In summary, Ritz Carlton Maldives offers Kerry Hill architecture and the best service we've ever encountered in this atoll nation.
Perhaps one day Aman will open a property in the Maldives... for the time being though, this is as close as it gets.
Virgin Atlantic have a bottom of the barrel seat on the majority of their aircraft. I can't think of a modern Business Class product that I would be less inclined to fly in than this.
For a First Class passenger this lounge doesn't necessarily feel like a huge compromise. I'd much rather spend time here than the dilapidated old Concorde Room in Terminal 5. Nevertheless, the a la carte food could do with some serious improvement and the spa seems like a bit of an afterthought.
From the moment we stepped on board this was a truly magical experience. I truly doubt I will ever top the wow factor of first setting foot in the First Class cabin and seeing the Apartments in the flesh.
The service throughout was pro-active, pre-emptive, warm and humorous. Perfectly balanced.
The lounge is ok to pass a couple of hours. The decor is bright the staff are helpful, the coffee is decent and the wifi works well even when it's full. It sure as hell isn't worth paying $100 for though unless you have 4+ hours to kill.