remembered his name!) remembered I love Negronis from the other day and made a perfect one for me. He also whipped up two refreshing mocktails for my partner and daughter — it was such a nice and thoughtful touch. Chinese food dinner at Summer Pavilion was another standout. It was on-point following Saheed’s recommendations. I dare to say that its truffle shrimp har gao was better than any we’ve ever had in Singapore — no joke. The spa deserves its own spotlight — the architecture is stunning, with an open-air lagoon in the center that creates a calm, meditative atmosphere and a soothing feeling, walking into the treatment room. Ayu welcomed us at the reception and we connected immediately; followed by a superb relaxing messages from Abby and Yao. Now, about my partner’s birthday — it was honestly overwhelming in the most wonderful way. The day started with a surprise birthday cake from the La Locanda team, followed by a beautiful sand art surprise in our villa from Afree, our amazing room attendant. The Spa team left a lovely birthday message made from stones in our treatment room. After a blissful massages, we returned to find a birthday song playing on the villa’s TV, together with floating leaves art in the bathtub along with a bottle of non-alcoholic wine (which we couldn’t finish, but the gesture was so sweet) . The celebration continued with a lovely dinner at Arabesque, complete with a cheerful birthday song sang by the Arabesque team and another surprise cake — all of this made her day feel extra magical and full of love. A huge thank you to Audy, the F&B Director, who checked in with us daily and genuinely cared about how were enjoying our meals and our stay. He even offered to prepare Balinese food for breakfast, knowing that we are Indonesian family from Singapore — and we will definitely take him up on that on our next trip to RC! And salute to him for having curated all the fine and super delicious restaurants with excellent team members. Overall, this was more than just a luxurious getaway — it was thoughtful, heartfelt, and full of personal touches that made us feel truly special. A heartfelt thank you to everyone at Ritz-Carlton Fari Island Maldives. We’re already dreaming about our return. We’ve been fortunate to stay at many top-tier hotels around the world — from RC Mandapa , Vienna and Geneva, to Park Hyatt Zurich, Mandarin Oriental Tokyo, St Regis Bali and Osaka, the Four Seasons Bali, Budapest and Prague to name a few — but this was the first time we truly felt sad and depressed to leave. As Shuhu lovingly said, “Until next time”!!