Cheval Blanc Randheli, Maldives hotel review

Cheval Blanc Randheli is a 46-villa resort on the Noonu Atoll in the Maldives

(Image credit: Cheval Blanc)

published 17 November 2022

Paradise is the Cheval Blanc Randheli – a luxury 46-villa resort on the Noonu Atoll in the Maldives. From my arrival at Malé airport, the hotel’s attention to detail and impeccable service transports me to a world of total bliss, where my every need is taken care of before I am even aware it exists.

Cora Cora Maldives hotel review: laid-back luxury is the name of the game

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Upon touchdown on the bright blue seas of the island, I am greeted by the Cheval Blanc staff, who have all assembled to give me a proper welcome. I am introduced to Monsieur Adhli, who will be my personal majordome throughout my stay – I am told that he’s always available via WhatsApp for anything from a lift across the island in a golf buggy, to the organisation of a floating breakfast (which magically appears in my private pool on my second morning).

After a short drive from the sea plane through winding jungle paths, I arrive at my home for the next couple of days. There are three types of villa at Cheval Blanc – water (facing the sea, with steps down into the glistening ocean), lagoon (facing inwards towards a small inlet where tiny sharks and fish can be spotted), and island (these have their own private beach and two bedrooms, so are often best for families) – and each comes with a private pool.

Mine is a water villa and it is breathtaking. The villa itself is huge, divided into a living room, bedroom, gigantic bathroom and dressing room. The ceilings are seven metres high and the decor is luxe island chic. There is a hot bubble bath, bottle of champagne and plate of dainty canapés waiting for me. This is not just a welcome gift; every day, come 4pm, a plate of freshly baked treats and exotic fruit appears in the room as if by magic, and every evening when I arrive home from dinner there is a bath waiting for me at the perfect temperature. This is the kind of extreme attention to detail that I come to be used to during my short stay on the island.

On the island, there is a small lagoon for swimming, another infinity pool, a restaurant and a bar. I am told that I can roam anywhere here, and a member of staff will find me when it is time for my treatment. I decide to explore and spot a private hammam available to rent which is the size of a large London apartment. I then enjoy a signature 60-minute massage which takes place in a private treatment room overlooking the ocean. It is truly peaceful, with the sound of crashing waves lulling me into a state of total relaxation.

That evening, I dine at The Deelani, one of six restaurants on the island. Here, the food is Mediterranean, with an array of pasta and pizza and the best tiramisu I have ever tried. If this isn’t what you’re after, though, you could try Le 1947 fine dining restaurant, or Diptyque, a pan Asian teppanyaki restaurant. Every taste or craving is catered for – you would be hard-pressed to fancy something that Cheval Blanc does not serve.

The next few days are jam-packed. I have a private tennis lesson on the designated tennis island (yep), where the court is tucked away within dense jungle and can only be accessed by speedboat. I go on a snorkeling excursion that is awe-inspiring, swimming among sea turtles and reef sharks. There is a cooking class with the hotel’s sous chef, a barbecue and movie under the stars, and an Indian Ocean-themed dinner, where plates after plates of curries appear while traditional live music is played in the background.