Authenticity is key to making the stay at the newly-opened Maldivian resort a memorable one—and also one of the more important factors that set it apart from the rest of the competition, says the head of The Westin Maldives Miriandhoo Resort
It was not hard to guess how meticulous Brendan Corcoran is. The general manager of The Westin Maldives Miriandhoo Resort, who has been in the hospitality business for the past two decades, ordered Malaysian char kway teow for us both during lunch at Hawker, the resort's Asian street food casual restaurant.
"The taste is good, and the flavours are right," he said candidly as he expertly used the chopsticks to pick some flat noodles drenched in sweet soya sauce up, popping them into his mouth. "It's great that the kitchen is using Chinese sausages for this; it really enhances the taste. But the noodles are wrong; it has to be kway teow." The lack of available ingredients in Maldives has led the kitchen to innovate and use dried rice noodles more commonly used in pad thai instead of the freshly made flat rice noodles in char kway teow. Corcoran signalled for the chef over and urged him to work with the team to source for kway teow in order to make the dish "more authentic".
The type of noodles used in a dish at the restaurant is probably one of the items with the least priority on the resort's general manager's daily to-do list. But Corcoran clearly pays attention to details—no matter how small it is—and it is such dedication to craft an authentic and real experience at The Westin that makes the stay a cut above, which is a real achievement in the Maldives given that the resorts in the country run the entire gamut from entry-level to ultra-luxe.
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For instance, The Westin, which boasts 70 overwater and island villas, prides itself as being a sustainable resort, one that minimises its impact on the planet. My stay there affirms that it is not just empty talk or a marketing spiel by the hospitality giant. There are no single-use straws or drinking water in plastic bottles. Instead, drinks are served with bamboo paper straws and potable and drinking water are produced in-house and comes in swing-top glass bottles. Not every facility is fitted with air-conditioning too, using clever design and architecture to keep temperatures low and reduce the need to keep the AC on at 18 deg constantly. The ingredients used in all three restaurants—Island Kitchen, The Pearl and Hawker—as well as the Sunset Bar are sustainably sourced as much as possible too. Shipping containers used to bring building materials in for construction have been upcycled and refurbished into the offices for the resort's Dive Centre too.
These days, with people well-travelled and well-heeled, an authentic experience can be a deal-breaker in choosing the right accommodation that speaks to and appeals to them. The Westin Maldives Miriandhoo Resort with its commitment to sustainability and the brand's focus on wellness do lend it an edge over its competitors. Couple that with Corcoran and his team's fastidious attention to details and desire to create authentic experiences, the resort looks set to attracting travellers, who want a little more than a shelter over their heads.
Corcoran sits down with me and chats more about the resort, not before ordering two glasses of Coco Cumber, a cucumber and coconut water concoction with hints of mint leaf, honey and lime for us—perfect for the searing Maldivian heat.
