If you google right now ‘the best overwater villa in the world,’ I’m sure Soneva Jani Maldives will be the first result you’ll get.
The Resort has been on the top of our bucket list since we started working as travel content creators.
Without a doubt, Soneva has always been ahead of the curve. The luxury resort continues to innovate and is clearly a world leader in guest experiences and sustainability.
We recently had the fantastic opportunity to visit both Soneva properties in April 2022. And you can imagine we had very high expectations for our stay. We can positively say they were all very well exceeded. And as a result, we would like to share our experience with you over the next few minutes.
Firstly, in this post, we’ll share some information and curiosities about the Resort. Then, in conclusion, we’ll share our final thoughts and, most importantly, how our stay was.
Sustainable Luxury
The name Soneva comes after its founders, Sonu Shivdasani and his wife Eva Malmström Shivdasani. Their unique vision is inspired by nature’s magnitude, mystery, and enchanting beauty.
Sustainability is one of the brand’s primary concerns. In addition to tons of different projects, including the only hot glass studio in the Maldives, above all, they are proud to be able to recycle more than 95% of their waste!
The brand has two incredible resorts in the Maldives: Soneva Fushi & Soneva Jani.
We’ll share today our experience at Soneva Jani.
‘No news, No Shoes’
The ‘No News, No Shoes’ philosophy is about disconnecting from daily life’s stresses and reconnecting with the earth with the sand between your toes.
Therefore, they first ask you when arriving at Soneva if you want to remove your shoes.
Accommodation
Whether you want to relax and unwind with your other half, an action-packed getaway with your friends, or a fun-filled, unforgettable stay with your family, the villas offer everything you can possibly look for. In particular, for those who want to adventure themselves on the super fan and instagrammable slides.
The Best Overwater In The World
At Soneva Jani Maldives, we stayed at the new Chapter Two; a concept recently opened in December 2020.
In addition to the villas offered in Chapter One, Chapter Two includes 28 luxurious over-water villas, three new dining concepts, and a new Wellness Centre.
Each Villa offers direct access to the lagoon; in other words, you can wake up and go for a refreshing morning dip.
They also feature a signature outdoor bathroom with a shower and bathtub. In addition, the large outdoor deck has a private freshwater pool, an open dining area, daybeds, a swing, and catamaran nets.
Lastly, the villas have the famous and instagrammable slide as well as a fantastic retractable rooftop! Can you imagine watching the stars from your bed? It’s without a doubt one of the most amazing experiences.
It should be noted that every guest staying at Soneva Jani Chapter Two Reserve Villa can indulge in Soneva Unlimited.
The Soneva Unlimited lets you experience everything in the resort within the villa price. It includes all the food and experiences the resort offers, such as fine dining and alcoholic drinks, spa treatments, signature experiences, and more.
Moreover, you don’t have to worry about extra expenses during your stay. How amazing is that?
Check here to see the complete list of inclusions.
Dining at Soneva Jani Maldives
Meal Plans
Meal plan types include Half-Board, Full- Board and Full-Board Plus (house brand alcoholic drinks).
In addition to the meal plans mentioned above, there is the Soneva Unlimited. In other words, the Soneva Unlimited concept includes all food, drinks, and experiences include at no extra cost, if you’re staying at one of the villas in Chapter Two.
Fine Dining
There are four restaurants on-site for a memorable experience.
1- So Wild By Diana Von Cranach
It offers plant-based and South East Asia cuisine with health-conscious choices.
2- The Crab Shack
The restaurant was voted “the world’s most romantic restaurant” by CNN.com, and it offers Asian and International cuisine.
3- So Primitive
With a firepit concept, So Primitive offers international grill choices.
4- Guess who’s cooking
If you’re looking for a different experience, Guess who’s cooking offers a secret menu in a remote location. You won’t know who your chef is until right after the meals are served when they reveal themselves.
Activities
Soneva Jani offers a great variety of activities. Not only water activities such as dolphin cruises, surfing, and diving but also picnics, dining cruises, floating breakfast and astronomy experiences.
Also, as Soneva Jani is quite huge with 150 acres, every guest is provided with e-bikes, which means you can explore the resort in the best way possible!
Moreover, they also provide buggy service 24/7, and your host (butler) is just a call away.
How to get there
Soneva offers a lounge area to all its guests where you can enjoy some refreshments while waiting for your flight.
There will be a Soneva Representative waiting for you upon arriving, He will assist you with the check-in for your flight to the resort and take you to the lounge area.
You can arrive at Soneva Jani in two ways: seaplane from Velana Airport in Malé or flying directly to Maafaru Airport. This last one operates 24/7 and handles domestic and international flights as well as private charters.
Two seaplane choices are available: the Soneva seaplane or the Manta Air seaplane. Both are very comfortable. However, the Soneva seaplane is private and in contrast, the Manta Air seaplane carries slightly more passengers. That means Manta Air, can take a little bit more time to arrive at the resort as it may stop en route at other destinations before.
Our final thoughts
In conclusion, the only word we can think of is ‘WOW.’
Soneva Jani is definitely a dream resort. Undoubtedly, it has become one of our favorite resorts in the Maldives. We had the most fantastic stay here.
It’s not just the fact that the resort itself is one of the most beautiful ones with the best overwater villas. But also the fact that it’s great to see a brand taking such good care of our environment.
With this in mind, if you are still considering booking your stay here or not, without a doubt, you can go for it. We are sure you won’t regret it!
