Moments To Savour

A taste of Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi is one you’ll relish

It’s the little luxuries that make a big impression. With Malé’s mishmash of cheek-by-jowl buildings swiftly disappearing as our yacht powers its way into the richly contrasting expanse of sun-dappled ocean, the cork is popped on a bottle of perfectly chilled champagne to toast our impending arrival at Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi.

It’s the only Maldives resort licenced to pour alcohol on its yacht transfers from the crammed-in capital, and it sets the tone for the elevated level of service that awaits once my family and I disembark 45 minutes later, a dozen or so staff members lined up along the resort’s jetty to welcome us to this large slice of paradise.

As if also part of the welcome committee, we spot a stingray gliding gracefully through that Maldivespatented pellucid water, while upon entering our overwater Reef villa, flying fish perform what looks every inch like a routine choreographed for our private pleasure.

Reflective of its spectacular surrounds, it’s a beautiful villa, long, light and spacious, with a large pool outside that dangles invitingly over the ocean, and a glass floor between its dressing room and bathroom, through which the multi-hued occupants of the underwater world can be viewed while you casually brush your teeth. One night before bed, one such occupant was a 2-metre-long shark, for which my daughter’s toothbrush was dropped in astonishment.

Like most rooms these days, it’s one that you can operate via an iPad. Unlike most rooms these days, this one isn’t infuriatingly difficult to do so. Too many are the times I’ve spent in a hotel room, fruitlessly trying to turn off the lights, close the curtains, or cut the AC with the in-room iPad, only to resort to yanking out every plug from the wall, curling into the foetal position for warmth, and having to apologise to housekeeping for mistakenly summoning them to collect a garment for pressing. Here, the system is essentially foolproof — luckily for me.

It meant I was able each morning to excitedly raise the blackout curtains just as the sun was also rising, streaming shards of light into the eyes of my wife and teenage daughters long before they hoped to wake.

They would exact their revenge in the resort’s gym, signing us up for a core class to publicly humiliate me, the instructor doing his very best to stifle his smiles as he put me through what was a punishing routine — though admittedly I was the only one left red faced and gasping for air. For good measure they also made me do Pilates. Badly.

The adjoining spa was much more me. And the very reason why many of us make the short trip to the Maldives — relaxation. Here, a Wellness Concierge — a first of its kind in the Maldives — tends to that. They’ll create for you a personal pathway to rejuvenation, however brief your stay.

The Waldorf Astoria Spa really is a blissful place, treatment rooms dotted about lush botanical gardens and another over water (in which there is a glass floor), the calming sound of the ocean a soothing soundtrack, the air thick with the scent of frangipani. It’s here, on a pavilion that juts out to the ocean, that we did yoga early morning and late afternoon and tried our hands (unsuccessfully in my case) at transcendental meditation. Not that you need to be guided to switch off here. This part of the island is also home to the magnificent Aqua Wellness Centre, an outdoor pool split into designated zones that you move around in sequence so that each part of your body gets blasted by powerful jets of water. Ample fun as well as invigorating.

The spa offerings alone are proof that, contrary to popular opinion, there is plenty to occupy your time in the Maldives before you even think about the near endless list of ocean activities on tap.

This resort has other notable USPs beyond those found at its sublime spa, like Ithaafushi – The Private Island, the largest in the Maldives at 32,000 square-metres. It can house up to 24 guests across one four-bedroom residence and two villas (and can only be reached by boat), but one area in which Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi truly stands apart from its rivals is restaurants. Put simply, nowhere else comes close to matching not just their variety but quality.

There are eleven venues in total and Zuma — the only one in the Maldives — isn’t even the best of them. It’s excellent, as you’d expect, but the real feather in the Waldorf’s culinary cap is Terra. Comprising seven handcrafted pods that accommodate couples only, each is positioned at a different level within the treetops, fruit bats swooping overhead in the mood-setting moonlight. In this heart-tugging environment, a seven-course set menu is served that would grace any Michelin-starred establishment the world over. Memorable were the likes of a flaky turbot in a macadamia crust, and an unbelievably tender cut of wagyu beef from Japan’s Miyazaki prefecture — the cream of the crop when it comes to wagyu. Glistening slivers of crispy duck, roasted in a woodfired oven and handcarved at your table, is the big draw at Li Long; a wonderful line up of organic dishes influenced by produce from the island’s own garden is the concept at toes-in-the-sand Glow; while the menu at on-the-beach Nava — where a DJ sets the mood, day and night — is hugely impressive in its breadth. Then there’s The Ledge by Dave Pynt, he of Singapore’s much talked of — and Michelin-starred — barbecue restaurant Burnt Ends. Casual but vibrant, thanks to a large open kitchen in which flames rise high to char meats and vegetables, a shortish menu of crudo, snacks and grills features a glorious brisket-based cheeseburger (I’d wager you won’t have tasted one better, ever) and a square of sourdough slathered with an incredibly flavourful beef marmalade. Thoroughly impressive. But then pretty much everything is at Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi, including your personal butler being instantly available via WhatsApp. Then, just as you think you’ve left it all behind as the island becomes a speck on the horizon on your yacht transfer back to Malé, out pops the cork once more on another bottle of bubbly to bid you farewell. Every moment is one to savour.

The best piece of advice I’ve ever received is: “Until the story of the hunt is told by the lion, the tale of the hunt will always glorify the hunter”. This African proverb reminds us that there are two sides to every story. It encourages us to listen with an open mind, while remembering that there are always other perspectives. As a leader, these words challenge me to consider how our stakeholders will be impacted by the decisions we make.

I try to give my children a kiss at least three times a day, because I believe you can never give enough love to your children. I travel quite a lot, and many days this isn’t possible, so I try to make the time count when I’m at home.

My generation has become very good at teaching young people to learn from failure, yet it’s also important to learn how to handle your own success. I’ve learned that no matter how high one