A conversation with Beatrice Mercado of Bennett + Mercado Hospitality

At Well Placed Travel, the relationships we build behind the scenes are just as important as the itineraries we design. That’s why we sit down regularly with the people who know destinations from the inside out- not just as travelers, but as professionals who live and breathe these properties year-round. And sometimes, those relationships translate directly into your trip. When Well Placed Travel books client stays at Crown & Champa Resorts through our partnership with Bennett + Mercado, our clients receive a complimentary lunch at Hurawali’s fully glass-enclosed underwater restaurant- a $550 experience that isn’t available through a standard booking. That’s what an advisor relationship actually looks like in practice.

Beatrice Mercado owns Bennett + Mercado Hospitality, a luxury rep firm that works alongside travel advisors to ensure clients receive access and experiences a search engine simply can’t surface. She represents Crown & Champa Resorts, one of the Maldives’ oldest locally owned resort groups, with roots going back more than 54 years. Here’s what she wants luxury travelers to know before they go.

*Hurawahli Resort in Maldives, photo credit Hurawahli*

Is this destination right for every luxury traveler?

Honestly, no- and part of our job is knowing when to redirect. The Maldives rewards a specific kind of traveler: one who is ready to slow down. There’s no town to wander into, no museum down the road, no street food scene. Travelers who arrive needing constant cultural stimulation, a packed sightseeing agenda, or world-class dining variety across dozens of restaurants may find the pace harder to settle into. That’s not a flaw. It’s by design. But we’d rather have that conversation upfront than send someone somewhere that isn’t right for them.

What surprises guests most when they arrive?

Two things, consistently. The first is how completely the pace recalibrates them. Guests who arrive wired and overscheduled often describe the first 48 hours as disorienting. There’s almost nothing to do in the traditional sense, and that’s exactly the point. The ocean becomes the itinerary. Snorkeling the house reef at sunrise, watching bioluminescence from your overwater villa at night, a two-hour lunch that stretches into three. The second surprise is cost. Alcohol and anything outside your meal plan can be significant — a cocktail or glass of wine can run $25–$40, champagne considerably more. It’s one of the reasons we always recommend a full-board package (meals included) or all-inclusive where available. It removes the sticker shock and lets guests be fully present. Connectivity can also catch people off guard. Wi-Fi exists at all major resorts, but speeds vary and overwater villas sometimes have a weaker signal. For most guests, that ends up being the unexpected gift of the trip.

Where do you even begin to research?

The most important thing is getting the property right, and that’s harder than it sounds. Unlike most destinations, you can’t simply switch hotels if something isn’t working. Everything routes back through Malé. There are no quick inter-island transfers. So the questions you ask upfront are everything: Do they want total privacy, or do they want energy and activity around them? Seaplane or speedboat? Small island or large? Do they want entertainment every night, or do they want to feel like they’re the only two people in the world? Getting that wrong is costly in every sense.

What questions should travelers ask themselves?

Beyond the obvious wish list, there are things most people don’t think to ask. Are you a strong swimmer? Are you prone to seasickness? What marine life do you actually want to see? For example, whale sharks are in the south year-round, while manta rays and hammerhead sharks are in the north. Does the mix of other guests matter to you? Some resorts attract predominantly American travelers; others have a very global clientele, which some people actively prefer. These aren’t details you’d find on a hotel website, and they make an enormous difference to how a trip actually feels.

What’s the Crown & Champa collection and its standout options?

Each property has a completely distinct personality, so the right one really depends on who you are as a traveler. Kudadoo is the most exclusive- just 15 solar-powered villas, all overwater, with everything included: meals, beverages, spa, excursions. If clients want a steak dinner at 2 in the morning because they flew in from across the world and they’re hungry, the answer is always yes. Rates start around $3,500* per night for two. Hurawahli is adults-only and consistently a standout for couples. It has the only fully glass-enclosed underwater restaurant in the Maldives, where you dine completely surrounded by the ocean, and rates start around $1,600* per night. Then there’s Jawakara, which is the largest property with 288 villas across two islands connected by a bridge, with a golf course, a kids’ club, DJ nights, and a sea turtle rehabilitation center on-site. Right next door, just a five-minute boat ride away, is Nala: a brand-new adults-only island for guests who want access to Jawakara’s energy and activities, but their own quiet enclave to come back to. Across the portfolio, there’s a range of price points and personalities and matching the right one to the right traveler is exactly what we do.

*Rates subject to change based on season and availability.

What’s the seaplane situation?

Seaplanes operate only during daylight hours, so departure timing is flexible but never fixed. There are no paper tickets, no exact times — when the seaplane is ready, you go. I always tell advisors to prepare their clients for this, because some people want a precise schedule and that’s just not how the Maldives works. The terminal in Malé is beautiful and air-conditioned, so the wait is genuinely comfortable. And the flight itself - 40 minutes over the atolls- is one of the most extraordinary things you’ll ever see.

Is the Maldives welcoming for LGBTQ+ travelers?

Absolutely. These are private resort islands, and Crown & Champa has been very intentional about inclusivity. Jawakara hosted a same-sex wedding celebration in the past year, and the company has been active in the LGBTQ+ travel community in a genuine, visible way, showing up at events, training staff, building a track record. Guests can fully be themselves here.

Any final things travelers should know?

Tipping is not expected or culturally common in the Maldives. Americans often want to leave something, and staff won’t turn it down, but it isn’t the norm. There’s always a doctor within reach across the Crown & Champa collection. And the staff live on the island. They become part of the experience in a way that’s genuinely rare. I always encourage guests to put down their phones and get to know them. That’s the part no booking platform can give you.

The right Maldives property isn’t obvious from a Google search. It comes down to questions most people don’t know to ask and working with the right team to get the best results and benefits for you. If the Maldives is on your list, we’d love to start that conversation.

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