This New Private Island Resort in the Maldives Offers Overwater Villas With Pools, Outdoor Bathtubs, and Butler Service

Courtesy of Georg Roske

Cool, creative expression meets tropical island life at Patina Maldives, a bold new luxury resort in the sparkling North Male Atoll.

Opened in May 2021 and far from the typical Maldives resort, Patina melds art, music, haute cuisine, and fashion into an experiential escape, making it as much a draw for honeymooning couples as retreat-seeking artists. The 90-villa, 20-studio resort, located just a 45-minute speedboat transfer from Velana International Airport, is the first of three private islands to open in the anticipated man-made archipelago of the Fari Islands (a Travel + Leisure Global Vision Awards 2021 recipient).

Related: How the Maldives Transformed From a Fishing Archipelago to a Tropical Hot Spot in 50 Years

Courtesy of Georg Roske

Courtesy of Georg Roske

Courtesy of Georg Roske

Brazilian architect Marcio Kogan of Studio MK27 led the contemporary, biophilic-driven design of the resort, and the delight is in the artistic details: surprising art installations on a crescent-shaped beach; abstract-painted ceramics and drinkware hand-picked by general manager Marco Den Ouden; and chalky diffuser blocks in each villa, perfuming the living spaces that come adorned with high-end wooden furniture and earthy fabrics.

All villas, ranging from one to three bedrooms, feature a generous private pool, outdoor bathtub, floor-to-ceiling sliding windows, and butler service. There are beachfront accommodations and obligatory overwater villas, but the former might have the upper hand thanks to its outdoor showers and interiors that seamlessly blend into the natural landscape.

Courtesy of Georg Roske

Music is a big focus here, too: Patina teamed up with musicology experts MAV for an eclectic soundtrack at each communal venue, and there are also curated Spotify playlists on the resort's dedicated app. (I found myself "Shazaming" here more than any other hotel I've visited.) And in the Fari Marina Village, style mavens can head to The Rake's two boutique shops for fancy capsule collection clothes and accessories (it's their first-ever satellite location).

Courtesy of Georg Roske

Patina's ethos is to nurture all of the senses, and their offerings do not disappoint. Whether it's Roots, a vegan restaurant with tasting menu ingredients plucked from their organic permaculture garden, or the upscale selections from two-Michelin-star chef Nick Brill at Fari Beach Club, the dining venues are a feast for both the eyes and tongue.

Courtesy of Georg Roske

The spa, Flow, is perhaps the resort's design highlight, featuring standalone, elevated treatment pods and open-air relaxation lounges crowned by slatted woods, which create a striking sunlight-and-shadow effect above a central koi pond. Sustainability is a priority here, too, with drinking water bottled and produced in house, increased solar operations (the kids' club is 100% solar powered), zero-waste kitchens, and an extensive marine conservation program.

No matter your creative preference, though, Patina aims to delight all the senses.