Today, we explore the five-star Cheval Blanc Randheli, the Maldives property recently visited by Prince William and Kate Middleton, Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. The brand new property (it just opened in November) is the second for the LVMH-owned Cheval Blanc brand — the first is a celebrity favorite located in the tony ski village of Courchevel, France.
The 45-villa property is perched in the luxe Noonu Atoll, a 40-minute ride in the resort’s private seaplane from Malé, the area’s closest international airport.
Designed by the same architect as many Aman resorts and luxe properties like Chedi Muscat, Jean-Michel Gathy, the property simultaneously blends a contemporary, modern feel with indoor-outdoor living. After all, nobody comes to the Maldives to stay inside!
Luxe touches abound – each villa boasts a private swimming pool and nearly 20’ tall entryways. Were we choosing, the pristine water villas, with sweeping water views, but it’s a hard choice.
Despite the property’s small size, the hotel offers four restaurant concepts, designed by Yannick Alléno, a three-star Michelin chef. Tasting menus at the 1947 restaurant are impressive, but pricey. They run upwards of $500 per person – without wine pairings.
Sources report that William and Kate’s vacation ran about $10k for the four nights, and a quick price check for suggests rates about between $1700 and $3300 a night.
Sounds worth it to us. What do you think?
