Patina Maldives: The Best Maldives Resort For Bespoke Experience-Led Travel
Although the luxury resort only opened a year and a half ago (May 2021), Patina Maldives has already received a slew of attention and awards in the travel and design world—including from names such as Condé Nast and Architectural Digest.
There was certainly buzz about the debut lifestyle resort from Singapore-based Capella Hotels & Resorts. The luxury hospitality expert is known for bespoke travel experiences, and with Patina, their plan is to bring curated experiences to those looking to connect on a deeper level with their location.
As the Maldives resort is already receiving many repeat visitors, it seems Patina Maldives has managed to achieve exactly what it set out to do and more.
Built on a quad of man-made islands, Patina Maldives is found on the largest of the four Fari Islands in the northern part of North Male Atoll. As also the home of the Ritz-Carlton Maldives resort, The Fari islands seem destined to become one of the most exclusive sets of islands in the Maldives.
To discover if Patina Maldives lives up to all the hype, EliteLyfe personally stayed at the resort this year (September 2022). Members of the luxury travel team scoped out its amenities, accommodation, service, activities and more to ensure everything lives up to the highest standards possible.
Sustainability & Community-Driven Amenities
As a luxury lifestyle hotel, Patina Maldives has a strong focus on well-being, shared experiences, and in particular, sustainability.
The resort is a radical example of biophilic design—an architectural approach that brings natural systems and processes into the built environment. From zero-waste kitchens to beach clean-ups to nurturing next-generation respect, Patina attempts to give back to the environment much more than it takes.
Even with this environmentally conscious approach, guests are spoiled for choice with luxury amenities. You can be pampered in the zen-inspired spa, receive bodywork therapy in the watsu pool, immerse yourself in marine life with the dive center, or work on your game on the tennis courts.
One of the top amenities at Patina Maldives is the easy access to Fari Marina Village and Fari Beach Club, where guests find a 20-berth marina and social hub with restaurants, bars, shops, and interactive music programs.
The wide selection of luxury amenities available at Patina Maldives includes:
The best kid's club in the Maldives, divided into different sections based on age, with a tech area with 3D printers, a drawing room, and even a room is a small kitchen for culinary art classes.
A dive center powered by Swimsol offshore solar panels (as well as the kid’s club).
Modern spa building inspired by Japanese gardens with ponds and common areas to rest and independent squared huts for massages.
A small gym with all the needed equipment for training
Next to Patina is the Ritz-Carlton, guest can visit their spa or simply have dinner there
Bespoke Activities to Foster Creativity & Wholeness
The Capella brand is known for curating bespoke travel vacations that are tailored to every guest. With Patina, the resort has a dedicated team of experts whose sole focus is to design creative and sustainable experiences for every guest.
The experiential philosophy of Patina Maldives extends to the design of the space itself. With a boho-chic design that exudes vibes of Scorpio Beach Club in Greece, guests are immersed in sustainable materials such as woods, linen, and rattan and arresting artworks from artists like Brazilian photographer Cássio Vasconcellos and New York-based textile artist Hiroko Takeda.
Some of the top experiences include dolphin spotting from Patina’s superyacht, taking part in beach clean-ups on neighboring islands, chilling out in the floatation zone, and following maps to discover hidden art installations such as “Skyspace” by world-renowned U.S. artist James Turrell.
Each experience at Patina Maldives seems to be designed to foster wholeness, expand creativity, and connect you back to the natural world.
Here's a taste of the activities and experiences you can expect at Patina Maldives:
Complimentary evening cocktails & canapes at Portico, the social hub of Patina Maldives.
Usage of bikes, snorkeling sets, stand-up paddleboards and kayaks.
Luxury boat transfer for stays of four consecutive nights or more.
Introductory dive for kids.
Racing cars in the Fab Lab and team sports and games.
Coral reef seeding and adoption of injured sea creatures.
Night snorkeling and responsible wild dolphin spotting.
Solo painting, silent trance festivals, and captivating discourses by visiting speakers.
Wellbeing treatments using a well-being philosophy called Flow.
Secluded Accommodation & Thoughtful Service
The accommodation options at Patina Maldives are typical of the region: overwater villas and beach houses in various sizes. But what is far from typical is that each villa is designed to be a sustainable and artistic joy for the senses.
The luxury resort's low-level structures, designed by Brazilian architect Marcio Kogan and his company Studio MK27, lie organically in the natural flora. Each of the ninety one- to three-bedroom Water Pool and Beach villas and twenty Fari Studios are designed to deliver both isolation and a sense of belonging under the concept, “together in isolation”.
Each luxury villa is home to large-scale images of Maldivian flora by Cássio Vasconcellos as well as custom-designed millwork furnishings, control panels integrated into the bed frames, and other items sourced from leading designers such as BassamFellows, Gervasoni, LinBrasil, Devon, Vitra, Paola Lenti, and Carlos Motta.
As expected from the bespoke travel branch of the Capella brand, the service is outstanding. You are greeted onto the island by clapping, smiling faces, waiting staff learn your dietary preferences, and your Essentialist, Patina’s answer to private butlers, is available around-the-clock via WhatsApp to arrange dinner reservations, drop off snorkeling kits, and add thoughtful touches.
The range of accommodation at Patina Maldives includes:
One-bedroom villas on island or out on the ocean with private pools
Two-bedroom villas with large communal living spaces and huge movable glass walls on all sides
A three-bedroom Beach House with rooftop terrace and large private pool
Studios within close proximity Fari Marina Village
Intimate & Social Culinary Experiences
The culinary experience at Patina Maldives is not just about eating, it's about exploring the effects of nature’s superfoods to naturally hack your well-being and immune system through food.
This could be delving into the science behind kombucha, learning to pair organic wines with ingredients from their permaculture-led garden, or simply enjoying the creations of chef Derrick Wales, a pioneer in plant-based dining in the Maldives.
With seven restaurants to choose from, including Moroccan, Greek, Japanese, Nordic, and South American cuisine, guests are spoiled for choice. Patina Maldives is also currently the only luxury resort in the Maldives that has three food trucks on the property, one of which, “Tuk Tuk”, offers free gelato during the afternoons.
More of what you can expect from the culinary experience at Patina Maldives includes:
Breakfast buffet with a great variety of pastries, fresh fruits, salads, inlays, smoked salmon, Iberico ham, etc.
Intimate tastings and private dinners in Farine
Several more diverse options at Fari Marina Village
Getting to Patina Maldives
The closest international airport to Patina Maldives is Velana International Airport, and the Fari Islands are reachable by a 45-minutes luxury speedboat transfer. Guests receive complimentary transfers between the Patina Maldives and Ritz Carlton Maldives with a restaurant reservation.
The peak season in the Maldives is from January to April. A great time to visit is between November and April when fewer people are traveling and the climate is warm and tropical.
Planning a bespoke vacation to Patina Maldives? Contact EliteLyfe luxury travel concierge team to arrange everything from booking and custom pre-trip itineraries to exclusive experiences and private jet transfers.