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Among resorts in Maldives, Outrigger Maldives Maafushivaru Resort is the typical island epitomizing all that one dreams of when thinking of the Maldives. Located in a private island in the pristine South Ari Atoll region, approximately 25-minute seaplane flight away from Malé International Airport. With its small island charm, lush vegetation surrounded by powder-white soft sand, and a house reef that a myriad of tropical fish call home, the island is just over 350 metres in length and can be walked in just 10 minutes and a bit! Thatch-roofed villas inspired by local architecture are set amidst verdant gardens or are poised over the turquoise lagoon. Deceivingly modest exteriors hide worldly comforts and indulgences and all villas offer direct access to the beach or to the sea. Designed for couples seeking to rekindle their romance or for families looking to spend quality time together, Outrigger Maldives Maafushivaru Resort offers an experience that elegantly combines a Maldives from times-gone-by with the contemporary luxuries of the present, distinguishing it from other Maldives all inclusive resorts. At Maafushivaru, let us help you make memories that will be forever cherished.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
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Outrigger Maldives Maafushivaru Resort has earned accolades for its spotless villas and pristine surroundings, with the clear waters adding to the allure. The overwater bungalows and array of activities are seen as providing value that justifies the cost. Spacious, well-appointed rooms with a focus on detail are consistently praised.
The resort's exemplary service, from the attentive and friendly staff, enhances guest stays, while the range of amenities, including diverse dining and snorkeling, heightens the luxury experience. A magical atmosphere and stunning location, despite some shaded areas, round out the resort's charm.
Location
Picturesque
Atmosphere
Magical
Rooms
Comfortable
Value
Expensive
Cleanliness
Immaculate
Service
Attentive
Amenities
World-class
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Wow – what can I say, after wanting to go to the Maldives for over 15 years we finally made it and spent 8 nights at the Outrigger. Over the years I had my heart set on staying at the Conrad Madives Rangali Island resort which is located close to the Outrigger but when Luxury Escapes had an unbelievable deal for the Outrigger, and I started to research this resort, I knew I had to visit the Outrigger instead and thank God we did. This was a trip of a lifetime in paradise where we were treated like royalty.
Like all the other reviews say, this place and its staff are amazing. I will try to give a comprehensive review and share some little tips. Unfortunately, it took us 27 hours to travel to the Outrigger including layovers and if it was located 6-10 hours from Australia, we would visit the Outrigger every 6 months. It would be our new second home.
Upon arrival in Male at 11pm at night, we had to stay overnight in Hulhumale. You must get on a bus once you get off the plane and they bus you to the terminal. A new international terminal is being built and should be completed by September 2024. The traffic in Hulhumale was crazy and I did not feel safe there. The Outrigger arranged our sea plane transfer for 8am the next morning. We were met by the Outrigger representative at the international airport, and he took us to the check in area for the sea plane. Just a tip, you only get 20kg of check in luggage and 5kg of carry-on luggage each. I was travelling with my husband and while my check in bag weighed 21kg his only weighed 16kg, so we did not have to pay any extra money for being over the 20kg for my bag. We were then placed on a shared bus and taken to the sea plane airport where we were able to relax in the lounge until our plane was ready to depart. The lounge is not exclusive to the Outrigger like the Conrad, but it was very nice and even had massage chairs for you to relax in. There were sandwiches, drinks, and some cookies as well. The view from the lounge was stunning. We boarded the seaplane, and it was a 25 min flight to the Outrigger. I did not find the seaplane too noisy but there is no air conditioning so it can get very hot. I did not need ear plugs, but I recommend taking a small portable fan. The flight was really enjoyable.
We landed on the water and had to get onto a pontoon and then were transferred via speedboat to the Outrigger. Upon arrival at the jetty, we were meet by the staff including Guillaume, the resort manager greeted us by name. We were then introduced to our assigned host. I was so excited to find that our host was Moosa whom I had read about on the many TripAdvisor reviews. We were given a cool towel and a lovely drink at reception. Moosa then proceeded to show us around the resort. He explained everything and took the liberty of booking all our dinners at the various dining areas. As we were on an all-inclusive package, he wanted us to experience everything. He took us to our villa which was a sunset overwater villa with a pool, number 327. It was perfect. All odd number villas with pools are sunset, even number villas were sunrise. Number 327 was 4 from the end of the pier close to the reef. I had requested this, and they did everything to ensure I got my request. We were also very excited to be informed that at 8.30am in the morning our villa was ready and that we could start using the resort facilities and eat and drink at any of the restaurants and bars under our all-inclusive
The room was amazing being a sunset water villa with a pool. The Outrigger has accommodation for every budget, beach villas, beach villas with a pool, overwater villas, double story beach villas for families and the overwater villas with a pool. The villa we had is made up of three different areas that can be closed off. One area is a huge bathroom the next a bedroom with his and hers wardrobes and a mini bar and office desk area. You walk out onto a huge deck with 2 beautiful sunlounge chairs, a couch and a 2 seated dining table. Just a small tip you do not need any travel electrical converters as all my Australian electrical plugs could be plugged into their universal power points even in the bathroom. The apartment also has 2 life jackets in the room which came in handy for floating and snorkelling in the ocean. The pool is nice and refreshing in the morning but is like a warm bath by the afternoon. The room was cleaned twice a day by the wonderful Jameel who looked after us. As said in a previous review, the island has their own water purification treatment plant and the water tasted perfect. We are very particular about only drinking bottled water wherever we go as we tend to get sick from the water, but we had no problem with the water at the Outrigger. The mini bar has 4 different types of chocolate bars, soft drinks, cans of beer, a bottle of wine, apple and orange juice, Pringles, nuts, muesli bar, fruit and a biscuit dip. We were not celebrating anything while we were there, so we did not get any special bed decorations or sweet treats.
The restaurants and food along with the staff are one of the best things about the Outrigger compared to other resort. As previously mentioned, we were on an all-inclusive package so we could eat at the gallery in the morning, Edgewater Bar for lunch and any restaurant at night with all drinks included. We could also get anything from Kofee N Chill. They have recently changed what is included in the all-inclusive package. They have updated it to include a better beer and wine choice and you can eat at any restaurant including the Koto Teppanyaki and get anything from the Kofee N Chill. We found that we did not utilise this as some days we did not eat lunch as we are not big eaters. Having said this not having to worry about what everything cost made for a very restful holiday. I think we would have been happy to be on the half board plus which included drinks. This would have been sufficient as the options at the gallery were changed daily which we loved. Just remember then you miss out on experiencing the exceptional food and service at the other restaurants. You can eat at the other restaurants, but you must pay for the meal. My husband is a fussy eater and does not eat vegetables and cannot eat garlic or spicy foods. He was treated like a rock star as at every restaurant the chef would come out and speak to him about what he could have and how they would modify the meal for him. I have thought about which restaurant I liked the best and I cannot choose. We loved the breakfast at the gallery where we had our omelette’s cooked fresh. All food is made on the island including the bread. They even had a Bloody Mary table at breakfast. We particularly loved the fresh juices, fresh fruit and banana bread. There was so much choice including a southeast Asian section, an Indian/Maldivian and a Japanese section. Victoria, Shashi, Azuhur and Milo always looked after us at the gallery and Chandana made sure my husband had whatever he wanted. Thank you to you all. On our first night we ate at the gallery, and they had a fried rice noodle station with chicken and beef, and this was delicious, so I requested it again for the second night we ate at the gallery. It remained one of our favourite meals.
The Moodhu Grill was also a favourite. We loved the surf and turf with the mac and cheese side and finally I discovered the cornettos. Do yourself a favour and try one of these. They are made on the island and are delicious. We ate here 3 times. Each time the amazing head chef, Sentel, would come out and speak to us. Artisan was one of my favourites and I loved the fish dishes, the pasta and the lamb. I wasn’t a fan of the deserts here so they would either get a cornetto from the Grill or a dessert from the Kofee N Chill delivered to the Artisan for me. Nothing was ever a problem.
We were booked in to eat at Koto but chose to cancel and eat again at the Gallery, but we did eat at the Teppanyaki at Koto and it was fantastic, also one of my favourites. The beef, rice, salad, prawns, vegetables and the dessert were outstanding. It is a fun time and you get to meet other couples here.
The Edgewater Bar had some of the best staff which included Bartenders Agneesh Gihan, Chamila and staff Raffaau, Thail and Esan. I would like to sincerely thank these guys as they looked after us so well and they made us feel part of the Outrigger family. On the first day Agneesh made me a special fruit mocktail that was not on the menu, and he made sure that a mixture of it was made up and left for the other bartenders so I could have it anytime he was not on duty. Raffaau looked after us at the pool. My husband loved the cocktails. The lunch at the Edgewater was delicious especially the salads and the cheesecake but we elected not to have lunch after day 3 as with a big breakfast and cocktails from lunch and a 3 course meal at dinner we could not eat lunch. On our last day we did have lunch and again it was delicious.
A big thank you to Aminul at the Kofee N Chill. This is where I would get my daily mango gelato every afternoon as well as a dessert. Aminul is an exceptional person and every time he saw me, he was trying to convince me to have one of the desserts. My husband said the coffee was the best there. I already miss Aminul he always had a smile on his face.
The spa was very good. I had one treatment there and the lady was very skilled. I loved the spa area and make sure you arrive 30 mins prior to your treatment so you can swim in the overwater pool and use the sauna and steam room. We really enjoyed the gym which had everything we needed to work out with a wonderful view.
The main pool was so beautiful, and this was where we spent most of our days. There were always chairs available around the pool and sunbathing on the beach was so relaxing. The only thing I must mention is the strength of the UV of the sun. We live at the beach in Australia, and we only sunbathed for 30 mins a day with 50+ sunscreen on and then we would sit in the shade for the rest of the time but I found myself burning on the second day sitting in the shade and I would have to cover up and put 70+ sunscreen on which I bought from the resort shop. We loved floating in the water near our villa. The water was 29 degrees. The best snorkelling areas are at the reef near the overwater villas with pools and near the jetty. You will see black tip sharks and they mind their own business. The jetty has the best snorkelling for seeing turtles and rays.
There are many activities to do here from parasailing, snorkelling, canoeing, stand up paddleboarding, jet skiing as well as going on the many excursions. You can do as much as you want or be like us and do nothing but snorkel, swim and relax. We did take our own snorkelling masks, but you can borrow them from the resort to use for free. The only thing I would take next time are reef shoes.
Clothes to pack for the ladies are a sun dress or skirt and top for each evening, a couple of pairs of swimmers, a couple of pairs of shorts and tops, swimwear coverups, flat sandals and we call these shoes thongs, but other people might understand flip flops. Remember hats and sunscreen. We also took a set of workout clothes and a pair of runners for the gym. Men need shorts and shirt or t shirt at night. What we loved about the place was that it was very casual, and you did not feel that you were underdressed in shorts and a t shirt at dinner.
The outrigger has a little shop where you can buy sunscreen, beach bags and souvenirs. They are much cheaper than at the Male airport. Don’t be like me and take a beach bag just buy one from the shop. They are only about $15USD-$20USD.
The staff is what separates it from all the other resorts. We were always greeted by staff. The resort manager, Guillaume, told us that they have 189 staff a 1:1 ratio to those staying at the resort which can accommodate 180 people vacationing. Guillaume said that they wanted staff to be able to chat to people staying there and give that personal touch. They have a well-managed resort, and the staff appear to love their job. While we were at the Outrigger, they had 120 people staying and we were lucky to see 7 couples at any one time, it felt so peaceful. We never missed out on a table at the restaurants or pool or at lunch. They do not have a kids club so not many children were on the island when we were there. Any young children were very well behaved. It is really a peaceful resort.
Both my husband and I agree that this was the best holiday we have ever had, and we always stay at 5-star resorts. The food was perfect, the staff were amazing, the resort was paradise, and you can do as much or as little as you want. I would like to send out a special thanks to Moosa who worked away in the background to make sure our holiday was perfect. He planned everything for us and took care of any arrangements, bookings and cancellations. I cannot wait to go back and hopefully it will be next year. Thank you, Outrigger, for truly an amazing holiday a 10/10.
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Date of stay: March 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Room Tip:We loved room 327. It was in the perfect position.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Outrigger Maafushivaru, Owner at Outrigger Maldives Maafushivaru Resort
Responded Apr 9, 2024
Dear dunnes016 thankyou for your 5 star review of your holiday with us, your kind words have been shared with all teams on the island who have asked me to pass on their personal thankyou's. Your 10/10 score is well received and we thankyou for choosing outrigger maafushivaru for your holiday and we do look forward to welcoming you back in the not to distant future.
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For anyone looking to travel to the Maldives - we implore you to chose Maafushivaru for either a honeymoon or a sensational vacation!
From the moment you step off the sea plane and the boat on to the island, you are met with the most luxurious of welcomes with cold refreshments and you're introduced to the amazing staff and the lovely manager, Jean Pierre. The checking in process is simple and quick, followed by a five minute walking tour of the island and its facilities.
What hits you is the layout of the resort: You've reached a tropical paradise, which is more beautiful than advertised. The bar and pool is situated at the beachfront, overlooking crystal clear blue waters. The layout was cosy, stylish and not overcrowded. The island features its own world class spa and gym facilities, so you can relax and workout overlooking the ocean.
We stayed in the over water villa where you can access the ocean from your own private staircase. The resort is surrounded by its own reef which means amazing coral and wildlife 3 minutes swim from your door step. The villas are cleaned twice a day by extremely friendly staff - you don't even notice that they come and go - you always just walk into a clean tidy room.
The food is five star, and the quality and service while you're dining out for lunch or dinner is unlike any other. This place has everything from top quality sushi and teppanyaki, to perfectly cooked steak and freshly caught reef fish, which is all great value for money. The drinks and cocktails menu is so good, you have to spend a few nights trying them all out. The vibes around the bar is high energy yet chilled at the same time.
We personally went with the all inclusive package, which included all food and drinks, snorkeling gear, paddle boards ect., choice between a snorkeling cruise or sunset cruise and 25% off any excursions (like Manta ray, whale shark tour). Maafushivaru has its own marine biologist on site, Pippa, who goes on the tours with you, giving you a more personal experience into the wildlife, whilst keeping the conservation of the animals a big priority of the trip. Pippa and her team are excellent at spotting wildlife and know all the secret hotspots. They try their best to ensure you have a life changing experience.
We personally had the privilege of coming face to face with a five meter whale shark, and a pod of dolphins underwater, followed by a very close encounter with a pair manta rays.
All in all, the island had such an impact on us, that we wouldn't choose to go anywhere else when we go back to the Maldives.
If you, like us, are looking for a quiet, peaceful paradise, where you can drink fresh coconuts on the beach as you soak up the sun, then Maafushivaru should be your choice of destination.
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Date of stay: January 2021
Rooms
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Sheena May Abid, Marketing at Outrigger Maldives Maafushivaru Resort
Responded Jan 25, 2021
Dear Jojoseal, Sunny greetings from lti Maafushivaru! We would like to extend our heartfelt thank you for your very kind and detailed review of your recent stay with us. As a discerning international traveler, we are sure that you had many options to choose from when deciding your vacation destination especially here in the Maldives and you have chosen our humble paradise. It is most pleasing to note that our services and facilities met your expectations as it is our commitment to provide the finest in service and personal attention to all of our guests. We are glad that you enjoyed all the unique experiences, we are pretty sure that you won't forget your whale shark adventure. We will surely pass on your lovely feedback to all the team members especially to those whom you mentioned, who went above and beyond to create memorable experiences for you. It is great to have this kind of positive feedback from our guests who express their satisfaction beyond words. We do hope to have the pleasure of welcoming you back again to lti Maafushivaru in the near future.
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I don’t usually write reviews unless it’s deservesd, so here it goes. My partner and I stayed at the resort during New Years season to send 2020 packing, and what an experience we’ve had! We were lucky to have stayed for eight nights and experience everything there was on offer. From the moment you land at the island you are received with warm smiles wishing you “welcome home” which reflects during the whole stay. The nature surroundings is stunning, sharks and lots of sea life are found in the atoll. We stayed at the over water villa and had requested sunset side, upon arrival we were given the very end bridge villa ‘222’ which in our opinion turned out to be the best one for its views. The room was of course brand new, and cleaned twice daily. We requested the room to be cleaned in the evenings while we had dinner and every time we came back after an hour or two the room was impeccable, with chocolates on the bed and ready to be tucked in. The restaurants have very good food quality, the service can be very slow at times, but the resort being new and the first time they were at full capacity, it’s understandable they would still be adapting as resort have just recently opened. On a positive note the food never disappointed once served and our favourites were Moodhu Grill and Cielo. I’m sure Pierre, the manager, will pass this on a positive onto the team. The spa offers great amenities, relaxing massages and the sound of calming music with the external wave sounds is incredibly relaxing. Perhaps a signature fragrance should be considered to creat identity and atmosphere as you walk in. The water sports are great fun, tubbing was our favourite, but boy were we sore after! Any excuse for a spa moment. We’ve done a few tours and the whale shark tour was the only one that didn’t hit the mark for us, but that’s only because we didn’t actually encountered it. Of course being a wild animal they can’t guarantee, but after hours looking for it maybe a quick stop over for snorkeling on the way back would have left the tour on a higher note! The staff, as mentioned were always smiling, every person we happened to cross during our stay has greeted us. Always prompt to assist any of our needs from a simple question to waiting with towels after a drunken late night jump in the pool! I’d like to highlight Simon the DJ for its tunes and great fun, I hope you’re still playing “My house”! And Pauline at Water Bar who has impeccable English, was always attentive to our drinks, and looked after us so well during our whole stay. We had the pleasure of meeting the owner of the resort who we’d also like to say thank you for the hangover on our departure after a late night of drinks, shots, good conversations and great company! Kudos to the Maldivian munchies!
We will forever cherish the incredible memories we have created at Lti Maafushivaru and can’t recommend the resort enough. Can’t wait come back home!
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Date of stay: January 2021Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Sheena May Abid, Marketing at Outrigger Maldives Maafushivaru Resort
Responded Jan 28, 2021
Dear tavaresdi, Warm greetings from lti Maafushivaru! We very much appreciate the wonderful review you have shared to our TripAdvisor followers of your recent stay with us highlighting the comfort of your villa, dining selections, island vibes and the warmth of lti Maafushivaru staff. It is our pleasure to know that you have enjoyed every turn of your festive holiday in the island. Your compliments will surely be relayed to DJ Simon, Pauline and the entire team who made your stay more memorable and fun. We are all looking forward to welcoming you again soon for another exciting Maldives escapade! Stay well and safe. Warm regards, Sheena May Abid PR and Communications Executive On behalf of Pierre Leif Edlund Resort Manager
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The resort was recently completely repaired - renovated, using only quality components (tropical wood floors, new furniture, pool, all equipment, etc.) All food and drinks were served due to covid-19. In all restaurants there was a very helpful and friendly staff, the food, drinks and service were all first class quality, everything very tasty! The whole area was regularly very carefully maintained throughout the day. Room service was also very careful, cleaning was done twice a day, including the addition of drinks to the room, which were included. I must also highly praise the entire staff of the diving center! Throughout our stay, we literally felt like in paradise and we will be very happy to return here! Jiri , Prague CZ
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Date of stay: October 2020
Location
Service
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Response from Sindhaan Ahmed, Guest Services / Front Office at Outrigger Maldives Maafushivaru Resort
Responded Nov 10, 2020
Dear Jiri, Greetings from lti Maafushivaru, Maldives. Thank you for choosing lti Maafushivaru for your Maldives holiday. We are glad to know that you had an amazing stay with us. We hope to be able to welcome you back to our beautiful island in the near future. Best Regards, Sindhaan Mohamed (Sinnu) Assistant Manager
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We were there for 5 days with 2 teenage kids and it was our first time in Maldives. We occupied two water villas with a sunset view. Let me start with the travel experience. From the moment, we arrived at Velana International Airport, we were greeting by a guy working for the hotel and he arranged our transfer from the internal airport to the port where we took the seaplane that would fly us to the resort. While waiting for the seaplane, we were even offered free refreshments. So there was no problem at all. The moment we reach the resort, we immediately felt that warm welcome by the staff. Their rooms were spotless clean, well-equipped and with good WIFI. We had a half-board package so we had unlimited breakfast and dinner buffet and there was a good variety of food to choose from. There were plenty of activities to choose from while in the resort but it comes with a price. The corals within the resort are not that great but one can still see variety of marine life within the resort while snorkeling. It was our first time to visit Maldives so we could not compare it other resorts but judging its price point and the experience that we had, I can definitely say that you can't go wrong if you book in this resort. I also would like to express our gratitude to Frankie (manager of housekeeping) and Constanza (receptionist) for making our stay more pleasant than what it already was. Tips: The best snorkeling sites at at the edge of the atoll and the best time to do snorkeling is early in the morning when the tide is low and the current is not strong. Bring your water from the rooms during dinner time because water from the dinner buffet is not free. I don't think it is practical to opt for full board because by the time lunch comes, you would still be full from the breakfast that you had. However, you can opt for a half-board PLUS package which entitles you to get free drinks from the the bar in the afternoons.
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Date of stay: July 2021
Value
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip:If your budget allows, go for the water villa or water villa with pool with a sunset view.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Sheena May Abid, Marketing at Outrigger Maldives Maafushivaru Resort
Responded Jul 18, 2021
Dear kjvcvgh, Warm greetings from the sunny shores of your island home in the Maldives. Thank you so much for choosing lti Maafushivaru to be your first Maldives holiday destination and for taking your time to write a kind review of your stay recent stay in the island with your beautiful family. It is most pleasing to note that our services and facilities met with your expectations as it is our commitment to provide the finest in service and personal attention to all of our discerning guests. We are glad to know the whole family enjoyed their unique island experiences from the moment you set foot on the island until your departure. We'll make sure to pass your lovely feedback to Frankie, Constanza and the rest of team who went above and beyond to help create your Maldives holiday a memorable one. We all hope to see you again. Until then, stay safe and healthy. Kind regards, Sheena May Abid PR and Marketing Team
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From the moment we set foot on this atoll we were in awe! The island and the hotel itself are beautiful and a trill to your eyes on every corner. The gardens and paths are extremely well kept and luxurious, the architecture, materials used and shapes of the buildings and furniture melt with nature and all blends in perfectly. Also, the design and amenities of the luxurious villas with very generous gorgeous bathrooms are an ode to a very indulgent holiday indeed. What is a daily delight to your eyes meets, then, with a fantastic team with their maestro, Pierre, that make you fell at home. There is a lot of staff to meet your needs, but you never feel overwhelmed by their presence, they just seem to know always when and how to approach you to check on you. They are friendly without being pushy and you do feel pampered while still feeling like you are in a cosy environment. In fact, the hotel is small in terms of number of villas and since a vast part of them have private pools, you do feel like you are in a secluded deserted island sometimes, with the beach all to your self enjoyment knowing you will have your needs taken care off. Then there is the food. Oh the food! Props to the Cuisine Gallery´s chef, able to make great food everyday with international, asian and middle eastern flavors, spices and herbs that were a delight to our taste buds. Add to all of that the fantastic adjectives you think of when you think Maldives: beautiful sky colors, translucid sea, great snorkeling and white sand and you get Perfection. We thoroughly read so many reviews from so many hotels in the Maldives to make sure we would choose the right one with the intention of being once in a lifetime thing, but after coming to Lti Maafushivaru we concluded it won´t probably by once in a lifetime thing and we would return in a heart beat! Thank you Pierre and all your team! You run a Gem!
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Date of stay: May 2021
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip:Beach pool villa 103 is great, the pool is hidden from the beach but right on it. water pool...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Sheena May Abid, Marketing at Outrigger Maldives Maafushivaru Resort
Responded Jun 4, 2021
Dear joanadecq, Warm greetings from the sunny shores of your island home in the Maldives. Thank you so much for choosing lti Maafushivaru to be your Maldives holiday destination and for taking your time to write a kind review of your recent stay with us. It is most pleasing to note that our services and facilities met with your expectations as it is our commitment to provide the finest in service and personal attention to all of our guests. We are glad to know you enjoyed your unique island experiences all throughout your stay; the island vibes, staff service, dining experience, comfort of your villa and the beautiful surroundings of the island. We'll make sure to pass your lovely feedback to Pierre and the rest of team who went above and beyond to help create your Maldives holiday a memorable one. We all hope to see you again. Until then, stay safe and healthy. Kind regards, Sheena May Abid PR and Marketing Team
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First of all I want to mention that the resort is completely new. It was closed down for one year in order to renovate the whole facility and they re opened Maafushivaru in fall 2020. So some of the reviews are definitely outdated.
Everything is very high class designed and the rooms are wonderfully decorated and furnished.
We were blessed to stay in one of the water pool villas which I can highly recommend. The villa has a breathtaking view, you have your own pool, and a direct entry to go for a morning snorkeling in the ocean. The water villas are very quite and you can enjoy 100% privacy and luxury.
Talking of snorkeling. The resort is located in the south atoll, which is amazing for snorkeling and diving. We did couple of diving trips and even got to swim with mantas and whale sharks. The riffs are absolutely stunning and the resort even has a marine biologist, who takes wonderful care of the atoll and you can even help to clean the ocean once a week. I can also highly recommend to do the diving courses with Timmi and Frank, the diving instructors. They are both very warm hearted people and you will be in best hands of you want to do your diving courses.
Besides going diving, you can relax at the Spa, which is a wonderful place to enjoy with your loved one at a couple massage and a tea at the spa pool. They also have a very well equipped Gym with a motivating view of the ocean.
The resort also provides a divine variation of dining options such as Umi, an Japanese restaurant with a tepanjakki show grill, the moodhu Grill, which has a breathtaking view and ambiance and even more delicious curries. The Cielo is an Italian restaurant and bar, with a lounge area and a very well designed bar. The restaurant is located on the rooftop. Last but not least there is the main restaurant with an unbelievable buffet, full of delicious meals from all around the world. You will not only love the brunch but also the dinner. We were truly amazed about the quality and variation of the food. I also have to mention that the food and beverage management is tremendously friendly and especially neluka will make all your wishes come true.
The staff of Maafushivaru resort is one of the most warm hearted people you will ever meet. We also got the privilege to get to know the marketing team Emma and Sheena, who are both doing an outstanding job with taking care of all your needs and wishes.
I can highly recommend this resort as it is not only brand new but also a place where you could stay for weeks, enjoying the wonderful ambiance, the lovely team and delicious food and being located in one of the best diving areas of the Maledives.
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Date of stay: February 2021
Service
Room Tip:Private Water Pool Villa
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Sheena May Abid, Marketing at Outrigger Maldives Maafushivaru Resort
Responded Mar 16, 2021
Dear STW022021, Warm greetings from the sunny shores of lti Maafushivaru. In behalf of the whole management team and staff members; thank you so much for taking your time to leave a kind and very detailed review of your recent stay with us putting all idyllic island experiences in your Maldives holiday highlights. It is most pleasing to note that our services and facilities met with your expectations as it is our commitment to provide the finest in service and personal attention to all of our guests. Thank you for appreciating all the hard work we do every single day to make sure that our guests will have a memorable and unique island experiences with us especially during these pandemic times. We are happy to know that you enjoyed the comfort of your villa, dining selection, the natural beauty of the island, abundance of surrounding waters, staff service and experiences offering like diving, manta and whale shark excursions. Your compliments will surely be passed to Timmi, Franck, Niluka, Emma and the rest of the team who went above and beyond to make sure you have a memorable Maldives holiday you deserved. We are all looking forward to welcoming you back home, until then, stay safe and healthy. Kind regards, Sheena May Abid PR and Communications Executive
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It is astounding to think how Pierre and his staff can create such an effortless 5 star experience, while maintaining an environmentally friendly execution, when so very far away from everything. For me it is the attention to detail that separates the ordinary from the truly five star and in this aspect Maafushivaru excelled (Frankies housekeeping staff created ‘Happy New Year 2021’ on our bed out of tiny individual snippets of palm leaf, must have taken ages. Sinnu was a sophisticated and engaging companion).
The attentiveness and professionalism of the bar and serving staff was exceptional. They remembered very quickly what we all preferred and made insightful suggestions from the extremely extensive menu when asked (Jamie, Pauline, Joy out on the pool deck and Chara , Nilhuka and Reesham behind the bar!) while at the same time projecting a truly friendly vibe. My youngest daughter in particular (aged 16) loved them all, especially the crazy things not on the menu they could create from coffee and chocolate!
For such a small (but exclusive) island the food was of outstanding quality and surprising variety. The three individual restaurants varied between Japanese influenced Umi (they put a table on the beach for us, very good quality sashimi), Mohdu Grill (were one can dine above the sea on an individual platform, excellent wagyu beef) and Cielo (an à la carte restaurant above the main bar with an astounding view out across the pool, palm trees and beach. Excellent reef fish and tuna carpaccio). Finally the Cuisine Gallery serves a huge variety of excellently executed food, served buffet style (the word buffet here does not do it justice). All the restaurants and food are orchestrated by chef Preeti, who does an unbelievable job.
Finally I need to mention the water sports and Dive center. To swim with Manta Rays, Whale sharks, have dolphins buzz the dive boat, be face to face with a friendly black tip baby shark, all in one week is truly amazing. These snorkel safaris are hosted by Pippa and it is rather rare to have a Masters degree qualified resident Marine Biologist able to escort and educate you above and below the waves. We loved the environmental and inspirational “Understated Eco Warrior” mindset.
We will return, no question. And the New Years Eve party was outstanding.
Take the half board plus option (excellent value for money). Ask for a sunset view villa. Walk the boat dock at night with a torch to see the baby sharks Take the time early in the morning to snorkel the house reef Stay in a pool villa if you can Try one of the exotic G&Ts Watch out for the fruit bats flying overhead at sunset
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Date of stay: January 2021Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Sheena May Abid, Marketing at Outrigger Maldives Maafushivaru Resort
Responded Jan 29, 2021
Dear Baveria99, Warm greetings from lti Maafushivaru! We would like to extend our heartfelt thank you for your very kind and detailed review of your stay with us during festive season. As a discerning international traveler, we are sure that you have many options to choose from when deciding your Maldives holiday destination and you have chosen our humble paradise. It is most pleasing to note that our services and facilities met with your expectations as it is our commitment to provide the finest in service and personal attention to all of our guests. We will surely pass on your lovely feedback to all the team members especially to Mr Pierre, Frankie, Jamie, Pauline, Joy, Niluka, Reesham, Ciara, Chef Preeti, Vilu Dive and Watersports Team and Pippa who went above and beyond to create idyllic and unique island experiences for you. Thank you once again for your full recommendation of lti Maafushivaru, this kind of guest feedback always inspires us to work harder to provide only quality service and experience to our valuable guests. The whole lti Maafushivaru team is looking forward to welcoming you back home soon! Stay safe and well. Warm regards, Sheena May Abid PR and Communications Executive
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Choosing a resort to stay in the Maldives is not an easy process, several factors must be present. On the other hand, the reviews I reviewed from most of the hotels I was interested in were very good and they had TA awards, making the choice even more difficult. I was looking for a 5 star hotel, not too big (up to 80 rooms) because we don't like mass tourism and we think that big hotels in these havens are not the most suitable. I chose this hotel in a cost-benefit survey of the 5 * hotels near Dhigurah, a place to try to see the whale shark, it really was a right choice, we stayed in a fantastic water village, with a swimming pool to relax in after snorkeling during a good part of the day. We managed to take pictures, film and swim with the whale shark.
The food in the three restaurants is very good, the Dine All Inclusive system works wonderfully, with products of the highest quality, I recommend choosing this system, even if we don't drink or eat a lot as in our case. Additionally, this system offers discounts on tours.
The warmth, hospitality and affection of the people who work there is fantastic. Each employee tries to do his best, I am really grateful for each person who attended me at the hotel, I will not mention names to mention any of them, make sure that the island and the hotel that is very good are made incalculably better with your attitude, congratulations, our many, many thanks, made our 20 year wedding trip even better!
Thank you from the heart!
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Date of stay: December 2020Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Guest Relations, Guest Services / Front Office at Outrigger Maldives Maafushivaru Resort
Responded Dec 11, 2020
Dear rcbp, Warm greetings from lti Maafushivaru Maldives! Thank you very much for taking the time to share your recent stay experience with us. We are delighted to know that your stay to celebrate your 20 years wedding anniversary was wonderful and memorable. Also, thank very much for appreciating the excellent service provided by each one of our team members. Swim with whale shark in middle of Indian ocean must be one of highlight of your stay! Once again, we appreciate you taking the time to share your feedback. It was a pleasure having you stay with us for your anniversary. We all look forward to having the opportunity to welcome you back in near future. Sunny Regards, Yoojin Sim Guest Relations Team
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We have recently returned from maafushivaru celebrating our 10 year anniversary, having visited for our honeymoon.
Initially we wondered if the island could live up to our first experience 10 years ago. I have to say that it far surpassed it. The recent refurb is stunning. The aesthetics and detail of this island are perfect and the island is immaculately kept, to the point where grounds staff trimmed the grass with scissors to ensure accuracy.
If the aesthetic isn’t enough, what really makes this such a magical place are the staff! Each and every one of the staff were amazing. This is true first class service. Nothing was too much trouble and always done with a genuine smile. Even the resort manager is present and takes the time to ask how your stay is.
Having stayed in a water villa previously we decided to upgrade to a pool water villa with a sunset view (any odd number villa) and have to say that this really added to our experience, it is definitely worth the extra.
The food…. Wow the food is just first class, something for everyone with 3 a la carte restaurants (Italian, Japanese and grill) and a buffet restaurant, there is something for everyone. I had a fillet steak at the grill that was just beautiful. You do need to book the restaurant’s though. The quality of the food is beautiful and we enjoyed every meal. We opted for the dine around all inclusive that includes all meals and drinks (branded drinks) and I would say this is a must as it would be extremely expensive to pay for your meals individually. Our average food bill was around $180-200. A beer and a cocktail was approximately $30.
The island is a small island but does not, in any way feel crowded. Almost the opposite in fact. Each day there were only two or three couples on the beach.
We used the spa twice during our stay. It is not cheap (approx $300-$400 for a couple massage) but well worth it to truly help you to relax in the most perfect setting. Again this needs to be pre booked. I also used the gym. It is very well equipped with new state of the art life fitness machines.
The best compliment I could give this resort is that we really didn’t want to leave, to the point, like other reviews, it was emotional boarding the sea plane to leave!
We will definitely return in the near future.
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Date of stay: June 2022Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Outrigger Maafushivaru, Owner at Outrigger Maldives Maafushivaru Resort
Responded Jul 11, 2022
Dear Deanono9, You have warmed our hearts with your wonderful review of our property and we are truly grateful to have had you on our magical little island. It is our fortune to have welcomed you for a second time, especially on such a special occasion in your life, and we could not be more thrilled to hear that everything, from the food, the spa, the service, was beyond your expectations. We would love to have you back here, in your sunny island home in the Maldives, sometime soon again. Till then, we hope you stay safe and well. Warm Greetings, Mariyam Saraa Sales and Marketing.
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There are more places to choose from in the Maafushivaru area.
PRICE RANGE
$585 - $1,636 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
maafushivaru hotel south ari atoll, maafushivaru tclub hotel
LOCATION
MaldivesAlifu AtollSouthern Ari AtollMaafushivaru
NUMBER OF ROOMS
81
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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