Category: Maldives

A stay at the Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa is one of the best ways to relax and truly enjoy your vacation. The resort delivers with world class service, stunning villas, exquisite dining, and a spa retreat located on its own island. The Four Seasons Kuda Huraa is one of two Four Seasons Resorts in the Maldives, and is small and closer to Male compared to the Four Seasons Landaa Giraavaru. Staying at the Four Seasons Kuda Huraa is an experience to remember, and you definitely won’t want to leave!

We spent 3 days at the Four Seasons Maldives at Kuda Huraa and are sure you will have an amazing time here! We put together this Four Seasons Maldives Kuda Huraa review to help you decide if this is the right resort for your trip to the Maldives.

Disclaimer:  We were provided our stay at the Four Seasons Maldives Kuda Huraa complimentary. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay and as always, all our opinions on this Four Seasons Maldives Kuda Huraa review and what to do are our own. Please note that some of the links in the below article are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, we earn a commission if you make a purchase. Click here for the full disclosure statement. Thank you for supporting the businesses that support us!

Four Seasons Maldives Kuda Huraa Location

The Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa is located on a private island in the North Male Atoll. The resort is approximately 12 miles (20 km) north of Male. Everyone arriving in the Maldives will initially fly into Male International Airport and from there, you will then take a 25-minute speedboat transfer to the Four Seasons Maldives Kuda Huraa.

If you’re visiting the Maldives for the first time, the whole arrival process can be quite intimidating. It’s a bit of complex organized chaos which always seems to work. It can be a stressful experience, especially if your incoming flight is delayed, but in reality, it will all work out and there’s nothing to worry about. Check out our Maldives for First-Timers Guide for all of the in’s and out’s of how traveling to the Maldives and the private islands works.

The Four Seasons Maldives Kuda Huraa is more convenient to most other Maldives resorts as you arrive at the resort by a 25-minute speedboat ride from Male International Airport. The cost is $308 USD per person for roundtrip shared speedboat transfer, and it will be included as part of your final hotel bill when you check-out.

The Four Seasons Maldives properties also offer special packages if you choose to stay at both properties, such as complimentary seaplane transfer between the resorts if you spend at least 3 days at each property.

Four Seasons Maldives Kuda Huraa Arrival

Once you pass through Maldivian Customs & Immigration, grab your bags and head outside the airport. You will be met by a crowd of representatives from different hotels, all waving their resort’s sign in the air. Look for the friendly Four Seasons representative, or if you’re not able to find them you can ask a representative from a different hotel to help you find them. The Four Seasons representative will either take you directly to your speedboat transfer, or you may wait in the Four Seasons lounge for other passengers.

The speedboat transfer takes less than half an hour, and along the way you will get to check out some of the other nearby islands, before arriving at the Four Seasons Maldives Kuda Huraa.

As the speedboat pulls up to the dock, be prepared for a warm and friendly welcome to the Maldives from the Four Seasons staff. You’ll be greeted and welcomed, and then will make the short walk from the boat dock to the reception area, where you will receive a refreshing towelette and welcome drink.

As we arrived during COVID-19 times, safety precautions were taken. All staff are wearing masks throughout the resort but guests are not required to wear masks.

Read About the OTHER Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru

Check-in was completed quickly, and the layout of the resort, dining options, and other amenities were all explained to us. We were then escorted to our room via golfcart, along with our luggage. Service throughout the check-in experience was truly top-notch and we felt incredibly welcomed and at home here at the Four Seasons Maldives Kuda Huraa.

Four Seasons Maldives Kuda Huraa Rooms

The Four Seasons Maldives Kuda Huraa island is somewhat long and thin, so the villas are stretched out along both sides of the island and extensive overwater stretches, with the overwater villas facing either sunrise or sunset. All Bungalows and Villas at the Four Seasons include private pools, and due to the location of the island, feature either a sunrise or sunset view. All rooms also include twice-daily housekeeping, and daily fresh fruit, coffee, tea, and bottled water.

Beach Bungalows

The entry level rooms are the Deluxe Beach Bungalows with Pool, which are surrounded by lush tropical greenery, and include your own private oasis with an outdoor pool, sun bed, covered relaxation area, and open-door access to your bungalow.

The bungalows bedrooms are spacious with an incredibly comfortable bed, beautifully designed room with vaulted ceilings, and a large bathroom lots of light and a fully stocked selection of amenities. If you are looking for even more room, the resort also offers a large selection of Family Bungalows with more beds and room.

Water Villas

Heading towards the southern tip of the island will put you at the overwater boardwalk to the Water Villas. The Water Villas stretch out in front of you on both the sunrise and sunset sides, and extend nearly as far as the eye can see!

During our stay at the Four Seasons Maldives Kuda Huraa, we stayed in a Sunrise Water Villa with Pool and we loved our villa!

The Water Villas are beautiful, and when you enter the villa, you first have a large storage and closet area to one side, with a bathroom to the other. The closet area includes a beach bag, bug spray, safe, and other amenities. The bathroom features a large freestanding tub, large rainfall shower, and double vanities. The shower is also directly accessed from the outdoor deck!

Making your way further into the main room, the large King size bed is surrounded by a very spacious area with a small desk for working, sitting area, bar area, and a window bed that looks directly out towards your private pool. What makes this window bed really unique is that you can also fully open the windows and dive directly into your pool!

Outside on the truly expansive private deck you have not one, but two overwater nets for relaxing, lounge chairs with an umbrella, access to your private infinity pool, and a lower seating area right next to the water access. Whether you prefer swimming in the pool or the ocean, you are never more than a few steps away from either at the Four Seasons Maldives Kuda Huraa.

There are additional Water Villas and Beach Villas available with multiple bedrooms and even more space, luxury, and privacy for the ultimate experience.

Four Seasons Maldives Kuda Huraa Amenities

Just like any other resort in the Maldives, it is important that the resort you choose has a large number of activities to keep you entertained, as there aren’t any options to head somewhere else if you are bored. The Four Seasons Maldives at Kuda Huraa has plenty of options to keep you entertained during your visit, and also features the amazing Island Spa, which you definitely must visit!

Complimentary Amenities

The main pool at the resort is very large, and also includes a large number of lounge chairs with umbrellas. It is located near the main restaurants, and also features an infinity edge, and a perfect location to watch the sunrise. There is also a smaller children’s pool located here.

The second large pool is the Serenity Pool, located next to the Reef Club on the southern tip of the island. This pool is only available to adults, and is a tranquil oasis to relax, well into the evening.

The Four Seasons Maldives Kuda Huraa has a fitness center on the island which is available 24/7 and located in the center of the island, overlooking the main pool. If you are hoping to keep your tennis game on form while in the Maldives, you are also in luck as the resort has a tennis court available for complimentary use.

Note that for families staying at the Four Seasons Maldives Resort at Kuda Huraa, there is a large kids club available on the island, located near the main pool and restaurants. Kids even receive a complimentary welcome gift and they have plenty of beach essentials ready for kids to enjoy.

Additional Available Amenities

As mentioned above, there’s a dive center and a water sports center on the island, both located near the Welcome Jetty. You can arrange a multitude of different dives and dive certifications. The water sports center also rents jet skis, hydrofoils, or you can have a try at jetblading with the X-jetpacks.  We both tried jetblading for the first time here at the Four Seasons and had an amazing time. We received a full explanation before entering the water, and then continued instruction while out on the water to make sure we both learned the skills to get airborne and have an amazing time!

The resort also offers sunset cruises aboard a traditional Maldivian style boat, as well as dolphin cruises, snorkeling expeditions, and more.

One of the highlights of the Four Seasons Maldives Kuda Huraa is undoubtedly their magnificent Island Spa. It is known for being the only spa in the Maldives located on a separate private island, and only accessible by boat. To access the spa you must take a ride on small dhoni to reach this tranquil oasis. The spa offers many types of treatments, and has beautiful spa changing rooms with direct access to overwater spa treatment rooms, complete with glass windows in the floor and open doors, for a fully immersive and relaxing experience.

The Island Spa also offers unique options such as night spa treatments, yoga classes, and reflexology. We highly recommend booking a treatment here during your stay to have the full unique Island Spa experience.

Four Seasons Maldives Kuda Huraa Dining

At all Maldives resorts, dining is extremely important as you don’t have the option to cook yourself or go somewhere else. The resort offers a number of dining options, and the Four Seasons Maldives Kuda Huraa also offers a few different meal plan packages to best suite your needs during your stay.

Meal Plan Options

Finding out the meal plan options before making your booking is important when choosing the right Maldives resort for you. At the Four Seasons Maldives Kuda Huraa the entry room rate package for all room types is a Bed and Breakfast, so that you have the daily breakfast buffet at Café Huraa included.

Dining for other meals is on an a la carte basis at any of the below restaurants on the island.

Café Huraa Restaurant

The Café Huraa Restaurant is the primary dining place on the island, and is located in the main central hub of the island along with most other restaurants and the main pool. The restaurant is all open-air and features a large buffet for breakfast and dinner.

For breakfast, prepare to bring a big appetite to the large buffet selection. To start off, there is a freshly squeezed juice bar, and freshly baked bread selection. There is also a large selection of healthy prepared items, and an extensive do-it-yourself salad bar.

The Café Huraa buffet also includes a large Middle Eastern section, charcuterie choices, and a mix of hot Western and Asian dishes to choose from. Lastly, you can also find a fresh Asian cuisine station where they will prepare fresh noodles to order, as well as an omelet station and station for waffles, pancakes, and crepes.

Despite being in a buffet format, service was impeccable, with warm and friendly smiles from all staff, and an attention to detail and desire to go above and beyond which we have not found at any other Maldives resort.

For dinner, Café Huraa also delivers with a large buffet. There are plenty of hot food options, which change daily, as well as freshly baked breads, a large salad bar, lots of small bites, and of course a delicious looking dessert station.

Throughout the day, Café Huraa is open for a la carte dining for lunch or a light snack.

Baraabaru Restaurant

Baarabaru Restaurant is the flagship restaurant at Four Seasons Maldives Kuda Huraa, and serves up outstanding fine Indian cuisine each and every night. But don’t just take our word for it, because Baraabaru has been awarded one of CNN Travel’s top ten “Maldives’ Finest Tables” for 2022. The restaurant seating is primarily located on a deck out over the water, where you can watch fish and reef sharks swim below.

Baarabaru has so many great dishes available packing intense flavors and exquisite detail into a delicious package. We also extremely attentive and warm service here, that truly elevated the dining experience.

For main dishes, we can highly recommend the Tandoori Lobster for a unique twist on flavor pairings with a whole Indian Ocean lobster. For a more classic Indian flavor, the Chicken Tikka Masala did not disappoint. You also won’t want to miss the freshly prepared Biryani and either the Garlic Naan or cheese Naan.

Reef Club Restaurant

The Reef Club Restaurant offers both lunch and dinner, and is located at the adults-only pool at Four Seasons Maldives Kuda Huraa. For lunch, the Reef Club specializes in Italian pastas and pizzas, as well as a few lighter options. For dinner, the restaurant offers a large selection of appetizers as well as classic Italian risotto, pasta, meat, and seafood dishes.

We thoroughly enjoyed the Burrata Pugliese salad with heirloom tomatoes, as well as Insalata Mediterranea to start, followed by the slow roasted duck breast and black cod.

Other Dining Options

Of course, you can also order room-service anytime of the day or night and enjoy a great meal on your terrace, or even have breakfast in bed. Note that in-room dining is not included in any of the meal plans.

In addition to the above restaurants, there is also the Kandu Grill for fresh steak and seafood, the Poolside Bar for drinks and light bites throughout the day, and the Sunset Lounge for specialty cocktails.

Four Seasons Maldives Kuda Huraa Review Conclusion

A trip to the Maldives is special, as it involves long flights, multiple transfers, changing of time zones, and a final boat or seaplane transfer. Once you arrive, you want to have the perfect Maldives experience, and the Four Seasons Maldives at Kuda Huraa offers up an unforgettable experience. The resort is beautiful, and the Bungalows and Villas in particular are extremely well-appointed. Food options are some of the best in the Maldives and the service everywhere you go is truly memorable. Overall, the Four Seasons Maldives Kuda Huraa is an excellent Maldives resort choice for anyone looking to have the ultimate vacation to create lasting memories in the Maldives.

Check availability for your dates at the Four Seasons Maldives at Kuda Huraa!

Pin this post to your Maldives travel Pinterest board to save the best place to stay when you are planning to visit the amazing Maldives. We really hope you enjoyed this Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa review and how you can experience one of the best Maldives resorts!

The Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru is a true Maldivian getaway where you feel like you’re on an exotic island in the middle of the ocean, with all of the luxury and fine dining you could ever want. The large island provides for a beautiful setting with extensive gardens, privacy, and stunning turquoise waters on all sides. Staying at the Four Seasons Maldives Landaa Giraavaru is perfect for those looking to experience the true Maldives, a fantastic luxury resort, and looking to get away from the world.

We spent 3 days at the Four Seasons Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru and are sure that if you love beautiful white sand beaches, large luxury villas, and unique culinary experiences, that you will have an amazing time at this Maldives resort. Our stay allowed us to put together this Four Seasons Maldives Landaa Giraavaru review to help you decide if this is the right resort for your trip to the Maldives.

Disclaimer:  We were provided our stay at the Four Seasons Maldives Landaa Giraavaru complimentary. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay and as always, all our opinions on this Four Seasons Maldives Landaa Giraavaru review and what to do are our own. Please note that some of the links in the below article are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, we earn a commission if you make a purchase. Click here for the full disclosure statement. Thank you for supporting the businesses that support us!

Four Seasons Maldives Landaa Giraavaru Location

The Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru is located on a private island in the Baa Atoll, which is part of a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The Four Seasons Maldives Landaa Giraavaru is approximately 75 miles (120 km) northwest of Male. Everyone arriving in the Maldives will initially fly into Male International Airport and from there, you will then take a 45-minute airplane transfer to the resort.

If you’re visiting the Maldives for the first time, you might find that the whole arrival process can be quite intimidating. It can be a bit chaotic, but it always seems to work. It can also be a stressful experience if your incoming flight is delayed, but in reality it will all work out and there’s nothing to worry about. Check out our Maldives for First-Timers Guide that we put together so that you can learn all of the in’s and out’s of how traveling to the Maldives and the private islands works.

The primary way to reach the Four Seasons Maldives Landaa Giraavaru is by seaplane, this is part of the true Maldives experience, similar to nearly all other Maldives resorts. The cost of the seaplane transfer is $985 USD per person for roundtrip airfare. For additional charges, you can opt to fly in the more exclusive Four Seasons Flying Triggerfish seaplane, which seats just 8 passengers; compared to the standard seaplane arrival on Trans Maldivian Airways with 14 passengers.

If you would like to visit the other Four Seasons Maldives Resort at Kuda Huraa, the Four Seasons team can arrange a transfer between the two resorts for you.

Four Seasons Maldives Landaa Giraavaru Arrival

Once you pass through Maldivian Customs & Immigration, pick up your luggage and head outside the airport. You will be met by a crowd of representatives from different hotels, all waving their resort’s sign in the air. Look for the friendly Four Seasons representative, or if you’re not able to find them you can ask a representative from a different hotel to help you find them. The Four Seasons representative will take you through all the steps to get on your Trans Maldivian Airways flight.

Once aboard your Trans Maldivian Airways flight to the Four Seasons Landaa Giraavaru, there’s nothing to do except sit back and enjoy some of the best seaplane views in the world. You’ll fly over countless atolls with their turquoise waters, as well as other resorts with beautiful overwater villas. Flying on Trans Maldivian Airways is one of the best parts of getting to a Maldivian resort.

The Four Seasons Maldives Landaa Giraavaru has its own seaplane platform floating nearby the island. After about 45 minutes of flying time, as you descend toward the island, you’ll get some more amazing views of the beautiful waters here and the reefs and islands that surround the Four Seasons Maldives Landaa Giraavaru. The seaplane will land near the floating seaplane platform where you will then transfer to a boat that will take you the short ride to shore.

As the boat pulls up to the dock, be prepared for a warm and friendly welcome to the Maldives from the Four Seasons staff. You’ll be greeted and welcomed, and then will make the short walk to the reception area, where you will receive a refreshing towelette and welcome drink to start your vacation.

As we arrived during COVID-19 times, safety precautions were taken. All staff are wearing masks throughout the resort but guests are not required to wear masks.

Check-in was completed quickly, and the layout of the resort, dining options, and other amenities were all explained to us. We were then escorted to our villa via golfcart, with our luggage.

Four Seasons Maldives Landaa Giraavaru Rooms

Being located on such a large island, the rooms and villas at the Four Seasons Maldives Landaa Giraavaru are spread out and offer lots of privacy. There are a number of types of rooms available to match your wants and needs during your trip.

One of our favorite aspects of the Four Seasons Landaa Giraavaru are the bikes that everyone is assigned when they arrive at the resort. Each individual will have a bike parked outside their villa when they arrive with their initials placed on the front of the bike, and a small tag on the back of the bike with your villa number. You can use these bikes to bike all over the island, from the jungle trails to the overwater walkways.

Beach Villas

The sprawling island has a large number of Beach Villas available, each with a very large walled private garden area with complete privacy, a private pool and outdoor sundeck, and direct access to the beach and ocean. The Beach Villas also feature large open-air living and dining rooms, plus a large indoor bedroom and bathroom.

Stepping into the bedroom, you have a seating area near the large glass sliding doors that can open directly onto your private pool. The room has plenty of storage space, a small desk area, mini bar, and vaulted ceiling. Behind the bed is the bathroom area which is also surprisingly large. There are dual vanities, a separate room for the rainfall shower as well as the toilet, and a door that opens to your outdoor garden shower, which is completely private.

From your Beach Villa you can walk down a short private pathway to reach your own slice of heaven. At the beach you will have your own lounge chairs assigned to your villa, as well as beach towels ready to be used.

Water Villas

Heading out to the Water Villas along the overwater pathway is a magical experience. The Water Villas are stunning, and as you make your way along the walkway be sure to look down as you will see tropical fish, manta rays, and reef sharks swim by. We also saw an octopus just outside our villa. During our stay at the Four Seasons Maldives Landaa Giraavaru, we stayed in a stunning Water Villa with Pool.

Stepping into the Water Villa, you will be immediately impressed by the grandeur of the space, the bright design, and wall to wall windows facing the stunning turquoise water. The living room area of the Water Villa features a large seating area, unique minibar with high-end Nespresso machine, small table for dining, and large television. Stepping into the bedroom area, you will find another large screen television, and one of the most comfortable beds you can imagine.

To access the bathroom, you walk through the large closet and storage area to first find your private outdoor shower. The bathroom area also has direct access to the back deck, and includes a freestanding tub, dual vanities, and large rainfall shower. The toilet room also has a special small area of glass on the floor to watch the fish swim by.

If you weren’t already impressed by this Water Villa, stepping outside will surely impress! Half of the outdoor deck is covered, and features a large outdoor dining and seating area that leads to an overwater net located at the edge of the deck. Above this area is an open-air loft lounge that you can also relax and spend time in, accessed by a spiral staircase.

Further along the deck, you cannot ignore the huge infinity pool that extends out over the water with impressive views. On your expansive deck you will also find lounge chairs and a partially covered day bed.

The Water Villas at the Four Seasons Landaa Giraavaru are truly impressive in design, size, and features and they are some of the best villas we have stayed at altogether. The villas are perfectly maintained, and every small detail has been considered from wireless phone chargers located on each side of the bed to a Bluetooth speaker in your living room.

Four Seasons Maldives Landaa Giraavaru Amenities

When you go to any resort in the Maldives it’s important to consider all of the amenities available on the island because you don’t have the option of heading somewhere else if you’re bored. The Four Seasons Maldives Landaa Giraavaru has a of activities and adventures to keep you entertained over its large 44-acre exotic jungle paradise. 

Complimentary Amenities

The Four Seasons Maldives Landaa Giraavaru has four separate pools available for use. They flagship main infinity pool is the only Olympic-sized pool in the Maldives, perfect for swimming some morning laps, or relaxing by in the afternoon. Right next to it they offer a Seawater Pool. Near the lagoon and Water Villas you will find the Blu Pool. Lastly the Kids Club has its own pool.

The resort also has a fitness center which is available 24/7 and located in the center of the island. We also saw many people out jogging on the beach and along the jungle pathways in the morning.

One of the great things that the Four Seasons Maldives Landaa Giraavaru includes is complimentary snorkel equipment, kayak, windsurfing, and catamaran sailing equipment. You can pick up the gear and equipment from the Water Sports Center near Blu. 

Additional Available Amenities

As mentioned above, there’s both a dive center and water sports center on the island. You can arrange a multitude of different dives and dive certifications. The water sports center also rents jet skis, windsurfing boards, or you can arrange a boat trip for sightseeing, snorkeling, water-skiing, and more.

In the center of the island you will find AyurMa, the Fours Seasons Spa. This spa is unique in that it encompasses the four pillars of Ayurveda, Yoga Therapy, Wellness and Planetary Wellbeing into treatments on offer, and has an incredible team of Ayurvedic Doctors, Naturopaths and Yoga Therapists on hand to truly reset your awareness, and prepare you for harmony and happiness.

We experienced a session with an Ayurvedic Doctor where we learned about the different doshas, unique mind- body types under Ayurveda, and how best to live your life, specific to your mind-body type. This dosha consultation with an Ayurvedic Doctor is offered complimentary to all guests, and is highly worth it. We also experienced a wonderful couples massage in one of the resorts signature spa treatment rooms, and had a fun time trying out acro-yoga for the first time. The AyurMa Spa is one of the highlights of the resort as they offer so much more than your typical resort spa, with an added emphasis on achieving personal happiness, health, and wellbeing.

Four Seasons Maldives Landaa Giraavaru Dining

At Maldives resorts, dining is important because, you can’t just leave the resort to head out for dinner if you don’t like what is on offer. The Four Seasons Maldives Landaa Giraavaru has distinct dining options for a unique culinary experience during your stay. Given the nature of dining in the Maldives, the Four Seasons Maldives Landaa Giraavaru also offers a few different meal plan packages to best suite your needs.

Meal Plan Options

Finding out the meal plan options before making your booking is important when choosing the right Maldives resort for you. At the Four Seasons Maldives Landaa Giraavaru the entry room rate package for all room types is a Bed and Breakfast, so that you have the daily breakfast buffet at Café Landaa included.

Dining for other meals is on an a la carte basis at any of the below restaurants.

Café Landaa Restaurant

The Café Landaa Restaurant is the primary dining place on the island, and is located in the central hub of the island along with the large swimming pools and reception area. The restaurant is all open-air and features buffet style dining for breakfast and dinner.

For breakfast, the Café Landaa Restaurant buffet is extensive. There is a large selection of freshly baked breads and pastries, and a nearby assortment of meats and cheese as well as a salad bar. They also have plenty of Asian and regional specialties, both hot and cold dishes, and well as Western options. If you would like an omelet or eggs, they have a station where you can have anything that you would like freshly prepared.

For dinner, Café Landaa also offers a large buffet experience, again specializing in Asian and regional dishes. Throughout the day, the restaurant is open for a la carte dining for lunch or a light snack. 

Blu Beach Club

The Blu Beach Club is located on the beach, right next to the overwater walkway that leads to the Water Villas. The Blu Beach Club is open all day for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The Beach Club serves up Italian specialties throughout the day, but also serves many other delicious options. For breakfast we tried the delicious Maldivian breakfast option, as well as the freshly prepared waffles. All meals are a la carte.

Al Barakat Restaurant

Dining at the Al Barakat Restaurant is more of a full immersive experience than just a meal. Located over the water near the Welcome Jetty, the design of Al Barakat instantly transports you to Arabia. The restaurant offers both indoor and outdoor dining on its rooftop terrace with dishes inspired by Lebanon, Morocco, and Armenia. The design of the restaurant is beautiful, with excellent attention to detail.

To start, be sure to try one of the hummus options, and the freshly prepared tabbouleh, among other excellent mezze options. The signature dish of the restaurant, which proved popular with many other guests as well, is the Phoenician Feast for Two. The meal features a selection of grilled beef, chicken, prawns, and lamb kebabs that are presented on hanging skewers. These are accompanied by a selection of delicious sauces, as well as sides of your choice such Saffron Rice, Grilled Vegetables, and more.

Fuego Grill Restaurant

The Fuego Grill is perfect for a casual evening with a toes-in-the-sand experience at the waters edge, and beautiful hanging lights and live music to fulfill the full experience. The specialties of the restaurant are grilled meats and seafood and fresh salads, all Asian inspired. To start, the Tuna Crudo Sampler is delicious with a mix of tuna carpaccio, tuna tataki, tuna poke, and tuna tartare. Any of the grilled meats and seafood for entrees are excellent choices.

Other Dining Options

The Four Seasons Maldives Landaa Giraavaru also has a number of bars to entice you with hand-crafted cocktails and light bites. The Seabar is located on an overwater platform in the ocean for a unique experience. Other options include Blu Bar, the Shisha Bar at Al Barakat, and the Poolside Bar.

Of course, you can also order room-service anytime of the day or night and enjoy a great meal on your terrace, or even have breakfast in bed.

Read More: Review of the Four Seasons Maldives Kuda Huraa

Four Seasons Maldives Landaa Giraavaru Review Conclusion

Staying at the Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru is like no other! The large tropical island has so much to be discovered and experienced and the Four Seasons staff will be sure to make your stay unforgettable. We highly recommend at stay at the Four Seasons Maldives Landaa Giraavaru for anyone that enjoys the finer things in life, and appreciates the high-end design, service, and culinary experiences on offer at this magnificent resort.

Check availability for your dates at the Four Seasons Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru!

Pin this post to your Maldives travel Pinterest board to save the best resort to stay when you are planning to visit the islands of the Maldives. We really hope you enjoyed this Four Seasons Maldives Landaa Giraavaru review and how you can experience one of the most exotic Maldives resorts!

The Fushifaru Maldives Resort is one of the quintessential Maldives resorts. It is surrounded by beautiful white sand beaches, incredible turquoise water, and features a small island with a lush green center and all the amenities you could need. It also happens to be a dream for all Instagram lovers out there, with multiple Instagrammable locations on the island. Staying at Fushifaru provides the true Maldives experience for those looking to get away from the world.

We spent 3 nights at Fushifaru Maldives and are sure that if you love snorkeling and diving, and pristine white sand beaches, you will have an amazing time at this Maldives resort. Our stay allowed us to put together this Fushifaru Maldives review to help you decide if this is the right resort for your trip to the Maldives.

Disclaimer:  We were provided our stay at the Fushifaru Maldives complimentary. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay and as always, all our opinions on this Fushifaru Maldives review and what to do are our own. Please note that some of the links in the below article are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, we earn a commission if you make a purchase. Click here for the full disclosure statement. Thank you for supporting the businesses that support us!

Fushifaru Maldives Location

The Fushifaru Maldives Resort is located on a private island in the Lhaviyani Atoll. The Fushifaru Maldives is approximately 90 miles (145 km) north of Male. Everyone arriving in the Maldives will initially fly into Male International Airport and from there, you will then take a 35-minute airplane transfer to the Fushifaru Maldives Resort.

If you’re visiting the Maldives for the first time, the whole arrival process can be quite intimidating. It’s a bit of complex organized chaos which always seems to work. It can be a stressful experience, especially if your incoming flight is delayed, but in reality, it will all work out and there’s nothing to worry about. Check out our Maldives for First-Timers Guide for all of the in’s and out’s of how traveling to the Maldives and the private islands works.

As the only way to reach the Fushifaru Maldives Resort is by seaplane, this mandatory charge is part of the Maldives experience, similar to nearly all other Maldives resorts. The cost is $460 USD per person for roundtrip airfare, which is one of the more affordable seaplane transfer fees around, and it will be included as part of your final hotel bill when you check-out.

Fushifaru Maldives Arrival

Once you pass through Maldivian Customs & Immigration, grab your bags and head outside the airport. You will be met by a crowd of representatives from different hotels, all waving their resort’s sign in the air. Look for the friendly Fushifaru representative, or if you’re not able to find them you can ask a representative from a different hotel to help you find them. The Fushifaru representative will take you through all the steps to get on your TransMaldivian Airways flight.

Once aboard your TransMaldivian Airways flight to Fushifaru, there’s nothing to do except sit back and enjoy some of the best seaplane views in the world. You’ll fly over countless atolls with their turquoise waters, as well as other resorts with beautiful overwater villas. Flying on TransMaldivian Airways never gets old.

The Fushifaru Maldives has its own dock and platforms where the seaplanes arrive. After about 35 minutes of flying time, as you descend toward the island, you’ll get some more amazing views of the beautiful waters here and the reefs and islands that surround the Fushifaru Maldives.

As the seaplane pulls up to the dock, be prepared for a warm and friendly welcome to the Maldives from the Fushifaru staff. You’ll be greeted and welcomed, and then will make the short walk to the reception area, where you will receive a refreshing towelette and welcome drink.

As we arrived during COVID-19 times, safety precautions were taken. All staff are wearing masks throughout the resort but guests are not required to wear masks.

Check-in was completed quickly, and the layout of the resort, dining options, and other amenities were all explained to us. We were then escorted to our room via golfcart, with our luggage following shortly thereafter.

Fushifaru Maldives Rooms

Fushifaru Maldives is one of the smaller Maldives resorts, giving it a boutique feel and making getting around the island quick and easy. The intimate island offers 44 beach villas and 19 water villas. Despite the smaller size, they still offer a wide array of activities and room types available.

Beach Villas

The entry level rooms are the Beach Villas, which are located on both the sunrise and sunset side of the island, allowing you to choose which side you prefer. The Beach Villas are spacious, include a double bed, outdoor bathroom, and large outdoor terrace; not to mention direct access to the beach and stunning turquoise water. There are also a select group of Pool Beach Villas, so that you can enjoy the comfort of a private pool during your stay. These villas are also slightly larger than the entry level Beach Villas. In addition, Fushifaru offers much larger Beach Duplex Villas, which would be of interest to those looking for lots of extra space, or while traveling as a family.

All rooms, no matter the location, include all the amenities you’d expect of a Maldives resort such as a minibar and wine fridge, ironing board, large flat-screen TV, fully stocked bathroom amenities, bathrobes, a beach bag and beach towels.

Water Villas

If you really want the quintessential Maldives experience, look no further than staying in a Water Villa at Fushifaru. With beautiful turquoise water on both sides of the overwater pathway, on your first trip out to your villa, you will already think that it is worth it. Not to mention the added novelty, solitude, and extra perks of staying in a Water Villa. At Fushifaru, the Water Villas are located at the far end of the island, compared to the welcome jetty and restaurant area, however given the small size of the island walking never takes that long.

Fushifaru has three Water Villas types, a Jacuzzi Water Villa, Pool Water Villa, and Premium Pool Water Villa. All of the Fushifaru Water Villas feature stunning bathrooms with glass doors that completely open to the outside, and a beautiful freestanding tub in the middle of the room. It is a very luxurious and relaxing place to be. The Jacuzzi Water Villas feature an intimate outdoor jacuzzi, the Pool Water Villas an outdoor plunge pool on your deck, and the Premium Pool Water Villas feature enhanced design, four-poster beds, and a glass pool overlooking the ocean. During our stay at Fushifaru Maldives, we stayed in a Pool Water Villa, facing the sunrise.

When you enter your villa, you will notice that the Pool Water Villas open into a large bedroom, with a towering ceiling, and King-size bed located in the center of the room. There is ample storage on either side of the entrance, as well as a small closet, desk, and minibar located on one side of the room. On the other side you will find the television, and sliding door to the bathroom.

The bathroom is extremely large, and includes separate private rooms for the toilet and rainfall shower. The main room includes double sinks, and a beautiful freestanding bathtub in the middle of the room. The sliding glass doors allow you to completely open up the room to the fresh sea air.

Back in the main room, there is a small sitting area and couch, and large sliding doors that open onto a partially covered deck. The deck has a covered daybed, lounge chairs open to the sun, and a beautiful private plunge pool, which we used every day of our stay. Of course, you also have direct access to the ocean, perfect for those looking to get in a morning or midnight swim, and those that enjoy snorkeling at any time of day.

Fushifaru Maldives Amenities

When you go to any resort in the Maldives it’s important to consider all of the amenities available on the island because you don’t have the option of heading out somewhere if you happen to get bored. Luckily, Fushifaru Maldives packs a punch in the activities area, despite being a small island.

Complimentary Amenities

The Fushifaru Maldives Resort has a number of amenities available on the island to keep you entertained throughout your stay. The main pool area is located just in front of the main bar, and directly faces the sunset. This pool is popular and available for everyone to use. Nearby the pool there is a huge basket swing hanging from a palm tree, which is so much fun that you have to try it!

There are lounge chairs located throughout the island on the beach, for those wanting to enjoy the beach. Additionally, on the Water Villas side of the island there is a hammock located in the ocean, an additional tree swing, and juice truck.

The Fushifaru Maldives Resort also has a fitness center which is available 24/7 and located in the center of the island. Amongst the tropical plants on the island there is also a multi-purpose tennis court available for use.

Note that for families staying at the Fushifaru Maldives Resort, there is the Kokko Kids Club available on the island.

One of the great things that the Fushifaru Maldives Resort includes is complimentary snorkel equipment, helping make it a snorkeling paradise. We’ve dedicated the full next section to snorkeling and diving at Fushifaru Maldives.

Last but not least, some of the most spectacular sunsets in the Maldives are included free of charge!

Snorkeling and Diving

You may be wondering why the Fushifaru Maldives is a snorkeling and diving paradise, and that’s because not only is the water incredibly clear, but Fushifaru Maldives has an Underwater Playground. Here they have an underwater swing with a Fushifaru sign, bicycles, and more all included underwater. During low tide you can snorkel and free dive to these underwater sites.

Diving is available at Fushifaru Maldives, starting with beginners’ courses, and those that stay on the island by visiting the Underwater Playground. If you want to go for a larger diving experience, the Fushifaru Marine Biologist and Diving Team can arrange for boat charters so you can really get out and explore the nearby coral reefs, and dive with manta rays, dolphins, turtles, white-tip sharks, and more fish than you can count.

Wi-fi is included in all room rates, and the high-speed connection is easily accessed anywhere on the island. We had no problems connecting either in our room, while dining, or even while relaxing on the beach. 

Additional Available Amenities

As mentioned above, there’s both a dive center and water sports center on the island. The water sports center also rents jet skis, windsurfing boards, or you can arrange a boat trip for sightseeing, snorkeling, water-skiing, and more. There are tours available to visit a nearby local island, to enjoy a dolphin sunset cruise, go on a turtle excursion, go fishing, and more. If you love yoga, Fushifaru offers Sunset Yoga classes on the beach starting at just $10 USD, plus many additional yoga classes available by appointment. For a fun night under the stars, be sure to organize a movie under the stars, which is set up right on the beach and includes drinks and popcorn!

One of our favorite special activities is the available Sand Bank Picnic. The Fushifaru team will arrange a picnic lunch with drinks for you, and take you by boat to the nearby sand bank where you will enjoy the whole sand bank island to yourself for a few hours. It is a wonderful experience, and the water color at the sand bank is really special. The sand bank has no buildings, but does have one small covered area for shade, and a hammock located in the water.

If you’re looking to relax on your Maldives vacation, Fushifaru Maldives has the Heylhi Spa located in the natural jungle of the island. There are all kinds of treatments available, and many feature local coconut in the treatments.

Fushifaru Maldives Dining

At all Maldives resorts, dining is important because, you can’t just leave the resort to head out for dinner if you don’t like what is on offer. The Fushifaru Maldives includes three different restaurants and one bar so that you have some dining variety during your stay. Given the nature of dining in the Maldives, the Fushifaru Maldives Resort also offers a few different meal plan packages to best suite your needs.

Meal Plan Options

Finding out the meal plan options before making your booking is important when choosing the right Maldives resort for you. At the Fushifaru Maldives Resort nearly every room rate will already include breakfast.

The next step up is a half-board meal plan. This adds on the ability to dine at Korakali Restaurant for their dinner buffet each night.

Above half-board is the full-board option. This option provides you with breakfast, lunch, and dinner at Korakali.

One thing to keep in mind with the half-board and full-board options is that no drinks are included in these packages other than water, coffee, and tea when dining at Korakali. There is also an all-inclusive package available for those that like to drink alcohol. Depending on how much you drink, this can be a great option because of the high per drink cost of alcohol in the Maldives.

Given the high cost of food in general in the Maldives, we think that the choosing one of the dining packages is the best option as opposed to ordering all food a la carte. The meal options let you have a delicious and filling meal after a day spent enjoying Fushifaru, but of course do what works best for you on your vacation!

Korakali Restaurant

The Korakali Restaurant is the main restaurant on the island, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. It is located midway between the Welcome Jetty and Water Villas, right on the ocean. The restaurant offers a combination of covered or outdoor seating, but it is all open-air.

For breakfast, the Korakali Restaurant offers a large selection. There are the usual Western breakfast options from cold cereals, to cold meats and cheese with bread, as well as oatmeal, and a rotating selection of hot items. Additionally, there is an extensive fruit selection, and rotating Indian, Maldivian, and other breakfast options. We found the quality of the buffet to be quite good, especially the Indian and Maldivian options.

For dinner, Korakali also offers a huge buffet. There is a large salad bar, fresh breads, great appetizers, and an extensive selection of hot items. The theme of the dinner changes each night, so you will have unique options throughout your stay. We especially enjoyed the freshly prepared pasta dishes during Italian night, and the extensive Indian curries during Indian night.

Korakali also offers a lunchtime buffet for those on the full board and all-inclusive meal plans.

Fanihandi Bar

The Fanihandi Bar is the main bar on the island, and is located at the entrance to the main pool. Here you can order all sorts of cocktails, mocktails, and other refreshments. Fanihandi also serves light bar bites and light casual dining throughout the day in the restaurant, or poolside.

Raakani

The Raakani Restaurant is the premium restaurant on the island, with an emphasis on fresh grilled frish and grilled meats. At Raakani you can dine under a thatched pavilion, or with your feet in the sand, right on the beach. We enjoyed a private dinner here on the beach one evening, and loved both the grilled steak and seafood.

Other Dining Options

Of course, you can also order room-service anytime of the day or night and enjoy a great meal on your terrace, or even have breakfast in bed. Note that in-room dining is not included in any of the meal plans.

There is also a Teppanyaki Grill on the island, and Thundi, a small juice truck. If you are looking to elevate your dining, Fushifaru also offers floating breakfasts, private pool dinners, and exclusive romantic dining on the Handhu Platform outside Korakali restaurant.

Fushifaru Maldives Review Conclusion

Fushifaru Maldives is one of the best all-around Maldives resort for the true Maldives experience. The boutique-style resort has some of the best beaches and turquoise water in the Maldives, and offers a great selection of unique experiences to make your stay memorable. Fushifaru is particularly great for those that love snorkeling and diving due to the unique Underwater Playground. Overall, the Fushifaru Maldives is one of the best all-around Maldives resorts, and is perfect for couples looking for a romantic getaway.

Check availability for your dates at the Fushifaru Maldives!

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The Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort is actually one of the original resorts in the Maldives. Countless guests have stayed here over the years, and it is not hard to see why. The Sheraton Maldives is located on a lush, green island and includes a lagoon with insane water color, overwater bungalows, and more restaurants than most other resorts. Look no further if you want to spend an amazing couples or family vacation at an affordable Maldives resort.

We spent 3 nights at the Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort, enjoying the beautiful turquoise waters, trying out all of the activities, and sampling as many of the restaurants as we could to prepare for this Sheraton review to help you decide if the Sheraton Maldives is the right resort for your vacation to the Maldives.

Disclaimer:  Our stay at the Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort was courtesy of the resort. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay and as always, all our opinions on this Sheraton Maldives review and what to do are our own. Please note that some of the links in the below article are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, we earn a commission if you make a purchase. Click here for the full disclosure statement. Thank you for supporting the businesses that support us!

Sheraton Maldives Location

The Sheraton Maldives Resort is located on the private Furanafushi Island in the North Male Atoll. The Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort is approximately 8 miles (12 km) north of Male. Everyone arriving in the Maldives will initially fly into Male International Airport and from there, you will then take a 15-20 minute speedboat ride to the Sheraton Maldives Resort.

If you’re visiting the Maldives for the first time, the whole arrival process can be quite intimidating. It’s a bit of complex organized chaos which always seems to work. It can be a stressful experience, especially if your incoming flight is delayed, but in reality, it will all work out and there’s really nothing to worry about. Check out our Maldives for First-Timers Guide for all of the in’s and out’s of how traveling to the Maldives and the private islands works.

As the only way to reach the Sheraton Maldives Resort is by speedboat, that is how you will be getting there! The cost of the speedboat transfer to the Sheraton Maldives is included in your room rate, so there is no additional charge. This is a welcome change to most other Maldives resorts that can charge significantly for speedboat or float plane transfers.

With the Sheraton Maldives including the speedboat transfer, and with the close location to Male, you will save both time and money getting to the resort compared to nearly every other option! On the flip side, being so close to Male means that you do not have uninterrupted seas views, and you will hear aircraft going in and out throughout the day.

Sheraton Maldives Arrival

When you clear Maldivian Customs & Immigration, grab your luggage and head outside the airport. You will be met with hundreds of representatives from all of the different hotels and resorts, all waving their signs in the air. Look for the friendly Sheraton representative, or if you’re not able to find them you can ask a representative from a different hotel to help you find them. The Marriott property representatives from the other Marriott resorts in the Maldives would be your best bet.

The Sheraton Maldives representative will tell you when your boat is scheduled to depart, and if you are currently waiting on any other guests from your flight. They will then assist you and your luggage to the boat dock.

The boat dock at the airport is located immediately outside the exit, so you don’t have far to walk. You’ll be greeted aboard by one of the Sheraton Maldives crewmembers, provided with bottled water to refresh, and soon enough you’ll be on your way! The boat ride from the airport takes about 15-20 minutes and along the way you will pass by the Male airport and a few other local islands.

Once you’ve arrived at the Sheraton Maldives, it’s just a short walk to the check-in area, where you will be provided a welcome beverage.

As we arrived during COVID-19 times, safety precautions were taken. All staff are wearing masks throughout the resort, however masks are not required to be worn by guests other than when at the buffet.

Check-in was completed quickly, and the layout of the resort, dining options, and other amenities were all explained to us. We were then taken by golf cart along with our luggage to our overwater villa!

Sheraton Maldives Rooms

The Sheraton Maldives has a wide variety of room types available, depending on your budget and preferences. No matter which room type you are staying in on the island you can expect daily housekeeping as well as a daily turn-down service. Bottled water is included in the room complimentary and is replenished each day.

Guest Rooms and Cottages

The Sheraton Maldives has a few different types of guest rooms, cottages, water bungalows, and water villas, depending on what you prefer. Guest rooms are available on ground and upper floors and have either garden or beach views. The on-island rooms are spread throughout the island, whereas the beach cottages are located right along the beach and feature a larger area, perfect for families. The cottages also include an outdoor garden shower and large spacious patio.

Water Bungalows

The water bungalows at the Sheraton Maldives are all located on the western side of the island, facing the sunset. During our stay at the Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort, we stayed in a Water Bungalow with Pool. There are multiple “pods” overwater where the bungalows are located, and ours was located approximately in the middle, close to the walkway to get back onto the island.

Stepping into the villa, you have a large storage area to the right of the entrance area, perfect to unpack all of your baggage and move in! There is also a mini-bar and coffee station here, with Nespresso machines and a selection of coffee pods. There is a desk area if needed, which then opens into the main bedroom area. The King-size bed was incredibly comfortable, and there was also a couch for relaxing and television, though we didn’t actually use it! The bedroom area has double-doors that open onto your private deck with lounge chairs and a private plunge pool.

Having your own pool in an overwater bungalow is a definite luxury, which we really enjoyed and used daily. Of course, you can also climb down the stairs and snorkel in front of your overwater bungalow!

Back to the villa, there is a separate entrance to the bathroom which has a large soaker tub, separate rain shower, and all amenities that you will need.

Furthermore, inside your room you will find lifejackets, beach towels, umbrellas, beach bags, and more to make the most out of your stay at the Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort.

The Water Suite

The Water Suite is the largest accommodation available at the Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort. The Water Suite is a large 2,200 sq ft (205 sq m) and includes 2 bedrooms, a large living and dining area, kitchenette, and a huge outdoor deck with lap pool and overwater nets.

The Water Suite at the Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort is perfect for families and large groups that could use the extra space, or for those who prefer additional privacy and service.

Sheraton Maldives Amenities

When you go to any resort in the Maldives it’s important to consider all of the amenities available on the island because you don’t have the option of heading somewhere else if you get bored. The Sheraton Maldives has lots of options to keep you busy, from adventure activities, to boat cruises, and more.

Complimentary Amenities

The Sheraton Maldives Resort has a number of amenities available on the island to keep you busy throughout your stay that are already included. The main pool area is located in the center of the restaurant area, and features lots of lounge chairs, a hot tub, and a waterfall and river flowing into the pool area. This area is surrounded by lush tropical trees and plants. The second main relaxing area is at the northern end of the lagoon on Kakuni Beach. Here you will also find fun activities such as life-size chess, outdoor table tennis, water volleyball, and more.

The Sheraton Maldives Resort also has a Sheraton Fitness gym which is available 24/7 and located near the center of the island. In addition to your typical indoor gym with air condition, there is also a fun outdoor workout area with weights, climbing bars, ropes, and more to exercise outside in the fresh air and sun. If those aren’t enough to keep you active, a tennis court is also available.

For families staying at the Sheraton Maldives Resort, there is a kids club which has daily activities for kids staying on the island.

One of the great things to do at the Sheraton Maldives Resort which is complimentary is going snorkeling! You can check out snorkeling equipment for your whole stay and keep it in your room, which is especially nice if you have an overwater villa. The lifejackets included in the rooms are specifically for snorkeling.

There are a few different snorkeling areas at the Sheraton Maldives Resort. You can snorkel near the welcome jetty, where they have a lot of coral and reefs, out in front of the overwater villas, or in the lagoon on the other side of the island. The lagoon is a more protected area, and doesn’t include any reefs, but is visited by quite a few fish and the odd ray and reef shark! 

Additional Available Amenities

There is also a dive center and Extreme Maldives water sports center on the island. You can arrange a multitude of different dives and dive certifications, including night dives. The water sports center also rents jet skis, windsurfing boards, or you can arrange a boat trip for sightseeing, snorkeling, water-skiing, and more. They also offer guided trips for sailing, fishing, and diving.

We went on the Sunset Dolphin Cruise which was not too far of a boat ride. As soon as we reached the viewing location, we were surprised by quite a few dolphins visiting our boat. The boat is a traditional Maldivian Dhoni, making the cruise special even if you don’t see many dolphins! We were told though that while seeing dolphins is not guaranteed, you can be quite sure that you will get to see some dolphins on every trip!

Additionally, the Snorkeling Safari excursion is worth it if you want to see more diversity when snorkeling. The tour will take you to two different locations close to nearby islands where you will see some rich undersea life. While the water was a bit rough during our trip, we still had an incredible time swimming with the reef sharks, rays, and more fish than we could count!

If you’re looking to add a bit more romance to your trip, you can opt for a private movie night under the stars which is set up on the beach, and includes champagne, popcorn, ice cream, and marshmallows. Alternatively, a special Lagoon Lunch can be reserved where you will dine at a picnic table set up in the ocean! You will select your lunch the evening before so it can be properly prepared, and then you can enjoy lunch with feet in the beautiful turquoise waters of the lagoon.

Lastly, if you’re looking to relax on your trip, the Sheraton Maldives Resort has the Shine spa, which is located on a separate island from the main resort. You can reach the island by overwater walkway, and once you arrive you will instantly feel more relaxed. The Shine Spa offers a variety of services, as well as use of the spa pool and facilities like steam rooms. We enjoyed a couples massage with the treatment room having open doors to the ocean, which was incredibly relaxing.

Sheraton Maldives Dining

No matter where you are staying in the Maldives, you can’t just leave the resort to head out for dinner. That’s why the dining options at Maldives resorts are so important as you don’t have the flexibility of a typical vacation. The Sheraton Maldives is unique in that it has no less than 7 restaurants on the island. With this many dining options, you’re sure not to get bored eating the same food day after day.

Meal Plan Options

It pays to do some research on the dining options available at your selected Maldives resort beforehand, and incorporate that information into your decision of where to stay in the Maldives. At the Sheraton Maldives Resort nearly every paid room rate will already include breakfast.

The Sheraton Maldives also offers options for select packages that include half-board, full-board, and all-inclusive dining packages. The pricing and package specials can change frequently, so be sure to reach out to the hotel if this is of interest to you. We think that any package option can generally represent a good deal because the individual a la carte prices are high, typical of all Maldivian island resorts.

Feast Restaurant

Feast Restaurant is the primary dining place, and only buffet option on the island. It is centrally located just off of the main building and pool area. Here is where you will find the extensive breakfast buffet, with plenty of seating, including a special air-conditioned room if you’re not feeling the heat!

The breakfast buffet display at Feast was extensive, with plenty of hot Western food options, a rotating selection of Asian inspired breakfast items, fresh pastries, an Indian breakfast area, as well as a Maldivian breakfast selection. Lastly, there is a crepe stand where you can have made to order crêpes. Our favorites were the Indian food, Asian breakfast items, and fresh-made omelets and crêpes.

Sea Salt Restaurant

The Sea Salt Restaurant is the flagship restaurant at the Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort, and offers an extensive seafood menu and a beautiful al fresco dining experience overlooking the lagoon. Tables are spread throughout the beach area, and some tables are located right at the water’s edge. The restaurant features its own tank of freshly caught fish, where you can select what you would like for your meal.

We sampled one of the most impressive meals at Sea Salt, the Spaghetti all-Aragosta which is a lobster in tomato, basil, white wine, and lobster bisque sauce. We also tried La Burrata d’Andria as a starter and the Gnocchi di Patate, which were both excellent. Be sure to save some room for some delicious Italian Tiramisu!

While dining at Sea Salt Restaurant, don’t forget to look out over the water. We saw multiple types of fish and reef sharks swim by as we dined.

Anchorage Bar

Anchorage Bar is the main bar area of the resort, but also serves lunch and dinner in an expansive open-air setting. Anchorage Bar has a stunning view of the turquoise water of the lagoon, and is perfect to enjoy a meal, a drink, or both, while staring in awe at the color of the Maldives water.

We enjoyed a meal at Anchorage Bar and were impressed by how delicious the pizza was, as well as the fish and chips. If you’re staying at the Sheraton Maldives Resort, be sure to have at least one meal at Anchorage Bar!

ChopstiX

The ChopstiX Restaurant is also located near the main pool area, close to the other restaurants. The restaurant has a selection of Chinese inspired favorites, but also other Thai, Vietnamese, and Japanese specialties on offer. ChopstiX is open for lunch and dinner, and is fairly small, but is one of the few restaurants to offer plenty of indoor seating, if desired.

We enjoyed a selection of dumplings, dim sum options, a spicy cucumber salad and a personal favorite, drunken noodles!

Baan Thai

As you could have guessed, Baan Thai serves up Thai food. What you might not expect is how delicious it is, prepared by an all-Thai cooking staff. Baan Thai is located off of the main pool area in its own separate building and is only open for dinner. We had wonderful service at this restaurant and thoroughly enjoyed eating some of our favorite Thai dishes, green curry and yellow curry! If you have room, be sure to save space for the mango sticky rice for dessert!

Other Dining Options

Of course, you can also order room-service anytime of the day and enjoy a meal on your private deck, or even have breakfast in bed. Note that in-room dining is not included in any of the meal plans.

Other available restaurants are the Maldivian Fish Market for dinner, which specializes in local Maldivian seafood, served at Anchorage Beach. Kakuni Hut is the dining option that is located on the northern end of the lagoon, away from the main pool and restaurant area. At Kakuni Hut you can enjoy a relaxed dining experience, with your feet in the sand dining under palm trees. Kakuni Hut serves Caribbean style finger food, and international snacks for lunch only. Lastly, the Masala Hut is another dining option for lunch and dinner, offering classic Indian dishes. If you opt for the Lagoon Lunch, you will check in at the Masala Hut Restaurant and dine in the lagoon just in front of it.

Sheraton Maldives Booking Options

With the Sheraton brand being a part of the Marriott portfolio, this Sheraton Maldives review is likely of interest to many Marriott Bonvoy members. In particular, because the Sheraton Maldives is one of the more attainable Maldives properties on points for Marriott Bonvoy members. Award redemption costs start at 41,000 Marriott Bonvoy points and up.

Paid stays predictably vary quite a bit with the high seasonality of travel demand to the Maldives. Low season rates can be found in the high $200 USD range with high season rates costing many multiples more. Upgrades to larger rooms or overwater bungalows come at a premium.

When considering between a points stay or paid stay, note that all paid stays do include breakfast, however points stays do not. However, if you are Marriott Platinum or higher, you can choose free breakfast as your amenity.

You might also be able to score a deal by booking through a site such as Booking.com, check availability and deals for your dates here.

Sheraton Maldives Review Conclusion

Choosing the right Maldives resort for you is incredibly important, as unlike other vacations there is no sightseeing or visiting a city, your resort choice is your vacation destination. The Sheraton Maldives Full Moon resort offers an affordable alternative to many of the very expensive resorts in the Maldives. The Sheraton Maldives is located close to Male, just a speedboat ride away, has a lush green jungle feel on island, and offers a wide selection of restaurants. It is not the right resort for someone looking for uninterrupted sea views on a far-flung remote island. Overall, we recommend the Sheraton Maldives for a traveler that is looking for an affordable Maldives experience.

Pin this post to your Maldives travel Pinterest board to save the best place to stay when you are planning to visit the amazing Maldives. We really hope you enjoyed this Sheraton Maldives review!

The Velassaru Maldives Resort is located relatively close to Male compared to many other resorts, but it feels worlds away with some of the clearest water in the Maldives and stunning white sand beaches. Those crystal-clear waters make this the best Maldives resort for snorkeling.

We spent 3 nights at Velassaru Maldives and are convinced that you’ll find it the best Maldives resort for snorkeling. Our stay allowed us to put together this Velassaru Maldives review to help you decide if this is the right resort for you trip to the Maldives.

Disclaimer:  We were provided our stay at the Velassaru Maldives complimentary. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay and as always, all our opinions on this Velassaru Maldives review and what to do are our own. Please note that some of the links in the below article are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, we earn a commission if you make a purchase. Click here for the full disclosure statement. Thank you for supporting the businesses that support us!

Velassaru Maldives Location

The Velassaru Maldives Resort is located on a private island in the South Male Atoll. The Velassaru Maldives is approximately 8 miles (12 km) southwest of Male. Everyone arriving in the Maldives will initially fly into Male International Airport and from there, you will then take a 25-minute speedboat ride to the Velassaru Maldives Resort.

If you’re visiting the Maldives for the first time, the whole arrival process can be quite intimidating. It’s a bit of complex organized chaos which always seems to work. It can be a stressful experience, especially if your incoming flight is delayed, but in reality, it will all work out and there’s nothing to worry about. Check out our Maldives for First-Timers Guide for all of the in’s and out’s of how traveling to the Maldives and the private islands works.

As the only way to reach the Velassaru Maldives Resort is by speedboat, that is how you will be getting there! The cost is $131 USD plus taxes per person for roundtrip speedboat transfer, which is significantly more affordable than the typical mandatory seaplane transfer charges to other resorts, and it will be included as part of your final hotel bill when you check-out. Alternatively, you can opt for a private speedboat transfer at a cost of $350 USD plus taxes.

Velassaru Maldives Arrival

When you clear Maldivian Customs & Immigration, grab your bags and head outside the airport. You will be met with hundreds of representatives from different hotels, all waving their resort’s sign in the air. Look for the Velassaru representative, or if you’re not able to find them you can ask a representative from a different hotel to help you find them. They will help you with your bags and escort you across the hall of the airport to the dock.

The boat dock at the airport is located immediately outside the exit, so you don’t have far to walk. You’ll be greeted aboard one of the Velassaru Maldives yachts, provided with bottled water to refresh, and soon enough you’ll be on your way! The boat ride from the airport takes about 25-minutes and along the way you will pass by downtown Male, which is the capital city of the Maldives. It’s great to have these up-close views of this fascinating city with towers and buildings taking up all of the small island.

As you leave the Male area you will pass by a few other resorts before arriving at Velassaru. As the speedboat pulls up to the dock, be prepared for a warm and friendly welcome to the Maldives from the staff at the Velassaru. You’ll be greeted and welcomed, and then will make the short walk to the reception area.

As we arrived during COVID-19 times, safety precautions were taken. A PCR test is required to arrive on the island, whether you arrive directly from your international flight (where your initial PCR test to get on the flight and enter the Maldives is all that is required) or if you arrive from another resort (where you will need to take a PCR test at that resort before arriving at the Velassaru Maldives). Additionally, the Velassaru Maldives can organize PCR tests for your departure while on island. At the time of our stay the cost was a very reasonable $60 USD, plus taxes, per person.

As we arrived in the large outdoor check-in area, our temperatures were taken, and we were provided with hand sanitizer. All staff are wearing masks throughout the resort but guests are not required to wear masks, including in the buffet areas.

Check-in was completed quickly, and the layout of the resort, dining options, and other amenities were all explained to us. We were then escorted to our room, with our luggage following shortly thereafter.

Velassaru Maldives Rooms

The Velassaru has a large number of room types, ready to please every type of traveler. No matter which room type you are staying in on the island you can expect daily housekeeping. Bottled water and in-room coffee and tea are included complimentary in the room and is replenished each day.

Beach Villas

The entry level rooms are the Deluxe Bungalows, which are located on the interior of the island surrounded by lush greenery. They are just a short walk out to the beach and the rest of the resort amenities. Additionally, there are a large number of other villas, with or without pools, that are located along the beach surrounding the island.

All rooms, no matter the location, include all the amenities you’d expect of a Maldives resort such as a minibar and wine fridge, ironing board, large flat-screen TV, nice L’Occitane bath products, bathrobes, a beach bag and beach towels, as well as cool Velassaru branded flip-flops! We thought these flip-flops were brilliant, as every step you take in the sand imprints ‘VELASSARU’ on the ground. Beach Villa categories and higher also features a Nespresso coffee machine.

Overwater Villas

Heading out to the overwater villas along the overwater pathway is a fantastic experience. As you pass by the pathway to the spa, this is a great location for beautiful photos using the two curving walkways to symmetrically frame your photo. As you get closer to your room you’re bound to see fish swimming in the fantastically clear water below, and even perhaps a manta ray or reef shark, both of which we saw during our stay. During our stay at the Velassaru Maldives resort, we stayed in a Water Villa.

The Water Villas have a large bedroom with huge vaulted ceilings, and floor to ceiling windows across the back of the room so that you have uninterrupted views of the incredible turquoise waters. There is also a large sitting area inside, desk and working area near the minibar, and makeup table. The bathroom features double sinks, a large rain shower, and a beautiful soaker tub in the middle of the bathroom.

Due to the way the villas are situated and designed; you have full privacy despite all of the windows looking out towards the water. Of course, if people are in the water nearby your villa they can see you, but the overall feeling is very private without spoiling the views.

Outside on the large private deck there is a comfortable round sun bed, as well as two lounge chairs with umbrella. Of course, there is also direct access to the water. Great swimming and snorkeling are just outside your room and down the stairs. When you head out into the water and are looking back at all of the villas it can be hard to tell which one is yours, but once you get closer you realize that each one has the room number printed on the water side as well, a nice touch! These touches are one of the reasons that this is the best Maldives resort for snorkeling.

There are additional overwater villas available that include your own private pool, as well as the ultimate indulgence: The Water Suite which you can’t help but notice towering above the water all by itself at the very end of the overwater villa pathway.

Velassaru Maldives Amenities

When you go to any resort in the Maldives it’s important to consider all of the amenities available on the island because you don’t have the option of heading somewhere else if you’re bored. Luckily, the Velassaru Maldives has lots of options to keep you busy, for those times that you don’t feel like relaxing in your villa or at the beach. If you love being in the water, Velassaru is the best Maldives resort for snorkeling.

Complimentary Amenities

The Velassaru Maldives Resort has a number of amenities available on the island to keep you busy throughout your stay. The main pool area is located just in front of the restaurants and can be accessed any time of day. There’s tons of lounges and chairs around the infinity pool and in the nearby areas to relax in. In fact, there are lounge chairs and umbrellas located all around the outside of the island so you can find the perfect spot for you to sit down and relax. The Velassaru has perfect white sand beaches surrounding the full island, with crystal clear turquoise water everywhere you look.

The Velassaru offers all guests complimentary onsite photography sessions while on island, so that you can have some photos to remember your stay here. All you need to do is schedule a time with the onsite photographer, wear your fancy clothes (optional) and smile away, which shouldn’t be too difficult because you’re in the Maldives!

If you have specific areas of the resort or types of photos you already want, they can accommodate that, or the photographer can provide all sorts of photo location and pose ideas. Once you’re done you can select one of the photos to be printed free of charge. You can also purchase different packages depending on how many of the photos you would like to take home!

The Velassaru Maldives Resort also has a fitness center which is available from 6:00 AM until 10:30 PM and located in the center of the island. We also saw many people out jogging on the beach in the morning. It’s not hard to get up and go for a jog when the weather is warm and you have views as epic as the Velassaru. Amongst the tropical plants on the island there is also a tennis court available for use.

Note that for families staying at the Velassaru Maldives Resort, there is not a kids club available on the island.

One of the great things that the Velassaru Maldives Resort includes is complimentary snorkel equipment, helping make it the best Maldives resort for snorkeling. You can pick up the snorkel gear at the Dive Center, which is located on the platform where you arrived by speedboat. The staff will help you find the right size gear, and then you can keep it for the duration of your stay. There are also lifejackets included in the rooms, specifically for snorkeling. This is perfect, especially if you’re staying in an overwater villa, as you’re never more than a few steps away from some epic snorkeling.

The Velassaru Maldives also offers a few unique activities to all guests, all you need to do is sign-up in advance as space is limited. Check with the resort just prior to your stay to see the schedule and reserve your favorites. The options that are available twice a week are a complimentary morning cruise around the island or a guided snorkeling tour around the house reef. Three times per week there is sunset yoga available, which is located near the boardwalk to the overwater villas, and is the perfect place for a relaxing yoga session and to take in the sunset! We had such an amazing yoga experience here during out stay and can highly recommend it.

Wi-fi is included in all room rates, and the high-speed connection is easily accessed anywhere on the island. We had no problems connecting either in our room, while dining, or even while relaxing on the beach.

Additional Available Amenities

As mentioned above, there’s both a dive center and water sports center on the island. You can arrange a multitude of different dives and dive certifications. The water sports center also rents jet skis, windsurfing boards, or you can arrange a boat trip for sightseeing, snorkeling, water-skiing, and more. The resort also offers sunset cruises aboard a beautiful a typical old Maldivian style boat. Aboard the boat is a fantastic location to take in the sunset, and the cruise also includes a drink and some canapes.

If you’re looking to really up the relaxation factor on your Maldives vacation, the Velassaru Spa has all of the typical spa treatments available. What makes this spa unique is its beautiful location over the water on an area separate from the overwater villas. The outdoor relaxation area with infinity pool is a wonderful place to relax before or after your spa treatment.

Velassaru Maldives Dining

No matter where you are staying in the Maldives, you can’t just leave the resort to head out for dinner. That’s why the dining options at Maldives resorts are so important as you don’t have the flexibility of a typical vacation. Luckily, the Velassaru Maldives includes five different restaurants and two bars so that you have some great dining variety during your stay. Given the nature of dining in the Maldives, the Velassaru Maldives Resort offers a few different meal plan packages to best suite your needs.

Meal Plan Options

It pays to do some research on the dining options available at your selected Maldives resort beforehand, and incorporate that information into your decision of where to stay in the Maldives. At the Velassaru Maldives Resort nearly every room rate will already include breakfast.

The next step up is a half-board meal plan. This adds on the ability to dine at Vela Restaurant for their dinner buffet each night. The upgrade cost is $49 USD daily per person.

Above half-board is the full-board option. This option costs an additional $74 USD daily per person and includes lunch a la carte at Turquoise (where you can choose an appetizer, main dish, and dessert), and the dinner buffet at Vela.

One thing to keep in mind with the half-board and full-board options is that no drinks are included in these packages (including water).

Lastly, you can also opt for an upgrade to the Velassaru Indulgence package, which gives you the best culinary options on the island and costs an additional $245 USD daily per person. With this package you can choose to have lunch at either the Infinity Pool, Turquoise Restaurant, Fen Bar, or Chill Bar. For dinner you have the option of Sand Restaurant, Teppanyaki, Turquoise, and Vela each night. The Velassaru Indulgence package also includes all non-alcoholic drinks and select beer, wine, and other liquor. Not related to dining, the Velassaru Indulgence package entitles you to a daily two-hour usage of an ocean kayak.

Given the high cost of food in general in the Maldives, we think that the choosing one of the dining packages is the best option as opposed to ordering all food a la carte. The meal options let you have a delicious and filling meal after a day spent at the best Maldives resort for snorkeling, but of course do what works best for you on your vacation!

Vela Restaurant

The Vela Restaurant is the primary dining place on the island, and is located in the main central hub of the island along with the other restaurants and the main pool. The restaurant is all open-air and features buffet style dining for breakfast and dinner.

For breakfast, the Vela Restaurant spread is extensive. There is a large selection of freshly baked breads, along with pastries, and a nearby assortment of meats and cheese as well as a salad bar. In the middle of the buffet area there are multiple hot dishes to choose from featuring Indian, English, and International cuisines. There is also a fruit station, dessert station, custom omelet station and pancake and crepe station. Tea and coffee are included, and you can also have barista made drinks brought to your table. We found the food selection extensive, and food quality in line with what you might expect for resort buffets.

For dinner, Vela also offers a huge buffet. The pre-crafted salads were impressive, as was the delicious homemade bread selection. We loved all of the Mediterranean items. Similar to breakfast, there is a large selection of hot dishes available, as well as rotating stations which make food to order. One day the made to order station was a pasta bar where you selected your type of pasta, type of sauce, and other ingredients, the other day it was a grill station where you could choose different grilled meats and vegetables.

Throughout the day, Vela is open for a la carte dining for lunch or a light snack.

Turquoise Restaurant

The Turquoise Restaurant is located next to Vela, and immediately in front of the infinity pool. Turquoise is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner for a la carte dining, featuring a mix of Continental and Asian influences. We dined at Turquoise for lunch a couple of times and really enjoyed a number of items. Highlights for appetizers were the Coconut crusted prawns which were huge, and delicious, and the Maldivian Smoked Chicken Salad which was light and refreshing.

For main dishes, we can recommend the pizzas any day of the week, and the burger was better than expected as well.

Sand Restaurant

The Sand Restaurant lives up to its name with each of the tables separately located under various huts right on the beach, with excellent views at the water’s edge. The Sand Restaurant is one of the premium restaurants open for dinner only, and specializes in Pan-Indian Ocean dishes. We sampled a few dishes for appetizers and mains and really enjoyed the starters and as well as the Maldivian Chicken and Prawn Curry.

Other Dining Options

Of course, you can also order room-service anytime of the day or night and enjoy a great meal on your terrace, or even have breakfast in bed. Note that in-room dining is not included in any of the meal plans.

In addition to Sand, the other premium dining options for dinner include the Teppanyaki experience, which has an amazing location out over the water, and Etesian for gourmet Latin-American inspired cuisine. We did not dine at these restaurants during our stay, but they always seemed to be busy each night.

Between the restaurant area and the check-in area is where you’ll find the cool looking Fen Bar. You can choose to sit on the decks outside the bar, or in the hammocks and lounge chairs amongst the sand and palm trees. Fen Bar is a great spot to spend an evening, especially because there is live music playing here in the evenings. Fen Bar also provides the drink and snack service to the lounges around the infinity pool.

On the other side of the island you will find the Chill Bar, know for it’s cocktails, and sunset views.

Velassaru Maldives Review Conclusion

When planning your vacation to the Maldives it is incredibly important that you choose the right resort for you. Unlike other vacations there is no sightseeing or visiting a city, your resort choice is your vacation destination. The Velassaru Maldives is a great choice for your trip, with the amazing beaches and stunning water being what really set the Velassaru Maldives apart. The stunning location makes the Velassaru the best Maldives resort for snorkeling. Overall, the Velassaru Maldives is a great resort with a wide selection of dining options, a quick and affordable transfer, and plenty of room type options to match your needs.

Check availability for your dates at the Velassaru Maldives!

Pin this post to your Maldives travel Pinterest board to save the best place to stay when you are planning to visit this amazing island country. We really hope you enjoyed this Velassaru Maldives review and how you can experience the best Maldives resort for snorkeling!

Maldives is a bucket-list destination for many people; however it is also an incredibly unique destination to travel to for your first time. There are so many considerations when traveling to the Maldives for the first time, which is why we put together this Maldives Travel Guide.

Whether you are planning a dream honeymoon or destination wedding, or looking for a tropical getaway, this Maldives Travel Guide has all the tips and answers you need for your first trip to the Maldives.

Disclaimer: Please note that our travel on Trans Maldivian Airways was provided complimentary. Some of the links in the below article are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, we earn a commission if you make a purchase. All opinions on our Maldives travel guide are our own. Click here for the full disclosure statement.

Maldives Travel Guide

Everyone has questions about traveling to the Maldives, especially if it is for the first time. From seaplanes to resorts to room types, we cover the most popular questions surrounding travel to the Maldives for your first time in this Maldives Travel Guide.

Maldives Arrival and Seaplane Transfers

One of the most unique aspects of the Maldives is that all of the resorts are located on private islands, and you need to transfer to those islands either by speedboat or seaplane. It’s not always clear how these transfers work, but we’ve got all of the information that you need in this Maldives travel guide so you don’t need to worry. In fact, traveling by seaplane to reach your resort is one of the great unique experiences of the Maldives.

International Arrival to Trans Maldivian Airways Transfer

First of all, there’s generally no need to make a separate reservation with Trans Maldivian Airways. That is something we were not aware of when we traveled to the Maldives for the first time. You will provide your incoming flight information to your resort, and they will schedule the seaplane transfer with Trans Maldivian Airways. The cost of the seaplane transfer will also be included in your hotel bill.

When you arrive at Male International Airport, you’ll pass through immigration, collect your bags, and then head outside the airport. As soon as you exit the airport you will see hundreds of people holding signs for each of the individual resorts in the Maldives. Look for someone holding a sign for your resort, and if you don’t immediately find them, no need to worry. You can ask around as everybody seems to know everybody and you’ll soon find the representative for your hotel.

They will take you to a small booth, confirm your reservation and how many bags you have, and then they will escort you over to the Trans Maldivian Airways counter for check-in to your seaplane transfer. Your bags will be weighed and checked in to Trans Maldivian Airways, and then you will transfer to the seaplane terminal. Some resorts have their own private vans or cars for transfer, and some use the Trans Maldivian Airways bus service to get you to the seaplane terminal.

If your arriving flight into Male International Airport is delayed, there’s really no need to worry about missing your seaplane flight to your resort. Trans Maldivian Airways has a constantly moving flight schedule which adjusts to the arriving passengers. It’s extremely common to have your seaplane flight time adjusted for additional passengers, or to make an additional stop along the way to your resort. One thing that you can be sure is that Trans Maldivian Airways and your resort representative will make sure that you get to your resort!

Arrival Experience with Trans Maldivian Airways

When you arrive at the seaplane terminal, you will either be taken to your resort’s specific arrivals lounge (if they have one), or you will be taken to the Trans Maldivian Airways VIP lounge if you are a VIP guest, or you will be taken to the common lounge at Terminal C. We visited the Trans Maldivian VIP lounge which had everything we need to relax during our short stay, including complimentary coffee, tea, and water as well as a few snacks.

As there are generally multiple seaplane flights per day to all resorts, you won’t have to wait too long in the arrivals lounge until your seaplane transfer is ready, however you may be waiting on a few additional guests of your resort to arrive from different international flights.

When your flight is ready to depart, you will be taken down to the check-in area for the flight where your boarding pass will be scanned, you will be provided with a flight safety kit (complete with a face mask, hand sanitizer, and sanitizing wipes) and then you will be taken out onto the docks to your seaplane. Your checked bags will be loaded onto the back of the plane, and you can then climb aboard and get ready for some amazing views!

Flying with Trans Maldivian Airways: The Best Views in the World

If you haven’t flown on a seaplane before, you’re in for a real treat! Flying Trans Maldivian is a fantastic way to experience the Maldives and to gain a real appreciation for the uniqueness of this amazing destination.

Trans Maldivian Airways flies all de Havilland Canada Twin Otters, which seat 15 passengers, two pilots, and another Trans Maldivian Airways crewmember responsible for docking the seaplane and the baggage. The planes are small, but perfectly comfortable for the short flights. Take-off and landing is surprisingly smooth, and along the way you will have stunning views of the many atolls and other resorts in the Maldives.

Departure Experience with Trans Maldivian Airways

The Trans Maldivian Airways flight schedules are created for the following day, each afternoon. The day before you check out, your resort will notify you of your Trans Maldivian Airways flight time. Note that it’s not uncommon for the flight schedules to fluctuate throughout the day.

The seaplane will arrive at your resort, and you’ll quickly be back onboard and heading toward Male. Once you arrive by seaplane in Male, the transfer process back to the international airport is quick and easy. You’ll be greeted by your resort representatives again and driven back to the airport. Your bags will arrive a few minutes later, and with that you’re free to check-in to your international flight.

How to Pick the Right Maldives Resort for Your First Maldives Trip

Deciding which resort is best for you isn’t an easy endeavour. The websites of every resort feature incredible blue waters, overwater villas, and delicious looking food. How do you choose which one is right for you?

We’ve got the answers for you below in our Maldives travel guide to help you choose the best resort for your first trip to the Maldives.

Seaplane or Speedboat Transfer

Most resorts in the Maldives offer either a seaplane or speedboat transfer. The resorts that are closer to Male International Airport will have speedboat transfers only, and those further out require seaplane transfer. Generally speaking, you won’t have a choice of which option is needed to get to your resort, however there are a few resorts that do offer the option.

Room Types in the Maldives

The Maldives are hands-down most well known for their overwater villas. Nearly every resort features some form of overwater villas, and it is an incredible experience to sleep out over the water, listening to the waves, and to have the option to jump right in the water and swim or snorkel anytime you like. Plus, many overwater villas have distinctive features such as overwater nets, glass floors, and more. For your first time to the Maldives you may want to go for the iconic experience of an overwater villa, as there are few places in the world that are comparable.

If you don’t feel like splurging for an overwater villa, many of the beachfront rooms are just as luxurious, sometimes larger in size, and of course offer direct access to the beach. They also have the benefit of being closer to the restaurants and other amenities.

No matter which type of room you choose for your stay in the Maldives, you really can’t go wrong. You still get to experience all of the bright blue turquoise water and views that the Maldives is famous for.

Dining in the Maldives

It pays to do some research on the dining options available at your selected Maldives resort beforehand, and incorporate that information into your decision of where to stay in the Maldives. When staying on a private island you don’t have the option to pop out and visit a different restaurant! Naturally, getting food and drinks to all of the private islands is not cheap, so except fairly high prices no matter where you go. Many of the resorts offer meal packages such as breakfast-only, half-board (typically breakfast and dinner), full-board (all meals, though generally not at the exclusive restaurants), and all-inclusive.

Many of these meal packages offer a far better value than paying a la carte for every meal. Don’t forget that as you’re stuck on the island you also can’t easily get more water, snacks, or anything else without paying the Maldives resort prices. Some Maldives first-timers make the mistake of forgetting to pack all of these essentials, and end up over-paying for sunscreen, make-up, or other items.

Resort Amenities in the Maldives

Given that during your trip to the Maldives you will be on your resort the whole time, choosing a resort with enough activities and amenities important. There is no neighborhood to explore, nearby theme park, or crazy hiking trails you can visit, so you better pay attention to the rest of this Maldives travel guide to pick the best resort for your trip!

That being said, nearly early every resort will offer snorkeling and other water activities. Some have a selection of non-motorized water activities included complimentary, and others will charge you extra so keep that in mind. Depending on the location of you resort, there may also be great diving or fishing opportunities nearby. If this is something that interests you, it pays to do a little bit more research ahead of time to ensure that your Maldives trip lives up to your expectations.

In terms of land-based activities, what each resort offers can also differ greatly. Some have fantastic fitness facilities, including tennis courts, and others may not have as many options. If traveling as a family, the kids centers on certain islands can be hugely beneficial. Lastly, consider the options of cooking classes, learning activities, types of spa treatments, and more – basically, if there is something you are passionate about make sure to check that your selected resort has that instead of assuming so before arriving!

Maldives Resorts for First Time Visitors

For our first time in the Maldives we made the unique decision to stay at three different resorts, and wanted to include them all here in our Maldives Travel Guide. What we learned is that each resort has unique features that sets them apart from the others. Read more about each of these fantastic resorts to find the best resort for your first trip to the Maldives!

Booking.com

Le Meridien Maldives Resort & Spa

The Le Meridien Maldives is a fantastic choice for those looking to experience a seaplane transfer, amazing overwater villas, great food, and fantastic service. This is a great Maldives first time resort for couples looking for a romantic getaway. Read our full review of the Le Meridien Maldives Resort!

Check availability for the Le Meridien Maldives Resort for your trip!

Velassaru Maldives

The Velassaru Maldives Resort is located relatively close to Male compared to many other resorts, but it feels worlds away with some of the clearest water in the Maldives and stunning white sand beaches. Those crystal-clear waters make this the best Maldives resort for snorkeling. Read our full review of the Velassaru Maldives!

Check availability for the Velassaru Maldives for your trip!

Conrad Maldives Rangali Island Resort & Spa

The Conrad Maldives Rangali Island is one of the premiere resorts in the Maldives with stand-out jaw-dropping features such as Ithaa Underwater Restaurant and the uber-luxurious Muraka Residence. However, it is also down to earth with friendly and welcoming staff, a fantastic kids club for families, and relaxation at every turn. Read our full review of the Conrad Maldives!

Check availability for the Conrad Maldives for your trip!

Maldives Frequently Asked Questions

Traveling to the Maldives can be a bit of a mystery before you arrive, however we have answers to some of the most frequently asked questions in our Maldives travel guide when visiting the Maldives for the first time.

Maldives Travel Guide Summary

Hopefully you found this Maldives Travel Guide perfect for planning your first trip to the Maldives! If there is anything that we missed or that you have questions about, let us know in the comments! Pin this blog post for all of essential details for your first time in the Maldives!

The Conrad Maldives Rangali Island is one of the premiere resorts in the Maldives. With stand-out jaw-dropping features such as Ithaa Underwater Restaurant and the uber-luxurious Muraka Residence. That’s not all the Conrad Maldives offers though, with beautiful blue waters, white-sand beaches, and excellent dining and drink options, the Conrad Maldives Rangali Island makes a case for the perfect Maldives resort. Look no further if you want to spend the ultimate honeymoon, romantic trip, or family vacation on a dreamy tropical island with excellent food, friendly service, and stunning turquoise waters.

We spent 3 nights at the Conrad Maldives Rangali Island, enjoying the turquoise waters and eating as much food as we could in order to compile this Conrad Maldives review to help you decide if the Conrad Maldives is the right resort for your next trip to the Maldives. Note that during our stay in October 2021, the villas on the adult-only Rangali Island were undergoing renovations so our review focuses on everything located on Rangalifinolhu, the main island.

Disclaimer:  We booked and paid for our stay at the Conrad Maldives ourselves, however were provided with an upgrade and meal package courtesy of the resort. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay and as always, all our opinions on this Hilton Maldives property and Conrad review are our own. Please note that some of the links in the below article are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, we earn a commission if you make a purchase. Click here for the full disclosure statement. Thank you for supporting the businesses that support us!

Conrad Maldives Location

The Conrad Maldives Rangali Island is located on a private island in the South Ari Atoll. The South Ari Atoll is approximately 68 miles (110 km) south of Male. Everyone arriving in the Maldives will initially fly into Male International Airport. From here, you will then take a 30-minute flight on a seaplane to the Conrad Maldives Rangali Island.

If you’re visiting the Maldives for the first time, the whole arrival process can be quite intimidating. It’s a bit of complex organized chaos which always seems to work. It can be a stressful experience, especially if your incoming flight is delayed, but in reality, it will all work out and there’s nothing to worry about. Check out our Maldives for First-Timers Guide for all of the in’s and out’s of how traveling to the Maldives and the private islands works.

The Conrad Maldives actually offers multiple ways to arrive, however the most common method by far is arriving by seaplane. There is a mandatory charge for this part of the Maldives experience, similar to nearly all other Maldives resorts. The cost is $590 USD (incl. tax) per person for roundtrip airfare, and it will be included as part of your final hotel bill when you check-out.

Alternatively, if you arriving after dark there is the option of first taking a domestic flight from Male to the nearby Maamigili Villa Airport, where the Conrad Maldives will then pick you up for a short speedboat ride. If you averse to flying in smaller planes and don’t mind splurging, you also have the unique option of a three-hour luxury yacht charter.

The Conrad Maldives is also unique in that it is actually three connected islands. The main island, Rangalifinolhu is where you will find most of the villas, restaurants, and all other amenities. On the opposite end of the bridge that includes the seaplane dock is Rangali Island. This island is adult-only and features more beach and water villas, and adult-only infinity pool, and further dining options. Lastly, there is a separate island that houses the staff quarters, which is connected to Rangalifinolhu. The Muraka Residence is located halfway between these two islands.

Conrad Maldives Arrival

When you clear Maldivian Customs & Immigration, grab your bags and head outside the airport. You will be met with hundreds of representatives from different hotels, all waving their resort’s sign in the air. Look for the friendly Conrad representative, or if you’re not able to find them you can ask a representative from a different hotel to help you find them. The Hilton property representatives from the other Hilton resorts in the Maldives would be your best bet. The Conrad representative will take you through all the steps to get on your TransMaldivian Airways flight.

After checking your luggage and obtaining your boarding pass, you will be driven in the private Conrad Maldives van to the Conrad Lounge at the seaplane terminal. You can wait here for your seaplane flight, and they have a comfortable sitting area with drinks and refreshments provided.

Once aboard your TransMaldivian Airways flight to the Conrad Maldives, there’s nothing to do except sit back and enjoy some of the best seaplane views in the world. You’ll fly over countless atolls with their turquoise waters, as well as other resorts with beautiful overwater villas. Flying on TransMaldivian Airways is an experience that never gets old. We go through the full experience of flying with TransMaldivian Airways in our Maldives Travel Guide.

The Conrad Maldives Resort has a seaplane platform that is uniquely located in the middle of the bridge between the two main islands at the Conrad Maldives. As you descend toward the island, you’ll get some more amazing views of the beautiful waters here that surround the islands of the Conrad Maldives.

As the seaplane pulls up to the dock, be prepared for a warm and friendly welcome to the Conrad Maldives from the staff. You’ll be greeted by a waving welcoming committee, and then will be escorted into the waiting area on the dock. Your luggage will be taken away and you will be provided with a delicious fresh coconut welcome beverage.

As we arrived during COVID-19 times, safety precautions were taken. A PCR test is required to arrive on the island, whether you arrive directly from your international flight (where your initial PCR test to get on the flight and enter the Maldives is all that is required) or if you arrive from another resort (where you will need to take a PCR test at that resort before arriving at the Conrad Maldives). Additionally, the Conrad Maldives can organize PCR tests for your departure while on island. At the time of our stay the cost was $150 USD, plus taxes, per person. Additionally, all staff are wearing masks throughout the resort, however masks are not required to be worn by guests.

Check-in was completed quickly, and the layout of the resort, dining options, and other amenities were all explained to us. We were then taken by golf cart along with our luggage to our villa!

Conrad Maldives Rooms

The Conrad Maldives has a wide variety of resort types available, depending on your budget and preferences. No matter which room type you are staying in on the island you can expect daily housekeeping as well as a daily turn-down service. Bottled water is included complimentary and is replenished each day.

Beach Villas

The beach villas of Rangalifinolhu Island offer a beautiful private sanctuary for your vacation. They line the outside of the majority of the island, and impressively manage to offer incredible privacy, but also be bright and full of sunshine. During our stay at the Conrad Maldives, we stayed in a Deluxe Beach Villa with Pool.

The villas feature an outer wall for privacy, and you enter the villas outdoor courtyard area, before going through a second set of doors into the villa. We were immediately impressed by the high ceilings and huge windows which let in tons of natural light. The room is incredibly spacious with the main entrance area featuring a desk for working and Nespresso coffee machine, to help keep jetlag at bay, whenever it hits.

Stepping into the main area of the room, the hugely comfortable King-size bed is surrounded by a large sitting area, and has a make-up table and mini-bar area on one side, and a large closet on the other. The bathroom is also large and bright, featuring a rainfall shower, Japanese style toilet, and an outdoor shower in the courtyard. This area of the courtyard also has a beautiful covered daybed for relaxation outside.

On the beach side there is another small terrace with lounges and your very own private pool. From what we saw, there are a number of different pool sizes and shapes for the beach villas throughout the island. You then have a short private pathway that takes you to the beach, where you’ll find your numbered beach chairs with an umbrella awaiting you.

As mentioned above, the room includes a Nespresso coffee maker with a decent selection of coffee pods. You’ll also find complimentary bottled water, and fully stocked amenities in the bathroom.

There are other beach villas available which offer more features or more bedrooms, if needed. Furthermore, a great feature of the Conrad Maldives is that they also have smaller day-use rooms if you arrive very early in the day before your room is ready, or if your seaplane flight leaves in the evening and you need to check-out of your room. The day-use rooms are basically a slightly smaller Beach Villa, and still include a full bathroom, bed, relaxation area, and terrace overlooking the beach. These day use rooms are provided if available.

Water Villas

The Conrad Maldives has a few different types of water villas available, depending on what you prefer. There is a mix between Water Villas that face sunrise and sunset. Some offer 1 or 2 bedrooms, and they all offer either a private pool or private jacuzzi at your water villa. They are all beautifully designed to maximize the views you have out over the water, and of course feature direct access to the ocean from your deck.

The location of the water villas on Rangalifinolhu Island is at the northern end, near the Mandhoo Spa and Restaurant. There are additional water villas located on Rangali Island that were undergoing renovations during our visit to the Conrad Maldives.

The Muraka Residence – The Ultimate in Maldives Luxury

The Muraka is possibly the most impressive villa in the whole of the Maldives. In a class of its own, The Muraka starts at $10,000 USD per night, however once you see what it includes, it definitely deserves a spot on everyone’s bucket list. The Muraka experience begins before you even get to the residence. The Muraka features a private seaplane dock, because of course you would arrive on your own seaplane. However, if not, you will be escorted by private boat directly to The Muraka. Here you can experience a 24-hour personal chef depending on the rate. Regardless of the package, the Muraka guests experience a 24-hour butler team and one of the most exclusive residences in the world.

The Muraka’s above-water level features two bedrooms, an extremely impressive master bathroom, expansive living and dining room, and large outdoor terrace, with pool, facing the sunrise. Additionally, there is a private gym, smaller sunset deck, and impressive bar display, all spread over 5,923 sq feet (550 sq meters).

Taking the steps down the spiral staircase transports you to another undersea world. Below the ocean, The Muraka features a king bedroom with bathroom and 180-degree views of the undersea world. The bedroom area has an expansive curved roof that allows you to lay in bed and watch the undersea world go by, along with a separate sitting area. The bathroom features floor-to-ceiling glass windows complete with coral views, tropical fish, and the occasional reef shark.

The Muraka Residence at the Conrad Rangali Island is truly impressive. As The Muraka Residence sleeps 6 adults and 3 kids it is perfect for the discerning family traveler, or for a group of friends looking to experience the ultimate Maldives getaway.

Conrad Maldives Amenities

When you go to any resort in the Maldives it’s important to consider all of the amenities available on the island because you don’t have the option of heading somewhere else if you’re bored. Luckily, the Conrad Maldives has lots of options to keep you busy, for those times that you don’t feel like relaxing.

Complimentary Amenities

The Conrad Maldives Resort has a number of amenities available on the island to keep you busy throughout your stay. The main pool area is located at the southern tip of Rangalifinolhu and has a large pool surrounded by lounge chairs. The second pool is located on the adult-only Rangali Island and is unique in that it is over the water.

The Conrad Maldives Resort also has a gym which is available 24/7 and located upstairs from the boutiques, near the check-in area on the main island. No need to worry about missing out on the epic island views while in the gym as its second-floor location affords beautiful views out over the island and of the stunning turquoise waters.

For families staying at the Conrad Maldives Resort, there is a Majaa Explorers Hub which has daily complimentary activities for kids staying on the island.

One of the great things that the Conrad Maldives Resort includes is complimentary snorkel equipment. You can pick it up at the Dive Center, which is located upstairs just behind the check-in counter. The staff will help you find the right size gear, and then you can keep it for the duration of your stay. There are also lifejackets included in the rooms, specifically for snorkeling. The house reef is located on the southern side of the main island, but it does have waves and extremely shallow areas to be avoided.

Alternatively, you can snorkel on the north side of the main island as well. You won’t find the complex corals, but you will still see plenty of fish swimming by, reef sharks, and during our stay, a school of thousands and thousands small fish that we could snorkel through.

Additional Available Amenities

As mentioned above, there’s both a dive center and water sports center on the island. You can arrange a multitude of different dives and dive certifications, including night dives. The water sports center also rents jet skis, windsurfing boards, or you can arrange a boat trip for sightseeing, snorkeling, water-skiing, and more. They also offer guided trips for sailing, fishing, and diving.

If you’re looking to really up the relaxation factor on your Maldives vacation, the Spa Retreat and Overwater Spa have all of the typical spa treatments available. What makes both of these spas unique are the beautiful locations over the water.

Conrad Maldives Dining

No matter where you are staying in the Maldives, you can’t just leave the resort to head out for dinner. That’s why the dining options at Maldives resorts are so important as you don’t have the flexibility of a typical vacation. Luckily, the Conrad Maldives includes a wide selection of excellent dining options to keep you very well fed during your stay. Given the nature of dining in the Maldives, the Conrad Maldives Resort offers a few different meal plan packages to best suite your needs for your vacation.

Meal Plan Options

It pays to do some research on the dining options available at your selected Maldives resort beforehand, and incorporate that information into your decision of where to stay in the Maldives. At the Conrad Maldives Resort nearly every paid room rate will already include breakfast, however for those that do not, including stays booked with Hilton free night certificates or Hilton Honors points, the buffet breakfast is offered for those with Hilton Honors Gold status and above.

The Conrad Maldives also offers options for select packages that include dining credits or the option of half-board and full-board dining packages. There is very little information on the cost of half board and full board online, so be sure to reach out to the hotel if this is of interest to you. We think that any package option can generally represent a good deal because the individual a la carte prices are high, typical of Maldivian island resorts.

Atoll Market Restaurant

The Atoll Market Restaurant is the primary dining place, and only buffet option, on the island. It is centrally located just off of the main building and pool area. The Atoll Market has wonderful design elements such as soft sand floors throughout, allowing for a barefoot dining experience. Basically, if you are wearing shoes anywhere at the Conrad Maldives, you’re doing your vacation the wrong way! You have the option of dining under the covered areas or outside amongst the frangipani trees.

The Atoll Market breakfast buffet is expansive to say the least. From left to right, when looking at the buffet area you will find freshly baked breads and pastries, a customized omelet station, and a multitude of warm breakfast options including eight different global cuisines. On the right hand side you will find the Asian inspired dishes as well as a made to order option. In the middle of the buffet area there is a ‘cool zone’ refrigerated room that includes all of the meats and cheeses, fruit options, desserts, and a juice bar.

Needless to say you won’t go hungry dining here for breakfast. You can also order barista prepared coffee drinks, hot or iced, to complement your meal. We found the quality of the breakfast food to be very good for a buffet, and really appreciated the selection they had on offer.

The Atoll Market closes for the day, but reopens with another spectacular buffet for dinner. The evening meal options are just as extensive with a wide selection of freshly baked breads, homemade pizzas, more warm meat, fish, and vegetable dishes than you can count, a made to order pasta station and made to order rotating Asian specialty station. In the ‘cool zone’ you will find extensive options to create your own salad, as well as freshly prepared sushi, a fruit station, and all of the desserts on offer. We really enjoyed sampling the wide selection of foods they had on offer, and always recommend saving a little bit of room for dessert!

Sunset Grill Restaurant

The Sunset Grill is a must-eat destination for your stay at the Conrad Maldives, with the restaurant set 164 feet (50 m) out over the water. The restaurant is as-described, one of the best places to catch the sunset at the Conrad Maldives. Dining here is a special experience, because not only is the food fantastic, but the tables are situated out away from the restaurant and closer to the water to bring the Maldives to you. Getting to the Maldives is a long journey and expensive no matter where you are coming from, so you want to maximize your time near the water and taking in the views. This is where the Sunset Grill really shines. It is the first overwater restaurant in the Maldives!

The Sunset Grill serves specialties from land and sea, expertly prepared and delivered to your waterside table. The main courses at the Sunset Grill were outstanding. We sampled the sea bass and beef tenderloin, which were both cooked to perfection. Service from the restaurant manager was also outstanding and made for a night to remember.

While eating, don’t forget to look out over the water. We saw multiple types of fish and reef sharks swim by as we dined.

Mandhoo Spa Restaurant

The Mandhoo Spa Restaurant is located on the opposite side of the main island from all of the other restaurants, as it is located on the overwater walkway to the Spa and overwater villas. The Mandhoo Spa Restaurant has a unique concept featuring organic ingredients and a menu arranged into the five elements with specific tastes, temperatures, and textures designed to affect the body, mind, and spirit in different ways. The menu items are also specifically designed to energize, nourish, detoxify, relax, and fortify the body.

Similar to the Sunset Grill Restaurant, Mandhoo also features outdoor dining out over the water, which really makes the dining experience special.

Ithaa Undersea Restaurant

Possibly the most impressive spot in all of the Maldives is the Ithaa Undersea Restaurant. This is the world’s first undersea restaurant, located 16 feet (5 m) below beautiful turquoise waters.  To enter Ithaa, you will first check-in at the Sunset Grill, located overwater near the main pool. You will then be escorted across the boardwalk to Ithaa. You’ll be asked to take off your shoes before walking down the spiral staircase that descends beneath the sea.

Dining at Ithaa Undersea Restaurant is available for lunch and dinner only. Lunch is a set menu at $230+ USD per person from 12:30 PM to 3:00 PM and dinner is a set menu at $330+ USD per person from 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM. Expertly prepared wine pairings for the set menus are available.

Alternatively, if you just want to visit Ithaa for some photos and don’t feel like dining here, there are visiting hours as part of a Cocktails and Canapes hour between 11:00 AM and 12:00 PM on Sunday, Monday, and Thursday each week. The Cocktails and Canapes costs $85+ USD per person.

When underneath the sea at the Ithaa Restaurant you have the opportunity to see the beautiful diversity and brilliant colors of the local tropical fish, and you may also get to see a sting ray or reef shark casually swimming by.

Other Dining Options

Of course, you can also order room-service anytime of the day and enjoy a great meal on your terrace, or even have breakfast in bed. Note that in-room dining is not included in any of the meal plans.

The Rangali Bar is a popular place for lunch, snacks, and their evening happy hour. The Rangali Bar is located between the check-in area and the main pool and also features a live DJ. Just behind The Rangali Bar is the Cheese & Wine Bar open select nights of the week. Here you can enjoy beautiful imported cheeses paired with breads and wines by the island’s sommelier. In this main area of the resort, you will also find Ufaa, featuring flavors from all over the diverse Chinese cuisine.

Lastly, for snacks and drinks at the adults-only Rangali Island infinity pool, you will find The Quiet Zone.

Conrad Maldives Booking Options

With the Conrad brand being a part of the Hilton Maldives portfolio, this Conrad Maldives review is likely of interest to many Hilton Honors members. In particular, because the Conrad Maldives is one of the flagship Conrad properties in the world and an aspirational property for all Hilton Honors members. The Conrad Maldives is one of the top Hilton properties in the world, which means that a standard redemption costs 95,000 Hilton Honors points to redeem for a free night. Additionally, the Conrad Maldives is an amazing use of Hilton Honors free night certificates.

Paid stays predictably vary quite a bit with the high seasonality of travel demand to the Maldives. Low season rates can be found in the mid $500 USD with high season rates costing many multiples more. Upgrades to larger rooms or overwater villas come at a premium.

When considering between a points stay or paid stay, note that all paid stays do include breakfast, however points stays do not. Additionally to note, the resort does not charge a resort fee, but you will find a 10% service charge added to all items, which acts as a quasi-service charge.

However, if you are a Hilton Honors Gold or Diamond elite, you will have daily buffet breakfast included, as well as a special Happy Hour daily from 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM. The daily Happy Hour was a great spot to have a drink on the house, with some canapes included as well.

You might also be able to score a deal by booking through a site such as Booking.com, check availability and deals for your dates here.

Conrad Maldives Review Conclusion

Choosing the right Maldives resort for you is incredibly important, as unlike other vacations there is no sightseeing or visiting a city, your resort choice is your vacation destination. The Conrad Maldives excels in many areas that make it a great choice for your trip to the Maldives.

The resort offers an impressive selection of delicious dining options, plenty of space for relaxation on their beautiful beaches, excellent service, and the opportunity for amazing one-of-a-kind experiences such as dining at Ithaa Undersea Restaurant or spending at night at The Muraka Residence. Overall, the Conrad Maldives is an excellent resort choice and you can be sure that you will have an amazing experience staying here. We were already planning a return trip to the Conrad Maldives before we even left!

Pin this post to your Maldives travel Pinterest board to save the best place to stay when you are planning to visit this stunning country. We really hope you enjoyed this Conrad Maldives review!

The Le Meridien Maldives Resort is one of the newest resorts in the Maldives. The resort is quickly making a name for itself in the Marriott portfolio of Maldives resorts offering outstanding value, excellent dining, and service fitting of a much more expensive resort. With the Maldives brimming with beautiful resorts, the incredible service we experienced at the Le Meridien Maldives Resort really sets it apart as one of the best Maldives resorts for your next vacation. Look no further if you want to spend the ultimate honeymoon, romantic trip, or family vacation on a dreamy tropical island with excellent food, top-notch friendly service, and stunning turquoise waters.

We spent 3 nights at the Le Meridien Maldives Resort trying out all the food and activities so that we could put together this Le Meridien Maldives review for you to better plan your next trip to the Maldives!

Disclaimer:  We booked and paid for our stay at the Le Meridien Maldives Resort ourselves, however were provided with an upgrade and meal package courtesy of the resort. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay and as always, all our opinions on this Le Meridien Maldives review and what to do are our own. Please note that some of the links in the below article are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, we earn a commission if you make a purchase. Click here for the full disclosure statement. Thank you for supporting the businesses that support us!

Le Meridien Maldives Resort Location

The Le Meridien Maldives Resort is located on a private island in the Lhaviyani Atoll. The Lhaviyani Atoll is approximately 76 miles (122 km) north of Male. Everyone arriving in the Maldives will initially fly into Male International Airport. From here, you will then take a 35-minute flight on a seaplane to the Le Meridien Maldives Resort.

If you’re visiting the Maldives for the first time, the whole arrival process can be quite intimidating. It’s a bit of complex organized chaos which always seems to work. It can be a stressful experience, especially if your incoming flight is delayed, but in reality, it will all work out and there’s nothing to worry about. Check out our Maldives for First-Timers Guide for all of the in’s and out’s of how traveling to the Maldives and the private islands works.

As the only way to reach the Le Meridien Maldives Resort is by seaplane, this mandatory charge is part of the Maldives experience, similar to nearly all other Maldives resorts. The cost is $420 USD per person for roundtrip airfare, which is one of the more affordable seaplane transfer fees around, and it will be included as part of your final hotel bill when you check-out.

Le Meridien Maldives Resort Arrival

When you clear Maldivian Customs & Immigration, grab your bags and head outside the airport. You will be met with hundreds of representatives from different hotels, all waving their resort’s sign in the air. Look for the friendly Le Meridien representative, or if you’re not able to find them you can ask a representative from a different hotel to help you find them. The Marriott property representatives from the other Marriott resorts would be your best bet. The Le Meridien representative will take you through all the steps to get on your TransMaldivian Airways flight.

Once aboard your TransMaldivian Airways flight to the Le Meridien, there’s nothing to do except sit back and enjoy some of the best seaplane views in the world. You’ll fly over countless atolls with their turquoise waters, as well as other resorts with beautiful overwater villas. Flying on TransMaldivian Airways never gets old – we included all the details of flying with them in our Maldives Travel Guide.

The Le Meridien Maldives Resort has its own dock and platforms where the seaplanes arrive. As you descend toward the island, you’ll get some more amazing views of the beautiful waters here and the reefs that surround the Le Meridien Maldives.

As the seaplane pulls up to the dock, be prepared for a warm and friendly welcome to the Maldives from the staff at the Le Meridien. You’ll be greeted and welcomed, and then will make the short walk to the reception area.

As we arrived during COVID-19 times, safety precautions were taken. A PCR test is required to arrive on the island, whether you arrive directly from your international flight (where your initial PCR test to get on the flight and enter the Maldives is all that is required) or if you arrive from another resort (where you will need to take a PCR test at that resort before arriving at the Le Meridien Maldives). Additionally, the Le Meridien Maldives can organize PCR tests for your departure while on island. At the time of our stay the cost was $120 USD, plus taxes, per person.

As we arrived in the check-in area, our temperatures were taken, and we were provided with hand sanitizer. All staff are wearing masks, and guests are asked to wear masks only in the buffet restaurant when obtaining food.

Check-in was completed quickly, and the layout of the resort, dining options, and other amenities were all explained to us. We were then taken by golf cart along with our luggage to our room!

Le Meridien Maldives Resort Rooms

The Le Meridien Maldives Resort only just opened in September 2021, and it shows. The rooms have that ‘just new’ smell, and everything is fresh, modern, and in spotless condition. No matter which room type you are staying in on the island you can expect daily housekeeping as well as a daily turn-down service. Bottled water and in-room coffee as well as tea are included complimentary and is replenished each day.

Beach Bungalow Villas

The entry level rooms are the Beach Bungalow villas, which are located with the other beach villa types along both the north and south sides of the island. All rooms, no matter the location, include all the amenities you’d expect of a resort such as a high-quality coffee maker, mini bar, ironing board, large flat-screen TV, bathrobes, as well as fun Le Meridien branded flip-flops!

All beach villas have walk-out access to the beach with some having open views to the ocean and some having more privacy with tropical plants around the terrace. Larger beach villas feature private pools right on your terrace.

Overwater Villas

Heading out to the overwater villas along the walkway is a fantastic experience. The turquoise water shines brightly along the walkway and the anticipation builds as you get closer to your room! Overwater villas are categorized between Sunrise and Sunset, depending on which side they face. During our stay at the Le Meridien Maldives Resort, we stayed in a Sunrise Overwater Villa. We think this is the preferable side, based on the bright turquoise water on the sunrise side, whereas the sunset side has a few more waves and reefs, causing the water to not be quite as bright blue.

The overwater villas have a large bedroom that opens to the water with floor to ceiling glass doors. The design of the rooms at the Le Meridien Maldives Resort is a fantastic mix of modern features, understated luxury, and island inspired finishes. In addition to the impressively comfortable bed, the room features a mini-bar, Illy coffee maker, huge walk-in closet, make-up table, and a very impressive bathroom.

To keep things open and bright, the bathroom opens to the bedroom through bright turquoise shutters. The design is beautiful, but the piece de resistance is undoubtedly the bathtub and shower room. The room opens up to three glass walls, allowing you to take in the full view of all that the Maldives offers. Due to the design of each of the villas, despite all of the windows, it still feels very private.

Outside on the large terrace you have a seating area, lounging area, and incredible overwater net. The net is a fantastic way to relax and take in the full overwater experience. Of course, there is also direct access to the water. Great swimming and snorkeling are just outside your room. When you head out into the water and are looking back at all of the villas it can be hard to tell which one is yours, but once you get closer you realize that each one has the room number printed on the water side as well, a nice touch!

Le Meridien Maldives Resort Amenities

When you go to any resort in the Maldives it’s important to consider all of the amenities available on the island because you don’t have the option of heading somewhere else if you’re bored. Luckily, the Le Meridien Maldives has lots of options to keep you busy, for those times that you don’t feel like relaxing.

Complimentary Amenities

The Le Meridien Maldives Resort has a number of amenities available on the island to keep you busy throughout your stay. The main pool area is located just in front of the Velaa Bar + Grill restaurant and can be accessed any time of day. Right next to this area is where you will also find the water sports hut where you can book all sorts of excursions out on the water. There is a second pool area in front of the Riviera restaurant on the west side of the island, shown below.

One helpful inclusion at the Le Meridien Maldives Resort is complimentary usage of stand up paddle boards as well as glass bottom canoes! These can be rented at the water sports hut. The lagoon out in front of the water sports area all the way to the overwater villas is reasonably protected, so is your best bet for heading out on the water on a kayak or paddle board with the least waves.

The Le Meridien Maldives Resort also has a gym which is available 24/7 and located in the center of the island on the western side. No need to worry about missing out on the epic island views while in the gym as its second-floor location affords beautiful views out over the island and of the stunning turquoise waters. The trail that runs the length of the island also works well as a jogging trail, or of course you can do a full lap of the island jogging in the sand!

For families staying at the Le Meridien Maldives Resort, there is a Kids Hub which has daily curated programs available for all the kids staying on the island.

One of the great things that the Le Meridien Maldives Resort includes is complimentary snorkel equipment. You can pick it up at the Dive Center, which is located on the platform where you arrived by seaplane. The staff will help you find the right size gear, and then you can keep it for the duration of your stay. There are also lifejackets included in the rooms, specifically for snorkeling. This is perfect, especially if you’re staying in an overwater villa, as you’re never more than a few steps away from some epic snorkeling.

One thing we wanted to note in this Le Meridien Maldives review is that it is still very new, having just opened less than two months before we visited, there are still a few areas of the resort that are being finalized, including some construction near the arrivals area, and the finishing touches that are being put on the second full area of overwater villas located at the southeast corner of the island. This was not an issue at all, and of course you benefit from everything on the island being fresh, new, and in tip-top shape.

Another great thing about staying at the Le Meridien Maldives is that there is excellent high-speed wi-fi available everywhere on the island, so you’re always connected, that is if you choose to be!

Additional Available Amenities

As mentioned above, there’s both a dive center and water sports center on the island. You can arrange a multitude of different dives and dive certifications, including night dives. The water sports center also rents jet skis, windsurfing boards, or you can arrange a boat trip for sightseeing, snorkeling, water-skiing, and more. They also offer guided trips for sailing, fishing, and diving.

If you’re looking to really up the relaxation factor on your Maldives vacation, the Explore Spa has all of the typical spa treatments available. What makes this spa unique is its beautiful location over the water on the south side of the island.

Le Meridien Maldives Resort Dining

No matter where you are staying in the Maldives, you can’t just leave the resort to head out for dinner. That’s why the dining options at Maldives resorts are so important as you don’t have the flexibility of a typical vacation. Luckily, the Le Meridien Maldives Resort includes a few excellent dining options to keep you very well fed during your stay. Given the nature of dining in the Maldives, the Le Meridien Maldives Resort offers a few different meal plan packages to best suite your needs.

Meal Plan Options

It pays to do some research on the dining options available at your selected Maldives resort beforehand, and incorporate that information into your decision of where to stay in the Maldives. At the Le Meridien Maldives Resort nearly every paid room rate will already include breakfast, however for those that do not, including stays booked with Marriott free night certificates or Marriott Bonvoy points, the buffet breakfast is offered for those with Marriott Platinum status and above.

The next step up is a half-board meal plan. The cost of this is $95 USD daily per person and includes the full buffet breakfast as well as dinner each night at either the Turquoise Restaurant (buffet and a la carte, depending on the night) and Velaa Bar + Grill. If dining a la carte, the half-board meal plan includes your choice of an appetizer, main dish, and dessert. Lunch, snacks, all beverages, and dining at the other restaurants will be charged extra. If you are a Marriott Platinum elite or above and select the breakfast as your elite benefit, the cost will be reduced to $65 USD daily.

Lastly, you can also opt for a full-board meal plan at a cost of $230 USD daily per person. With this meal plan you again get the full breakfast buffet at Turquoise Restaurant included, lunch at any of the restaurants on the island, and an appetizer, main dish, and dessert at any of the restaurants open for dinner. All alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks are also included. If you are a Marriott Platinum elite or above and select the breakfast as your elite benefit, the cost will be reduced to $200 USD daily.

Turquoise Restaurant

The Turquoise Restaurant is the primary dining place on the island, and is located in the central area of the island on the north beach. It has a large dining area with lots of doors and windows that open up to take in the fresh sea breezes and beautiful Maldivian waters.

The only option for breakfast is the Turquoise restaurant, offering an impressive display every morning. Think freshly baked breads and pastries, a fresh Indian cuisine section, a fresh Asian cuisine section, fresh fruit, salad bar, omelet station, and so much more. You can also choose to order off the a la carte menu which has even more options.

All of the food at the breakfast buffet was good quality, especially everything that was made to order in front of you, but the standout options were the daily Indian curries, and the local Maldivian options. We found these dishes were consistently top-notch with incredible flavor and fresh ingredients.

You can also order your coffee or favorite morning beverage however you like it made by the barista. We had some of the creamiest and frothiest almond milk lattes we’ve ever had here! We also got to meet the pastry chef, and learned that absolutely everything is made from scratch – the house made breads were amazing each morning, as was the unique Pain au Chocolat that included a touch of cayenne pepper for added kick and flavor.

Throughout the day, Turquoise is open for a la carte dining for lunch or a light snack.

For dinner, the Turquoise restaurant offers a buffet spread some days, and other days a la carte. The dinner buffet was just as impressive as the breakfast one, with more options than you could possibly try. During one of the a la carte evenings we sampled the Butter Chicken and Green Curry dishes and they were absolutely fantastic, possibly the best meal of our entire trip to the Maldives!

Velaa Bar + Grill Restaurant

Located just next door to Turquoise is the Velaa Bar + Grill, which is directly in front of the pool area. If you’re walking by during the evenings, you’ll sure smell the delicious aromas from the grill before you reach the restaurant!

Velaa Bar + Grill is open throughout the afternoon for lunch, poolside snacks, and hand-crafted cocktails. In the evening they light the wood-fired grill and offer delicious grilled meats, seafood, and vegetables.

We enjoyed a meal here one evening, sampling some of the delicious grilled meats and seafood. For appetizers we enjoyed the deconstructed Caesar Salad with grilled shrimp and tuna tartare, and the smoked meat sampler platter and grilled catch of the day. Depending on your love for grilled meats and seafood we would expect most people to dine here only once or twice during their stay at the Le Meridien Maldives Resort, saving most meals for the more diverse options at Turquoise or the other restaurants.

Other Dining Options

Of course, you can also order room-service anytime of the day and enjoy a great meal on your terrace, or even have breakfast in bed. Note that in-room dining is not included in any of the meal plans.

At the far western end of the Le Meridien Maldives Resort island, which also happens to be the best spot to watch the famous Maldivian sunsets, you will find a small pool and Riviera seafood restaurant. Riviera is open for lunch and dinner and focuses on light bites, oysters, and chilled seafood accompanied by sparkling wines and cocktails. Of note, Riviera is the only dining location at the Le Meridien Maldives Resort which is adults-only. This is a great place to sit back, relax, and enjoy some fresh seafood and wine all the while taking in those stunning views.

For the coffee lovers out there, there is a small café called Latitude that’s open during the day for your afternoon caffeine fix or a light lunch or snack. Latitude is located at the check-in area. Alternatively, the Waves Café is available during the day near the Fitness Center.

Lastly there is Tabemasu, a Japanese dining experience that is located at the beginning of the pier that connects the overwater villas. The restaurant is open select days of the week, and here you will need to make reservations, but the flagship restaurant of the Le Meridien Maldives Resort was well-regarded when we spoke to other guests about their experience.

Le Meridien Maldives Resort Booking Options

With the Le Meridien brand being a part of the Marriott portfolio, this Le Meridien Maldives review is likely of interest to many Marriott Bonvoy members. In particular, because the Le Meridien Maldives Resort is classified as a Category 5 property, which means that a standard redemption costs just 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy points to redeem for a free night (40,000 points during Peak time, 30,000 points during Off-Peak Time).

Additionally, many Marriott free night certificates are capped at this level. The icing on the cake is that overwater villas are classified as standard rooms, meaning that these can also be booked using points or free nights, a rarity for Maldives points hotels. This makes the Le Meridien one of the best resorts to find an affordable Maldives water villa for your next vacation.

Paid stays predictably vary quite a bit with the high seasonality of travel demand to the Maldives. Low season rates can be found in the mid $400’s USD with high season rates closing in on $1,000 USD per night for the beach bungalows. Upgrades to larger rooms or overwater villas come at a premium.

When considering between a points stay or paid stay, note that all paid stays do include breakfast, however points stays do not. Additionally to note, the resort does not charge a resort fee, but you will find a 10% service charge added to all items, which acts as a quasi-service charge.

However, if you are a Marriott Bonvoy Platinum elite or higher, you will have the opportunity for a room upgrade at check-in, a 20% discount on all food and drinks automatically applied to your bill, and your choice of a welcome gift. The welcome gift is a bit of a no-brainer as you can choose between free breakfast (not included if you booked your stay with points), 1,000 bonus points, or a local gift.

You might also be able to score a deal by booking through Booking.com, check availability and deals for your dates here.

Le Meridien Maldives Review Conclusion

Choosing the right Maldives resort for you is incredibly important, as unlike other vacations there is no sightseeing or visiting a city, your resort choice is your vacation destination. The Le Meridien Maldives excels in many areas that make a great resort. The resort facilities and rooms are all beautifully designed, the food is excellent, and the service was outstanding. We really can’t highlight the impressive service enough. If you’re looking for a Maldives resort where all of the staff make a genuine effort to get to know you, and love doing their jobs this is the resort for you. Overall, the Le Meridien Maldives is an excellent resort, which punches above its weight in design, dining, and service.

Pin this post to your Maldives travel Pinterest board to save the best place to stay when you are planning to visit this amazing country. We really hope you enjoyed this Le Meridien Maldives review!