Detox And Retox: The Choice Is Yours At W Maldives

The magic of the Maldives lies not only in its flour-white sands, luminous blue waters and luxury resorts. Just as important as the setting to any stay is the service.

Five star is, of course, de rigueur – each resort vying with the next to outdo it in the most incremental of ways. Mostly catering to the very rich or the once-in-a-lifetimer (aka honeymooner), that service tends to err on the deferential side as standard at most resorts. The best butlers, waiters and hosts pride themselves on quiet and discretion almost to the point of invisibility.

Amid that well-ordered fray sits the W Maldives. Since 1995, the W Hotel brand has been built on an aesthetic grounded in the 24/7 service and party culture of its first opening in New York City. Thankfully, it has brought that same “Whatever/ Whenever” approach to Fedu Island in the North Ari atoll, and it singles this W Escape apart from its competitors.

A 20-minute seaplane ride southwest from Malé sees you land in the friendly, informal embrace of the W team. Cold champagne and colder beers, warm handshakes and warmer smiles. A buggy ride on ‘Hendrix’, ‘Dylan’ or one of the other famously named golf carts (everything at the W seems to have a name) takes you to one of 77 villas, your butler more likely to chat about island life and its wonders than to make polite small talk on route.

It’s not a long ride though. Fedu is a tiny, shield-shaped rise of sand and trees engulfed by a spectacular reef; its diminutive size has forced many of its facilities over water, onto jetties and piers that extend seaward like insect legs. At one end, a huge wooden walkway probes further into the ocean, home to the W’s 50 overwater villas.

Fedu is small enough to circumnavigate on foot in about 15 minutes (20 at island pace…), which means its amenities are never more than a few minutes away. This creates a sense of intimacy that’s absent from many of the larger Maldivian resorts, yet it doesn’t come at the cost of privacy either making it great for introverts and extroverts alike.

Beach villas are two-story; a rarity in the Maldives. The lower is the living space – huge bed, indoor-outdoor bathroom, all mod cons and a punchy, playful, red and white reef-inspired decor. Doors open onto a large deck with daybed and plunge pool, all encircled by palm trees and greenery enough to create a sense of complete privacy. A few steps through said greenery and you’re on the beach; a few more and you’re in the Indian Ocean. The upper story is given over to a huge rope-swing daybed, canopied under a palm thatch roof with views over the ocean – the kind of place sundowners were invented for and the jewel in the beach villa’s crown.

Water villas follow a similar aesthetic but swap out the bright reds for calmer, sea-themed blues. Here it’s all about ocean views and access – beds and baths positioned for horizon gazing, plunge pools that appear to merge into the salty waters below, and wood-framed netting beds jutting from the deck directly over the ocean. And if you don’t want to dive in, a stepladder for more serene access to snorkeling the reef below.

And what a reef it is. A strong contender for one of the best house reefs in the Maldives, once again Fedu Island’s size works in guests’ favor, as access is no more than a few leg kicks from shore to water wonderland. Shallow and narrow with a steep and deep drop off, it teems with life – manta rays and black tip reef sharks, hidden away eels and color-changing octopi, and as often as not Bob, the resident reef turtle and something of a celebrity on the island.

Among many other aquatic activities, in-house water sports center WAVE offers guided snorkeling tours of the reef. Worth doing at least once, it helps orient you to the reef’s layout and creature hotspots, as well as its strong currents which, if navigated correctly, will carry you around the reef with little to no swimming required – like an aquatic travelator. Spend a day on the beach and you’ll see the same snorkelers float past time after time on their individual underwater adventures.

Overwater, the adventure turns culinary at FISH where fresh catches of the day are plucked from the lagoon and worked into wonders served al fresco on the expansive deck. Plump scallops and huge langoustines washed down with one-of-a-kind cocktails while reef sharks cruise the waters below. For something meatier, head back onto land where FIRE brings the drama of charcoal grilling on an epic scale to its beach jungle setting. Smoke in the air and sand under the toes make it an experience to remember, but not quite as much as the rack of ribs.

FISH and FIRE open on alternating nights. A smart trick, it makes sure each is always buzzing with guests and means you get to know the waiters and even the chefs, all enthusiastic to sing the praises of island life. The party continues at SIP back over water – an indoor outdoor bar overflowing with cushions and loungers low enough to dip your toes in the water should the urge take you (and those ubiquitous black tips gliding silently near the surface not put you off).

Live local bands make the journey over to play in SIP, or just as likely a DJ – no need for a commute though as the resident DJ is also the resort manager, a rare combination that underlines the W approach to service with the emphasis on socializing.

One of the bonuses of the W’s longevity – it opened in 2005 – is that the staff, locals many of whom have worked at the W for many years and risen through its ranks to senior positions, feel completely at ease around guests and each other. It’s all very familial.

That longevity also means the island’s wildlife, its flora and fauna, has had time to bed in and intertwine with the more curated areas beautifully and naturally. Stroll down sandy tracks and you’ll see subtle stone directions embedded in the ground – more guides than signs as on an island this small nothing stays hidden for long.

Invisible from the beaches, at the island’s heart is KITCHEN where huge breakfasts travel global cuisines, munched at outdoor tables, some set in a shallow pool so you can paddle while you eat.

Next to it is the W pool and WET swim-up bar, a place that looks like it was designed with one thing in mind – pool parties. Certainly it sees more action than the over-pool gym and business center, a five-star necessity but in such a paradise an insult to spend your time in. Better to head for AWAY, the island spa. Like so many W facilities, AWAY hovers over the ocean, four entirely private tented decks where strong hands work knotted muscles and worries fade under the onslaught of targeted relaxation.

And that’s the secret sauce of W’s successful take on the traditional luxury Maldives vacation. Detox yes, but hey – this is the Maldives, so don’t be afraid to retox as well! Whatever your preference: social or solo, party or privacy, you’ll likely find the right balance on Fedu Island.