There's no single word that can justify the service, comfort, friendliness, genuineness and attention to detail that the taj exotica at maldives provides. Hospitality embellished with any adjective is not going to convey what the taj actually offered. Location - located at an island that's just a 15 minute boat-ride away means that you literally land into the laps of luxury and don't have to wait around for longish transfers. Enjoy the thuds as the speedboat is tossed up in the waves and lands into gentler waters before it rises up for the next. Not sure if it's wise for the pregnant mammas but take the doctor's advice before setting out. Food - i am no food connoisseur but the variety and tastes at the 24 degrees were more than enough to satisfy my palette. Pro tip - taj may be an indian brand but this is a Taj Exotica Resort and Spa, Maldives in the maldives. Prefer the maldivian dishes that are splattered with a healthy dose of coconut, drumstick leaves & the oh-so-spicy maldivian chillies! activities - too many to compress into a single review but this is a resort that caters to the romantic fantasies of a honeymooning couple with the same zeal as it does for the whimsical demands of an aging one and also the playful, dreamy yet bordering-on-delusional ideas of the tiny tots. I couldn't paras-ail due to the windy & stormy conditions when i was there but there are plenty of other things you can do during your stay. The dolphin cruise was especially out-of-the-world! we say at least a 100 dolphins gleefully playing and swimming around with us, following our boat as we went into the deeper areas of the ocean. Our cameras were not able to capture the sheer beauty of the dolphins in the wild. Pedal boats & snorkelling kits are complimentary. Though there's no house reef, you will find plenty of marine life here nonetheless. There are small corals around the pillars that are planted in the waters and i was able to catch a glimpse of the most colorful marine life i've ever seen. It was straight out of the discovery channel. The taj-spitality - this is what you pay for. This is what makes the whole trip worth your while. This is one-of-a-kind. There's lite-really no check-in. We landed at the velena airport, picked up our baggage, headed out of the gate to be greeted by a taj representative who swiftly picked our luggage, loaded them into a boat and set us off to the island. We were welcomed with a quick photograph and steered away in a buggy straight to our room - not once waiting to check-in. At the room, our personal butler and friend mr. Sim was waiting with the keys, welcome drinks, pastries and a toy for our little daughter. We exchanged pleasantries, information, contact information and our holiday had started! every single person working there sported a genuine smile, welcomed us with open arms, always ready for a chat and apparently always had a toy for my daughter. Simo had kindly arranged for a birthday cake and a romantic decor on our anniversary night too! the service was swift - almost to the point of lightning speed response times. I don't know how they do it but it was superb. Hygiene - maintaining a resort of this kind cradled within the endless oceans and slammed with constant tidal activity is a mammoth task. But we were amazed to see how the tiniest details were being addressed by the team. Not a spot of dust, mold or wrinkle anywhere. Sympathy, empathy and everything else - had messed up our booking and booked at the lagoon villa. We didn't realise this until we reached the villa. We got really disappointed and had to eventually settle for the lower category since had booked the wrong room with the taj. But taj (thanks to mr. Ahmed & mr. Hassan) were uber understanding and empathetic to our situation and ensured that we were moved to a higher room as soon as one freed up the next day. All through, taj's unique brand of hospitality was on full display. We usually make it a point not to repeat destinations - especially sun & beach destinations like the maldives. But the taj has planted a bug in our heads - a bug that keeps telling us that 4 days weren't enough. A bug that keeps telling us to return. A bug that was seduced by the taj's hospitality, love and service. Thank you taj exotica! we will return soon! tips:
1. The difference between the lagoon villa and the deluxe lagoon villa is more than just the plunge pool. The deluxe villas also feel much more premium, are located much farther away and provide a more exclusive feel. That said, the lagoon villas are just a hop, skip and a jump away from the beach so might be a better option if you are the kind who like to play all day in the beach. 2. Maldives doesn't have a monsoon season apparently. We booked in january thinking that it would be dry but the tropical weather kicked in and we were treated to a mix of thunderstorms and clear sunny skies. 3. Food portions at the 24 degrees are aplenty. If you are light eaters, one portion should serve 2 people well enough like it did for us.
