Cheval Blanc Randheli — Hotel in South Miladhunmadulu

In the pristine Noonu Atoll of the Maldives, Cheval Blanc Randheli stands as a masterpiece of luxury hospitality. From the moment you step onto the resort's private seaplane, emblazoned with the distinctive Cheval Blanc insignia, you realize this experience will transcend traditional notions of luxury.|Arrival and First Impressions|The journey sets the tone – Cheval Blanc's custom-designed seaplane, complete with leather interiors and chilled towels, delivers you to a resort that redefines Maldivian excellence. The arrival jetty, an architectural marvel in itself, leads to a welcome that feels both grand and intimate, with your Maître de Maison (butler) waiting to begin your journey into unparalleled luxury.|The Villa|Our Pool Villa proved to be an architectural triumph of contemporary design meeting tropical aesthetics. The soaring seven-meter-high ceilings create an overwhelming sense of space, while floor-to-ceiling windows frame the endless ocean views. The villa's interior, curated by renowned designers, showcases an elegant blend of indigenous materials and sophisticated furnishings.|The private infinity pool, stretching towards the horizon, became our preferred spot for both morning coffee and evening aperitifs. The outdoor living spaces, including a shaded dining pavilion and sun loungers positioned for optimal sunrise viewing, exemplified thoughtful luxury.|Butler Service|The Maître de Maison service at Cheval Blanc Randheli elevates the concept of butler service to an art form. Our butler's intuitive understanding of our preferences, coupled with an ability to anticipate needs before they arose, created a seamless experience. From coordinating surprise sunset experiences to ensuring our villa was perpetually stocked with our favorite refreshments, the attention to detail was flawless.|The Spa Experience|The Cheval Blanc Spa, housed on its own private island, deserves special recognition. The Guerlain treatments, exclusively crafted for the resort, combine French sophistication with tropical inspiration. The signature "Solar Evasion" treatment, performed in an overwater treatment villa with glass floors, offered both physical rejuvenation and spiritual calm. The spa's relaxation areas, with views over the crystalline lagoon, invited extended moments of peaceful contemplation.|Dining Excellence|The culinary program at Randheli showcases the resort's commitment to excellence. Whether enjoying contemporary Japanese cuisine at the signature restaurant, French fine dining with a tropical twist, or feet-in-the-sand Mediterranean fare, each meal became a memorable experience. The wine cellar, curated by expert sommeliers, houses rare vintages that would impress even the most discerning oenophile.|Attention to Detail|What sets Cheval Blanc Randheli apart is its relentless pursuit of perfection in every detail. From the custom-scented amenities to the thoughtfully positioned sun loungers that seem to float over the water, every element has been considered and refined. The resort's boutique features carefully curated items from luxury brands, many exclusive to Cheval Blanc.|Activities and Experiences|While relaxation comes naturally, the resort offers an array of sophisticated diversions. The water sports center provides access to the latest equipment, while the diving center opens up a world of underwater exploration. Private excursions, whether on the resort's luxury yacht or to secluded sandbanks for champagne picnics, are executed with characteristic flair.|Final Verdict|Cheval Blanc Randheli has rightfully earned its position as the Maldives' premier luxury resort. It successfully combines the casual elegance of a tropical paradise with the sophistication and service standards of a European palace hotel. While the price point places it among the world's most exclusive resorts, the experience justifies the investment for those seeking the absolute pinnacle of luxury hospitality.|The resort manages to feel both impressively grand and intimately personal – a rare balance that few properties achieve. For travelers seeking the ultimate Maldivian luxury experience, Cheval Blanc Randheli not only meets expectations but transcends them.|Rating: 10/10||Special thanks to SeyExclusive for their exceptional service in arranging our stay. Their expertise and attention to detail made the booking process seamless and contributed significantly to our wonderful experience at Cheval...

Unforgettable Paradise Experience - During our honeymoon in the Maldives, we stayed at The Nautilus and Cheval Blanc Randheli. While both resorts had similar pricing, Cheval Blanc truly stood out, offering an experience that transcended our expectations. In hindsight, we only wish we had spent our entire honeymoon there!

From the moment we booked, the Cheval Blanc experience was exceptional the team went above and beyond from ensuring we had two rooms to chose from Garden or Island Villa Bedroom both with unparalleled privacy. You would be hard-pressed to find a “bad room” here, as they do not exist!

The attention to detail at this resort is extraordinary and evident in every aspect, from the grand design of the villas to the exceptional service from every team member. Our initial 4-night stay was quickly extended to 7 nights, and we still longed for more. We would have gladly extended it to 10 nights if not for work.

Dining Experience: Dining at Cheval Blanc is a journey in itself. Beginning with a breakfast menu boasting over 17 pages of à la carte options, the restaurant continues with the staged opening of different dining venues that are anything but ordinary. Each meal is crafted with exquisite flavours and fresh, local ingredients. The warm greetings from the staff and chefs make every dining moment feel like a celebration, turning each meal into an unforgettable experience.

Including 1947, which was just beyond what we expected for a remote island in the middle of the Indian Ocean. It was divine, and the excellent e’Stephanie made it extraordinary!

Spa Island: The Spa Island was another highlight, offering access to private male and female steam hammams, a luxurious treat. We often booked them for ourselves before sunset, indulging in the tranquillity and exclusivity of this unique offering. Spa treatments were tailored to our needs. I was fortunate to have Yen, a talented practitioner who customised each session perfectly, creating a personal oasis of relaxation surrounded by the serene beauty of the spa island.

Personalised Service: The level of personalised service we experienced was unmatched. Our majordomo, Firshan, along with the Alchemists, Joseph and his team, truly elevated our stay, turning each day into a delightful surprise. Their attention to detail and thoughtful gestures made our honeymoon feel exceptionally special. Like Bendi, the talented sand artist who every day made something special at the entry of our villa and his team Irushad, who look after our villa's daily housekeeping in style and elegance - the endless amenities of your non-typical and actual quality of Blanc “Resort Chic” fragrances by Christian Dior.

Staff Recognition: We especially thank Firshan, our majordomo who went truly above and beyond! The spa team: Shrine, Bobby Tiza and the team! The F&B team members, head chef Michael, whose daily creations are delivered by Micheal hot to the table and their team Hassan, Shajeeu, Aliufran, Sammy Nahid, and Medina, whose kindness and attention to detail left a lasting impression on us. Their dedication made our stay truly unforgettable, and we are grateful for the warmth and hospitality they extended to us. White Bar White bar creations: A big thank you to the team: Simba and Dinesh, who created terrific cocktails, and Daniel! The team made the Indian Ocean and Maldivian Lobster evening extremely special, and the musicians highly recommend it!

Overall, Cheval Blanc Randheli is not just a resort—it’s an extraordinary experience that redefines luxury. We leave with memories that will last a lifetime and already dream of our return. It was so hard leaving; we honestly did not want to go! We left with so many unforgettable memories and inspiration to return very soon. We can't thank you enough; General Manager Laurent and his entire team have left us with the best memories & genuine gestures of care. It is the place if you’re seeking the ultimate personalised luxury escape. We can not recommend it highly enough; it’s a paradise you’ll never want...

I have stayed at quite a number of luxury resorts in Asia that offers dedicated butler service, and I can say that Cheval Blanc ranks the overall best when both hard product and soft product are considered. ||I would like to give my compliment to the staff at the resort:|- Fary (airport ambassador): she helped handle everything for me on arrival at Male international airport and the seaplane terminal. She was polite and handled everything professionally and put me at ease throughout the process. Because of her, this was my most positive airport lounge experience that I have ever had. |- Gasim (butler / majordome): He was always ready to assist me whenever possible. He was thoughtful, and proactive. He anticipated my needs throughout the stay to ensure it was perfect |- Mode (the F&B manager) who was friendly and helpful ||A few minor issues during the stay:|- After 10:30 am the White restaurant was relatively busy and the staff were busy too, so sometimes the food would take longer to arrive. On 17 Nov, at breakfast I ordered the makimono roll with avocado, but instead a dish of makimono roll with raw fish arrived wrongly. As the food took a while to come and I was in a hurry to leave and check-out, I did not ask the staff to change the dish and just left. Actually I have stated that I do not eat completely raw fish in the guest questionnaire before my arrival, so if the staff really remembered my preferences, they should be able to know that a dish of makimono roll would not be what I ordered. But this was very minor in the grand scheme of things ||- The snorkelling equipment was complimentary for guests to borrow to use , but the one with a full mask (instead of just a mouthpiece ) was not. Given the price point of the room rate your team is charging, it would be better if the one with a mask is also complimentary ||- A few months before arrival, I emailed the reservation team and asked for some special arrangements on the butler service. They responded that the request can be arranged as long as I have them advance notice before my arrival. So two weeks before my arrival , I e-mailed them again to tell them to arrange this. But they blamed me for not giving them advance notice and said I should inform them one month before arrival. However during the initial email conversations, they never told me I should email them at least one month before my arrival. So I felt like they blamed me for something that they should not blame me (as they never told me this in the first place!) |- Email by the reservations team took a while to respond , usually. ||Overall, despite some minor hiccups, I agree that the entire guest experience is really well-designed, and it is evident that a lot of thoughts have been put into the service flow. ||After staying here, I moved to Velaa private island (often regarded as the 2nd best luxury resort in the Maldives), and cannot help but notice the significant drop in quality (both hard and soft products) compared to Cheval Blanc - the service at Velaa was really unpolished. ||In short, after this stay I can say that though Cheval Blanc is really expensive, it is unquestionably the no. 1 luxury resort in the Maldives - the competitors are not even...