Honeymoon hotel in Maldives - recommendations please?

[fuzzygel]

I am literally lost in all the different resorts - mainly because they all look amazing. Looking for something really special, I am thinking all inclusive is the way forward in order to control costs.

Budget is probably around £6k for the 2 of us (in peak season). I love the idea of a water villa but also if anyone has any idea of pros and cons of these too.

I would rather a slightly larger resort than one of the really tiny ones as like to fade into the background instead of being one of only a handful of couples.

Any suggestions very welcome - thanks!

We did Kuredu and Komandoo for our honeymoon 8 years ago. Kuredu bigger, Komandoo smaller but very private. Lovely water villas.

Also have been to Angsana which was amazing. Filitheyo - not so much.

Really depends on whether a good house reef is essential or not in terms of helping you filter. But I haven't been in 8 years so my experience is way out of date!

An very jealous. Enjoy every minute.

We've been to several all inclusive 5* resorts but the best IMHO is conrad rangali. It's two islands with a long bridge between them, one for families and one for couples only. There is an undersea restaurant which is amazing and an underground wine cellar restaurant for 10 people so really like a dinner party with a sommelier, house reef is right up to the shore with a drop off in easy reach and manta rays and whale sharks are frequent visitors. Dd1 learned to scuba dive here and dd did his rescue diver, awesome dive shop but not too diver centred. All bungalows have their own pools and the spa is divine. Didn't do the water bungalows as dd2 is too little but pictures are gorgeous. Truly luxurious feet in the sand time.

Thanks both, I was looking at Komandoo. A good house reef not essential, we're not divers, would be nice to do some snorkelling though or maybe learn to dive.

I've not heard of conrad ranhali - better continue my googling! Sounds amazing, they all sound amazing!

We went to Kurumba 23 years ago which was lovely but i believe its been upgraded since. The reef is lovely and its only a short transfer from the airport.

Baros, but I don't think it's AI.
Lilly Beach or Four Seasons are also on my wish list

Vellasaru is lovely.
We had two water villas. It has four restaurants which is a good mixture so you don't get bored. The whole island is small enough to walk around in 20 minutes but it remainsare ally private. It clearly caters for honeymoons but not on a sort of production line like ones I've seen in some hotels.

There is a rubbish island off one side of the island which people get whiney about but it's hard to see from velassaru so, whilst I was worried after reading trip advisor, it was just the usual thing where some folk like to find a reason to be cross.

The island is 25 minutes by boat direct from the airport which is really convenient. I'm not sure if it's in your price range because we had two villas and some extras but it may be worth a look. I wouldn't go if I couldn't eat a la carte. The inclusive food is great but I wouldn't want to keep eating at the same place. The snorkelling isn't bad but the coral you can reach from the beach is limited.

Thank you - I'll have a look at those. I also like the idea of being able to eat a la carte and at different restaurants although realise this will obviously bump the price up a lot!

I've been 3 times, once with a beach villa and twice with water villas. I'd opt for the latter every time - it's amazing to have your own terrace and steps into the sea.

My favourite of the three I have stayed at is Lux. The only downside is that the snorkelling around the resort isn't great compared to other places, but they offer free boat snorkelling trips daily. Plus it is in a great area for whale shark spotting (we went there on a dive but they do snorkelling trips too). We were lucky enough to see one on one of our two trips out that way and it was amazing. We also saw turtles, rays and mantas, as well as loads of pretty tropical fish.

Lux requires a sea plane journey, so consider that if you are in any way a nervous flyer.

We never go AI as we are not big eaters and mr euro hardly drinks, so it doesn't really work out for us. The restaurants do tend to be ruinously expensive though - you are a captive audience on the island - so make sure you budget for that.

Hm Vellasaru looks fabulous and is in price range if we stay in a cheaper room type.

I wonder whether it would be better to have a better room and lesser resort, or whether we should compromise on the room type and have a better resort.

Argh I don't think I'm ever going to be able to decide.

IME of long haul I'd do a lesser room in a smarter resort.
Often honeymooners get extra treats.
What a lovely dilemma.

We read a lot on trip advisor and went for beach rather than water villas because
1/ non-windy side of Island
2/ spaced out further apart with lush trees in between so you looked out onto your own little private strip of a beach and you really did feel you were alone (the loungers were all set back so when you got to the water you could see rest of people but when you were on lounger, you couldn't see neighbours)

3/ air con. The ocean villas are packed close together so you don't have the privacy and hear/see each other more and you always hear the noisy air con of your neighbours when you're outside on your balcony

4/ on our particular island, the sea plane landed on side with ocean villas, so that's at least 4 times a day (land and take off). Those things are noisy.

We spent our honeymoon on Cocoa Island - absolute bliss. If you want a larger resort look at the Hilton Iru Fushi, which is also very nice but much bigger than Cocoa.

Forgot to add, we went to Medhufushi because we both dive. That said, we were both a bit spoilt by previous (obv different dives) in the Red Sea and had hoped to see more fish than we did. In retrospect, I had more fun snorkelling around the shallow waters with my new waterproof camera, snapping pictures of baby fish.

We went to Meeru and stayed in a water villa, it was amazing, I would really recommend it.

Me and DH went last year to Centara Grand Island Resort and Spa (www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g2136149-d1576423-Reviews-Centara_Grand_Island_Resort_Spa_Maldives-Centara_Grand_Island.html)

It's all inclusive, we were quite lucky to be one of the last few on their old gold package so we both got an hour each daily spa treatment. In general though it was amazing and I would highly recommend it. We stayed in their sunset water villa's and it was beautiful to see the sun rising and setting every day.

The only issue I see is your budget, It was just over double what you are asking for the two of us (two weeks) including flights in peak season. I think you may have to compromise on either the amount of time you are out there (you haven't said whether thats for two or one week?).

Or the villa type, going out of season or don't go all inclusive as you can get some other lovely resorts but I don't know whether they work out as more expensive.

Ours totalled 4-4.5k in November, all inclusive, economy with BA, local flights, ordered cocktails regularly and a bottle of wine every evening (alcohol v expensive and you can't bring it with you), 2 week stay. For 6k, you should be able to afford a water villa in a 4 star.

Pint of wine, November isn't peak season so I expect that's why you got such a good price. The prices pretty much double from Dec - March. They then double again if you go in Feb or March as it's the dryest months.

I would say lily beach. We love it and have been 5 times. The all inclusive package is second to none ( a 70 bottle wine list, any drink known to man and fantastic chefs and staff). I can honestly say I would never go anywhere else if we could afford to. If not Lily beach, I would say veligandoo, athuruga or thudufushi.

We stayed in a water bungalow at Soneva Gili - it was spectacular in every way (only thing was sort of 'staring' into blackness at night and feeling a little spooked and the lapping of the water right underneath!) apart from that it was incredible/huge/luxurious/friendly... Also did Kanu Huraa - not as honeymooney as Soneva but still amazing.... And Reethi Rah - huge beach bungalow - all beautiful but too poncetastic/cooool for us - all very chic but no atmosphere....

If you haven't decided yet, go to Trip Advisor Maldives Forum where you will get lots of detailed, helpful and friendly advice.

we went to Kuredu in February. Absolutely lovely, couldn't fault it - loved that our villa had an outdoor bathroom and that we didn't wear shoes for 2 weeks!
We took the seaplane as well - the boat transfer took ages and ages - and would definitely recommend that, you get the most amazing views of the islands.

I'm still here and still looking!

The budget of £6k ish is just for a week, and we're probably looking at February or march.

I honestly love the look of them all. I have definitely set on the idea of a water villa, and I need cocktails to be included in the all inclusive. That's as far as I've got on my definite requirements!

We did a crusoe villa on soneva gili - absolute bliss!!!

The Maldives is the most amazing beautiful place. When you talk to people who have been they get a dreamy look in their eyes and tell you it's the best place in the world.

When you go you will understand why, it's breathtaking.

I have been twice. It's bliss.

I prefer the beach bungalows as they are more private and you are under the tree canopy. You have your own bit of beach and it's magical. The spas are amazing and really good. I say that as someone who has been in the spa industry for 20+ years.

The seaplanes are not for nervous fliers. They are very noisy and tiny. The pilot will be barefoot and you sit behind them watching them fly. It's an amazing expericence.

Enjoy every second.

We had 3 nights in Dubai then a week on Soneva Gili. All water bungalows. Beautiful. Emirates are a really good airline and breaking your journey in Dubai makes sense financially too.