Marriott Bonvoy members have no shortage of Maldives resorts that they can book with points. But Marriott Bonvoy has just landed its first Autograph Collection resort in the island nation: Emerald Private Islands Maldives, Autograph Collection.
Halcyon Private Isles in the Maldives is a luxury resort with 38 villas located on two private islands. There are beachfront villas on one island and an overwater resort on the other. Villas range in size from 2,367 square feet to over 13,454 square feet, presumably including outdoor areas.
Although the resort has only 38 guest villas, you will find 3 restaurants. Thari is an all-day dining restaurant serving Asian and Mediterranean cuisine with indoor and outdoor seating. Meanwhile, Yuzu Restaurant is open for breakfast and dinner five days a week, serving Japanese and Peruvian fusion dishes. The Firepit is open two nights a week for beachside dining.
The resort also has two bars. Yapa Sunset Bar is a great place to watch the sunset and also offers cocktails, snacks and sashimi with South American and Japanese influences. Meanwhile, the Bell Bar is the place to go for signature cocktails and rare spirits.
Related: Where is the Maldives and is it worth the long trip?
Guests have access to a fitness center, PADI certified dive center and Halcyon Spa. Meanwhile, younger guests can enjoy a supervised kids club and participate in marine biology workshops, eco-friendly beach games and coral planting.
While each villa has a private pool, the resort also offers two communal pools with loungers, towel service and cabanas.
The press release states that the resort is “situated between two pristine private islands, surrounded by vibrant coral gardens and turquoise lagoons.” However, it’s unclear whether the resort has an atoll and, if so, whether it will be easily accessible to guests.
Like most Maldives resorts, Emerald Private Island Maldives provides guests with a dedicated butler upon arrival. According to the press release, the butler is a “discreet and intuitive presence responsible for organizing every element of the stay.” Some of the services you may request from your butler include customized itineraries based on your interests, guided marine excursions including diving, snorkeling and fishing, and customized in-villa dining experiences.
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Emerald Private Island in the Maldives is located in Gaafu Alifu Atoll. This atoll is located in the southern Maldives and is also home to the Park Hyatt Maldives Hadaha. However, the Park Hyatt uses domestic flights and speedboat trips for transfers, while Emerald Maldives Private Island relies on a 90-minute seaplane transfer that costs US$1,090 per person round trip.
Award fees for Standard Room Awards range from 112,000 to 200,000 points per night for an Oceanfront Pool Villa or Overwater Pool Villa.
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Remember, Marriott offers a “stay 5, pay 4” deal when redeeming points. So if you redeem Marriott points for a five-night stay, you only need to redeem points for four of the five nights. If your dates are flexible, you can book a five-night stay for two adults in an overwater villa with pool for as little as 448,000 points, plus $120 government tax and $2,180 transfer fee.
Meanwhile, the villas start at about $1,115.80 per night, including taxes, fees and service charges, but not transfer fees. After all, whether you book a paid or award rate, you’ll have to pay the transfer fees mentioned above.
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bottom line
Marriott Bonvoy currently has 11 resorts in the Maldives. This means Marriott loyalists have a choice of resorts to suit every interest, vibe and budget when planning their Maldives vacation. The private island of Emerald Maldives seems best suited for travelers who don’t mind long seaplane journeys and value privacy, spacious villas and an intimate atmosphere, with access to a variety of restaurants and close proximity to Male (the capital of the Maldives served by most international airlines).
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