Located a mere 15 minutes via speedboat from Male's Velana International Airport (MLE), the JW Marriott Kaafu Atoll Island Resort sits right on the atoll's largest lagoon.
Accommodations at the resort come in the form of pool villas, including 47 iconic overwater villas, designed to reflect a traditional Maldivian hut called a gedhoru made up of kajan (bound plant stocks) roofs, turquoise doors and floor-to-ceiling windows to let in picture-perfect views of some of the world's most sought-after waters. Each villa also comes with a private pool and outdoor showers.
There's plenty to do throughout the resort as well. Hit up the Spa by JW for a treatment using Babor products (the only place in the country where you can do so), hit the gym or lap pool for a workout, or visit the concierge to arrange an activity like a dolphin safari or parasailing.
This JW is also very family-friendly and offers clubs for both teenagers and kids so they can enjoy child-friendly swimming and age-appropriate entertainment. Plus, the property has opportunities for families to partake in experiences together, such as cooking classes using fresh produce from the on-site garden.
You'll find seven bars and restaurants, including an infinity pool bar, a two-story steakhouse, a craft cocktail bar with a Peruvian-Japanese twist, an international restaurant, an eatery focusing on the flavors in and around the Maldives (think: Indian and Sri Lankan) and a deli and patisserie, scattered across the resort.
The property is also focusing on sustainability and environmental stewardship, partnering with Invena and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Self-Assembly Lab to build a roughly 98-foot-long underwater coastal structure that will help prevent beach erosion and create a new reef system for fish and coral. Better yet, guests have the opportunity to participate in the effort while visiting.
This is the second JW Marriott resort in the Maldives, following the JW Marriott Maldives Resort & Spa — which TPG reviewed to much fanfare in 2020.
How to book: Rates at the all-new JW Marriott Kaafu Atoll Island Resort start as low as $841 or 70,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night, though those dates are during the Maldives' wet season. Peak season award availability typically sits closer to 100,000 points per night.
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