Maldives recommendations?

[AndrewD]

Considering a week or so in Feb, looking for a recommendation for a hotel with a good kids club or similar for our 7 year old son. We want serious relaxation, away from crowds, noisy nightlife, etc. something really beautiful. Our tastes are generally more boutique than enormous resort.

Thanks!

[S1MMA]

Hello, I've been twice, going again in 14 days.

I've stayed at the Conrad Rangali, and Hilton Iru Fushi.

No Island will feel like a busy resort, apart from maybe the cheaper ones (Kerudu etc...). The conrad is the largest island (actually 2 islands) and has 7 restaurants so you don't eat the same food all the time. Never feels crouded, and the service is top notch. It is previously voted "best hotel in the world" and has the jazz to go with that. It's nice to have more restaurants to go to, they have all facilities for diving, and also trips (fishing/dolphin cruise/desert island trips etc...). You can just take it easy and relax, accomodation is modern and private. Has a good kids club, and also an adults only pool on the second island.

Hilton is also very good, with more focus on families rather than couples only. Main pool is very kid friendly. They don't have as many restaurants as Conrad but still good facilities. Not as polished as conrad, not as flashy, but a hell of a lot cheaper.

Some other resorts (one and only etc...) are also well rated and popular. I am returning to the Conrad, it really is heaven on earth.

I think though budget plays quite a large part in this, how much are you looking to spend? the difference between a 3* or 4* island and a full on 5* island will be many multiples in price.

[Dav_s]

Highly recommend this place..

www.island-hideaway.com


Absolute paradise.

[megapixels83]

We stayed on Meeru and there a fair bit to do. Loved the island and staff. My sis stays on coco palm and loves it there

[Soir]

Was curious so just priced Conrad (via virgin)

2 weeks for 2 adults Half Board (doesn't offer all incl). Basic accommodation and basic flight £15k !
Want to go 1st class flight? Add £7.5k

We did a budget one to a cheap 3* Maldives a few years ago was around £2.5k all in. But you will get what you pay for/afford/justify spending...

[otolith]

Email these people, tell them what you're after and see what they can do. We did, earlier this year, and they could not have been more helpful. Best holiday we've ever had (Coco Palm Dhuni Kolhu).

http://www.maldivesdirect.uk.com/

[S1MMA]

Soir said:

Was curious so just priced Conrad (via virgin)

2 weeks for 2 adults Half Board (doesn't offer all incl). Basic accommodation and basic flight £15k !
Want to go 1st class flight? Add £7.5k

We did a budget one to a cheap 3* Maldives a few years ago was around £2.5k all in. But you will get what you pay for/afford/justify spending...

When travelling from UK, we flew Emirates to Male (stopping in Dubai for a few nights either on the way out of back to do some shopping, stuff ourselves on lebanese food etc...). Business class Emirates is perfect and comparable to Virgin upper IMO, don't need to spend the extra on Emirates First.

Like I said, when deciding where to stay in the maldives - it's all about budget. You wil have a fab time wherever you stay to be honest, but resorts like the Conrad/One and only aren't cheap, they are very expensive - and rightly so when considering supply/demand. Don't just consider the accomodation cost either, food at the Conrad can cost you several hundred quid a day without breaking s sweat, and that's before booze. I don't drink so don't know how much damage can be done, but would expect it to be heavy. Spa treatments & diving/excursion costs are also high at the 5* resorts. When we were at the Conrad, we saw a couple actually having a full blown fight with each other over the bill (it's a cash free island, you see how much you spent at the end). "how much did you spend iun the spa!!!" "how many of those cocktails did you have!!!" it was quite amusing. So take this into account if you have a budget.

I once told my wife "no matter how much you spend on the resort in the Maldives, the weather is the same, the beach is practically the same, the water is the same, you're just paying more for fancy food, Frette bed linin, and a Bose stereo". This was met with an unapproving look.

Women tend to like fancy food and Frette bed linin. I would go to the Maldives and stay in a wooden shack, go fishing for my lunch and dinner every day, drinking water and cocanut juice and still have the time of my life.

[Not Ideal]

Just came back from the W Maldives - absolutely superb.

[havoc]

S1MMA said:

I once told my wife "no matter how much you spend on the resort in the Maldives, the weather is the same, the beach is practically the same, the water is the same, you're just paying more for fancy food, Frette bed linin, and a Bose stereo". This was met with an unapproving look.

Partly true. Service quality will vary, as will food quality*. And most importantly (if you want to go snorkelling and not just sit on a desert island with a few hundred other people), so will the house reef - we picked Vilamendhoo as it has one of the best 'close-to-shore' house reefs without spending a fortune. And it was superb...


For kids stuff, I'd pick a bigger resort. And then make sure it's got some of what you want to do as well - for me, the two snorkelling boat-trips were the highlights - remarkably cheap, yet got to swim with a whale shark, a turtle and a manta-ray!



* We visited Vilamendhoo last year, and our only complaint was that it was all-buffet unless you paid all over again (i.e. no credit given if you wanted to go to the Asian restaurant). Decent buffet, but still buffet and (unsurprisingly) cheaper meats - chicken, local fish and pork - no beef or shellfish all week. Disappointing for foodies like us - none of the reviews previously had said about this.

[CaptiV8ted]

Olhuveli resort was fantastic. Not too big or small, no chavvy morons getting leathered all day. Watersports aplenty, great diving. 50 minute boat ride from Male airport.

[Zod]

If you can afford it, go to Reethi Rah. We've been the last four years. It's close to perfection.

[Digger]

What is the best value (sorry, cheapest) you guys reckon you can get away with in the Maldives. Lets say 2 weeks all-inclusive. Some of the prices are quite scary.

[sussexjob]

I'd go there in the next few years otherwise it's burka on the beach babes.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaan...

[TheBaj]

CaptiV8ted said:

Olhuveli resort was fantastic. Not too big or small, no chavvy morons getting leathered all day. Watersports aplenty, great diving. 50 minute boat ride from Male airport.

We went to Olhuveli earlier this year and I also highly recommend it. We found it had an almost prefect price to quality ratio, it's a very nice island.

We're off again in March for our Honeymoon and are staying at Velassaru this time, if it's as nice as Olhuvelhi then we'll be happy

[Pommygranite]

Lily Beach is All Inclusive and very nice too.

[otolith]

sussexjob said:

I'd go there in the next few years otherwise it's burka on the beach babes.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaan...

I must admit, I was slightly uncomfortable about the contrast between the country's uptight Islamic values and the laid back ambience of the resorts. I wonder what the staff privately think of immodestly dressed westerners enjoying cocktails on the beach or using the spa? I couldn't help thinking I'd like the place even better if it was still Buddhist

I think tourism is too important to their economy for any sensible government to do anything to damage it, but a long term growth in fundamentalism is worrying because fundies like pious poverty. It would be a terrible shame to lose such idyllic resorts.

[danrc]

Digger said:

What is the best value (sorry, cheapest) you guys reckon you can get away with in the Maldives. Lets say 2 weeks all-inclusive. Some of the prices are quite scary.

I went away at the end of September to kuramathi for my honeymoon. we loved it!! The island was very clean and tidy, the staff could not be more helpful and there was a great selection of resteraunts and bars.

one word of advice - go select all inclusive. this means you get EVERYTHING included. all food at all resteraunts, all cocktails and and the majority of beers and spirits at the bars. we were so glad we did it this way or we could have spent a fortune.

The price? Our holiday for 10 nights with all of the above was just over 3k for the 2 of us. Let me know if you want more info. or go on line and have a look at trip advisor.

[otolith]

We went all inclusive for 14 nights and paid just over 5k for two of us. Actually, I do wonder if we would have been better paying for what we wanted, as the all inclusive tarrif included a limited selection of bars, restaurants and drinks, with no discount if you wanted something off the list. Psychologically, it is nice not to think about what you are spending, but I'm not sure that it is worth it. Next time we will get prices with and without.

[andrew311]

Tbh I don't think the Maldives is great for kids at all, there isn't really much for them to do and I can sort of imagine kids at the up market resorts going doing like lead ballons with the honeymoon punters etc. If/when I have kids I don't think I'll be putting up the reddies to take them to the Maldives-no doubt people will disagree with this point of view.

I've been a few times now and everything considered I actually preferred the 'cheaper' islands as they usually have the option of differing levels and prices of accoms. My mate went with his Mrs for their honeymoon after going a couple of years previous but spending over twice as much and he said it was no better or worse really there were things they liked about the cheaper place more and vice versa.

Whoever said it's the same water, sun, sand etc is pretty bang on depends how deeep your pockets are and what your budget is.

[otolith]

I guess it depends. As a kid, I'd have spent all day every day snorkelling and loved it, but maybe that's not typical. There were very few kids where we were (which, to be honest, is what we had hoped for).