We have just returned from a week long trip to the Maldives visiting lots of hotels on business. Due to the make up of the Maldives being all islands, lots of travelling via boats and seaplanes made for busy days, not that we were complaining.
It was many things but it didn't feel like a Maldives Holiday as we were working!
Ok so here goes:
Kurumba Maldives: I was pleasantly surprised the moment I arrived at Kurumba. Being a ‘lead in' product for the Maldives I was expecting fairly basic facilities and accommodation. The resort is anything but. I would not hesitate to recommend this to any customer who is travelling on a budget as the hotel is a fantastic standard and quality for the price you pay. Superior rooms are in little blocks of 4 and a great size with enough room for 2 extra beds. These rooms do all overlook Male which I personally don't feel is a problem as they also have a garden view and during the day you can move around the island and sunbathe on the other side. Deluxe rooms are close to the beach and well worth upgrading to you if possible. Also the breakfast here was amazing!
Verdict: Overall I was very impressed with this resort and guests can pay an All-Inclusive supplement should they wish
Velassaru: From here it was on to Velassaru and I have to say that this was one of my personal favourites, the resort has been recently renovated so the rooms were very contemporary and a great size even at entry level (mezzanine style). The resort has a brilliant beach, one of the nicest in fact, and a beautiful infinity pool and deck, a very nice outdoor bar with bean bags on the beach that is candlelit at night. The sunset side is the best side as this side doesn't face Male. My favourite room type was the beach villa (2nd room category)"
Verdict: This is a very slick and trendy resort and would suit young couples.
Baros is a resort located on a lovely small island (takes 10 minutes to walk around) with a rustic Maldivian feel but very luxurious too. Standard of service was second to none from the moment we stepped foot on the resort. Baros' Villas are on the sunrise side, deluxe villas and water villas are on the sunset side. We stayed in water villas which were large in size and had a huge outdoor balcony with day bed/gazebo as well as sun loungers, table and chairs so plenty of space! Half board is in the Lime Restaurant and you get a credit towards the others. One of the key selling points of this resort is the beautiful lighthouse bar and downstairs Cayene restaurant. You can enjoy a pre dinner drink on the upper floor and then move downstairs for your meal all at a very relaxed pace
Verdict: This resort would suit couples mainly and older couples especially would appreciate the Maldivian feel of this resort. It was the perfect mix for me of relaxed luxury, you could wear no shoes if you wanted to and still feel like you were in a luxury resort. Overall it has a lovely feel to it and the service was superb, the staff couldn't do enough for you.
Angsana Ihuru is an older resort with a more rustic feel to it, and guest rooms do not feature a TV, which may suit some guests but not all. Having said this Ihurudoes attract a lot of repeat guests and I think this is mainly due to the staff and service. The island has a very high ratio of staff per client which I think older clients especially really appreciate. This resort does have its own wreck which makes it fantastic for divers and snorkellers, the house reef (shared with Banyan Tree) has many times been voted one of the best house reefs in the Maldives and can be accessed straight from the beach so it is perfect for guests who are avid snorkellers.
Verdict: This is a very small resort which again will suit many couples, there is just the one restaurant which suggests that the food choice is wide and varied (we didn't see this as we arrived just after breakfast). I am pleased that they are going to be ‘sprucing up' the island and the rooms are currently a little bit dated and this may dissuade younger couples a little.
Banyan Tree Just a 5 minute Dhoni across from Angsana Ihuru (guests of both islands can go between the 2).Sadly we were unable to see any rooms here as they were fully occupied but from what I remember of my previous visit they are of a good size and standard and Maldivian feel about them. The resort is very well maintained, beautiful beach and public areas and also very small in size with a high staff ratio per client (4 staff per villa).
Verdict: They share the same reef as Angsana so the snorkelling and diving is of a very high standard. Both Banyan Tree and Angsana have a very relaxed feel and again, clients could go barefoot here and not feel out of place.
Coco Palm Bodu Hithi "Had a similar feel to Baros. Brilliant lead in room (island villa), large in size with a lovely location on the beach. Amazing round bath in the room, I was very surprised with the size of this for a lead in room type, clients would not be disappointed with this at all. Plenty of dining options, half board is in Air Restaurant and you get a credit towards the others. The rooms are much bigger in size with your own 24 hour butler service. It has a separate restaurant exclusive to club guests so definitely something for the more discerning clients. The island doesn't have its own house reef but they can arrange diving excursions for clients if they wish to do this.
Verdict: The club Coco Palm concept is definitely the best part of the island and worth the upgrade, ideal for honeymoon clients. Very impressive overall.
Check back later this week for further reports !
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