Our incredible stay at the Soneva Jani

In August, we flew to the Maldives where, thanks to Little Guest, we stayed in one of the most beautiful places in the world, the Soneva Jani. Here are my impressions!

A one-of-a-kind venue

As a travel agent, I have the opportunity to travel in some quite amazing hotels throughout the world, but I must confess that the Soneva Jani easily outdoes its competitors.

We stayed on a private island that is far from the idea of what an hotel looks like. Of course, you will find those notorious Instagram “water villas” with their own private slide that propels you straight to the lagoon.

But that’s not all of it. Soneva Jani is more of an exclusive spot where nature is carefully preserved. A place where wildlife and flora are part of the everyday life and that nurture its own (huge) vegetable garden, its recycling center and its natural shampoo and soap factory.

An eco-responsible commitment

At Soneva Jani, nature is everywhere and everything is made to preserve it. What a unique feeling to wander bare-foot or with an electric bike around the island to discover the mangrove, heavenly creeks and the Balinese jungle-alike tropical forests.

A small detail that testifies of Soneva group’s eco-responsible commitment is the possibility to give as much laundry as wanted for a ridiculous amount of 10$. Soneva will then donate the entirety of the money to NGO’s fighting for preservation of the oceans. A nice gesture and a smart way to come back home with fresh laundry.

5-star service

We stayed at a ginormous private pool water villa worthy of the most amazing decoration magazines. No need to say that our son thoroughly enjoyed taking the slide straight into the Indian Ocean azure-coloured waters. Courtesy of the hotel, a lovely hedgehog stuffed toy was waiting for him on his bed.

After watching some of Netflix’s best series, we would flow into a peaceful sleep, surrounded by the relaxing sounds of the waves. Amazing trick: in the nightstand is a hidden button that opens the roof to enjoy the stunning view of a stars-laden night sky.

Gastronomy is marvellous. Once, we would enjoy an exquisite crab. The next time, we would savour a delectable barbecue on the beach. Local bio ingredients are flying the flag but you still can find some of your favorites far away treats, such as Comté cheese or prestigious French and Italian wines.

Slow life

“Slow life” is a real motto here, at Soneva Jani. This philosophy is a fervent back-to-basics advocate and invites you to disconnect from everyday routine and seek for the essentials. Trust me, it really works! The spa is premised on Indian medicine, and an Ayurvedic specialized doctor is available for specific guidance. It’s quite stunning: he takes your pulse, asks for your daily habits and then gives you tricks or suggestions to enhance your lifestyle and help you feel better.

At the resort, you can also discover the first-ever build-on-water cinema. We enjoyed a lovely evening eating sushis while watching a cartoon on the giant outside screen. Among other activites, don’t skip the dolphin cruise, a unique opportunity to swim among those wonderful creatures in a magical sunset.

At Soneva Jani, children are treated like kings and a brand new kids-club recently opened its door. Never have we ever been to such an amazing one like this! There are playrooms, disguise clothes, arcade games, kids-friendly kitchen to bake tasty Maldivian pastries, a pool, a giant slide, a huge pirate boat, a Lego room et many other surprises! A significant plus : the kids’ animators are fully fluent in English.

During our stay, my wife experienced a minor health issue. Soneva’s doctor came twice to check on her and didn’t charge us a single penny. Moreover, he explained that there is a clinic located 20 minutes away with seaplane, an important thing to know when you travel with kids.

I could go on indefinitely about this dream stay but the best is to fully experience it since words will never be enough to describe it… One life, live it!

Don’t wait any longer to discover the Maldives !

Jérôme