The Luxury Travel Expert posted: "Wednesday newsletters always feature a hotel or flight review. A few weeks ago, I took a trip to the Maldives and stayed at two of the country's most exclusive resorts: The Ritz-Carlton Maldives and Patina Maldives. Both properties are located in the F"
A few weeks ago, I took a trip to the Maldives and stayed at two of the country's most exclusive resorts: The Ritz-Carlton Maldives and Patina Maldives. Both properties are located in the Fari Islands, a four-island man-made archipelago in the North Male Atoll, based a 45-minute boat ride from Velana International Airport. Read my trip reports here:
Tip: get complimentary VIP perks when booking via Virtuoso
Patina Maldives, Fari Islands is the inaugural flagship resort from Patina Hotels & Resorts, a new sophisticated lifestyle brand by Capella Hotel Group. Designed by renowned Brazilian architect Marcio Kogan, Patina Maldives offers 90 exquisite beach and water pool villas, ranging from one to three bedrooms. Situated in the heart of the Fari Islands archipelago, a man-made archipelago in the North Malé Atoll of the Maldives, a 50-minute speedboat journey from Malé International Airport, Patina Maldives offers guests the freedom to explore its two neighboring resorts (the Ritz-Carlton and soon-to-open Capella), allowing a choice between privacy and seclusion, and embracing a vibrant social scene centered at the development's Fari Marina Village and Beach Club.
Opened in May 2021, Patina Maldives is part of the brand-new Fari Islands archipelago in North Malé Atoll, an easy 50-minute speedboat transfer from Malé International Airport. The Fari Islands archipelago is comprised of four man-made islands, with three of them being home to luxury resorts: The Ritz-Carlton Maldives (which I reviewed here), The Capella Maldives (expected to open in 2027) and Patina Maldives. The fourth island is home to a thoughtful hospitality campus for staff, with a focus on community, education, and engagement (the first of its kind in the Maldives). Patina Maldives is strategically situated on the archipelago's largest island, which also harbors the social heart of the Fari Islands: the Fari Marina Village (more on that below). Guests staying on the Fari Islands, including guests of Patina Maldives, have freedom of movement across the Fari Islands and its resorts, providing an elevated travel experience (complimentary shuttle transfer by boat is provided).
Patina Maldives is designed by renowned Brazilian architect Marcio Kogan of Studio MK27. Inspired by the beauty of the Maldives' landscape, Studio MK27's biophilic design for Patina Maldives conjures spaces and atmospheres that encourage deep connections with nature, as well as communion with other people. Delicate architectural lines remain respectfully low, never breaching the horizon, and all pavilions – both the public spaces as the private villas - feel open, light and inviting. The materials palette throughout consists of earthy colors, matt surfaces and subtle textures that are intended to blend with the surrounding landscape. Wood, linen, rattan, paper cord, stone and natural fibers extend out from the interiors, blurring boundaries, drawing the outside world in whilst enticing inhabitants out. Many of Studio MK27's own designs can be found in the furnishings, including woven lighting pendants, neatly crafted shelving units, and cabana and deck chairs co-designed with Norm Architects.
Kogan's design vision is reflected throughout Patina Maldives' accommodation, restaurants and social buildings, which are spread across the island. The central area of the resort features a low-lying pavilion which houses a small reception area and a library (styled in a minimalist Swedish decor). This intimate lobby space connects to the main restaurant, which features an indoor dining room as well as large semi-outdoor terrace looking out over a large communal swimming pool and beach club. From this central hub, several walkways irradiate throughout the island and crisscross the entire property, leading to the villas and other facilities (e.g. other restaurants and the spa) which are located in different areas of the resort, along the island's 10 beaches. The island's easternmost tip is home to the Fari Marina Village, the social hub of the Fari Islands and home to a vibrant Beach Club (with a second pool and watersport center), charming boutiques, art galleries and a variety of handpicked, upscale food and drink options.
Patina Maldives features 90 contemporary one- to three-bedroom villas, which are spread along the island's shores and three overwater jetties. Accompanying the villas, the resort also offers 20 more modest rooms (Fari Studios) located at Fari Marina Village. During my holiday, I stayed in a One Bedroom Sunset Water Pool Villa, which was strategically positioned over the lagoon to capture the amber sun sink below the horizon. The villa's indoor space featured a kingsize bed (clad in brown Frette sheets), sitting area, desk, and an ensuite bathroom with his & hers vanities and a walk-in rainshower. The interior featured a minimalist decor and earthy tones, with large-scale photographic prints of palms by Brazilian photographer Cássio Vasconcellos of Maldivian, infusing the villa with a tropical sense of place. Floor-to-ceiling glass doors allowed the villa to be opened to the elements on all three sides. The outdoor deck featured a private pool, a free-standing bath tub, two sun loungers and a hammock.
Patina Maldives features 10 culinary concepts, where chefs preserve time-honored techniques with a dash of originality:
Set along the main pool right next to the lobby lounge is Portico, the resort's all day dining restaurant, offering flavorful food inspired by the Indian Ocean. Breakfasts are also served at Portico, both buffet and à la carte with a wide range of sweet and savory dishes.
Next to Portico is Wok Society, a high-energy social club serving soulful Asian creations (such as dim sums) and craft beers, under the guidance of Chef Zhang Sichuan
Over on the sunset side of the island, the conviviality and flavors of the Aegean are celebrated in the soulful kitchen of Helios, a laid-back beachfront destination.
Located in Fari Marina Village, the resort's signature restaurant Koen intertwines Japanese culinary arts with Scandinavian prominence on premium ingredients in a sophisticated 10-course signature tasting menu.
Also located in Fari Marina Village is Brasa, a Latin restaurant with open-fire cooking which serves grilled meat dishes originating from the Patagonian region of South America.
Another restaurant in Fari Marina Village is Arabesque, which invites guests on diners on a journey from Lebanon to North India. The sunken dining room, with hanging lanterns and colorful fabrics, sets the scene for shareable mezze platters, tandoor-grilled meats and iconic street fare.
On the far end of Fari Marina Village is Fari Beach Club, which offers a multi-sensory dining and entertainment experience centered on fresh, sustainably caught seafood and a crudo bar.
For a quick bite, guests can catch one of the pop-up food trucks in Fari Marina Village: Go Go Burger offers a wide variety of burgers (including tuna and Beyond Meat options); Tum Tum offers cuisine from across Asia; and Tuk Tuk Gelato serves ice cream ((vegan soft serves included)).
Farine is a contemporary European bistro serving freshly baked artisan breads, Italian style antipasti of cured meats and cheeses, and hearty main courses for those looking for easy casual eating.
Roots offers a fresh flair plant-based meal experience centered around nutritious, organic and home grown produce.
Patina Maldives features a serene spa facility – called FLOW - which is set in the heart of the island, surrounded by tropical vegetation. The main spa pavilion is centered around a shallow reflection pool, with a skylight above offering a play of light and shadow. There are six treatment suites, including a room dedicated to the practice of Watsu. Other facilities include a flotation tank suite, two warm plunge pools with jets, cold showers, and a Yoga room. Bespoke wellness programs combining movement, nutrition, and biohacking with nurturing therapies are designed for each guest, harnessing their energy to embrace total freedom, enhance overall vitality and boost immunity. Rooted in the belief that wellbeing of the individual is inextricably linked to that of the planet, Patina's light-footed offering combines the cleanest of products with a collection of experiences, Immersions and technologies designed to release the mind and promote cellular growth.
Patina Maldives has partnered with Singapore-based contemporary art consultancy The Artling to curate a collection of unique artworks. The collection is designed as a series of artistic encounters with which guests can directly interact, with each bespoke piece forming an integral part of the island landscape. Some examples:
On arrival, guests are greeted by Home Deep Blue, a large tapestry by New York-based artist Hiroko Takeda, whose work celebrates the traditions of Mingei Undou, the Japanese folk craft movement.
In a palm-fringed clearing, a series of eight mirrored columns stand directly onto the white sand, drawing viewers in and immersing them in reflections of themselves and their surroundings.
Close to the water's edge, self-taught Mexican sculptor Jose Dávila has created a relation of contrasts with Los Limites de lo Posible IX, a series of stone sculptures in which perfect geometric shapes hewn from volcanic recinto interact with the capricious natural forms of unaltered sandstone boulders.
Further along the beach, Porto-based studio FAHR 021.3 has installed Momento, a large yet simple swoop of white concrete. Guests are invited to interact with the piece: to sit or lie down in its curved embrace or walk through it.
Arguably the centerpiece of the island's art collection, Amarta is part of the long-running series of 'Skyspaces' by renowned US artist James Turrell. Turrell has been experimenting with these extraordinary sanctuaries since the 1970s, playing with light and the idea of the ethereal as a tangible material in some of the farthest corners of the world. From the inside, the Skyspace pavilion's open ceiling appears to flatten and frame the sky, while concealed lighting subtly shifts the viewer's perception of colour, distance, shape, and density.
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