Review: Maldives’ largest villa – 9 bedroom Private Reserve at Soneva Fushi

Wednesday newsletters always feature a hotel or flight review.

I recently enjoyed an AMAZING holiday in the Maldives. You can read my trip reports here:

Review: Emirates Boeing 777-300ER (new) Business Class Brussels to Dubai
Review: Emirates Boeing 777-300ER (old) Business Class Dubai to Male
Review: Maldives seaplane flight with Manta Air
Review: Soneva Jani Chapter One
Review: largest overwater villa in the Maldives
Review: Velaa Private Island
Review: Soneva Fushi
Review: largest villa in the Maldives (today)
Review: Anantara Kihavah
Review: Soneva Jani Chapter Two
Review: Emirates Boeing 777-300ER (old) First Class Male to Dubai
Review: Emirates Boeing 777-300ER (new) First Class Dubai to Brussels

Today: Review of the Maldives’ largest villa

Location: Google Maps
Hotel website: Soneva Fushi Maldives

The Maldives boasts some of the best resorts on the planet, each one offering phenomenal villas, fine dining restaurants by Michelin starred chefs, world-class spas, and over-the-top excursions. On top of that, and to differentiate themselves from their competitors, several hotels in the Maldives have now added the equivalent of a presidential suite to their room portfolio: an ultraluxe, one-of-a-kind multi-bedroom villa, which is labeled as a residence, estate, or private island.

The largest and most impressive beach villa in the Maldives is called the Private Reserve. Located on the sunrise side of Soneva Fushi, close to the island’s southern tip, the enormous 9-bedroom mansion represents the epitome of a jungle fantasy, featuring palmfrond roofs, woven ropes and tree branch banisters. With a built area of approximately 2,600 sqm (28,000 sq ft) and a plot size of around 5,540 sqm (circa 1.37 acres), it’s the perfect holiday home for large families or for those guests wanting to share the experience with friends.

I made a YouTube video with full tour of the Private Reserve which you can watch here:

Entrance to the Private Reserve is via a large open air living room with dining area, kitchen, en wine cellar. There is also plenty of entertainment for adults and children including a large TV lounge, study room, guest lounge, gym, as well as a private spa with sauna and steam room. And of course, there is the enormous lagoon-style swimming pool at the center of the Private Reserve, with a waterslide (providing as much fun for adults as for children) and a sunken dining area which is ideal for hosting dinners. The pool area and villa itself feature expansive decks, with plenty of options for lazing around and relaxing.

The playful mansion’s oceanic scale is reflected in its staggering number of rooms, nine in total (each on coming with ensuite bathrooms). The large master bedroom with en suite open-air garden bathroom is located in its own and detached pavilion, close to the beach, providing exceptional privacy and a sense of escape. It even has its own separate swimming pool and is reached via an elevated wooden walkway. The Private Reserve also includes five guest bedrooms (spread over two floors), specialty accommodation for children, plus a nanny’s room and a butler’s bedroom.

The 9 bedroom Private Reserve comes with its own bicycles and his and her butlers for guests to use as needed. Although it feels like a resort within a resort, there is still plenty to do outside, with Soneva Fushi also including a star observatory, a Glass Studio (glass blowing), an outdoor cinema at night, and numerous dining venues which rank among the best in the Maldives (with menus created by Michelin starred chefs). During the day, the resort offers guided scuba diving with a marine biologist, snorkeling with manta rays and a dinner and many more activities from sunset dolphin cruises to picnics on a private island. For those looking for something more laidback and on land there is also a recently revamped spa (Soneva Soul) which offers yoga detox programs and personalized beauty treatments. Read my review of Soneva Fushi here.