SONEVA JANI MALDIVES | Heaven on earth | 3 hours in paradise (full resort tour)
Welcome to Malé International Airport, where Soneva hosts meet arriving guests and offer luggage assistance The Soneva hosts also assist guests with the check-in at the airport counters to secure seaplane boarding passes Next, guest are transferred to the seaplane terminal by a Tesla The drive to the seaplane terminal takes only 5 minutes At the seaplane terminal, Soneva operates its own lounge, where guests can wait for their flight to the resort Snacks and beverages are served, and complimentary WiFi is provided The lounge’s interior reflects Soneva's signature eco-design The lounge features a large outdoor terrace, with views of the seaplane docks (world's largest seaplane terminal) Soneva has its own fleet of luxurious seaplanes The Soneva seaplanes have only has 8 seats (for comparison, a regular seaplane features 16 seats) Aboard the plane, leather interiors welcome passengers A cold towel is provided to refresh a little Twin Otter planes have short take-off and landing abilities They have a range of 886 mi (1425 km) and a cruise speed of 173 mi (270 km) per hour Flight time from Male to Soneva Jani is 40 minutes The 40 min voyage is a breathtaking journey as it offers some of the most incredible panoramas in the world All pilots in the Maldives are commercially trained and they fly the plane with bare feet or flipflops (so cool) Noise-canceling headphones and an iPad with resort information are provided during the flight The plane lands at short distance from the resort as not to disturb the guests on the island From the seaplane's landing site, it's a 5 minute speedboat trip to the resort Welcome to Soneva Jani, the Maldives' most famous resort Soneva Jani's North Jetty (previously known as chapter One) features 24 phenomenal villas (‘retreats’) On the lagoon's other side is the resort's South Jetty (previously known as Chapter Two) with 27 overwater villas (‘reserves’) Upon arrival, guests are whisked away to their villa (complimentary golf cart service is available 24/7) I stayed in this villa on the South Jetty during my holiday (room category: two bedroom water reserve with slide) Accommodating 4 adults & 2 children, the overwater reserve affords a wealth of tropical lounging opportunities The ground floor features a lounge, master bedroom, dressing room, kitchenette, study room, and indoor & outdoor bathrooms The reserve's eco-chic design was created by Eva Shivdasani, wife of Soneva CEO Sonu Shivdasani A deep purple color – Soneva’s signature color - adds a nice and playful contrast to the light flooded interiors Offering direct access to the lagoon, the bathroom is equipped with two basins, a daybed, sunken bath, and several showers The villa is made from weathered woods and natural materials Behind the kingsize bed is a separate sleeping area for a child The reserve has its own small kitchenette, with plenty of welcome snacks on display The villa’s TV lounge & library can be converted into a children’s sleeping area with ensuite bathroom The villa is surrounded by an expansive deck, featuring a large pool, catamaran nets, sunken seating and daybeds The villa’s most fun element is a curved water slide, which goes directly from top deck to the waters of the lagoon below Have you ever stayed at Soneva Jani? If so, what was your experience? Leave a comment Another bedroom is located on the upper floor The upper floor room comes with its own bathroom as well as a private terrace with seating area & dining sala Sliding back at the touch of a button, the villa's open roof allows guests to stargaze while lying in bed Sensors can detect an on-coming shower and automatically close the roof The reserve offers stunning views of the sunset Soneva Jani also offers amazing beach villas, featuring one to four bedrooms Let's take a tour of a one bedroom beach hideaway This private retreat is ideal for small families or couples The luxurious master bedroom comes with a retractable roof The outdoor bathroom features a bath and two showers encircled by a water feature. Next to the master bedroom is a bedroom for children A wooden terrace hugs the private swimming pool to offer ample space for relaxing under sunny skies The beach hideaway is surrounded by pristine mangroves and is just steps from the warm waters of the Indian Ocean The beach hideaway's upper floor features a private gym and a large terrace with dining area Let's explore Soneva Jani's North Jetty Soneva Jani’s lagoon is the largest of its kind in the Maldives The lagoon is so big (5,6 km or 3,5 mi) that it could fit more than 7000 Olympic-size swimming pools Located halfway the North Jetty is The Gathering, the social heart of the resort The Gathering is the largest overwater structure in the Maldives The building's roof is covered with 104,000 pieces of Red River Gum Shingles from Laos The Gathering houses a variety of dining outlets as well as a spa, library, and retail area The villas on the North Jetty ('retreats') are located on either side of The Gathering The three-story Gathering is an architectural master piece The Gathering is home to an ice cream & chocolate room The Gathering’s main dining room has an open kitchen Food at the resort is superb (I’ll show the breakfast and dinner dishes later in this video) The Gathering’s center is a soaring open-sided atrium Giant swaying jellyfish art hangs from the impressive ceiling A small jetty leads to an overwater al fresco restaurant Called ‘Overseas by Mathias Dahlgren’, the restaurant is managed by the acclaimed Swedish chef and restaurateur The venue’s kitchen celebrates the seafood of the Indian Ocean and the produce grown in the resort’s organic gardens The Gathering’s outdoor lounge area overlooks the calm waters With daybeds and overwater catamaran nets, it’s the perfect spot for a sunset cocktails The Gathering features a maze of stairs and walkways connecting all floors and facilities The Gathering features the Maldives’ longest slide, delivering guests directly from the building’s second floor to the lagoon Exploring all the hidden corners of this fairy tale structure can easily take a few hours The Gathering’s third floor features a library, a play room for teenagers and a private dining & meeting room A glass bridge crosses the restaurant’s cold room, whose walls store some of the best wines and vintages in the world The Gathering features a lovely gym, equipped with state-of-the-art fitness gear The Gathering is home to a small spa (Soneva Jani’s main wellness center is located on the island and shown later) Spa facilities include treatment rooms, a yoga pavilion, relaxation lounge, and sauna & steam rooms The Gathering’s cold room is open 24/7, offering a selection of cold meats, cheeses, chocolates, ice creams and sorbets A shop is located at The Gathering's entrance, selling resort wear, souvenirs, Soneva branded homeware, and spa products Next to the Gathering is a ‘barefoot’ bookshop, which bursts with books and fresh ideas to entertain, inspire and enlighten Soneva Jani's North & South Jetties are connected to Medhufaru, one of the largest resort islands in the Maldives Medhufaru is fringed by pristine beaches This is North Beach, which overlooks the resort’s North Jetty North Beach offers a range of motorised and non-motorised water sports South Beach is located on Medhufaru Island’s other tip South Beach is more developed compared to North Beach South Beach is home to three restaurants: the breakfast restaurant, So Primitive, and the Crab Shack The Soneva brand is owned by the couple Sonu & Eva Sonu Shivdasani is an Indian-British hotelier and Eva Malmstrom a former Swedish top model Sonu & Eva launched the Soneva brand in 1995 Today, Soneva manages 4 spectacular resorts: Soneva Fushi, Soneva Jani, Soneva Soul and Soneva Kiri Sonu & Eva live on the island of Soneva Fushi, the first ultraluxe ‘castaway’ resort in the Maldives Let's have lunch at the Crab Shack on South Beach The Crab Shack was voted by CNN as the ‘world’s most romantic restaurant' Dishes at the Crab Shack include chili crab, crab curry, garlic crab, black pepper crab & Szechuan spicy wok-fried crab Facilities on Medhufaru Island includes a jungle gym, tennis court, padel court, and the resort’s organic gardens Medhufaru island is also home to Soneva Soul, Soneva Jani’s tremendously impressive wellness center Soneva Soul is designed in harmony with its splendid natural surroundings Soneva Soul aims to reconnect the mind, body and soul The three-level complex is linked by raised walkways that wind among the trees Facilities at Soneva Soul include treatment rooms consultation suites and therapeutic biomodulation rooms A yoga pavilion sits high above the tree line, offering 360-degree views across the turquoise private lagoon Soneva Soul's treatments combine thousands of years of ancient healing with modern science and medicine Soneva Soul is also home to a state-of-the-art gym The outdoor jungle gym at Soneva Jani is so much fun! Soneva Jani's "The Den" is the Maldives' ultimate children’s club Taking two years to complete, The Den is a remarkable feat of engineering and an awe-inspiring playground for the imagination In line with its ‘No News, No Shoes’ ethos, all phones and tablets are required to be left in the villas before coming to The Den This encourages children to learn, play, discover nature and let their creativity & curiosity run wild on Soneva Jani’s home island Intrepid adventurers will enjoy crossing the pool’s blue waters via a 32 m (105 ft) long zipline One of The Den's waterfalls leads into a grotto that transforms into the Cave Bar Upstairs is a dedicated roof deck for teens, which includes a music room, telescope deck, pool and football tables A dolphin sunset cruise is always a highlight at Soneva Jani Once a week, Soneva Jani hosts a cocktail party, a great opportunity to meet other guests & the resort staff The cocktail party is followed by a buffet on the beach The culinary experiences at Soneva Jani are diverse and include menus created by Michelin-starred guest chefs Overseas by Mathias Dahlgren has a menu which offers seafood, vegetarian dishes and fully plant-based options A lavish buffet at Down To Earth Restaurant comprises several food stations serving international cuisine So Starstruck - the Maldives’ first overwater observatory - features only 4 tables, offering an intimate dining experience Guests dine on an expertly crafted menu while a resident astronomer is on-hand to help navigate the starry skies Director’s Cut serves modern style sashimi, black cod and other Japanese favorites Guests enjoy a delicious meal while they take in a film at the resort's overwater silent theater Director’s Cut also features a teppanyaki table At sunset, Soneva Jani's house DJ creates an upbeat ambiance So Primitive offers delicious grilled delicacies on Soneva Jani’s South Beach So Primitive’s centerpiece is a fire pit where different cooking techniques are honored The next morning ... Each morning, a scrumptious breakfast (buffet + à la carte) is offered at So Chill on South Beach Guests can also have breakfast at The Gathering Cycling at Soneva Jani is a pure delight, and feels like being immersed in one of the world’s great works of art Let’s take a bike ride on both jetties of Soneva Jani (first the South Jetty and then the North Jetty) The South Jetty doesn't feature communal guest areas, except for a lovely boutique selling resort wear and souvenirs It's time to say goodbye to Soneva Jani in style, with a private beach barbecue & stunning drone footage
2024-07-28 15:54
