Designed to exude the intimate ambience of a luxury residence, Raffles Maldives Meradhoo brings to life the heritage of its brand and the natural beauty of its destination.
The barefoot luxury of a Gaia experience in the Gaafu Alifu Atoll awaits guests to the Raffles Maldives Meradhoo. It’s a welcome that pays respect to the simple joy of living on an island, stripping away the unnecessary glitz of ostentation to honour Mother Nature.
The Raffles brand executes beautifully the laid-back luxurious feel of the interior, and just by honouring its colonial heritage, the 38-key resort creates the ambience of a private residence, with flowing spaces demarcated by louvered doors and windows and patterned tiles in a soothing grey-blue palette. Natural materials such as bamboo and rattan further accentuate the feeling of homeliness in a vacation home and invites guests to sit back and take in the quiet beauty of the lush tropical foliage and pristine waters.
These elements inspired Founder and Creative Partner Clint Nagata of BLINK Design Group to overlay the nuances of island story-telling in the design. “Colonial-inspired details such as classic stripes have been blended with resort-style materials and details such as abaca, bamboo and rattan. Also, traditional colonial fabrics combined with patterns inspired by the surrounding sea, such as corals, have added a layer of detail to relate to the environment,” says Nagata. Inspired by this, design elements throughout the property depict nuanced takes on marine life and sea creatures. Accessories such as sea coral lamps were crafted by BLINK, alongside decorations of starfish, sea urchins, and turtle shells made from ecologically friendly resin material.
Nagata shared that as materials on the island were scarce, they had sourced and designed imported and custom-built furniture for indoor and outdoor use. “We used teak wood, seagrass, handwoven olefin rope, wicker, synthetic rattan, and solution-dyed acrylic fabric upholstery and pillows to ensure that the furniture can be moved around in the various spaces. Besides developing these customised designs, we also hand-picked furniture from the renowned American outdoor furniture brand Janus Et Cie.”
Within the villas, guests are greeted by an airy expansive space; a soaring seven-metre-high ceiling with exposed beams painted in grey-blue allow natural light to flood into the room. Taking pride of place is a super-king-size four-poster canopy bed raised atop a teak platform, allowing guests to luxuriate within the spacious four-metre-high volume and to take in the view of the Indian Ocean. Each beach villa has been designed like a private luxury residence, featuring an opulent bathroom with an island-style double vanity, a 2m x 2m sunken soaking tub backed by an accent wall of white and grey marble, and surrounded by floor-to-ceiling glass windows, replete with a walk-in outdoor shower and double vanities.
Guests may choose from four types of villas: the Beach Villa, the Overwater Villa, the Sunset Overwater Villa, and the Deluxe Beach Villa, which range from 220 sqm to 260 sqm, while the Beach Residence, Overwater Residence,and Sunset Overwater Residence range from 260 sqm to 300 sqm. Each villa and residence lead to a patio with a blue verandah table and rattan chairs, inviting guests to enjoy Maldivian nature in its resplendent glory.
The Raffles Royal Residence is a stately three-bedroom villa spanning 1,400 sqm, with shaded outdoor terraces and an infinity pool facing the beach. In the main house, three light-filled rooms border a 40-metre-long swimming pool that leads into multiple living and dining areas, dressed in shades of navy, sand, and grey-blue and highlighted by contrasting furnishings of raw and polished textures.
As guests explore the resort, they will be greeted by the continuity of the organic design theme in the communal spaces, with connecting pathways built overwater to emphasise the mesmerising scenery of the atoll as you head to the Raffles Spa.
Ideal for catching the sunset and chilling over a drink is The Long Bar, a breezy and intimate watering hole warmly lit by sconces affixed to each column. The vertical timber panels, bamboo-accented ceiling, seashell terrazzo countertops and the view all come together to celebrate the beauty of Gaia luxury at the resort.
Similarly, the dining experience at Raffles Maldives Meradhoo reminds guests of the visual beauty around them while they appreciate their culinary feast. Casual comfort awaits at Yuzu which serves nikkei cuisine, and Yapa, which offers Japanese sake and cocktails with pisco, mezcal or tequila, inviting guests to linger over the lagoon view while ensconced in in-door comfort. Guests who wish to continue their Gaia connection may dine at Thari, which provides rattan chairs and whitewashed teak wood tables for laid-back alfresco seating.
