How do you make an architectural statement in a market saturated with beauty? While the Maldives is awash in five-star resorts, The St. Regis Vommuli Resort is a true design anomaly. Arriving by seaplane, you land on a nine-hectare private island where WOW Architects rejected the traditional hut template entirely.
The island is conceptualised as four ecological zones – Lagoon, Beach, Jungle, and Coastal – with the architecture in each revealing a design narrative that mimics the natural world: the Manta Ray, the Whale Shark, the Crustacean. This is a place where high-concept design meets the brand’s fundamental commitment: the St. Regis Butler service, ensuring every request is quietly, seamlessly fulfilled.
Villas
The 77 villas are defined by their sheer scale and a commitment to modern luxury, each anchored by a private plunge pool on a sweeping deck. The entire environment is managed by an in-room iPad, controlling everything from lighting to curtains. The Overwater Villas are the resort’s signature statement, their Manta Ray-inspired silhouettes designed to be light and open, framed entirely by the surrounding Indian Ocean. For those seeking a terrestrial sanctuary, the Beach Villas favour rich, textured materials that reflect the quiet character of driftwood and coral sand.
For the pinnacle of Maldivian seclusion, the John Jacob Astor Estate is the resort’s signature three-bedroom villa. Spanning 1,726 square meters, this overwater villa is a statement of pure privacy, offering endless ocean views and the full orchestration of a dedicated Butler team.
Gastronomy
The culinary programme is a dynamic, global production, staged across seven distinct venues. The experience is anchored by aesthetic statements, most notably the daily champagne sabreing ritual at The Whale Bar – the overwater pavilion shaped like a whale shark where guests can enjoy cocktails and tapas. Mornings begin with extravagant breakfasts at Alba, which later transitions to contemporary Italian and international fare, whilst Crust & Craft provides casual, toes-in-the-sand lunches. For dinner, the options become an Asian showcase: Orientale offers Chinese and Japanese haute cuisine, while T-Pan is a modern Kaiseki experience.
The intimate jungle venue, Cargo – housed unexpectedly inside a repurposed shipping container – serves as the stage for the new Tastemaker Series of culinary pop-ups. The series launches with a two-month residency by Chef Jolly of MasterChef India, providing a limited-time culinary journey.
Spa & Wellness
Wellness here is an architectural and sensory ritual, embodied by the 1,850-square-metre Iridium Spa. Its striking, crustacean-inspired form extends over the lagoon, housing six overwater treatment rooms – including two dedicated Ayurvedic suites. The practice is anchored by an in-house Ayurvedic specialist and acupuncturist, with a menu that grounds you in the location: the Iridium Signature Touch uses warm pouches of white sand as a Maldivian take on hot stones. Begin the experience in The Blue Hole: as the Indian Ocean’s largest seawater-filled hydrotherapy pool, it is set at the tip of the structure for a restorative circuit of heated jets.
Activities & Curation
This is where the St. Regis’s commitment to high-level cultural curation truly shines. While the Vommuli Dive & Watersports Centre handles all aquatic adventure – from deep sea fishing and reef diving to private charters aboard the resort’s yacht, Norma – the cultural offering is a significant differentiator. The Tastemaker Series continues this curation beyond the culinary, elevating the experience by hosting spectacular cocktail theatre from world-class bars like London’s Satan’s Whiskers and Mexico City’s Licorería Limantour.
Families
The resort welcomes families without compromising its sophisticated aesthetic. The dedicated Vommuli House, inspired by a banyan tree, houses a Children’s Club and Nature Library. The Coastal Family Villas – their form taken from the Maldivian Dhoni boat – are designed as generous, multi-level spaces that ensure comfort for all generations, complete with kid-friendly amenities.
Rates for a Beach Villa with Pool start from $2,143 inclusive of taxes and fees per night and $2,097 inclusive of taxes and fees for an Overwater Villa with Pool per night.
Vommuli Island Dhaalu Atoll, 13080, Maldives
