The Westin Maldives Miriandhoo Resort Review

Situated in the heart of the mesmerising UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, Baa Atoll, The Westin Maldives Miriandhoo Resort offers guests an island getaway unlike any other. Offering a seamless blend of luxury, peace, and eco-friendliness, the resort’s world-class facilities beautifully intertwine with the spectacular biosphere marine life, creating the perfect space to relax. Guests are encouraged to leave their shoes behind and navigate the island barefoot to physically connect with the island surroundings. 

Inspired by the island’s natural elements, the resort’s architecture and design incorporate traditional Maldivian aesthetics, using modern, eco-conscious construction techniques, seamlessly blending contemporary luxury and environmental sustainability. Through the use of locally sourced materials, and integrated renewable energy solutions, their goal to preserve the pristine beauty of the Maldives never interferes with guest comfort, instead it enhances the immersive, authentic experience available. This dedication to sustainability is not just a feature of the resort, but a call to action for all who visit, inspiring a sense of responsibility and respect for the natural world.

Wellness is a top priority for The Westin Maldives Miriandhoo Resort, and a host of amenities and facilities ensure guests are enriched through the brand’s six pillars of well-being: Sleep Well, Eat Well, Move Well, Feel Well, Work Well, and Play Well. From the Eat Well Wellness Menu to the brand’s award-winning Heavenly® Beds in each room, you are sure to leave the resort feeling fully refreshed. 

Location

Conveniently located in the breathtaking crystal clear waters of Miriandhoo Island, the resort can be reached via a scenic seaplane (this experience is not to be missed), which takes 25 minutes from the main airport in the Maldives, Male. 

Food and Drink

With one of their six pillars being ‘Eat Well’, the resort boasts a range of dining venues for guests to nourish and indulge in. The dining options are truly exceptional, offering a diverse range of cuisines to suit every palate. From fresh seafood at the Island Kitchen to Asian-inspired dishes at Hawker, there’s something for everyone. The resort also offers a variety of dining experiences, including private beach dinners and sunset cruises, adding a touch of romance to the culinary offerings. Each dining venue has its unique charm and signature dishes, providing a delightful culinary journey for guests.

Guests can choose from four unique dining options, three restaurants, and a beautiful elevated bar to enjoy some of the best sunsets in the Maldives. 

The Pearl

With a focus on freshly caught seafood and locally sourced ingredients, The Pearl offers guests a delightfully indulgent dining experience. The team of talented chefs use traditional Japanese recipes to create beautiful meals, proving that some traditions should never be broken. The attentive, personalised service is as incredible as the over-water location.

Hawker

Surrounded by palm trees with stunning ocean views, Hawker is a vibrant and casual venue that encourages relaxation. The open kitchen offers guests a glimpse behind the scenes as the chefs get to work on the gorgeous Asian fusion street foods, combining the authentic tastes of Asia with flavours from across the globe. 

Island Kitchen

Serving up international cuisine, the Island Kitchen chefs stick to the Westin Eat Well philosophy to create meals that are as nutritious as they are delicious. This all day dining venue is located next to the resort’s swimming pool area meaning guests don’t have to go far to fuel up. 

Sunset Bar

As the name suggests, this is the perfect place to enjoy a cocktail as colourful as the sunset. Guests can relax with an expertly crafted drink as the day fades into the night. Their tapas selection does not disappoint, offering the perfect pick-me-up until dinner. The carefully curated music playlists help enhance the laid-back, relaxing vibes. 

Floating Breakfast

The resort’s unique floating breakfast offering is one for your breakfast bucket list. We enjoyed this decadent, Instagram-worthy experience during our stay and it was such a treat.  Our lovely host arrived with the beautiful breakfast at our chosen time and carefully set it up for us. Complete with homemade pastries, fresh fruit, fruit juices and a cooked breakfast; all we had to do was pull on our swimwear and dive in. 

Destination Dining

The resort is always happy to accommodate special requests for guests seeking unique, intimate dining experiences, no matter how big or small. Our trip coincided with our wedding anniversary, and we were able to celebrate in style with a private beach dinner. Set against the natural beauty of the Maldives, the backdrop adds an element of adventure and excitement that makes your meal even more memorable. 

Rooms, Suites & Villas

The resort features 69 spacious villas, thoughtfully designed on an island reef. With eight different villa categories ranging from 140 sqm to 508 sqm, guests are truly spoilt for choice. Each villa comes with a private pool Whether guests opt for a cosy beach villa pool room, or the exclusive 2 bedroom Heavenly Beach Residence, both luxury and comfort are guaranteed. Every room offers beautiful ocean views, their signature Heavenly bed and Heavenly bath, and high-speed internet access – perfect for those combining work and play. 

Each villa is designed to reflect the natural beauty surrounding them, with modern, minimalist interiors, lots of wood elements, and a simple black and white colour palette to contrast the vibrant colours of the surrounding scenery.

Our Overwater Villa

We were blown away by our stay in one of the stunning overwater villas. The contemporary but ethically and naturally sourced villas are spacious and filled with natural light. With all the doors open, it was easy to become one with the ocean, while still feeling the privacy and personal touches of the villa. 

The bed and bath truly lived up to their Heavenly name, creating the perfect space to relax and soothe tired muscles. The Sleep Well lavender balm on our bed each evening was a beautiful touch. Our villa had a spacious, private deck that offered direct sea access, and our private swimming pool. The overwater villas all feature glass floor panels, allowing guests to observe the marine life below – yet another reason to book one of these incredible villas. 

Other Facilities

PADI-certified Dive Centre

The Westin Maldives Miriandhoo also boasts an exceptional dive centre, catering to beginners and experienced divers. The resort’s prime location amidst the vibrant marine life of the Maldives makes it an ideal destination for diving enthusiasts. Whether exploring colourful coral reefs, encountering majestic manta rays, or discovering underwater shipwrecks, the dive centre offers a variety of dive excursions and courses led by experienced instructors.

Heavenly Spa by Westin 

The tranquil Heavenly Spa by Westin offers three single treatment rooms, and two couples’ treatment rooms, one of which is equipped with a jacuzzi offering the most romantic of experiences to guests. All of the treatment rooms are perched over the water and feature glass floors, to allow guests to connect with the ocean and truly relax. As the ocean washed away my restless mind, the amazing spa team worked wonders on my knotted muscles, and by the time I left the spa I felt pampered and a decade younger.

The spa offers a range of treatments, from traditional massages to signature spa rituals, all designed to rejuvenate the body and mind. For guests who don’t want to step foot outside their beautiful villa, the spa team provides in-villa services to create the most indulgent of experiences. 

Unique Selling Points:

• There are spacious private decks with swimming pools with every villa.
• Enjoy unique excursions such as swimming with sharks and manta rays, and soak up the beauty of the amazing UNESCO Biosphere reserve.
• Snorkelers and divers can discover over 250 species of coral and diverse marine life in the resort’s house reef. 
• The friendly resort staff will ensure your stay is special and memorable, and no request is ever too big or small. Whether you’d like to renew your vows or set up a romantic beach picnic on a sandbank, the expert teams at The Westin Maldives will be happy to assist. 
• The resort has one of the best-equipped fitness programs in the Maldives with its signature WestinWORKOUT Fitness Studio. Guests who want to keep fit and take in the ocean air can work out in the newly built outdoor gym, and participate in various enriching workouts, including yoga, runWESTIN, tennis, volleyball and football. 

TLE Top Tips:

Take time to explore once in a lifetime excursions available, like swimming with Manta Rays

Being able to swim with the manta rays was one of the many highlights of my stay. The resort’s prime location in the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve on the Baa Atoll provides unparalleled access to the natural beauty and wonders, allowing guests to embark on guided excursions to encounter these graceful creatures in their natural habitat. It’s an awe-inspiring and humbling experience that offers a rare glimpse into the beauty and grace of marine life.

Rise with the sun

Waking up early on holiday may sound like a chore, but the sunrises on the island are not to be missed. We spent our mornings waking before sunrise and walking around the island soaking in the morning glow. Remember to take a camera with you, as you will get the best shots at this time of the morning. The white powdery sand and the warm glow of the sun offer the best backdrop for picture-perfect portraits and luscious landscapes. 

Sunsets in style

Relax as the sun sets on the perfect day with a hand-crafted cocktail at the Sunset Bar. This chilled space invites you to settle into a cosy bean bag chair and watch the world go by the day turns to night.

Up the romance

Whether you’re celebrating a special anniversary, birthday or honeymoon, the team at the resort are there to assist you with planning something memorable. I particularly enjoyed the romantic bubble bath service, where I was surprised by a luxurious bath filled with fresh flowers and a glass of champagne. Soaking in the freestanding tub while looking out at the ocean as the sun set over our villa is a memory I’ll never forget.

Final thoughts

Guests can tailor their Maldivian experience to suit their preferences, and with the spa, sports, dining, and diving centre offerings, there is something for everyone at The Westin, Maldives.

The natural beauty of the island, the resort’s sustainability initiatives, and the warm, friendly staff made it a truly special place to visit. Whether you’re seeking to relax and fresh, or would rather enjoy an adrenaline fuelled adventure, this extraordinary island retreat has it all.

This property is included in our guide to the best hotels in the Maldives