The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort: An Honest Guide From a Travel Advisor Who Has Stayed

Arriving at Malé's Velana International Airport can be a bit of a shock to the system. The arrivals hall is lined with row after row of resort welcome desks, and on an earlier visit I spent a few hot hours in the terminal waiting for a transfer, with not much air conditioning and nowhere comfortable to sit. So when I arrived for my stay at The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort, I noticed the moment the resort's team took over. The whole experience changed from that second.

This guide combines what I loved about my stay with up-to-date information on the resort as it is today, including what has changed, how to get there and how to choose the right villa.

Where is the St. Regis Maldives Vommuli?

The resort sits on its own island, Vommuli, in Dhaalu Atoll, south-west of Malé. It opened in 2016 and is part of Marriott's St. Regis brand. There are 77 villas in total, 33 on land and 44 over the water, so it feels private without feeling empty.

The island is small: you can cycle around it in about ten minutes or walk it in around twenty. What I liked most is that the layout still gives you a real sense of privacy.

The design takes its cues from the ocean. The villas are shaped to echo manta rays, the Iridium Spa's treatment rooms are laid out like a lobster and its claws, and the Whale Bar is, well, shaped like a whale. It is modern rather than traditional Maldivian in style.

Getting there

All guests reach the resort by seaplane from Malé, which takes about 45 minutes. Because seaplanes only fly in daylight, the resort asks that your international flight lands before 3.30pm. Arrive any later and you will need a night in Malé or on the airport island before flying out the next morning. Seaplane transfers are compulsory, booked through the resort and charged on top of your room rate, so they need to be part of the budget from the start.

When I travelled, we were driven to the seaplane terminal and waited in the resort's private lounge. After a week of sailing around the Maldives, it felt like pure luxury: quiet nooks, showers and plenty of food and drinks, with seaplanes taking off outside. We were even handed an iPad with a welcome video from our butler.

Then came the moment I still laugh about. Walking out to the seaplane, I realised the barefoot man in shorts standing beside it was our pilot. That is just how it is done in the Maldives. We were lucky to be the first stop on our route, so only one takeoff and one landing, but we flew through heavy rain on the way. As someone with a fear of flying, I was very happy to touch down.

On arrival, a line of staff waved us in from the jetty, and we were handed a cold fresh coconut while we checked in. It is a lovely first impression.

From Australia: there are no non-stop flights to Malé, so most travellers connect through Singapore, Colombo, Kuala Lumpur or the Middle East. Choosing a connection that lands you in Malé by early afternoon makes a big difference, because it means you reach the resort on the same day.

Beach villa or overwater villa?

This is the question I am asked most about the Maldives, and my stay here changed my answer.

Before this trip, my picture of the Maldives was the classic overwater villa: water lapping at the stilts, looking down at the fish from your deck. We stayed in a Beach Villa with pool (Villa 309, if you are curious) and I was converted. Two steps from our large deck was a private pool, screened by palms and shrubs for privacy but with a clear view of the sea. Ten more metres and I had warm white sand between my toes.

I still understand the dream of the overwater villa, and here they are excellent, with private pools and decks over the lagoon. But my go-to recommendation for many couples is now a beach villa, especially if you like walking straight onto the sand for a swim.

Inside, we had a large king bed facing the ocean and one of the most beautifully symmetrical bathrooms I have ever seen (a dream for anyone who likes things in order). A bottle of St. Regis-branded Devaux Champagne was on ice when we arrived, and the minibar was stocked with nuts, dates and chips to go with it. An in-villa iPad controlled almost everything: lights, blinds, TV, room service, buggy pick-ups and activity bookings. You could also connect your phone to play music through the villa's sound system.

Every villa has its own pool. The range runs from Garden and Beach Villas through several styles of Overwater Villa (lagoon, ocean and sunset-facing) and Overwater St. Regis Suites, to two-bedroom villas for families and two couples travelling together. At the top are the three-bedroom Astor Estates: the Caroline Astor Estate on the beach and the John Jacob Astor Estate over the water, which Marriott describes as the largest estate on the island, complete with its own gym and cinema room.

Eating and drinking

When I stayed, there were four restaurants and two bars. Today there are seven venues, after the resort added a Japanese restaurant, T•Pan, in late 2022.

ALBA is the main restaurant, by the pool and looking out to the ocean, and it is where breakfast is served. Breakfast here was one of the best I have ever had. As well as a full buffet of pastries, cold meats, cheeses, fruit, international stations and more sweets than anyone needs at 8am, there was an eight-page à la carte menu. The lobster and Alaskan crab omelette with caviar was divine, and the French toast was a highlight from a full page of sweet options. Portions were small enough to order two or three dishes a day, and a mimosa service went from table to table. Menus change, so treat my favourites as a taste of the style. ALBA also serves Mediterranean-style lunch and dinner.

Orientale was my favourite dinner during our stay, with fresh pan-Asian dishes. Today it serves sushi, sashimi, dumplings and wok dishes in an open-air setting by the ocean.

Cargo is where we ate on our first night. Back then it served Middle Eastern food from a food-truck-style kitchen in the middle of the island, with your feet in the sand. It is still in the gardens but now focuses on Indian Ocean cooking with aromatic spices, which I would love to try.

Decanter is an underground wine cellar surrounded by bottles, now set up for a private multi-course dinner with paired wines. Book it for a special night.

T•Pan is the newest addition: a Japanese kaiseki-style restaurant with very limited seating at the edge of the beach. Book this one early.

The Whale Bar, at the end of a walkway over the water, was our sunset spot and still is the place for sundowners, now with Latin-inspired tapas. The casual beach bar where we shared pizza and burgers is now Crust & Craft, a relaxed, family-friendly spot for handmade pizza and lunch.

Opening days vary, so check the weekly schedule when you arrive and book the smaller venues early in your stay.

Will you get bored?

This is the other question I hear all the time. Even on a seven to ten night stay at the St. Regis, you will probably leave with things still on your list.

The Iridium Spa sits over the water and includes the Blue Hole hydrotherapy pool, which I found incredibly relaxing. When I stayed, the menu also included acupuncture, anti-gravity yoga and a sauna. In the water, there is diving (we heard about sea turtles, manta rays and small reef sharks), snorkelling, paddleboarding, jet skis and sunset cruises. There is a decent gym, a well-stocked library and a complimentary kids club. Each villa had its own bikes, tagged with our villa number so we would not grab the wrong one after breakfast, and I loved cycling past the island's garden, which supplied produce for the restaurants.

The house reef is about a two-minute swim from the shore, and snorkellers regularly see reef sharks, sea turtles, manta rays, eagle rays and a wide variety of tropical fish.

Who it suits (and who it does not)

The St. Regis Vommuli sits in my top three Maldives stays. It's for travellers who want to switch off, and I especially recommend it for couples, honeymoons and girls' trips away (with, in our case, a few too many glasses of bubbly). It also suits families who want space and good food.

It is not for everyone. If you want busy bars, nightlife and a buzzing atmosphere, you will not find that here. The Maldives as a whole suits people who are happy to spend a few hours a day by the water, cocktail in hand or not.

Best time to go

The Maldives is warm all year. The drier, calmer months are generally December to April, which is also peak season, with the highest rates and busiest holiday periods. May to October brings more rain and wind, but also lower rates. We experienced both sides: heavy rain on the flight in, and a thunderstorm as we packed to leave. The storm made it a little easier to say goodbye and climb back onto the seaplane as the staff waved us off.

Planning your stay

The resort works best with a little planning: flight times that suit the seaplane schedule, the right villa for how you like to holiday, and an idea of whether you want a meal plan or to dine as you go. If you would like help putting together a Maldives trip, or combining it with a stopover in Singapore or Sri Lanka, I would be happy to help you plan it with Prestige Travel & Events.

Frequently asked questions

How do you get to the St. Regis Maldives Vommuli?

By seaplane from Malé, around 45 minutes each way. Transfers are compulsory, arranged by the resort and charged separately. International flights should land before 3.30pm, because seaplanes only fly in daylight.

Is the St. Regis Maldives good for families?

Yes, it can be. There is a complimentary kids club, two-bedroom villas and family-friendly casual dining at Crust & Craft. But the overall atmosphere is quiet and grown-up, so it suits families who want a calm holiday.

Which is better at the St. Regis Maldives, a beach villa or an overwater villa?

It depends on how you like to holiday. Overwater villas give you the classic lagoon view and direct water access. Beach villas give you sand at your doorstep, more shade and greenery, and often better value. After my stay, a beach villa is my personal pick.