If Sustainability married Luxury, the offspring would have to be called Soneva Jani. A paradise on earth that’s subtly luxurious, yet softly treading on earth giving green travel a chance.
So here we were (me and my then nine-year-old) in the thick of the pandemic a few months ago. You see, when the daughter knows her mind and persistently wants to vacation in the Maldives, and the mother also knows her mind and wants to travel consciously, the only possible alternative could have been Soneva Jani, Maldives.
Thorough research went into finding out details of hospitality with a conscience and Soneva is a luxury chain that is 100% carbon neutral. One of the ways they’ve achieved this is by adding a 2% carbon levy to room rates, to offset both direct and indirect CO2 emissions caused by each stay. This includes carbon resulting from resort activities, as well as that created through air travel. As pioneers in sustainability and the only genuine ones in the hospitality space to integrate it with uber-luxury, Soneva’s eco-centre of waste-to-wealth aims to make everything reusable coupled with the fact that they make their own drinking water served in glass bottles. In the past decade, they’ve avoided using 15 lakh plastic bottles.
Thus convinced, off we went…
Day One: No Shoes, No News
As the seaplane circles down on the concentric rings that form in the azure waters of the Indian Ocean and you take in the view, we are under its spell already.
Located on the island of Medhufaru within a 5.6-km lagoon in the Noonu Atoll, the island has uninterrupted ocean views in all directions. Inspired by the word for ‘wisdom’ in Sanskrit, Soneva Jani currently comprises 51 overwater villas and three island villas. Five islands encircle the lagoon, each one with soft white sands and covered in rich tropical vegetation. Four of the five islands will remain untouched, making Soneva Jani the lowest density development in the Maldives. I’m sold on the last point, daughter’s mouth is all agape at the beauty we behold.
Then suddenly our footwear is whisked off as we land. A barefoot butler arrives with bags to stuff our shoes in and hands over a card stating, “No shoes, no news.” My daughter and I half-hoped that they would also take away my phone to make this trip a total getaway. But both Soneva and I know that a phone is needed as much for emergency as it is for getting postcard-perfect photographs. And so we are introduced to a dedicated barefoot butler, Leena from Nepal, who will be our guide and all-round support for our visit. That she turned out to be a marvellous photographer was our good luck!
Since this trip was during the pandemic, all necessary protocols were followed and we were asked to stay in our villa overnight. We did not complain! You see, our overwater villa a one-bedroom one has a vintage chime bell instead of a regular doorbell and was a source of great amusement for my daughter. And that’s not all the villa boasts of. This huge (and it really is) space features a master bedroom on the ground floor with an adjacent bathroom, dressing room and children’s sleeping area. I hear a squeal of joy after the raucous tintinnabulation that I had just witnessed. My daughter is lying under the stars in the bedroom as the retractable roof over the master bedroom slides back at the touch of a button. As I continue to survey the ground floor, I stand in a vast living room with a dining table, study, pantry, guest toilet and a daybed. There is beyond that the signature outdoor bathroom with direct access to the lagoon. It is equipped with an outdoor shower and a sunken bed.
Step out and the large outdoor deck features a private freshwater pool that is truly XL, a sunken dining area, daybeds and catamaran nets. The first floor features a dining sala with a roof deck and day beds. My daughter’s luxury checklist is going fine as is my sustainability one.
Like all of Soneva’s villas, the water villas have been crafted in line with correct environmental standards, using sustainable materials, such as Forest Stewardship Council-certified wood, and state-of-the-art technology to reduce their impact on the planet.
The room service sends in some delectable curries and sandwiches and we sit in the sunken dining area over the lagoon and marvel at the magnificence of the ocean before calling it a day.