Outrigger Maafushivaru ruined our birthday trip. Hospitality business with people who only find excuses but no solutions should be known! Since the beginning of booking when specific villa was requested 3 weeks in advance and reservations team didn't want to promise anything, and simply cancelled our booking; till arriving in Male and seaplane representative told us that plane is overfilled and they can't fly us with our luggage: or we fly now and wait for 3 hours for our luggage or we stay 3 hours in airport and wait for next flight. Zero solution, zero service recovery! What is the point flying to resort and waiting for luggage for 3 hours? We couldn't change, we couldn't take shower, we couldn't go swim... Seaplane company told that resort should take full responsibility as they are well aware of possibility of plane ovetfilling. But NOONE TOLD US! Only what we heard was "it happens". Seriously?! And again zero solutions and zero service recovery! When we requested refund directly in airport, Outrigger refused. They simply stealing money, promising Paradise and then you go through rude, careless stressful and disappointing experience when you have no choice! It's not paradise! It's a hell with tortures! Unfortunately, Maafushivaru doesn't meet 5-stars mark in service. It might look pretty on the picture but when it comes to service and customer care - it's 1 star! If you ready to pay around $1000 per night and go through all that stress and humiliation, then it's Maafushivaru.…
Outrigger Maafushivaru is paradise on earth. If you’re trying to decide on a luxury resort in Maldives, the countless positive reviews about the location, property and landscaping, food, spa, and customer service are accurate! The Maafushivaru team is exceptional. Everyone - the wait staff, management, concierges, hosts, chefs, kitchen geniuses, grounds keepers, gardeners, water activity experts, spa therapists, security, and the excellent housekeeping team - blew us away. No business is a perfectly well-oiled machine and there are always issues that can be improved, but this one definitely does their absolute best to make guests believe that there are no imperfections. Even staying a few hours, you start to realize that, in this small island, everyone has a job to do. They take pride in their jobs and in making guests feel special and cared for. These are just a few of the many wonderful things we experienced in our 7-night stay there in early December 2022. * We stayed in a water villa with a pool. It was worth the cost and very impressive - high ceilings, modern furnishings, strong water pressure in the shower, fridge, and a beautiful luxury bathtub that overlooks the ocean with the clearest light blue waters. The deck was very spacious. Compared to the ocean water, the pool was cold and we only used it once for a short time. We would book this villa again without hesitating. (We also did a lot of research looking at photos of other similar overwater villas at other resorts with more well-known names. The others were just ok - didn’t seem worth it. They were decorated with swathes of dark wood and in traditional styles. We prefer more modern decor that feels airy and spacious, which our villa definitely was.) * Housekeeping always did a solid job cleaning. Every time we returned to the villa after it was cleaned, it was spotless, and we felt as if we were seeing it again for the first time. Stopping their buggies to wait for guests to pass by safely on the boardwalk was a nice touch we wouldn’t have thought of. * It’s a luxury resort without the stuffy ambiance. We’re not the type who wears Gucci resort wear at the pool, decked out in jewelry and makeup during meals. Nothing wrong with that, but we just like to be casual and comfortable and Maafushivaru has that vibe. * It’s also not the place to go to if you want to “keep busy” during vacation. There’s no pop or party music in the background, or live entertainment at night. It’s a small island and not a big compound with tennis courts, lawn games, etc. They offer pool and foosball tables, books at the library, diving excursions, snorkeling, paddle boarding, kayaking, and sunrise and sunset yoga almost daily, weather permitting. There’s a gym with clean and modern equipment with the most beautiful view of the water. We saw baby sharks while using the treadmill every day. We felt there’s more than enough to do but we could also just do nothing and just sit by the beach. We’ve gone to resorts that had so many facilities and activities to do, which can be overwhelming- like you have to work on your vacation. This was so much better. * We saw a presentation about sea turtles one night, shared by their on-site marine biologist. She was so knowledgeable, brilliant, funny, passionate, took our questions, and showed us pictures of her dives with whale sharks. Just an all-around super fun boss lady. * Our treatments at the Spa were exceptional. We did the hot stone massage, deep tissue massage, relaxing massage, and seaweed exfoliation treatment. Prices are costly but, again, so worth it. The pictures of the treatment rooms and the post-treatment area overlooking the water don’t do justice to the real experience. The hot stone massage was a real eye opener. If you have to choose just one treatment, we highly recommend the hot stone massage. * The food is the pièce de résistance of an already incomparable experience. The flavors were complex, delicious, and had this mix of Michelin-star quality and home-cooked goodness. The Indian, Sri Lankan, and Maldivian foods were especially outstanding. Imagine a buffet that was lovingly cooked by a grandma for her family with recipes of the most flavorful spices, and that grandma just happened to be an award-winning chef. That’s what we were lucky enough to experience every day. We constantly just stared at our plates, dumb-founded, seriously wondering “how could someone make something taste that good?!.” We met many of the chefs and they are the sweetest people too. They even took our requests and made special meals for us. In fact, as we’re sitting in the plane to NYC on a 14-hour flight, listening to a baby crying (as usual), the only thing that helps us stay at peace is our packed box of coconut rotis that the chefs prepared on our last day. Never has any food item made us so happy! Really, we “hoarded” all the freshly made rotis, parathas, naans, and papaddoms like gold bars at every meal. We cannot give enough compliments about the food and the service. (Side note: the breakfast beet juice, watermelon juice, avocado smoothie, and banana colada were a revelation. They tasted so pure.) Thank you to everyone we met at Maafushivaru- the manager and airport greeter who took care of our speed boat transfer, Guillaume the manager, Chris, Chintaka, Senthil Kumar, Gehan, and all the geniuses in the kitchen - too many to name (sorry for misspellings!), Naeem who inspired us because he knows everything about the water, Nabeel the best host EVER, the housekeeping team led by Mr. Frankie, all the ladies in the dining room from the Philippines, Bhutan, India, Indonesia, etc. (you all have special skills!), Chongpi and our other spa therapists, AJ who was kind enough to do a video of yoga exercises for us, Jimi and the security team, the F&B manager who was so funny, kind, warm, and thoughtful (sorry to miss your name but you are a treasure!). We’re not the most outgoing people but we had so many good talks with different people in the staff who are just experts in their field and love what they do. It seems like Outrigger has created a resort in this small island that’s inhabited by a team of the nicest, most genuine experts in the hospitality industry.) My partner and I have been together for over 19 years and we can’t remember a time when we relaxed, ate, and laughed so hard in a span of 7 days. If you’re going to Maldives and are considering Maafushivaru, we hope this very very long review helps!…
Our honeymoon stay with the Outrigger team can only be described as perfect. We experienced 5* service from the minute we landed in Male. The hosts were incredible and their attention to detail was impeccable. The accommodation was stunning (we stayed in an over water villa with pool) and it was so big! Far bigger than the pictures showed. The food was also dreamy, every meal was a delight and to have the 5 different restaurants we could choose from was perfect so we never got board. The drinks were also fab - brilliant cocktails and a wide selection - we tried to work our way through the whole menu but simply didn’t have the time! A special thank you to the following people for simply being amazing - these guys constantly went above and beyond and are a credit to the organisation; Vishant Aminul Milo Chara We can’t wait to come back!! If your wondering if it’s worth it… don’t worry it is!…
The Maldives had been on the bucket list for a long time and you need to get it right. So we researched the hell out of the trip. The reviews for the Outrigger Maafushivaru described everything we wanted from a trip to paradise and appeared head and shoulders above others. But would they stand up to scrutiny? They sure did. Before getting to the accommodation, the food, the facilities etc, it must be said that what makes Maafushivaru Island so great are the people who deliver a first class experience. So an early big-up to some key people for us. We contemplated not mentioning any names because actually everyone is great. But we figured, these guys made us feel very much at home: Nabeel (who looked after us throughout our stay, never imposing, quietly helpful) Rassam and Victoria in the restaurant, Bibo (scuba instructor) and Shubhaum (bar and breakfast). Thank you to you and your brilliant colleagues - you made us feel very special. Everyone is incredibly poltite, respectful and friendly. The island is immaculate thanks to the hard work of the gardeners who are constantly sweeping up leaves and replenishing the sand on the pathways. Although you can never be 100% certain, everyone seemed very happy in their work and appreciated the improvements that are currently being made to the staff accommodation. It was great to chat to them about life in the Maldives. Travel to Maafushivaru. Greeted at Male airport in arrivals by someone from Outrigger, he walked us to a bus for a short 5 mins ride to the seaplane terminal. 90 mins later we were airborne for a short 30 mins hop to the island. Upon landing, you’re picked up by a boat just outside the house-reef on an pontoon and 5 mins later you’re sipping on a cold smoothie on the island. Check-in was seamless. Bags had meanwhile been placed in our villa. We had an over-water villa (without pool) which was plenty big and luxurious enough. We expected to spend time at the main pool anyway so didn’t opt for the villas with a pool. We had room 217. Rooms in the low 200s (ie 201, 206 etc) were closer to shore. Those numbered 214-222 were further down the walkways. But it was never more than a pleasant 5 min walk to any restaurant. The Room - 217 Large double bed (2 large single beds pulled together made for good sleep!) The outside had a large deck. Odd number over water villas without pools were ‘sunrise’ facing. Even-numbered ones were ‘sunset’ facing. Shower cubicle opens out onto the deck, as do two pairs of sliding doors in the main bedroom. Steps lead you down to the water, where you can begin snorkelling whenever suits. It’s not hugely deep (6-8ft) by the steps and at low tide, it’s only a few feet deep so no diving! And when you come back to your villa after an hour snorkelling, you know which villa is yours as it says so on the side. So unless you happen to be our neighbours at the time, who decided to get out, strip off and shower naked on someone else’s deck (ie. our deck!) then you can’t go wrong. It was quite a sight! Some things you just can’t unsee. Loads of hanging space and nice touches (wireless speaker) make your room feel perfect. Mini bar was lacking some beers, so Nabeel kindly brought some to the room. You can have your room cleaned and a turn-down service every day, but we only had it three times. Facilities on the island There must have been approx 100 guests. But day-to-day it felt like there were a dozen or two only. The island feels intimate. We visited the dive centre a few times (get to know Mango the parrot - he’s ace). I did 2 scuba dives. Having never done it before, the brilliant Bibo took me through it. Less than an hour later, I was 30 foot down on the edge of the reef. Amazing. There is so much more to do, if you want to, ie paddle boarding, kayaking etc. You can pick up flippers and snorkel/mask on day one and keep them for the duration, free of charge. We also took our own reef shoes which means you don't have to worry about stepping on sharp bits of coral when swimming. There’s a chilled cafe, generously sized bar area, several restaurants and a very good gym where you can work out looking out to sea. There's also a table tennis table, billiards table and football table - all under cover which is useful if it rains. The Spa was beautiful. Our couple's 90 mins deep tissue massage was excellent and not hugely expensive. The Food We were on the half-board package so ate in the main restaurant, Cuisine Gallery, at breakfast and dinner. We would normally check out all the restaurants but because the food was so good and so varied, it suited us both down to the ground. Breakfast was great. Cereal, fresh fruit, yoghurts, cold cuts, pastries, bread, juices and smoothies. "English-style" cooked breakfast of sausages (both pork and chicken), hash browns, mushrooms etc. There's an egg station, pancake station and also sushi, salad and cheese. You order your coffee and tea at the table - we'd recommend asking for a double-shot latte. Dinner was excellent, very well presented and plenty of choice - soup, sushi, roast meats, stews, salads, curries. The food is constantly being replenished rather than being brought out in bulk and left out for hours. Being a curry lover, I was in heaven as there was a different offering every night, some of which was cooked in front of you. Being a fish and veggie lover, so was my wife. There is also plenty of choice for vegetarians, including some beautiful salads. It wasn't clear what food was vegan, but I'm pretty sure if you wanted something specific they would be happy to oblige. Be warned, the large dessert selection (which are all made on the island) is irresistable... If you do want to switch it up, there are three other restaurants, including ‘Koto’, a Japanese restaurant. You can have lunch in the large Edgwater bar area. There are plenty of comfortable chairs to sink into as you take shelter from the sun and tuck into calamari. It's also where you retreat to, if it rains. As others have pointed out, this isn't a place to go if you are looking for somewhere to party - which is one of the reasons we chose it! We loved the fact that it was quiet, intimate and laidback. If you want to wear shorts and be barefoot at dinner, that's no problem. We never had an issue getting a sunlounger on the beach near the swimming pool - no-one reserves loungers, because if you want one, they’d get you one. There are beach towels in your villa, or you can simply pick them up near the pool. A waiter soon appears to give you a large (glass) bottle of water. The island is very proud that it filters and bottles its own water so you won't see any plastic containers. There are also free bottles of water in your villa. Well done Outrigger Maafushivaru, we’d love to come back again. Thank you…
Charming resort, a corner of paradise. All the staff are very professional, helpful and kind. Excellent cuisine, lots of variety and high quality of food. The Spa services are of a high standard, staff trained, attentive and friendly. Thanks to Smitha, competent and very professional therapist.
A wonderful resort immaculately maintained with friendly and helpful staff. It is not the easiest to get to but necessary if you want to swim with whale sharks. The staff look after guests and make the longer trip very tolerable. Food is very good with tremendous variety. It is also small enough to get great attention. We strongly recommend . Much better than some much bigger resorts that look overwhelming and crowded
We stayed here for 10 nights in early March and it was incredible! We did a fair bit of research to arrive at this particular resort so let me help others by saying that you should choose this resort if: 1) You are looking for a chilled holiday in the most beautiful setting.. it truly is paradise 2) You want to snorkel the amazing house reef that surrounds the island. No need to catch a boat and reef is lovely. 3) You are going without children or have older children (there are some activities but this resort is much more geared towards adults... that is why we chose it) 4) You don't expect lots of put-on entertainment by an entertainment committe. The natural beauty here doesn't need a long list of entertainment options. There is a movie night once per week on the beach and there is a DJ playing music near the main pool but it is more background music that starts at 9pm. 5) You don't mind an island that is small.... it is about 2 kilometers if you walk all the way around the island and out onto each jetty. We loved that it felt so intimate. You get assigned a guest services agent when you first arrive and this person looks after you for your whole stay. Our GSA, Haseen, was amazing. Nothing was too much trouble and all requests were dealt with gracefully and professionally and with some good humour. Which villa? We chose a water villa with pool and it was incredible. The pool and deck is where we spent most of our time. There are steps down into the ocean from the deck. Each villa has a light that shines down into the water so you can even see fish at night. The pool has tiny LED lights embedded into the mosaics so the pool literally sparkes with different colours at night. The pool is also deep enough that it doesn't get luke-warm during the day. We asked for the sunset side because we are not early risers and we saw some lovely sunsets. The room has full blockout curtains and blinds so you can sleep late even if it is light outside. Food options? We went half board which covers breakfast and dinner at the buffet restaurant. The variety of food and the quality of food in exceptional and we never got bored with the food. The only lunch restaurant is the poolside restaurant which has a decent menu and also a daily menu. We ate at each of the speciality restaurants and they were all lovely. Only 4 seats at the Tepinyaki so book that one early. The portion sizes at Moodhu Grill were much bigger than at the other restaurants and that meant it was hard to do mains plus dessert. The quality of food everywhere is very high. Koto offers small plates and we loved that (similar to tappas /meze concept). We had no disappointments. Not all speciality restaurants were open on all evenings. They seem to rotate so that 2 out of 3 are open. The resport was at about 70 percent capacity. Buffet dinner is open every evening. Diving and snorkeling? The dive shop here is super-professional. They will loan you fins and a mask for free for the duration of your stay. Decent quality kit and a lot of it. We did three SCUBA dives plus the manta ray excursion and the whale shark excursion (these excursions are snorkeling only). The water is warm and so a shorty wetsuit is all you need. The visibility was probably 15 metres. Most dives are drift dives due to the currents...not hectic but hard to stay in one spot. The house reef has a wide variety of fish life and different areas of the house reef have different kinds of fish. The excursions give you a 50:50 chance of seeing what you are going out to see and that was true for us. On manta ray excursion we saw rays and then were lucky to see a whale shark on the boat ride back. On the whale shark excursion we didn't see anything. You do get to snorkel a reef for about 50 mins if you didn't get to see the big fish. How long? We stayed for 10 nights and could probably have added another 3 or 4 quite easily. It is just so tranquil here that you never want to leave. Other - We used the gym twice. It has the most spectacular views and is well equipped. - Banoffee dessert and Koffee 'n Chill is delicious…
Great experiences. they picked me up and took me to another resort with enthusiasm. they have great service. always smiling and welcoming. The food also changes daily to suit the tourists of each country. thank you.
From the arrival to the last detail, everything was perfect. The staff is great, the facility is beautiful, the food is diverse and we owe this great service to our host Shahaau Mohamed and the Team. Our honeymoon was more beautiful than expected, thank you Outrigger & Shahaau for this wonderful time!
We had really great experience. Very clean and amazing villas, especially over water pool villa. Excursions were exciting and safe, food, spa, bar with drinks… No comments any more. Thank you for all members in resort.
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