JW Marriott Maldives Resort & Spa 

We stayed in August with my wife and our daughter, and it was one of those rare holidays where nothing needed fixing. The villa was genuinely lovely and the private pool was a real highlight. One caveat is that you can see the pools of neighbouring villas from your own, so if you're picturing total seclusion at the pool, adjust expectations slightly. That said, the villas are properly spaced out here, nothing like the jammed-together layouts you get at some other resorts. Ours was a long way down the jetty, which some might grumble about, but we loved the walk and the quiet. What we didn't expect was how much marine life we'd see straight off the deck. Reef sharks and turtles from our own steps, more than once. If you're willing to snorkel out past the barrier rocks, and it does take a bit of nerve the first time, the fish life is genuinely worth it. Our daughter adored the kids' club and asked to go back again and again, which tells you everything. Giordana and Chloe were brilliant with her. Food was excellent across the board and breakfast in particular was a highlight every single morning, the sort of spread you actually get up early for. The beach deserves its own mention because it was lovely and remarkably quiet, and you can snorkel straight off it with plenty of fish to see without going far: especially good for less confident or first-time snorkelers. The gym is small but perfectly functional, and the view is the point. Running on the treadmill looking straight out at the ocean was one of the better parts of the trip. The service is what will bring us back. A special mention to Nahaaj, our butler, who was endlessly responsive whether we needed a buggy, ice for the room, or something we hadn't thought of yet. The wait staff across the restaurants were such a pleasure, and Tia, Adam, Shanaz, Zahuvaan and Raoof all went above and beyond. The chefs were unusually personable too, and Sameera went out of his way to cut fresh fruit for my wife more than once. The biggest thank you goes to Mohamed, our housekeeper, who took the time to actually get to know us, passed on the best snorkelling tips we got all week, and left towel art that our daughter looked forward to every day. One practical note on transfers, since it's seaplane only and the logistics are a bit of a slog. If you're going for a short stay, factor that in. For a longer trip it's a non-issue, and watching the seaplanes come and go three or four times a day became a small ritual for us. August was kind to us in terms of weather. It rained three or four times but never for more than an hour, so we lost no days at all.