I am a fan of the Dunphy clan from "Modern Family" and a "Bachelor" fanatic. I was super excited when I heard that Sarah Hyland (Hayley Dunphy herself) and Wells Adams (from the Bachelorette and Bachelor in Paradise) were getting married. Due to a little global pandemic, they had to put their wedding and honeymoon on hold; after two years of waiting, Sarah and Wells were finally married on August 20, 2022. For their honeymoon, they decided on the Maldives, not just any resort but the brand-new Patina Maldives in the Fari Islands. I was lucky to stay at this gorgeous resort, and it is as fantastic as you can imagine. You can honeymoon like an A-Lister in Patina Maldives.
Fari Islands Overview
The Fari Islands is a manufactured archipelago with three neighboring islands that share distinctly various vibrance to form one incredible mix of Maldivian culture, romance, and luxury. Patina is only one of the brand's hotels; Ritz Carleton Fari island is another. Capella Maldives will complete the triumvirate when it opens in 2023. At Fari Marina Village, eco-conscious luxury travelers commune through beauty, invention, and discovery journeys. The marina is the beating heart of the Fari Islands; guests from all three resorts can share the culinary experience, art pieces by renowned international names, and boutique shopping featuring curated artisanal finds.
Patina Maldives Overview
The Patina opened in May of 2021, quickly becoming one of the most sought-after luxury resorts in the Maldives. That is an impressive feat since the islands are renowned for their fantastic hotels. Far away from every day is a freedom inspired by an island of pristine loveliness and surprising dimensionality: profound peace and shared experience. At Patina, you can heed your intuition and discover your flow.
Patina Maldives, a member of Design Hotels, is lyrical, be it your private pool villa brimming with stunning views or the spa canopy purifying the light and your soul. More than just a hotel, this cosmopolitan lifestyle brand evokes the minds of little ones through tailored made activities, interactive music programs, new art presentations, and delicious dining options. The ninety large villas are harmonious with modern art and organic surroundings and are genuine architectural marvels. Patina is only a 45-minute speedboat away from the international airport in Male, so you won't have to worry about seaplanes and their strict baggage requirements!
Villas at Patina Maldives
A sanctuary for travelers, Patina Maldives boasts 90 exquisitely established one-, two-, and three-bedroom beach and overwater villas, plus 20 Fari Studios. Planning a large group, you should look at their beach houses. The houses are exclusive and one-of-a-kind, completely private enclaves, with seven villas on the island's prime location, all facing sunset. The Beach House forms the Beach House Collection: the natural world of its own and six surrounding one-bedroom Sunset Beach Pool Villas. It gives a true feeling of a secluded island for parties who favor dancing to their rhythm. Each villa at Patina includes 24 hours a day assistance from a Patina Essentialist service, otherwise known as a butler. Our Essentialist catered to every whim and curated our stay to our desires and travel style. Hopefully, we didn't drive him nuts, but it was the most pampering I have ever experienced.
Jessie's Patina Villa Tips for Couples:
Honeymooners will not need to upgrade to a multi-room suite, so my favorite options for couples. If you want to save money, split your stay between a beach and an overwater villa. You get the best of both worlds and can experience all that Patina Maldives offers.
Beach Pool Villas offer floor-to-ceiling glass windows and doors opening on three sides of each villa; the deck features an oversized outdoor bathtub, a private pool, and a comfy hammock, while your secret garden hides an outdoor shower. The tropical plants blend the indoors with the outside surroundings.
If you want to up the romance factor, choose a Sunset Beach Pool Villa; they are the perfect place to cherish the most unforgettable sunsets. Like the regular Beach Pool Villas, the sunset variety uses natural materials and creative minds to achieve warm, rustic simplicity.
Water Pool Villas perch over the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean. The interiors are as calm as the lagoon surrounding the villa. Floor-to-ceiling glazed windows slide to unveil uninterrupted views of the horizon, all remotely controlled.
My favorite room category at Patina is the Sunset Water Pool Villa. They are identical in design and size to the water pool villa. Relax in your pool, hammock, or bathtub on your deck while marveling as the sun disappears beyond the horizon.
Dining at Patina Maldives
Elevate your minds in a balanced gastronomical voyage that streams with your own. Dine around Patina Maldives and the Marina Village, with two spaces, twelve eateries, and endless flavors. Let's start with the Roots, the fabulous plant-based signature restaurant honoring slow and purest foods. I have been a vegetarian for 25 years; this was the best restaurant I have ever tried. What is the opposite of a vegetarian? Whatever it is, my husband is one. He enjoyed roots also, so you know it's excellent! Patina allows you to travel between the continents and visit Asia (with Wok Society and Japanese fusion Koen), Europe (with the superb beachfront Helios), or South America (with the flame grill at Brasa). Finally, stop by Fari Beach Club: enjoy the daytime party vibe and pamper yourself in the culinary journey prepared by a two-Michelin-starred Chef in the evenings. And remember to pop by the food trucks.
Wellness at Patina Maldives
To be in nature's embrace stimulates a sense of well-being. At Patina, you can look forward to releasing energy that sets you free, where a state of mind, body, and play merged with science brings out a change that transcends everything you thought possible. The island delivers more than just a private water villa in the Maldives and motivates the journeying of minds and the nourishment of bodies. But more than that, life-affirming energy is produced in the soul of our spa, fitness activities, and rejuvenating adventures that scintillate the imagination. Spend your mornings partaking in sunrise yoga on the beach. Take time out of your day to indulge yourselves with the best Patina's world-class spa has to offer. Take advantage of Watsu, the guided aqua therapy that brings deep mental and physical relaxation, or the Floating Pod, which offers sensory deprivation therapy, perfect for busy couples that need a break.
Adventures at Patina Maldives
Patina offers soul-freeing experiences to make your trip the best vacation you have ever had. Energy vibrates rhythmically, and the resort tunes its surroundings to fall perfectly in sync. Patina Maldives has harnessed the power of nature, romance, wellness, originality, and discovery to offer you more than just a luxury villa in Maldives. From blending with Fari Island's marine sphere to contesting your perseverance against pulsating rhythms, their curated adventures complement the energy you radiate.
Before your arrival, the Guest Service Team will help you choose activities to thrill your senses. Here are some of my favorite activities offered at Patina.
Private Beach Dinner
From location to ambiance and flavors, our Essentialist curated a memorable and romantic dining experience for my husband and me.
Sandbank Picnic
You can relax, explore nearby reefs, and enjoy an epicurean picnic on a hidden sandbank with a personalized menu.
Maldivian Walk of Life
You can set out on a Maldivian adventure. Catch your dinner off a classic Dhoni and have a barbeque on a sandbank.
Ceramics and Coral Conservation Workshop
You can join a marine biologist to realize how ceramics can assist in the rehabilitation of Maldives' coral reefs. You will learn how to mold clay structures to aid coral growth.
Roots Cooking Class
This class aims to teach easy tricks to prepare nutritional and delicious plant-based meals at home, and Roots culinary staff leads it.
Private Cinema
Get the popcorn, marshmallows, and your favorite movie, and spend the evening under the stars during your private snuggle-in movie.
Surfing
You can learn to hang ten at surfing camps and tours of the best surf points in the Maldives.
Jessie's Resort Cons:
The private pools could be more extensive. The beach villas and the overwater bungalows have the space for larger pools. Other resorts in the Maldives at the same price point offer larger pools.
The villas can feel closed off when you have the blinds drawn on 2 of the walls of windows. I wish they had put in skylights or raised the ceilings to give the villas a more expansive feeling.
Many of Fari Studios don't have bathtubs.
When Capella Maldives opens, Fari Marina Village could become crowded with guests from all three resorts simultaneously.
The resort and Marina Fari Village are pretty significant. They offer complimentary bikes to get around, but there might be better choices if you have mobility issues.
Patina is about as close to perfection as I can imagine, so the pros are numerous, but here are some of my favorites:
Sustainability! The resort is solar-powered and has gardens from which it obtains most of the ingredients for your meals.
The dining is phenomenal; Roots, Helios, and Wok Society were standouts for me.
Getting ice cream from Tuk Tuk was a great way to cool off when the sun was out.
The art installations make exploring the island an adventure.
Learning to free-dive was exhilarating and scary. Patina is the only resort I know that offers classes.
The one-bedroom villas are enormous; they clock in at 1830 square feet!
The surroundings are incredibly lush and verdant, which surprised me because the islands are artificial and just opened last year.
Jessie's Patina Maldives Rating
(Rating Scale: 5 Superb, 4 Great, 3 Good, 2 Not Acceptable & 1 Awful)
Location: 5 out of 5
Food: 5 out of 5
Rooms: 4.5 out of 5
Service: 5 out of 5
Spa: 5 out of 5
Total 4.9
Patina is a stunning and exceptional resort; it has taken the Maldives by storm, which is a task. Four of my favorite resorts in the world are in Maldives; Patina knocked a gorgeous resort in Positano out of my top ten. But it is only for some; it is best for couples that want a relaxing and luxurious journey. You can honeymoon like Sarah & Wells in Patina Maldives. You don't have to be a TV star to honeymoon like one.