Kandolhu Maldives

Very overpriced resort. Pool villas are absurdly overpriced and need of renovation desperately. The pools have fallen mosaic tiles. Very shabby. Choose Halaveli resort, there are super luxurious villas in perfect condition and you get super quality for a much lower price. Kandolh is not what it used to be. It is totally overpriced and you can see that the company is not investing money in renovations.

This review is very, very overdue but I spent six nights at Kandolhu in March 2024. I booked the resort looking for outstanding snorkeling, a super quiet and naturally beautiful island, and excellent food/bungalows (yep, I was looking for it all). Overall, I was thrilled with my stay and look forward to returning, although I would book a bungalow other than the beach bungalow in the future. SNORKELING Yes! This island absolutely lives up to its reputation as having one of the best house reefs in the Maldives. There are two very easy access points from the jetties, with stairs so that you can just sit and then slide into the water; the arrival jetty also had a case of towels for you to use when you got out. Honestly, even if I had gone no further ever than the arrival jetty, I would have been thrilled. There were large schools of bait fish, nurse sharks, black tip sharks, and turtles right there. In fact, the very first morning when I got in, I swam maybe fifteen feet out from the steps in and a large nurse shark headed directly under me for the shade of the arrival pier. Being a solo snorkeler who is not the most physically fit of human beings, I mostly snorkeled between the arrival and service jetties; I did do the snorkel-around-the-island that is included with the Premium AI package and we snorkeled about 80% of the island, which was fabulous (unfortunately I couldn’t quite make it around the point due to the current and my physical abilities). There are so many anemones, beautiful coral formations, and sharks. Multiple times I saw lion fish underneath the service jetty, which also has the most gorgeous coral formations right by the step into the ocean. This is definitely a place where you did not have to be an Olympic-caliber swimmer to enjoy the snorkeling. An unexpected bonus, for me, was that when it was low tide, walking around the water’s edge was like looking into an aquarium. Just be aware that there can be currents at certain times of day, particularly on the “points”—and if it gets too strong, just turn around and you will go flying back to multiple exit points. THE ISLAND Kandolhu is a super pretty island. I was able to walk around it by the beach if I timed it correctly with the tides in about 10-12 minutes at a slow pace. It’s not big, but it is beautiful. The interior is lush and jungle-like. There are loads of herons, crabs, and juvenile sharks in the shallows. They strongly encourage you to ditch your shoes on arrival, and the sand here is very conducive to that. I encountered no mosquitoes, although there was an overly friendly millipede in my outdoor shower that simply refused to believe that I did not wish to be friends, nor did I want it to crawl up my leg. BEACH VILLA I booked and received a beach villa (111). The bungalow has a truly comfortable outdoor seating area that is covered and has a partial sea view; there is really no additional seating area inside other than the bed (there is a desk chair but I’m a lounger s

If you prefer smaller unpretentious resorts (but still luxurious!), where you are made part of the family, and enjoy scuba in tiny groups then consider Kandolhu, on North Ari atoll, run by a French & German speaking Swiss couple. The scuba (SSI) is run by an adorable German-Italian couple efficient and passionate about the underwater world!

What can I say? I've waited 20 years (of marriage) to celebrate an anniversary in the Maldives and - after extensive research - we chose Kandolhu. I can't image a better place to be with your loved on. The island is small and intimate with way more dining options that you would think was viable on such a small island. We didn't have a bad meal and many of them were absolutely incredible - especially for an All Inclusive! As others have mentioned with wine fridge was fabulous and mini-bar had some lovely snack options. The staff absolutely make this resort, they are just so friendly - Elvira, Maan, Sharif and Zinadh in the restaurants as well as others who's names I have, sadly, forgotten were incredible also. I can't imagine an island that gives a better "maldives" experience than this one - book with confidence if you're thinking about visiting.

Wow! Best holiday ever! Did nothing for 10 days except relax, snorkel and eat wonderful food. From being met at the jetty on arrival by the management team of Guillaume and Monika, to waving (and crying!!) goodbye it was a fantastic experience. Estela gave us such a warm welcome every morning and evening at The Market - she certainly enjoys some friendly banter. Elvira greets you by name every day and always has a happy smile on her face. Irushad looked after us and our villa extremely well whilst Zinahd was excellent serving our meals and looking after us on our sunset cruise. The guys in Banzai were great fun and the chef in the Sea Grill cooked wonderful Indian food. Kandolhu from the air looks like a heart and we definitely left ours there!

This was our first time in Maldives and it was absolutely amazing. From the moment we arrived we were made to feel so welcome and very well looked after. The staff quickly learn your names and preferences without being intrusive. Food was really good. Lots of choice, lots of fresh fish, good portions sizes - we were never hungry! Staff were very attentive, Special thanks to Elvira who looked after us really well in the restaurants, although all staff were so friendly and always asked how our day was going. The bar was excellent with an extensive cocktail list and if it wasn’t on the menu they’d make it for you. Really nice nibbles served every evening with our drinks, and if you went after dinner they’d bring cooling flannels which was fab. Managers Monika and G were highly visible and one or both was in the bar every evening. My husband particularly enjoyed finding out how such a small island operates and manages water and electricity! Housekeeping and turndown service we really good, they quickly got to know when you went for breakfast and dinner and your room was cleaned accordingly. It was a very unobtrusive service. We were visiting for a special birthday and on our last evening our bed was decorated and I received a card and cake. Such a lovely touch. The snorkelling was incredible, we saw an array of fish, rays, turtles and sharks. The guys at the water sports centre were really helpful. My husband wanted to wakeboard but the boat was awaiting a part. As soon as the part arrived on the island they quickly fixed the boat so that he could go out. The island is small and you definitely have that desert island feel. It was a truly magical experience, I can only assume that the reviewer below has visited a totally different island. We have travelled extensively and stayed in some world class hotels, Kandolhu is up there with the best.

Sad to say, this did not reach the levels expected ( and could be demanded at this price level) Plus points. The Beach villa is very good indeed, well appointed and generally well serviced. #110 is in a very good position on the small island with plenty of sand in front of it. Some villas are not so lucky and sand is washed out by the erosion. Food - The breakfast buffet never changes for the entire stay. Same cheeses, same meat, no salmon or smoked fish at all. Only the flavour of muffin varies. One day I wanted smoked salmon so I ordered the salmon bagel from the chilled section of the menu. The salmon was hot, clearly having been microwaved, and the bagel was so hard as to be inedible. How can this be allowed to leave a 5 star kitchen? The whole thing was left uneaten. No comment or apology received. Portions are really small. My wife had pasta one night and it was smaller than you would expect on a kiddies menu. I had sliders and there were 2 tiny things. 2 small bites and gone. Bar cocktails are good but despites the high cost no nuts or anything is served with them. This is expected in any 3 star hotel. When I asked for some nuts I was told that they would try to find some! We caught a fish on our fishing trip and asked for it to be grilled for the following day lunch. We sat for a full hour waiting with no service and no explanation or apology. We were on the point of leaving when it finally arrived. Tables remain uncleared for very long periods. Often at breakfast we sat with our empty plates in front of us for at least 45 minutes. Staff go past but don't do what would be expected. Champagne is available at breakfast which is something we enjoy. Say more often than not it sits on the bar for so long before it's brought to the table, that it finally arrives very warm and not pleasant. Great way to turn a positive into a negative. On more than one occasion I ordered a drink that never arrived having simply been forgotten. It is mentioned that they have 30 different wines on offer but only two mediocre by glass. Staff - A big thank you to Elvira and Estella who were really great and helped us forgive many issues. Otherwise service was at best random and often unprofessional. Nobody smiled and ever asked how is the holiday going. Diving centre staff were miserable all the time and when we returned the snorkelling gear again not one question if we enjoyed it or not. We were simply asked to repeat our room number. Special dinners - We were only notified of one such dinner in advance, which we attended and enjoyed. All other times we arrived for dinner to be asked if we were reserved for the special menu, to which we replied that we knew nothing about it. We were told that the information was available on the iPad in our room but we searched and could not find it (the information, not the iPad). Eventually I found it by chance under the "Island Pursuits" icon. Silly me was looking under "wine and dine" ! We returned from our fishing trip