Shortlisting the perfect Maldivian getaway for our wedding anniversary was unnerving, given the hundreds of visually similar uber-luxe resorts ensconced in idyllic lagoons. With this being our first post-COVID holiday abroad with our 3-year-old, we sought a resort with cleanliness, kid-friendliness, culinary quality, experiential novelty, and above all, nonpareil service.
Overwhelmed by the choices, we eventually opted for The Taj Exotica Maldives, given earlier delectable experiences with The Taj group. And given our surreal stay, boy was our decision vindicated ! While we were sure that “Tajness” would guarantee a flawless stay, Taj Exotica went ahead and redefined perfection.
For starters, the property is much more grandiose, opulent & pristine than the online photos. Immense cleanliness epitomizes every square inch, allowing our toddler to nonchalantly walk bare feet across the property. Moreover, this resort ticks all the following boxes, which are consideration factors for many travelers planning their dream Maldivian getaway –
Scrumptious Jain food in Maldives : made to order + straddling multiple cuisines
Very kid-friendly resort in Maldives : clean & safe + professional babysitting available + delicious meal options + multiple activities for kiddies (treasure hunt, fish feeding, crab race, pizza making, et al)
Unlimited drinking water provided in the rooms : contrary to many resorts
Complimentary snorkeling equipment & life jackets, even for toddlers : again contrary to many resorts
On-premise water activity center offering a plethora of activities : snorkeling cruises, scuba diving jaunts, glass bottom boat rides, sunset cruises, et al, with kayaking & paddle boating being complimentary for guests
Immaculately maintained Beach Villa & Lagoon Villa rooms : luxury personified
Proximity to the international airport : just 15 mins away
The biggest consideration factor however – and what my review will now primarily focus on – is the incomparable service accorded by various staff members.
Just a week before our holiday, we serendipitously got in touch with the very professional & congenial Mr. Mohamed Jinan (Duty Manager), who patiently answered our plethora of queries with utmost patience, reassurance and a smile. What’s more, on knowing about our wedding anniversary, he promptly upgraded us to a Premium Beach Villa for the first night (2 notches higher than the Deluxe Lagoon Villa with Pool we had booked for all 4 nights), and further delighted us by gifting a complimentary Sunset Cruise. Mr. Jinan was always a phone call / message away, and was in fact instrumental in facilitating a very smooth check out for us, telling us to leave the hassle of filling out the IMUGA forms to them (shout out to Mr. Moosa Liwaz, who filled the same for us and had printouts ready during checkout).
On D-day, Mr. Aalif cordially received us at the Airport and led us to the speedboat. After a pleasant speedboat transfer & an enthusiastic welcome at the property, the ever-smiling duo of Mr. Hunny Sharma (Catering Assistant) & Mr. Nadeem (Butler) warmly ushered us into our Premium Beach Villa. In the backdrop of various frills like an outdoor shower, hammock, day bed and private pool, what stood out conspicuously was the inimitable personal touch of Mr. Hunny & Mr. Nadeem - an array of succulent assorted truffles placed on a miniature dhoni boat, a beach toy set for my toddler, and refreshing coconut water. The duo further accentuated the wow factor on our anniversary day, through floral decorations in the bathtub & room, and a sumptuous eggless fruitcake placed by Mr. Hunny. What is commendable is that they executed all of the above on their own accord.
Our award-winning butler Mr. Nadeem orchestrated a magical stay for us through his courteousness, bespoke & personalized service, promptness, anticipation of our needs, and an unswerving desire to ensure golden memories for us (while leaving all worrying to him). He had a penchant for going beyond the call of duty, be it in the form of regaling my kid through a fish feeding activity, or going out of the way in acquainting us with the basics of snorkeling, that too in the best snorkeling spot just near the Lagoon Villa jetty. It was Mr. Nadeem who elevated our anniversary candle light dinner at The Wedding Pavilion (part of our Valentine’s Month Special Surprises package) to a truly indelible experience.
Speaking of indelible experiences, one simply cannot forget the epicurean meal services overseen by the highly passionate and effervescent trio of Mr. Nitin Wallia (F&B Director), Mr. Bala (Restaurant Manager) & Chef Kanan. While Chef Kanan literally made it his personal mission to dish out appetizing Jain food across Indian, Thai & Continental cuisines, the affable Mr. Bala always made it a point to check in on us during each meal service, with the sole objective of providing us a gourmet experience. All this under the aegis of the convivial Mr. Nitin Wallia, who too kept checking in on us regularly and kept soliciting our feedback and our expectations for the subsequent meals.
One of the reasons we as a couple thoroughly enjoyed this trip was the impeccable babysitting undertaken by the ebullient Ms. Painjal, with whom my toddler immediately struck a chord. On checkout day, Ms. Painjal accompanied Mr. Jinan & GM Mr. Samrat Datta in the most heart-warming gesture (even by Taj standards) of presenting a unique scrapbook to my kid, essentially chronicles of my kid’s Maldivian holiday. An invaluable encapsulation of a golden vacation! Profuse thanks to Ms. Laina for composing the scrapbook so beautifully.
This review will however be incomplete without a mention of the GM, Mr. Samrat Datta. A Taj veteran, the sociable Mr. Datta interacted with us multiple times, persistently enquiring whether our stay was up to the mark. What really made our holiday extra special – and reinforced our belief in the unparalleled customer centricity of The Taj – was an extraordinary gesture by Mr. Datta & team. As a part of our package, we were entitled to 25% credits to be used against F&B and spa services. Being teetotalers with no spa plans this holiday, we simply enquired about other ways in which the credits could be used. And voila ! Taj Exotica promptly adjusted the 25% credits towards our stay, effectively comping the 4th night. That too without any such request from our end.
That’s precisely the reason why nothing beats Taj properties. They literally go out of their way in satisfying...no, delighting....no, wowing guests, making them feel extremely special. Mr. Datta’s Taj Exotica Resort @ Maldives is a shining example of this facet.
PS : The snorkeling cruise, glass bottom boat ride & floating breakfast are MUST TRY experiences.
