My (now!) fiancé and I had the most amazing stay at Le Meridien. Such a beautiful and well-kept resort that doesn’t miss any details. I also appreciate the care staff had for both guests and the marine life. In particular, we want to shout out several outstanding staff that went above & beyond for us! Sanal at Waves, Hifaz at Velaa, and Mifu, Nutte, and Miste at Water Sports. We also had a fantastic photographer during our photoshoot as well. Thank you all, and we’ll be back very soon!
Stephanie McAllister
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From start to finish, everything was absolutely incredible. The staff went above and beyond to make our trip truly special.
Even before we arrived, the resort was extremely helpful and excellent at communicating via email to answer all of our questions. They reached out right after we booked to introduce themselves and let us know what information they would need before our arrival (we booked months in advance). They even sent us various PDFs with details about the different food packages, spa options and pricing, as well as activities.
The Staff: There were so many staff members who went above and beyond... I wish I knew all of their names to give them a shout out, but here are a few. Migu and Absam were our hosts. Absam, who was in training, did an absolutely AMAZING job and went out of his way to make our stay extra special. We can't thank him enough! Both of them were wonderful. Robin, the GM at Velaa, was simply spectacular. He made sure to chat with each guest every day and ensured that everyone had an amazing experience. Dodi, the bartender at Riviera bar in the adults-only pool, was fantastic. We had so many enjoyable afternoons chatting with him and his passion for creating delicious drinks was evident. We spent a lot of time lounging by the adults-only pool/bar. Afzal, the personal trainer at the gym, was awesome. Despite it being the rainy season and the resort not being very busy, he still held his classes every morning at 8am. Sometimes I was the only one in the class, but he always gave 100% and provided a great workout. He mixed things up every day, which I really enjoyed (and I'm also a personal trainer, so double kudos to him!). Our Balinese Massages from Tashi and Rinchen were so good that we booked a second one before leaving! I usually get a massage every month and have my favorite masseuse, but Tashi gave me one of the best massages I've ever had! We were also fortunate enough to spend some time with the head chef of the resort, AsAf, who has done an incredible job. The staff at the restaurants were also incredibly kind, warm, and welcoming at each meal. From the restaurant staff to the lifeguards, the buggy drivers, and everyone else... everyone always greeted us with a smile and a hello. They were all so genuine and kind. Many of them even remembered our names when we returned. It was truly impressive.
Seaplane: The round trip cost was $515 per person. The lounge was really nice and we were able to use it both when we departed and when we returned. They had a representative to assist us throughout the entire process. It did get quite warm in the lounge though, as there was no AC. They also weighed our bags and we had to pay an extra $68 for exceeding the weight limit.
Amenities: The amenities were absolutely amazing. The gym was a standout feature and was incredibly nice. We also enjoyed the free activities such as gym classes, paddle boarding, kayaking, and snorkeling. Snorkeling was particularly amazing as the water was so clear. We also took part in a paid activity, the sunset dolphin cruise, which was really cool. We got to see spinner dolphins, although the water could get quite rough.
Spa: The spa was a beautiful space. Each massage room was like its own overwater bungalow and you could even see the fish while lying face down during the massage. I saw so many!
Food/Hospitality: The food and hospitality were truly excellent. The resort had its own greenhouse, which is quite rare in the Maldives (only 1 of 4 resorts has this). Apart from a few minor issues with cooking temperatures, we enjoyed everything. At times, the pace of the meals felt a bit slow (especially after 6 days), but we understood that it was island time. Sometimes the food courses would arrive before our requested drinks, but the staff was always gracious and tried their best to accommodate us. We highly recommend opting for the All Inclusive package, as it is definitely worth it, especially when considering the prices of the à la carte options.
There were so many moments of truly amazing hospitality, like when they found out we were feeling dehydrated and brought us special water to help us. Or when the lemon tarts were sold out for the day, but they came over during dinner that night to let us know that some were available and even offered to send us home with one. One of the highlights of our trip was when Absam surprised us with a private sunset beach moment. It was truly unforgettable.
Overall, thanks to the staff, we would rate our experience a perfect 10/10. The views and our sunset overwater bungalow (which offered a more private view than the sunrise) were absolutely unforgettable.