In-depth review of Soneva Secret in the Maldives

~ The atmosphere: An ultra-private, eco-friendly escape in a remote corner of the Maldives Makunudhoo Atoll, Maldives | View on Google Maps From $3,300| Book now ~

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The Afar Rapture

With its airy villas, driftwood-clad interiors and toe-in-the-sand restaurants, Soneva (comprising Soneva Fushi and Soneva Jani in the Maldives) has long been synonymous with barefoot luxury in the Maldives. But in May 2024, the brand took its shipwreck fantasy to new heights with the opening of a third Maldivian shelter, which is both its largest and largest And smallest resort yet.

For the aptly named Soneva secretSoneva founders Sonu Shivdasani and Eva Malmström Shivdasani took the brand’s best-loved features – villas with plenty of outdoor space, top-notch restaurants and an admirable eco-ethos – and turned it into a quiet hideaway of just 14 villas in the remote Makunudhoo Atoll. Privacy is paramount here: not a single island is visible on the blue horizon. Each villa offers plenty of space and all the amenities you need and more. They all have their own gym (equipped just the way you want), a spa room and a team of chefs who can prepare meals on-call in your villa’s airy living room.

Who is it for?

Soneva Secret is all about privacy, with its secluded location, discreet staff and villas designed so that, if you wish, you don’t have to leave them at all during your stay. This feature attracts A-listers (although, true to their ethos, none of the team members would reveal names) and other individuals who want to holiday away from prying eyes. Honeymooners can choose from a litany of romantic activities – picnics on deserted sandbanks, candlelit dinners on a floating platform at sea – while the kids’ club and extra bedrooms in each villa also make the resort an excellent destination for families. A stay of this caliber obviously comes at a price. With rates starting at $3,300 per night, it is one of the most expensive resorts in the Maldives.

The location

Soneva Secret is located on a small island in the little-visited Makunudhoo Atoll, the westernmost point of the Maldives. The 1.5-hour seaplane transfer from Male takes longer than most resort arrivals (for example, Soneva Fushi takes 30 minutes, while Soneva Jani is 45 minutes away), but the effort is worth it: from the deck of your villa, with no other island visible on the horizon, it feels like you have this azure lagoon all to yourself. And that’s almost true: only one other island in the atoll, also called Makunudhoo, is inhabited, while all others have fortunately remained free of construction.

When planning a stay here, seasonality is especially important: with no other islands nearby to break the waves and wind, the resort bears the full wrath of the region’s storms during the rainy season from June to August to endure. (I was unlucky during my five-night stay in July and spent a significant amount of time indoors.)

The rooms

Some of the 14 villas hide in the jungle-like heart of the island; others branch off a winding walkway over the water. They all have Soneva’s signature airy style: lots of reclaimed driftwood, hints of sunny yellow and rustic-luxe decor made from recycled materials such as old aluminum and discarded glass bottles.

In my overwater villa I could slide open the glass doors around my bedroom to be at one with the elements, and one evening I opened the roof over my bed with the push of a button so I could look at the stars before I fell asleep. And that’s just one of those quirky Soneva touches: those familiar with the brand will also recognize the infinity pool that flanks each villa’s terrace above the water, and the sinuous water slide that drops you straight into the waves below. Each villa also has its own (and very well-equipped) gym and separate spa treatment room, with therapists and trainers on call.

If even that isn’t private enough, consider one of the Crusoe villas, which were still under development when I visited but promised plenty of privacy. These one and two-bedroom retreats are located on stilt platforms some 300 feet offshore and are only accessible by electric boat. Another, the floating Castaway Villa, can be towed to various anchor points around the island to watch the sunrise And sunset from their best vantage points.

The food and drinks

For a resort with so few villas, the restaurant offering is impressive. The centerpiece for a date night is Out of This World, the culinary playground of tattooed chef Henrique Lork. This airy fine dining restaurant has a tubular tower just offshore and is reached via a winding path on stilts or, if you’re feeling adventurous, via the Maldives’ longest zipline.

My dinner here was literally a journey: from the glass-bottom wine cellar, where I started with bite-sized pumpkin waffles with Rossini gold caviar and crispy chicken skin with seaweed mayo, on to the open kitchen on the top floor of the tower. , where Lork served me five courses (including smoked leek with cashew paste and lamb in coffee sauce) on recycled glass crockery. Had the weather been better, the evening would have ended on the roof, with cocktails and a private stargazing session led by the resident astronomer.

For a more casual lunch or dinner, there’s the Living Room, the resort’s lobby-like central hub, where the menu includes delicious Indian curries, vegan burgers and salads using farm-fresh ingredients, as well as a specialty coffee bar and an all-inclusive coffee bar. delicatessen with cheese, artisanal chocolates and cold cuts. An a la carte breakfast is also served here, and your order must include at least one serving of baked yogurt – so divine that I ordered a second serving every morning. Other options include So Primitive, a restaurant concept found at all Soneva resorts specializing in grilled meats and seafood, and a handful of private dining setups on sandbanks and in the island’s jungle.

Staff and service

The resort has handpicked its multicultural team of chefs, butlers (called Barefoot Guardians), housekeepers and waiters from Soneva’s other properties and some of the region’s top hotels. And it shows: once you have communicated your preferences via a form submitted prior to your stay, you can look forward to your favorite drinks in your minibar; a personalized selection of novels on your villa bookshelf; and your private gym furnished the way you want. Each villa has a dedicated Barefoot Guardian and Housekeeping Assistant on hand, and whatever you need is just a WhatsApp message away. Would you like to have your suitcase unpacked? A nightcap delivered to your villa? Toys to play with in your pool? Just say the word.

Soneva’s arrival meant that many locals from the nearby island of Makunudhoo could trade their hospitality jobs on distant atolls for work closer to home, allowing them to return to their families after clocking out. I met many of the staff while touring the island one afternoon, and hearing their stories was a heartwarming reminder that the right kind of conscious hospitality can indeed have a positive impact on local residents.

Accessibility

Stairs, dirt paths and seaplane transport make this a challenging resort to visit for guests with mobility issues.

Room service, redefined

Although the resort has plenty of restaurants to choose from, room service is encouraged: each villa has a fully equipped kitchen and more than a dozen private chefs on call to prepare breakfast, lunch or dinner in the comfort of your living room or villa terrace.

During my stay I ordered meals from chefs born in all corners of the world, from Russia to Sri Lanka. Each specialized in the cuisine of their country of origin and was happy to teach me a thing or two about their ingredients and cooking techniques. One day I had breakfast with Indian dosas and potato curry, and then had an Indonesian feast for lunch – real rendang, a perfect gado-gado and a very comforting soto ayam chicken soup. For dinner I opted for South American cuisine – and I still dream of the melting provoleta with chimichurri sauce that chef Daniella served. Since the chefs cook exclusively for you, you are free to request special dishes or customize each course based on your dietary requirements (e.g. completely vegan or dialed back based on spice levels). Just let them know in advance.