JW Marriott to Open First Maldives Resort in November

Marriott International’s luxury brand JW Marriott will make its debut in the Maldives with the Nov. 1 opening of the JW Marriott Maldives Resort & Spa on the island of Vagaru in Shaviyani atoll.

Headed up by General Manager Marc Gussing, the resort will feature 60 villas starting at more than 2,500 square feet, all with private pools and decks that can’t be seen from outside. Each is designed to look like an inverted Dhoni boat, the traditional fishing boat of the Maldives, according to Marriot. 

Villas are designed like an inverted Dhoni boat.

There will be four villa categories to choose from. The Duplex Beach Pool Villas will feature two bedrooms, an upstairs lounge, and direct access to the beach, making them ideal for families. The Duplex Overwater Pool Villas boast views of the Laccadive Sea and a private plunge pool. One-bedroom Beach Pool Villas with direct beach access and Overwater Pool Villas with a choice of sunset or sunrise view will also be available.

The resort will house five restaurants, including a treetop restaurant with Thai dishes, Japanese Teppanyaki, poolside woodfired pizzas, local Maldivian dishes, and seafood in a fine-dining overwater setting. There will also be 24-hour in-villa dining service and destination dining experiences. Complementing the restaurants will be three fully-serviced bars with 98 different types of rum, an expansive wine cellar with over 300 labels, and a chef’s garden.

The JW Marriott Maldives Resort joins four other Marriott-operated properties in the Maldives, including The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort, W Maldives, Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa, and The Westin Maldives Miriandhoo Resort.