Where to begin? This was seriously the best resort we have EVER stayed at in our lives, and we mean it sincerely. For some background, I had tried to book a stay in the Maldives since September of 2019 but had to reschedule 3 times due to COVID. We are absolutely blessed in the sense that we can travel during this time and absolutely do not take that for granted. I had contacted over 110 Maldives hotels and have more emails/calls/WhatsApp calls/details that I wish to admit lol. Milaidhoo has always been regarded as a top 6 resort in the Maldives and one of the few 6-star resorts in the Maldives (google it if you don’t believe me: google lists Milaidhoo as a luxury, 6-star posh hotel). Here is what I was requesting from the hotel of our stay as I was planning a surprise engagement: -50 villas or fewer for a more relaxing stay -must be far enough from Male that it requires a seaplane to reach the hotel (bucket list item) -adults only -Amazing food and amenities -5 star PADI resort on site -Overwater villa with a fantastic view -A Robinson Crusoe-feeling of a private island -Great house reef (there are websites ranking the house reefs and believe me this is not easy to find) -fantastic staff/no bad reviews in past 6 months -no construction during our stay -private sandbank owned by the resort to prevent anyone intruding on our perfect day (so glad she said yes lol) ** I do realize I sound very extra here, but it’s also important to note that I was planning this trip for almost three years, had to stay within a budget, and had to align my stay with our flights which we used airline miles to book. I also wanted to note that this is a luxurious boutique hotel, not a posh or uptight hotel, so maybe google should correct the title lol** Based on my list above, you can see how difficult it was to find a hotel/resort that meets most or all of these criteria. Yes, there are resorts close to Male, but for our engagement, and after two days and 10,000 miles of flying, I wanted this to be the perfect stay and it really was. The staff: the staff here is AMAZING. You know how hotel staff will smile at you and try their best to get as much money out of you as possible and only see you as a dollar sign? Well those are staff at other hotels, not at Milaidhoo. They truly care, they spend time to hang out with you, they ask you if you want a buggy to drive you to your room, a towel, etc. To begin, the staff at the airport that escort you to your vehicle, which then takes you to your lounge and then to your seaplane were fantastic. While there were so so many helpful staff, I really have to promote/brag about two of the most charming individuals we have ever met in our lives. Before doing so, I should add how awesome the breakfast staff were during our stay. Fresh juices x 4, a morning booster drink, a cold scented towel, sushi, Parma ham, anything made to your liking. Champagne, iced americano, fresh juice and water and they remember every day this was our preference. Our Island Host Anth and the guest experience lead/Photographer Looth. Anth: Milaidhoo uses the word island hosts to describe what many folks would refer to as a butler and I love that. Anth and her staff are not butlers, they are friends that become family. They are lovely people that answer their phones/text you at the drop of a pin to make sure you have the time of your lives. From the moment we exited the Milaidhoo boat that picks you up from the seaplane dock and takes you to Milaidhoo, Anth was there smiling with her team and Celine, the hotel manager (such a sweet lady). We were presented with a cold scented towel and a many warm welcomes from the staff. Here is where our vacation really began and how I knew Anth was the perfect island host to have on our stay. Anth began to converse with myself and my girlfriend (now fiancé woot woot!) in such a calm demeanor. It was at this time, we began to slowly walk down the main walkway into the resort. I kid you not, time stood still. I felt incredibly relaxed and the stress of me hiding my girlfriend engagement ring (I was stopped by customs/security 8 times in travel and still had it hidden my man purse at this time) was relieved at this point. Anth was so calming, so thoughtful. She discussed our itinerary, the best spots around the island for snorkeling and she brought up everything in such a nonchalant way that my girlfriend had no idea Anth/her staff had been communicating with me for months. We were so happy and I would kill to relive that feeling of instant relaxation. As we entered the hotel, there was a staff member awaiting with some amazing fresh drinks. There was sand that was soft and not man made; you could walk around the island barefoot. There were palm trees and a slight breeze. Even the birds/animals had a changing chirp that was not too loud. There was SO much lush foliage around the property that you felt like you were on your own private island. Back to Anth: Anth walked us through the resort and showed us to our room. She would mention things like “I believe you are fans of snorkeling and diving so we have these dive sites and this to do.” Or “I believe you wanted to try this seafood and here is what I would recommend.” Anth got us in to the restaurant of our choice before it opened twice. By the water, alone for 30-45 minutes before anyone else had a reservation because she knew how special my itinerary was and how long I had planned this engagement. The night before our engagement and then the night of :) Anth knew what food we weren’t a fan of and the chef made two off menu meals for us to accommodate. I cannot make this up; this was amazing. Anth knew when we left our resort (not in a creepy way as there were no cameras) but the room was cleaned three times a day I believe. I didn’t know what turn down service was before this. Anth dropped us off for breakfast one morning and I forgot something so I walked back to the room. It had been 12 minutes and the room was already cleaned. How does she do this? How do the lovely staff of Milaidhoo do this? It blew my mind, both of our minds. Incredible! Potential scary time: I was informed a few nights before my surprise engagement that the sandbank was underwater and we would have to find an alternative. While I was stressed at the time, Anth and Looth (will get to later in the review), called their sister property but their sandbank was underwater. They called nearby resorts. They even went as far as finding a nearby island with a non- sandbank and made sure there staff were there two hours early so that nobody showed up on the island. That was my fear, I wanted this to be a surprise and a private excursion. Even when I was worried, Anth and Looth made it work. Insane: such lovely people. I will admit my stomach was so twisted the morning of my engagement that I think I misread nearly every one of Anth’s whatsapp messages so my apologize Anth (love you dearly). Anth is a rockstar and I would request her in a heartbeat again. Honestly I did not meet a single staff at all during our stay. Even the bartender ran out with a dry towel when I hopped out of the pool, then provided us with some Evian mist and waters. Celine your staff are the heart and soul of this resort. The pricing is worth the stay and now we know why this is deserving of such a high rating :) In regards to the other aspects of the hotel: we saw one well behaved 12 year old (he dressed nice and was a nice kid), so it was adults only feeling. The reef was amazing; Milaidhoo was built on a former dive site and it shows! Unlike these new hotels with man made sand that destroy the reefs, Milaidhoo is maybe 20m from your villa to the reef. They protected the underwater corals and the overwater villas had a killer view. I really can’t stress this enough, the staff care so much. Even when I emailed for months in advance to pinpoint every detail, they were so friendly. They made suggestions to fit within our budget. And guess what? We gladly spent a few $$ over that budget because that was our choice to make our trip even better. Now to Looth: Looth is the guest Eldridge coordinator and in-house photographer. I had been in contact with Looth for around a year on WhatsApp. He went above and beyond planning our excursions, and even answerer a call at 11pm his time as we were on a big time chance in the US. Looth even texted me his boss’ number to chat when he was OOO. Truly a gem of an individual. Looth is so kind, sincere, thoughtful, funny and just a likable individual. My girlfriend had no idea we were talking for almost a year lol; that how smart Looth is and how great he is at articulating his thoughts. Looth seriously prevented so much stress from this engagement planning on my end. He sent me his portfolio of photography; ladies abs gents, spend 10 seconds looking at his work and you will know how talented an individual he is at his work. A step further: When it was the day of our sandbank proposal, Looth was there waiting with Anth to help us into the boat and was awesome. I had told my girlfriend I booked an all inclusive package that included photography and an excursion (it helps that she is gullible and I love her for that) and Looth asked the perfect questions to not arise any suspicion. Looth not only took the most amazing photos of our engagement (my friends all hate me for showing off This photo below as it is truly out of a fairytale/storybook and made their engagement photos well…boring lol) but he flew my drone and recorded a video at the same time. He captured our proposal. When I was trying to get the ring out of my photo backpack, he took pictures of my girlfriend to distract her. He went a far to guide her down the sandbank in the other direction so I could place the ring in my pocket. So creative! He took photos of us at our private sandbank lunch with Wagyu/lobster/sushi/champagne and roses and then some. He captured our moment and literally made this engagement the best day of my life. I watch the video of our engagement he created on my drone and cry with my fiancé every time. It is that good. I try to relive that moment almost every day. As you can see from the photo below, it worked out perfectly. The goal of my review was to show off how much of an amazing staff Milaidhoo has and also provide some insight of how this resort and their staff combine to make a truest unforgettable experience. The chefs, bartenders, scuba team, landscaping team, food runners, wait staff, lobby staff, nice lady in the boutique that reserved my now favorite polo for me that I have wore three times already, and of course their lovely manager Celine are fantastic. Celine, thank you for the hand-written note and thank you for surprising us with a framed photo of our engagement waiting for us in our villa the night of our special day. The little things like remembering your order, your preference, your towel, your alcohol choice, your time for dinner and more added to the perfect stay. Looth and Anth made my dreams a reality on that special day and for that I cannot thank you enough. I can’t wait to come back to Milaidhoo with my wife and sending all our love. Sincerely,…
We stayed in a water villa which was amazing with stunning views. The service was beyond our expectations and our butler Abdullah went above and beyond to ensure we had a great time at Milaidhoo. Everybody around the island were very friendly and always willing to help if we needed anything. Also a great spot for snorkeling with house reef and overall a beautiful island and resort for a relaxing and a fun holiday.
We had a wonderful time at Milaidhoo, The beautiful island. Very good place for the couples..All the staffs were very kind and helpful. Natural beauty + warm hospitality touched our mind. We were at water villa. All the foods were good as well. But number of more items can be added in the food menue. Want to mention specially about their speed boat which is really a luxurious one. We got Yenny as our butler who was really a nice person. Environment for breakfast at Ocean restaurant was mind blowing. Thanks a lot Milaidhoo. Love for you from Bangladesh .
What makes a hotel or resort truly special? There are many factors – location, accommodation, food, facilities – but for me, what sets an establishment apart, and what would make me want to return, are the people who work there. And the staff are undoubtedly the reason why Milaidhoo is such a special place. Professional, efficient, friendly, attentive but never intrusive, everyone there makes it their number one priority to look after their guests and make sure they have the best of holidays. And they were the reason why we had a smile on our face from the moment we arrived until the moment we left – well, in fact, there were a few tears when we left, so sorry were we to leave such lovely people. Of course, the location, accommodation, food and facilities do contribute as well! An island paradise, pristine white beach, sparkling blue sea; a large, luxuriously appointed villa with its own pool and to-die for views; three fantastic restaurants serving the most delicious food; two great bars from where to gaze on amazing sunsets; and a well-appointed gym, although I was fighting a losing battle with so much great food and drink to enjoy. We went primarily for rest and relaxation but there are plenty of activities and excursions for those who want them. I did manage some excellent snorkelling along the island’s reef and we also took in an afternoon cruise to see the dolphins, which was a great experience. With such a universally-excellent staff, it is difficult to signal out individuals – and the high levels of service extend beyond the customer facing roles to those in housekeeping and maintenance as well – but special mention must go to our Executive Butler Abdulla, the lovely hostess Mukko (and also Bella, who regulars will be very sad to learn has now left) and our special ‘fruit lady’ Teneal! This was our holiday of a lifetime, but it’s one we would love to repeat! It came as no surprise to learn that Milaidhoo has many returning guests. We hope to be two more of them! As they say there, “See you soon.”…
Our last trip to the Maldives was one of our favourites, but our trip to the Miladihoo exceeded this by a long distance, andwas by far and away the best week we have had on holiday and probably my favourite place ever. The Island is relatively small, with amazing white sands beaches, and all the rooms/villas/restaurants perfectly fitting into the surroundings. The house reef is remarkable, and we saw turtles, rays, black tip sharks, nurse sharks(in the evening. by the jetty), and an incredible array of fish and coral (the most vibrant i have ever seen) and so easy to access(although i recommend a house reef tour to get fully comfortable of where to go) Our water villa had such a comfortable bed, with incredible views of the sea from the bed and bath and some neighbouring islands, and once of dolphins! The room was so tastefully done, in beautiful Maldivian style, and the bathroom, was enormous, and of a very high spec. We could have spent the whole week in the water villa wirh ease, and i dont think i have ever been so relaxed taking in the calm of the sea and the beauty. The balcony had two sunbeds, a swing bed and a bed by the huge infinity pool, where we spent hours in complete relaxation While the island is small you never once get bored, with the incredible snorkeling and taking in the beauty of the surroundings. it also houses 3 phenomenal restaurants, an mazing pool bar, and bar he beach, as well as many activities such as boat cruises, dolphin watching, and coral planting, which we did and leant about the fantastic activities taken at the resort to preserve the incredible sealife. The spa was great and you wont find any more spectacular places for a massage. We made the most of the complimentary daily yoga, which gave us a greta start to the day, compered by the Great Novita who was so patent with our creaking joints The food was amazing, at ocean, they did a huge array of global cuisine and it was all done to an incredibly high standard, the butter chicken was the most tasty i have ever had as was the crab chowder, and the breakfast buffet deserves a a special mention. Such an array of different food, from South Asian curries, to English breakfast, to amazing continent meats and th best fruit selection, and incredible juices as well as the great a la cartes choices, Maldivian breafast and Nasi goreng were my favourites. The staff were so helpful, so interesting to chat to and the service was pehonmenal. Shiaz, Kokko, Piyal, Yunnus, Bella, Lubab, AJ and Pedro when he was not at Shoreline, as well as others i did not get the name of. Shoreline Grill was an incredibly high end steak.seafood restaurant you might find in any top end resort, with Hughe prawns, incredible local fish, and amazing crustaceans, served by the greta opera and his team set on a beautiful beach, you gnat really want anything else Ba'theli was amazing, an incredible Maldivian boat restaurant which felt like it was in the middle of the ocean, where you are able to experience the depth of the local cuisine, at what felt like Michelin starred levels of cooking, we gads the taster the first time, which gave us a great introduction to the spices used in the Maldives, and the array of taste that can come from this. The passion from Lubab and Ziayn in explaining what we were eating really added to the experience, one of my favourite restaurants in the world. Day time relaxing at Compass pool bar was ideal, great bar snacks, drinks and cocktails, and so well looked after by Ruwan, Mizura and Nikhil and I think AJ. The sunset from here is spectacular. While the resort is like nowhere else the staff really elevate it to another level, and they should be highly commended on this with so many doing Ramadan in peak heat, the service was so special. The management were very friendly and always keen to see if they could help. Last but not least was Ammadey our butler, who nothing was ever too much for, always working with a smile on his face, and always so thoughtful, always made sure we were able to do what we wanted, but was always conscious we would relax properly and not be overbooked, and organising sweet touches for our babymoon such as coral planting cinema in our room, and memorable pictures of our stay, he really made our stay so special Mildadhoo is not cheap, but you are paying for a service and experience is the best, for the most relaxing time you will ever have in paradise, and it is fully worth it. My only complaint is I won’t be able to go back for at least ten years given the no under ten policy.…
The food was amazing, service was great. I also loved that the AC in the room does not shut off when you open the balcony and the room stays cool without humidity. The Spa is beautiful as shown in the pictures. I would definitely go again.
Very rarely am I lost for words, but this place just leaves you speechless! After waiting over two years we finally made it and boy was it worth the wait!! Water Villas - Stunning. The individual pool was amazing. Staff - Exceptional. Everyone - from the team at the airport, sea plane lounge, housekeeping, in the bar and restaurants, the water sports and of course our Island Host - Ammadey (who was simply fantastic) are a credit to the resort. Food - Outstanding Snorkelling - Breathtaking. We stayed in a water villa under the gourmet plan and if I could improve one small thing it would be for the gourmet plan to include some drinks from the mini bar (say a bottle of wine or a couple of beers). Would we go back? Absolutely! Incidentally, we booked our stay with Purely Maldives from the UK and the service we received from them was nothing short of outstanding! We wouldn't hesitate in recommending them - Thank you Richard and the team.…
Our honeymoon trip to Milaidhoo exceeded our expectations. We absolutely loved our experience and all the extra little things the team did to make our stay so memorable. Our amazing butler Yenny even provided us with a framed photo from our stay. Almost brought us to tears! Special mention to Novita from the spa and Bella from the restaurant. I have never had such a personable stay at a resort and we can not wait to come back and celebrate anniversaries and birthdays! 🧡
It’s my first time leaving review on TripAdvisor - but I loved Milaidhoo Resort too much to leave it without it. The hotel, the island - everything was perfect, just the perfect place to run away to and relax. Food, SPA, views, service - everything was excellent. Also, want to leave additional thanks to our host, Oksana - she tended to all our needs and made the stay even more wonderful. If you’re deciding where to go on Maldives - this is definitely a place to visit!
We visited Maldives in April and it was just perfect, starting with the location, weather, food and best services. Yenny, Celine and Yamu couldn’t be more helpful. They did our stay so much more enjoyable. The spa is one of the best I have visited. Breakfast and all the food was so diversified, fresh and good. For sure we will come back. Many congratulations to the manager and his team.
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim Your Listing