Review: Soneva Secret, Maldives: First In

Why book?

The fourth property from luxury pioneer Soneva builds on the brand’s principles of sustainability, conservation and wellness. But it also returns to the rustic beauty that captivated its owners to the Maldives in the beginning.

Set the scene

Even the arrival here is chic. Because there are no other islands around, you float down via seaplane into a pure turquoise world, where the views of blue skies and bluer waves are uninterrupted from each of the 14 villas. You will hear the phrase “simple luxury” repeatedly during your stay and that would be exactly how to characterize Soneva Secret on first view. There is no sense of a sprawling resort. It is chic and unassuming. Staff stands at the ready to greet you. Guests here come from all over the world, including China, Canada and Europe and you are likely to mingle over select meals and activities, but privacy is the word at Soneva, and your villa will soon become your own little vacation universe.

Take a look around

The backstory

Almost every luxury marque in the world can be found in the Maldives, each upping the ante with design concepts, experiences and wine lists. And the iconic honeymooners’ go-to is becoming almost as well known as a family getaway, its kids’ clubs focusing on learning as much as adventure, immersing children in marine sustainability principles, with programs on coral, sharks and manta rays.

Leading the pack has always been Soneva, the brainchild of Sonu Shivdasani and Eva Malmström Shivdasani, who arrived on the islands in the 1980s—having met, with suitable glamor, at the Monaco Grand Prix. It was Swedish model Eva who introduced the Maldives to Sonu, an Eton- and Oxford-educated British Indian. He fell as much in love with the islands as she had on a photoshoot some time before. Together they built the first Soneva resort, Soneva Fushi, which was boho-chic before the term had been invented, with a “no news, no shoes” philosophy that is oft-copied. Over the years, the couple made these islands their home, and their Soneva Fushi and Soneva Jani resorts are among the best in the world: repeat winners of Condé Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards, and regulars on our annual Gold List.

Their formula is equal parts luxury, responsibility and soul. It’s all conscientious at the back end and carefree at the front—so you’re pampered silly with caviar, but it is sustainably farmed. They have vast wine cellars, but their electricity is mostly solar-generated; drinking water is filtered and bottled on site; and all waste is recycled and -composted. Most of their villas have retractable roofs, so you can watch the stars from your bed, and there are slides from the first floor that plunge you into the ocean.

The rooms

There are 14 villas, each of which is either overwater or beachfront, plus a first-of-its-kind ‘floating’ villa on stilts in the ocean is currently under construction. The design of the villas is even more open to the elements than at Soneva’s other two resorts. The glass doors of the bedrooms (the only main spaces with air-conditioning) can disappear, and you can sleep to the sounds of waves seemingly lapping up to your toes. The openness is just incredible. One morning, the bright, natural light of the moon setting gently woke me up, and it was pure magic. Additionally, there is a sunken sitting area, a swing, little reading alcoves and those signature Soneva design elements: a private infinity pool, a ladder—transporting you straight into the ocean for dips and that slide from the roof deck into the blue. Each villa has an upstairs room with a massage bed for private spa treatments, and a dedicated barefoot butler and assistant, who can handle requests via WhatsApp.

Food and drink

There are two main places to eat: the more casual driftwood-chic Living Room and a circular fine-dining restaurant called Out of This World, about 330 feet off the shoreline. I ziplined there from the Living Room—very much the Soneva way—to sample ambitious morsels by tattooed chef Henrique Lork, who started as a baker in his native Brazil. I love his three-layer sourdough with truffle, cacao and curry, served with popcorn butter, and the recycled glass plates and dishes it comes on, designed and hand-blown in the Soneva Fushi studio.

As noted, each villa comes with its own chef. Soneva has a roster of top chefs from all over the world, so guests are able to eat whatever cuisine they choose prepared in their villa. I very much enjoyed the Vietnamese braised eggplant, and learning from the chef that his dishes are inspired by his mother’s old recipes. One night a week, the resort arranges a special set up on the beach, where each chef prepares their own station of food, and all guests sit together at one long table to eat. It is an excellent opportunity to mingle with others.

Cocktails, too, were a standout, mostly due to the talent and vigor of Aanchal Jain, Soneva’s supremely gifted mixologist who concocted drinks using onsite botanicals and ingredients like pandan, which went down beautifully. She was also a whiz at nighttime infusions that helped ease me into restorative, deep sleep, using ingredients like hibiscus.

The spa Wellness is a pillar of the Soneva brand, and the treatments here are excellent, including the Intuitive massage, where the masseuse reads your body and adapts a treatment based on its needs. On top of the spa rooms in each villa, Soneva Secret has a standalone spa shrouded by jungle. You can hear the ocean in the background, which operates as nature’s own white noise. Bliss. The ingredients are natural, and most of them are grown on the island. Knowing that I have sensitive skin and a preference for all-natural and organic ingredients, my experienced Bhutanese therapist Tashi Dekey, mixed up a scrub with Maldivian rice, cold-pressed local coconut oil and soothing fresh aloe vera, with a yoghurt pack for my face.

The area

A few neighboring islands, as well as coral reefs for snorkeling and diving, can be accessed by speed boat from the resort by day. We visited Makunudhoo, the last island in the Maldives to the west and the 17th and final on this atoll, one afternoon. It is so remote that ousted royalty and criminals were exiled there. Bursting with bright pink bougainvillaea, rose apples and mangoes, it’s still home to coral-made buildings (banned by the 1970s) and traditional weavers of baskets and roofs. Many of Soneva’s workers commute from here, but keep the island’s traditional lifestyle alive. On the beach, in the welcome shade of coconut trees, we’re treated to a lunch cooked by a local family on an open fire. It’s one of the best tuna curries I have eaten – on palm leaf mats with our fingers, everyone asking for seconds.

The service

It is intimate, personal, and intuitive. Each villa comes with a dedicated staff of three: a Barefoot Assistant, a Barefoot Guardian and a chef so everything is hyper-personalized. A week before arriving, I filled out a long form. On it were questions about everything from the fragrances I like (lemongrass) to what I want in my bathroom (a Dyson Airwrap) and the books I enjoy reading (literary fiction). I’ve had shorter doctors’ forms but it ensures Soneva hit the nail on the head when crafting my experience, which for me included starting my days with an authentic Indonesian breakfast including bubur ayam, with Indonesian music playing in the background. The staff were from all over, including Europe, India and the Maldives. To ensure continuity and consistency, new staff were trained at Soneva Fushi.

For families

Families are welcome and there is a kids club which is a godsend for parents who want to feel like they are on a second honeymoon and not a family vacation! On top of all the water sports, the Chocolate Room, which has pretty much every type of chocolate imaginable (including garlic!) is a hit with kids.

Eco effort

Sustainability is a pillar of Soneva. Yes, ingredients are local, plastics are banned and much of the resort is solar-powered. But Soneva’s commitment to long-term environmental and community projects set them apart. Proceeds from each guests’ stay are funneled into the Soneva Foundation, which supports reforestation efforts, provides communities with access to clean water and restores coral reefs, amongst other endeavors.

Accessibility

Soneva is not recommended for guests with limited mobility.

Anything left to mention?

Soneva Secret highlights privacy and seclusion, and walks the fine line between living your best life and thoughtfully managing and mitigating environmental damage.