First of all, I would like to say “thank you” to each staff member. This was a couple's memorial trip. Excellent restaurant, wonderful view. Villa, seaside, underwater, every point of view, amazing! Great! A paradise like heaven. The quality of the staff ensured a comfortable stay in all aspects of the stay. We strongly recommend this resort to you. We would like to be back again in the future.
We have just returned from our honeymoon on the paradise island of Kandolhu, and we honestly could not recommend it more!
The views were so beautiful it was like a postcard, the food was the most delicious and fresh that I’ve ever tasted, the room was stunning with a sunset view and the facilities were first class (wine fridge in your room, go pros, I-pads and snorkelling gear all included!)
The aspect that by far made our stay so special was the wonderful people. The staff are there to greet you from the moment you step off of the speed boat and to wave you off when you leave. They all know your name and are so friendly and helpful - nothing is too much trouble. A special thank you to Vita, Estella and Elvira for making us feel like celebrities and looking after us so well.
As we were on our honeymoon we were given lots of extras, such being upgraded from full board to all inclusive, receiving a free massage each, having a custom made 5-course private-dining experience on a candlelit beach, and a free sunset cruise with champagne and canapés. It was also my husbands birthday whilst we were there and they surprised him with a freshly-made cake, candles and a card signed by all of the staff. Such a personal touch!
The excursions from the island are incredible. We went scuba diving with the most patient guide and on a sunset cruise where we saw sharks! A special thank you to Morgan who took us snorkelling with Manta Rays - which was the most wonderful experience of our lives! It was a really special day and Morgan went above and beyond to ensure we had some wonderful memories to take away with us.
If you are a nature lover like us, then Kandolhu is perfect for you. As well as getting to swim with giant manta rays, we swam with hawksbill turtles, eagle rays, reef sharks, moray eels, puffer fish and hundreds of colourful tropical fish (we even found Nemo and Dory!). We also saw dolphins jumping past whilst eating breakfast and lots of 6ft nurse sharks whilst out on a cruise.
There are so many amazing places in the world that I’ve always said that I would never go back to the same place twice until I had seen everything. But Kandolhu has changed my mind and I am going to start saving immediately so that we can return to the same island one day for an anniversary!
Thank you so so much - hope to see you again soon!
Carly & Sean
Absolutely amazing resort! We went for our honeymoon and stayed for 7 nights in a water pool villa. The mini bar is superb with an excellent selection of wines, beer, champagne and snacks and is restocked daily. From arrival the staff cannot do enough, very personal service. Food is unbelievable, every restaurant serves excellent food with great choices. We had a champagne dinner on the beach and the chef prepares a tasting menu which he discusses with you beforehand. Ata Roa tacos are fantastic! The staff are all so friendly, and work so hard to make your time there unforgettable. The spa was lovely too, great treatments. Best resort we have stayed in, and can not recommend enough. Thank you Kandolhu, we love you!
Okay, where do I begin? This was our 4th trip to the Maldives and each time we are blown away by the sheer beauty of all it has to offer. Kandolhu was our first time visit and we were so pleased with the reception and staff even before we arrived. The service through emails with Hassin was impeccable. He was thorough and quick to answer all our requests with clear detail. After we arrived by seaplane, we were received by Marina who greeted us at the dock for a short boat trip to the island. With a welcoming reception, we were shown around the island and made to feel comfortable. Our room was an ocean pool villa with just steps to the underwater marine life, which is why we chose to stay at this resort. The reefs like most in the Maldives are becoming bleached away but the fish were still abundant. I especially enjoyed the turtles, who are not intimidated by people and allow you to get fairly close.
I highly recommend the Ultimate Inclusion offer as you never need to think twice about the cost of food and drink. Also, you have unlimited amounts of wine and spirits in your fridge to indulge.
A special thanks to Frandi the head waiter, Estella & Elvira, our lovely girls in the restaurants, so professional and kind to always remember your name and what preferences you like, and Jairo an amazing chef at the Mexican Hut. We so enjoyed his tacos! You could eat each day in a different restaurant, and take away a special culinary experience. So nice when staying a week to have interesting choices.
Special thanks again to Mae, who seamlessly handles any requests with ease. The unfortunate part was that we both came down with a bad case of bronchitis and Saeed saw to it that we see a doctor on another island, a boat trip away. Now home, we are slowly recuperating and reflecting on our memorable resort time at Kandolhu. We would not hesitate to book again!
Our first visit to Kandolhu but won't be the last. This island has been on my hit list for a while and we combined a trip here for 5 days with 7 days to Kuramathi,
We found the whole experience very relaxing and peaceful which was the whole intention following a hectic 18 months at home. We very much like the feel of the island, it felt intimate and personal with just the right approach from staff. The island was not full (low season) so the feeling of peace was enhanced by this. At times we felt like the whole island was empty except for us. Bliss!
We particularly like the small things like the ipad in the rooms and the use of the GoPro camera for snorkelling. Fresh water in lovely glass bottles was everywhere and we felt that staff were keen to unobtrusively make sure guests remained hydrated. Especially important given the high temp and humidity.
We fed back that we missed a water bowl near the front door of the villa to wash our feet and keep the floor free of sand and one immediately appeared for us. Plus extra cushions for our lounger. All the evidence points to an island that listens to guests and welcomes feedback.
We enjoyed all our food, which was of high standard, the meat and fish were delicious. The Japanese cooking show was fun and I had some great sushi. And regretted that we only visited the Olive once as the food was wonderful on the one meal we took there. We aren't big drinkers but managed quite a few delicious cocktails and enjoyed the ambiance of the bar area and the flame torches lit at night.
We were really lucky with the weather - it was exceptionally calm and windless which made for easy snorkelling, and we ended up getting somewhat blase about the number of turtles we were seeing on each swim. We were fortunate to see dolphins a couple of times, once out in the channel and one on the sunset cruise swimming under the boat - always a thrill!!
We stayed in the beach villa - and checked out the other accommodation whilst we were there (thinking of future visits!!) . The BV was fine for us - nice and private loungers, ocean a few steps away. Comfy day bed. I got a bit bitten by mossies initially - I nearly always do, hubby never! - annoying but antihistamines and a bit of jungle balm do the trick.
The transfer to Kuramathi was seamless - my hubby was particularly impressed with the accurate time keeping of everyone. We were worried we might have to go via Male but in the end we direct island transfer - took about 25 mins I think.
Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed our stay - the perfect way to unwind and get into Maldive holiday mode. We think it may have just gone to the top of our favourite Maldivian holiday island.....
