When people speak of the Maldives, the first thought that comes to mind is that it must be an extremely expensive destination. However, sometimes it isn’t true, and we collected five fabulous resorts that won’t cost you a fortune. Get ready for your luxurious tropical adventure!
Brennia Kottefaru Maldives 5*
The hotel is set on the islands of Raa Atoll, and its territory, a secluded island of Kottefaru, features a 360º beach, a turquoise lagoon, and a reef teeming with diverse marine creatures. The island can be reached either by seaplane from Male International Airport (40 minutes) or by plane to Ifuru Airport (20 minutes), followed by a 20-minute speedboat ride. The great feature of Brennia Kottefaru is the possibility of seeing mantas dwelling in Raa Atoll throughout the year. The resort’s territory has multiple diving sites, allowing you to encounter Maldives’ stunning marine flora and fauna.
Accommodation options include one villa placing two adults, six villas placing two adults and 2 children, and a villa placing up to six adults.
The resort offers various dining options: an international buffet, Lime, an a-la-carte Asian fusion restaurant, Manta, and a grill restaurant, Sunset. There are also three bars to choose from: La Pella, a lounge area at the poolside, a sports bar on the beach, and an exquisite wine cellar. Moreover, the resort offers several meal plans: bed and breakfast, half-board, full-board, all-inclusive, and the Brennia Premium Package, including bonuses and activities.
Of course, a Maldivian resort cannot do without a spa, and Brennia is no exception: its spa has 18 treatment rooms. You can go to the hotel’s gym or participate in yoga classes if you prefer activity to relaxation.
Brennia Kottefaru offers its guests different tropical entertainment options: snorkelling safari, dolphin cruise, local island discovery (in Meedhoo), big game fishing, island escape picnic, water sports such as jet skiing, catamaran sailing, wakeboarding, fun-tubing, sofa riding, parasailing, water skiing, kayaking, etc., and diving in a 5-star training centre.
Cinnamon Velifushi Maldives 5*
Sri Lanka’s largest hotel chain, Cinnamon, specialises in nature- and culture-based destination travel. It even bases over 35 humanitarian and conservation projects on the needs of its destinations.
The luxury resort 25 minutes away from Male features several types of accommodation: superior beach lofts, beach bungalows, water bungalows (built over shallow water), and sunset water bungalows with jacuzzi.
Dining is represented by two restaurants, three bars, and a lounge. Fen Bar is a la carte international all-day dining; Iru Kitchen & Bar is a signature speciality restaurant serving international cuisine; Vah Lounge, set above the main restaurant, offers amazing views of calm waters with gentle waves licking the island’s beaches; Vah Global Dining is the main restaurant serving a buffet of international cuisine. Dining packages include either All Inclusive or Premium All Inclusive (featuring excursions, spa treatments, etc.).
Mandara Spa, perched above crystal clear water, specialises in Balinese treatments and offers a range of soothing rituals, such as lime baths or warm stone massages.
Activities offered by Cinnamon Velifushi are diving, snorkelling, a full-day island getaway for couples (on a private island); half-day island exploration for groups (including snorkelling and a barbecue lunch), dolphin watching in their natural habitat; visiting a local village (plus a fish market); sunset cruise; a ride to a private sandbank (featuring a picnic); indoor (billiards, table tennis, mini gym) and outdoor sports (volleyball, tennis, futsal); canoeing through Vaavu Atoll; and sunset fishing from a traditional Dhoni boat (with your catch cooked on the following day).
Furaveri Maldives 5*
furaveri.com/villas/ocean-pool-villa
Furaveri has an extensive territory spanning over 23 hectares of lush vegetation and a sandy white beach. The number of villas is also impressive: 169, from garden villas to ocean pool villas and two-bedroom residences. Dining options include six restaurants serving international cuisines and a beach bar. The territory has a scuba diving and watersports centre, Maldives’ first wellness village, and three pools, including two pools for kids.
The resort offers signature dining experiences like Destination Dining, Malaafaiy, Maldivian Friday, traditional Maldivian meals, and cooking classes. The restaurants are Jaafaiy, the main restaurant located next to the bar and pool, serving buffet-themed meals; Raiyvilla, a signature a la carte Asian-fusion restaurant set on the western tip of the island; nature-inspired rustic Amigos on the edge of the reef offers Mexican dishes and fusion cocktails; Ocean Spice is a beachside Indian vegetarian cafe; Teppan de Oshi is a griddle station serving sushi, sashimi, and tropical cocktails; Olives & Vines is a Mediterranean-inspired restaurant providing panoramic vistas and a wedding pavilion in the place where the house reef meets the deep ocean; Udhares Bar is a poolside lounge hosting night entertainment. Meal plans provided in Furaveri are Breakfast only, Half board, Full board, and Island-Wide Premium All-Inclusive.
Wellness Village is a one-of-a-kind spa built around a concept of a local village exercising traditional Asian holistic health care, which creates balance of body, mind, and spirit. Wellness Village provides the following procedures: beauty salon, spa, yoga, hydrotherapy, fitness centre, tennis and badminton. It uses a line of self-manufactured products which are organic, made of homegrown ingredients, and contain no chemicals; all of them are free for Furaveri’s guests.
The resort concept is «one island, many memories», and it indeed does everything to live up to this idea, providing such activities as water sports (jet skiing, catamaran sailing, parasailing, sea bob, fun tube ride, banana ride, water skiing, wake & knee boarding, windsurfing, glass kayak ride, stand up paddle & kayaking, and underwater photography sessions), scuba diving (including a children’s option), floating breakfast, water hammock, fire show, sandbank excursion, mesmerising sunset excursion, beach dinner, etc.
Joy Island 5*
Situated in North Male Atoll, in the vicinity of Velana International Airport (a 40-minute boat ride), Joy Island features 151 villas on the beach and in the lagoon. 60 of them are built overwater and offer wonderful views of the Indian Ocean; 91 are set on the beach surrounded by tropical vegetation. Accommodation types are divided into 40 50 sqm beach villas, 20 70 sqm beach suites, 20 100 sqm family beach villas, 10 100 sqm beach suites with pool, 40 60 sqm lagoon villas, 9 70 sqm lagoon suites, 10 100 sqm lagoon suites with pool, one 300 sqm beach residence, and one 280 sqm lagoon residence. The choice is yours!
Dining options are represented by three restaurants (The Market, Palm Beach, and Il Basilico) and a bar (Rainbow Bar). The Market serves different world cuisines in the food truck format. Il Basilico is an Italian Riviera haven cooking famous dishes such as pizza and tiramisu. Palm Beach, set on the island tip, is a blend of a restaurant and a bar serving Spanish dishes and barbecue. Rainbow Bar, located on the beach next to the swimming pool, offers a wide array of refreshing beverages.
Oasis Spa offers a fusion of the best Eastern and Western traditions to rejuvenate mind, body, and spirit. Some of the therapies are aromatherapy, couple massage, hot stone massage, Balinese massage, etc. It is also possible to choose a Spa & Dine package to enjoy both spa relaxation and a curated dining experience.
Entertainment options available at Joy Island are sports and diving; fitness centre with views of the ocean; wedding ceremonies; Kiddle Cove, a kid’s club for ages 3 to 12; padel and tennis; photoshoots over breathtaking scenery; and excursions, such as sunset dolphin cruise, local island tour (with a visit to an authentic Maldivian home), sunset fishing (traditional bottom-line fishing method), big game fishing (with your catch cooked), hand line fishing, and full moon cruise (on a traditional Maldivian Dhoni).
Kandima Maldives 5*
kandima.com/en/honeymoon/embark-on-a-journey-of-love-at-kandima-maldives
The resort is positioned on a 3-km island with a large natural lagoon in the magnificent Dhaalu Atoll, close to Velana International Airport. The trip consists of either a 40-minute boat ride or a 20-minute seaplane flight followed by a boat ride.
Kandima has 270 stylishly designed villas and studios, ten dining venues, and various activities to every taste, making it the «ultimate playground in paradise». Children are welcomed in the resort, which offers one of the largest kids’ clubs in the Maldives, Kandiland, which even has its own water play zone. In fact, there are diverse options for all kinds of travellers: families, couples, groups of friends, and honeymooners. Another feature Kandima is proud of is one of the largest pools in the Maldives, 100 m long.
Accommodation options include several room types: beach & sky studio; 2-bedroom family sky suite, connected with a lounge area; beach villa with swirl pool; sunset beach pool villa with swirl pool (with a private pool); aqua villa with direct access to the lagoon, and a private sundeck; aqua villa with swirl pool, featuring a private sundeck with a jacuzzi; ocean pool villa (semi-beach and semi-overwater, with a private pool); and sunset aqua pool suite at the tip of the jetty, featuring an infinity pool and a private overwater deck.
Dining options make guests spoilt for choice: Sea Dragon is a signature Far East-themed restaurant, great for meat and seafood lovers; Azure, located on the beach, offers an array of Mediterranean delicacies, including seafood and exquisite wines; it also has an extensive garden area; Flavour Zest is a contemporary dining hall having five cooking stations and combining different cuisines; Aroma Cafe is perched over a natural lake and serves speciality coffee sourced from Ethiopia and Indonesia; it also hosts painting and crafts classes; Forbidden Bar adjoins Sea Dragon restaurant and follows its theme of Far East dining and modern bar with an Asian twist; this adult-only bar is accessible through a psychedelic tunnel and hosts DJ sets; Smoked is a grill house with an open kitchen, mixing indoor and outdoor seating options, offering beachside dining. Every week, Kandima invites live bands and DJs to entertain Breeze Pool Bar and Beach Club visitors. These two bars also host awesome pool parties. Moreover, Kandima’s guests have a fantastic opportunity to order from Deli Food Boutique via their K’App and get it delivered to their doorstep. Note that all the eateries at Kantima offer kids’ menus.
The spa is also available. An award-winning esKape Spa set in the tropical forest provides resort guests with detachment, distraction, and relaxation. A steam room, plunge pool, exfoliation, and healing therapies—you’re in for a treat! And yes, this spa also provides treatment for children and teenagers.
At Aquaholics Dive and Water Sports Centre, many exciting activities are available, like certified dive courses, parasailing, windsurfing, jet skiing, sea bobbing, night fishing trips, big game fishing, turtle quests, sunset cruises, and much more. Fitness options are also aplenty, with cardio blast and aerial yoga, to name a few. Kandima even has a unique feature — a KULA art studio, where guests can unleash their inner artist guided by a Maldivian resident artist. The resort also features a great number of cool events, such as the KULA art festival, pool parties, beach games, fitness events, and so on. Daily, from 9 to 11 AM and from 2 to 4 PM, Kandima organises snorkelling excursions, six of which are complimentary. During the excursion, you can observe everything the Maldives’ underwater world can offer: an array of colourful fish and other marine creatures, diverse corals, and the house reef.
So, have you been inspired by those five lovely Maldivian resorts? Then, the next step is to plan a trip and book accommodation. You can do the latter in the new hotel price aggregator hotelin.com, which allows you to see all the price options collected from various booking platforms and pick the cheapest one. Hotelin.com also features multiple filters, which help you in the search process, making it most customisable and convenient. Go ahead and try it! We wish you an unforgettable trip to the sunny Maldives!
