North Malé Atoll · 100 pool villas · Kerry Hill architecture
The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands
A ring of overwater villas and a beach island of clean, modern pavilions by Kerry Hill Architects, under an hour by speedboat from Malé. Every one of the 100 villas has a pool and a 24-hour Aris Meeha butler, and dining spreads across a Culinary Island, Grand Sunset Beach and Fari Marina Village. Choose it for design, service and easy transfers; skip it if you want a barefoot, rustic island.
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01The design
The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands was designed by the celebrated Kerry Hill Architects, and the design is the first thing you notice. Overwater villas form a ring around the lagoon, EAU Bar curves around a round infinity pool, and the spa is a circular building on the water. Inside, villas are pale, open pavilions inspired by the ocean, wind and waves, with glass walls that slide away completely.
The 13.5-hectare resort sits in the Fari Islands of North Malé Atoll, shared with Fari Marina Village and its neighbour Patina Maldives. Read our North Malé Atoll guide to compare it with One&Only Reethi Rah and the other resorts close to the airport.
02Villas
Each villa has a private pool, sundeck and ensuite bathroom with indoor and outdoor space, looked after by a dedicated Aris Meeha, or island butler.
| Villa | Units | Size | Bedrooms | Setting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ocean Pool Villa | 38 | 150 sq m | 1 | Overwater, open ocean |
| Lagoon Pool Villa | 18 | 150 sq m | 1 | Overwater, lagoon |
| Beach Pool Villa | 11 | 155 sq m | 1 | Beach |
| Sunset Beach Pool Villa | 18 | 155 sq m | 1 | Beach, sunset side |
| Two Bedroom Water Pool Villa | 5 | 400 sq m | 2 | Overwater |
| Two Bedroom Beach Pool Villa | 4 | 400 sq m | 2 | Beach |
| Two Bedroom Sunset Beach Pool Villa | 5 | 400 sq m | 2 | Beach, sunset side |
| The Ritz-Carlton Estate | 1 | 1,500 sq m | 4 | Beach |
The ring
Sand and gardens
For groups
Every villa type is listed with photographs in the villa section below. See also overwater villas with a pool.
03Restaurants and bars
Overwater and alfresco seats, an open kitchen with homemade pasta, an espresso bar for mornings and the breakfast buffet with live stations.
A lantern-inspired room for sharing dishes such as stir-fried Maldivian lobster and Peking duck, with a private dining room for the chef's tasting menu.
Meaning to celebrate: two chef's tables under the stars with seafood, premium meats, sake and rare Japanese whiskies.
Light bites by the round infinity pool by day, the sunset Defining Moment, then dinner and DJ sets.
Barefoot dining by the ocean, with Maldivian Night and lobster dinners under the stars.
Levantine and North Indian dishes in a Bedouin-inspired setting, and Asian street food beside food trucks.
Dining by Design creates private menus for celebrations on sandbanks, in moonlit gardens or on private beaches.
04The Ritz-Carlton Spa
05Families
For more family islands, see our luxury family resorts guide.
06Reef and naturalists
07Fari Marina Village
08Our honest view
09Getting there
10FAQs
The resort is in the Fari Islands in North Malé Atoll, about 50 to 60 minutes from Velana International Airport by luxury speedboat, or about 10 minutes by seaplane. The 13.5-hectare resort shares the Fari Islands with Fari Marina Village and other resorts.
There are 100 villas, all with a private pool, designed by Kerry Hill Architects: 38 Ocean Pool Villas and 18 Lagoon Pool Villas over the water, 11 Beach Pool Villas and 18 Sunset Beach Pool Villas, 14 two-bedroom villas of 400 sq m, and The Ritz-Carlton Estate with four bedrooms and 1,500 sq m.
Yes, but guests with children under 12 in an overwater villa must sign a waiver form at booking. Families with young children often prefer a Beach Pool Villa or one of the two-bedroom beach villas, close to Ritz Kids.
Seven restaurants and bars across the Culinary Island, Grand Sunset Beach and Fari Marina Village: La Locanda for Italian, Summer Pavilion for Cantonese, IWAU with Japanese chef's tables under the stars, EAU Bar by the round infinity pool, Beach Shack for Mediterranean food, and Arabesque and Tum Tum at Fari Marina Village.
Every villa has an Aris Meeha, the resort's 24-hour island butler, who looks after everything from unpacking and dining reservations to excursions and special set-ups.
Shared luxury speedboats run around the clock, about 50 to 60 minutes, and a luxury yacht takes about 60 to 75 minutes. Seaplanes take about 10 minutes but fly in daylight only. Private transfers are required for private jet arrivals. We book whichever fits your flights.
Yes. Ritz Kids runs a full programme with a pool and play tower, the naturalists lead Ambassadors of the Environment activities, and two-bedroom villas and the four-bedroom Estate give families space. Fari Marina Village adds more restaurants and things to do.
It is a circular building over the lagoon, designed by Kerry Hill Architects, with nine treatment rooms including a spa suite and sustainable Bamford amenities. There is also a yoga studio, a fitness centre, sauna and steam, and experiences such as floating sound healing.
11Head to head
The Ritz-Carlton and Patina share the Fari Islands in North Malé Atoll, sharing Fari Marina village and its beach club. The Ritz-Carlton is the classic, polished luxury option with round Kerry Hill villas and a four-bedroom Estate; Patina is younger, more design-led and art-focused, with a James Turrell Skyspace.
| The Ritz-Carlton | Patina | |
|---|---|---|
| Villas | 100 | 90 villas + 20 Fari Studios |
| Largest | The Ritz-Carlton Estate, 4 BR, 1,500 sq m | Beach House, 3 BR, about 1,800 sq m |
| Style | Round villas, classic service | Minimalist design, art, music |
| Kids | Ritz Kids | Footprints kids centre |
| Transfer | Speedboat about 50 to 60 min, or seaplane | Speedboat about 45 min |
| Shared | Fari Marina village and beach club | Fari Marina village and beach club |
Compare them side by side in our luxury resort comparison, or read our Patina guide.
HolidayVibe Maldives is a trusted brand in the Maldives travel industry, a Malé-based agency licensed by the Ministry of Tourism (MOT.O1.RS.TA.25.RD9933). You deal with one local team from the first message to your transfer home.
We are luxury travel experts in the Maldives who know these islands villa by villa. We put the villa, transfers, meal plan and current offers into one written quote, often better value than booking sites.
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More guides: luxury Maldives holidays · compare luxury resorts · overwater villa cost · package builder
Written by Abdulla Maseeh, HolidayVibe Maldives. Updated 27 October 2026. Details from The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands fact sheet, culinary landscape 2026 and transport information; we confirm everything at the time of booking.
| Check In | 3:00 pm |
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| Check Out | 12:00 pm |
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