REVIEW SONEVA JANI: CONS & THINGS TO KNOW<\/strong><\/h5>\nNever in my life have I stayed at a resort that is quite as beautiful and mesmerizing as Soneva Jani. It is without any doubt the visually most striking resort in the Maldives, re-writing the rules of Indian Ocean perfection. Phenomenally beautiful and thrillingly visionary, Soneva Jani raises the bar for luxury travel, not only in the Maldives, but around the globe. Soneva Jani will sweep you off your feet and leave you speechless, but there are a few things worthwhile noting to ensure you have the perfect stay:<\/p>\n
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\n- While incredibly beautiful, the lagoon is not teeming with fish<\/strong>, although I noted that there is more wildlife present now than there was during my last visit two years ago (harmless sharks and stingrays daily frequented the waters around the villas). Due to the lack of fish within the lagoon, Soneva Jani offers snorkeling trips by boat to its house reef at the outer edge of the lagoon. Corals of all species are present here, as well as a great deal of fish and huge old coral colonies creating a nice shallow 3D reefscape. You may also be lucky enough to encounter beautiful sea turtles and manta rays, which are native to this area of the Maldives. There are also many dive sites with rich marine life around the resort, sure to tempt all marine enthusiasts.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n- There are two seaplane choices available<\/strong>: either the Soneva seaplane or the Manta Air seaplane. The Soneva seaplane is private and more comfortable (seating 8 passengers in a VIP layout), while the Manta Air seaplane carries more passengers (15 in total) and may stop en-route at other destinations before arriving at Soneva Jani. Unfortunately, it\u2019s not possible to know upfront whether you will be transferred in a Soneva seaplane or in a Manta Air seaplane (the schedule depends on Manta Air, which also maintains the Soneva seaplanes).\u00a0Guests who are flown to Soneva Jani on the Manta Air seaplane (instead of the Soneva plane) will receive a resort credit as compensation, valued at $150 USD per person per voyage during peak season, and $100 USD per person per voyage during shoulder season. The resort credit can be redeemed against food and beverages, experiences and Soneva Soul treatments, excluding third parties and retail outlets.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n- The villas on the South Jetty (Residences) have an improved\u00a0design & layout<\/strong> compared to the villas on the North Jetty (Retreats). For example, the residences on the South Jetty have been raised high enough above the ocean so that the waves do not break against the underside; their pools have been moved to the front of the pool deck; their terraces offer more shade during the heat of the day; and they also have more indoor spaces which are airconditioned (e.g. the lounge area in the villas at the Soutgh Jetty is air-conditioned while that\u2019s not the case at the North Jetty villas).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n- The\u00a0jetty planks<\/strong> at the South Jetty are laid lengthwise rather than width-wise to reduce the noise of buggies and bicycles riding along them (which is sometimes an issue on the North Jetty).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n- Halfway the North Jetty is an enormous overwater structure, called The Gathering, which houses various dining outlets, as well as a gym, library, boutique shop, chocolate & ice cream parlor, and wine cellar (cf supra). The South Jetty does not feature any communal buildings, except for a small boutique. On the other hand, guests staying at the South Jetty are closer to some of the resort\u2019s key facilities<\/strong>, such as Soneva Soul (the new spa), the outdoor cinema, and facilities at South Beach. However, all guests of both jetties are given (electric) bikes for the duration of their stay, so it\u2019s easy to explore everything that the resort has on offer.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n- Guests staying at the South Jetty will mainly have their breakfast<\/strong> on the beach (at South Beach), while guests staying at the North Jetty will mainly have their breakfast inside the Gathering (which offers more choices). However, guests of both jetties can have their breakfast wherever they want to.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n- The\u00a0lagoon<\/strong> surrounding the North Jetty is deeper and brighter blue compared to the water at the South Jetty. During my visit, I also had the impression that there was more maritime wildlife present around the Chapter One villas.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n- With a\u00a0price tag to match the experience, Soneva Jani\u00a0is one of the world\u2019s most expensive resorts<\/strong> though it\u2019s difficult to argue that it doesn\u2019t offer value for money. It\u2019s the ultimate in exclusive holidays and one of the most divine and fabulous hotels in the world.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n- Be warned: all your other trips, whether to the Maldives or beyond, will pale in comparison<\/strong> to the memory of a Soneva Maldives vacation. One wonders what comes next after a Soneva holiday?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\nREVIEW SONEVA JANI: MY VERDICT<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n- Location: 10\/10<\/li>\n
- Design: 10\/10<\/li>\n
- Pool: not applicable<\/li>\n
- Resort grounds (beach): 10\/10<\/li>\n
- Rooms (villas): 10\/10<\/li>\n
- Food: 10\/10<\/li>\n
- Breakfast: 10\/10<\/li>\n
- Spa: 10\/10<\/li>\n
- Service: 10\/10<\/li>\n
- Value for money: 10\/10<\/li>\n
- Overall experience: exceptional: 10\/10<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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