One&Only Reethi Rah

The resort used to be amazing but is now getting tired although still maybe the best island / beaches etc. The big let down was the food. Really very poor considering the price. The breakfast buffet seemed extensive but in reality there was not that much choice & the quality was just awful. I've been to many Maldive resorts & this has the best island but by far the worst food.

Our overall experience at the resort left us with mixed feelings. While the setting is beautiful and the breakfast was generally enjoyable, there were several aspects that fell short of our expectations for a luxury resort. Firstly, the quality of the sand near the villa was disappointing; it felt rough and prickly, which detracted from the beach experience. Additionally, the service from our initial butler was not up to par compared to other Maldivian resorts we’ve visited, such as Joali. At Joali, our butler proactively arranged a schedule and made restaurant reservations in advance, ensuring we didn’t miss out on popular dining experiences. Unfortunately, your first butler made no such effort. As a result, we were unable to secure a spot at the Chinese restaurant, and it felt like there was little interest in making our stay smooth and hassle-free. However, we would like to note that our second butler, Taya, performed her duties much better. She was incredibly kind, attentive, and made a genuine effort to ensure we had a pleasant stay. Her professionalism was greatly appreciated and made a noticeable difference in our experience. The quality of the coffee drinks at breakfast was also disappointing. Both the cappuccino and latte were overly bitter, even when ordered with a single shot. Additionally, the foam was poorly made and unappealing. Coffee is an important part of the breakfast experience for us, and this fell far below expectations. Lastly, we couldn’t shake the feeling that the resort doesn’t prioritize its guests. Perhaps this is because of its popularity, but we didn’t feel valued or treated as special guests, which is something we’ve come to expect from such a high-end resort. I hope you take this feedback into consideration to improve the experience for future guests. Thank you.

Trip date: December 22-30th, 2024. : Here goes my review: Wow! We were a large and energetic family of 7, including grandparents, parents and teenagers. We loved all the tiny details at the One and Only Reethi Rah, like the surprise nightly gift on our beds, the impeccable staff and service as well as the well planned activities for the holiday week like the family games which my sons want to win next time. They came in third! We loved the almost immediate buggy service and we loved how pristine the sandy roads were for cycling. We all enjoyed the family bikes. Maria deserves a shout out. Maria's Magic Brush (my nickname for her art studio at the Beach Club) was my favorite afternoon post lunch activity followed by the Dolphin Sunset Cruise. The boys loved jet skiing and snorkeling. We had my parents and kids and everyone had a lot to choose from. It was a magical trip, stunning location, beautifully decorated during the Christmas and New Years week (although I am sure its lovely all year) Eugene was assigned to us as our buddy and concierge and showed up at different places at the same time to make sure we were taken care of. Eugene was the embodiment of warmth, attention to detail for all family members, always accessible on WhatsApp, managing activities, pushing for reservations and going the extra mile on everything. The joke in the family was we were convinced Eugene was in three places at the same time. Yet her manner was not imposing or annoying. Due to the festive season, were so many cocktail parties and events aside from a plethora of activities for all ages. Sports of all kinds, board games, a buzzy beach club at lunchtime with Nikki Beach style DJ'ing and more. Aside from missing one precious night due to flight issues we had a pretty perfect vacation (written on the car ride from JFK to home) The weather was incredible (82 for most of the stay) the villas impeccably decorated and luxurious, and we were given fresh fruit, water, notes of chocolates and other treats every day. The breakfast buffet was beyond our expectations and as fussy and 'foodie' New Yorkers, we were truly impressed with the quality of all our meals at the Reethi Rah resort restaurants. Fandita, Earth, Fire and guest 3 Star Michelin Chefs who created special menus using local flavors. The entertainment each night was world class, from live music, deejays, fire-eaters and elegant cocktail parties for the whole family. Management was present but discreet, ensuring guests were taken care of. We all wanted to extend our stay and definitely plan to go back!

By way of reference, my wife and I travel extensively for work and pleasure so our standards are Aman quality high...... First the good The villas are of older classic construction, but meticulously maintained - some of the largest villas on the islands... with a gigantic WOW in terms of space, design, thoughtful touches... all necessary electronics.... these might be our favorite villas of anywhere we have stayed... also located in a manner which provides privacy.... and views of the ocean rather than other villas..... unlike much of the Maldives where the villas are adjacent and screened by walls... The ability to bike around the island was an added plus.. and we had a blast efoiling - the instructors were patient and awesome.... the island roads of sand a romantic wonderland.. The restaurants are of excellent quality food.... the breakfast buffet was top of the line... quality over quantity... yet not wanting for anything... Now the reason for the lack of five stars. 85% of the staff at the resort was perfect - service exactly as you would expect at a five star resort... But 15% of the staff seemed as if they did not want to be there.. were not responsive, and really did a poor job... this was true across the board... so some nights at the restaurants were great... other nights, we felt ignored and as if we were a bother when we asked for anything... this was true in every area... sometimes we would go for breakfast, and housekeeping had not made up the room - other times, they went above and beyond with thoughtful touches [our understanding was that the butler kept forgetting to notify them...so not their fault... Our butler, unfortunately fell into the 15% that did not want to be there.... ... and when this happens, it really takes away from the experience... so when we made special request... it was if we were asking for world... So how do you review, when you want to praise 85%of the staff, yet the ones that dragged the service down, need to step up their game. A big thank you for those amazing staff which were the majority. One other small problem was that when families were seated next to us, the kids cranked up their phones and ipads...and games and ruined the environment for all other tables... when we asked the waiters, they said there was nothing they could do about it... [perhaps it would be good to have family seating times and couples seating times.... or easier yet, just require all devices use earphones... that way the kids can enjoy and the rest of the guest are not affected....] All resorts are struggling with this issue, so this is not just a One and Only issue.

We have just returned from our second visit to this island paradise and enjoyed without doubt the best holiday of our lives . The island and accommodation is perfect , the food amazing but the people are what make your time here even more enjoyable . Thank you to Nasih for looking after us so spectacularly, he is fantastic. Thank you to Maama and his team at the beach club , you are awesome . Thank you to Shasheen and Pasindu for making us laugh every night and the superb drinks . In truth every person we were lucky enough to have interacted with made our time here even more enjoyable. If you are considering booking here and wavering between this and another island then just book this place . We have been lucky enough to visit many excellent hotels in our life but this one is just the best . Thank you again to all at One & Only . We will see you again .

Location is amazing, every detail is looked after, but more importantly on top to the luxury, the overall resort atmosphere is extremely elegant and fine. What makes really the difference is the kindness and professionalism of the staff, extremely nice. We had the opportunity to meet many of the them, in various circumstances and we were always impressed by their natural kindness (in the SPA, restaurants - the staff of the Fanditha was just superb! And the chef very talented!). Special heathfelt thanks goes to Hameed and Manaal.