Need to know
Rooms
There are 90 one-, two- and three-bedroom beach and water villas, all designed by Brazilian architect Marcio Kogan.
Check–Out
Noon, but flexible, subject to availability and a charge: late check-out up to 6pm costs 50 per cent of one night; for late check-outs after 6pm, you’ll be charged a full night. Earliest check-in, 2pm.
More details
Rates include breakfast, a bottle of champagne, evening cocktails and canapés, daily ice cream from Tuk Tuk Gelato, fresh fruit, return dhoni transfers, free stay for two children under-12 (transfers and meals included), Fari Beach Club access.
At the hotel
Marina village; beach club; swimming pools; boardwalk of boutique outlets; art pavilion; restaurants; bars; spa with hammam and sensory deprivation tanks; pool table; 24-hour gym; free bikes, paddle boards, snorkel sets and kayaks during your stay. In rooms: Private pool, floor-to-ceiling sliding window system, free WiFi, outdoor oversized bath tub, Haeckels bath products, rainforest shower, espresso coffee machine, TWG and Twinings tea, minibar and refreshment centre, dining area, smart TV, tablet, PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo on request. Two-Bedroom Villas and Beach Houses also have additional inclusions.
Our favourite rooms
Furniture has been custom-built for Patina Maldives, Fari Islands in partnership with leading designers such as Bassam Fellows and Gervasoni by the brainiacs at award-winning Studio MK27. Its leading brain, Marcio Kogan, is a graduate of the Brazilian-Modernist movement, and his earthy palettes, matte surfaces and functional, geometric designs have been brilliantly adapted to the needs of honeymooners and flop ‘n’ droppers here, with cool in-villa gadgets such as integrated control panels and concealed device-charging compartments. Just bathing alone is a delight, with twin vanities carved from Nero Marquina marble, bespoke Italian porcelain tiles and alfresco free-standing double bath tubs. All villas have private pools and spacious outdoor terraces, with an indoor-outdoor concept achieved by a floor-to-ceiling window system that opens the space to the elements on three sides. The two-storey, three-bedroom beach houses really take the biscuit, with huge, split-level outdoor spaces including a sunset-facing terrace and lush gardens.
Poolside
Every beach or water villa comes with its own private pool flanked by Dedon-furniture-dotted terrace spaces, all cleverly angled towards the lagoon or the ocean. Plus, there are two further full-sized public pools on the island.
Spa
As you’d expect, much thought has gone into the hotel’s spa offering. It’s loosely built around the idea of ‘flow’, which could describe the seamlessness of the service just as much as it could the wellness philosophy. British skincare brand Haeckels has produced a line of exclusive products for the resort, and there are Watsu treatment rooms, a hammam suite, sauna, salon and hydrotherapy pools to tempt you. However, for the ultimate blissed-out experience, book a stint in one of the sensory deprivation pods.
Packing tips
Patina’s plan is that stress levels start decreasing at the packing stage: if you forget anything, resort staff are on hand with a solution. No request is too large, so just ask.
Also
There are compulsory gala dinners on Easter (30 March 2024), Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve, for an additional cost. Guests can upgrade to half board (for $100) or full board (for $180).
Children
Like everything here, your children’s enjoyment is added to the equation with skill and expertise, with a thoughtful kids’ club, first scuba lessons free, bikes, snorkels, paddle boards, kayaks, Playstations and Xboxes on request.
Best for
Children of all ages.
Recommended rooms
Any of the two- or three-bedroom villas can be configured for families, but the three-bedroom beach house is best for larger troupes.
Activities
The resort’s commitment to sustainability has led them to make every first child’s scuba diving lesson free, in which the resident marine biologist will teach them the importance of biodiversity and caring for coral and the seabed. Footprints is the eco-conscious kids club for ages 4-11, and opens daily between 10am and 6pm. Here you’ll find a weekly activity schedule of cooking classes, wellness workshops, 3D printing and laser-cutting classes, and making model toys out of recycled plastic.
Meals
Children are catered to throughout, although some restaurants are more suitable than others: try Arabesque and Helios, or treat them to gourmet burgers and ice cream from the food trucks.
Babysitting
Babysitters and nannies can be hired. Prices vary depending on the length of stay, but usually between $35 and $50 an hour. Baby monitoring equipment is available.
No need to pack
If you’ve forgotten something, chances are Patina staff can replace it. Just ask.
Also
Playstations and Xboxes can be borrowed on request.
Sustainability efforts
In keeping with its ‘details first’ ethos, Patina Maldives, Fari Islands has thought long and hard about its social and environmental impact. For example, the timber used throughout the resort is FSC-certified and sourced from completely transparent supply chains. Plus, all 1,600 builders, architects and engineers were provided with reusable water bottles to ensure no plastic was used on site from the outset. The culinary concept on the island is nose-to-tail, root-to-leaf, and kitchens are zero-waste (more impressive than it sounds in the middle of the Indian Ocean). The bar does its data-led bit, too: every cocktail and spirit served at Patina Maldives Fari Islands, including the Fari Beach Club, will eliminate 30 grams of carbon emissions in comparison to conventionally prepared drinks. Energy-wise, 50 per cent of the resort’s energy will be from solar power by 2030, and staff take beach-cleaning excursions to neighbouring islands, with a target of 10kg per trip to be turned into ocean plastic products. Finally, you’ll be pleased to know that all this scientific know-how is being passed onto future generations: free dive lessons are given to children to nurture respect for the environment, and the kids’ club itself is 100 per cent solar powered.
