Natural Alchemy

Exclusive yet intimate, the Owner’s Villa at Cheval Blanc Randheli in the Maldives is the epitome of luxurious island living and the perfect getaway.

- Kissac Astaneda

“Luxury doesn’t have to be plush; it can be totally understated,” shares JeanMichel Gathy, the renowned designer behind the world’s most exclusive hotels, including Cheval Blanc Randheli in the Maldives. “There are many ways to define luxury. Here, it’s all about space and privacy— and there’s nothing more luxurious than that.”

COMING HOME

Just over two years old, Cheval Blanc Randheli, a subsidiary of luxury goods behemoth LVMH, offers a special proposition—a home away from home for the most discerning, called the Owner’s Villa.

Located on a separate island from the main resort and accessed via a short ride aboard a traditional dhoni, this 86,000 sq ft vacation home is the first of its kind in the Maldives. “To have complete privacy and everything you need and want in one island is something that didn’t exist before,” explains Thomas Vaucouleur de Ville d’Avray, the resort’s resident manager. “There’s a niche for it.”

ABSOLUTE PRIVACY

From royalty to tycoons and celebrities, there’s certainly a demand for a place where high-profile people can withdraw from the world’s prying eyes. To enjoy the utmost in privacy on an island that can cater to your every whim is rare, indeed—and so far there’s a short but very interesting list of people who have stayed here. However, the exact names of the people who have celebrated their birthday or vacationed with their family here would be difficult to get out of Abdulla Shauzoon, the villa’s dedicated majordome (butler).