Best Resorts in Gaafu Dhaalu Atoll

"My wife and I visited in February and it felt like a dream! We loved our overwater villa. The water had so many colors. We loved the size of the resort. It felt intimate and quiet-which we loved because we live in a big city and we want to feel relaxed on vacation. The staff is wonderful. Yassir was our butler and he took care of us. The Raffles worker who greeted us at the airport (I believe his name was Ahmed) helped us tremendously. He got us all checked in for our domestic flight and showed us where to go. He even got us on an earlier flight to the resort which we so appreciated! The General Manager Tracey is fantastic and helpful. And we have wonderful things to say about the chef, Shane. My wife has dairy and gluten allergies and she can’t eat most meats. Shane did a great job catering a menu to my wife and he was so friendly! We miss the staff at Raffles, including the waiters. All of them made Raffles feel like home. Raffles is definitely a paradise island. Very unique. And if you are looking to go to the Maldives for the first time or visit a new place in the Maldives, we definitely recommend Raffles! You won’t regret it. Everything about Raffles was perfect. The house coral reef is excellent with lots of exotic fish. This was our first time in the Maldives. And we plan to visit Raffles Maldives again. We’ve stayed at nice resorts around the world in around 50 countries, including Four Seasons in Bora Bora. Raffles Maldives might be my favorite. "

"The property was clean and well maintained. The manager was very helpful and accommodating to see to it my stay was pleasant and that I was satisfied. He had excellent customer service. "

"It was an amazing experience and would highly recommend. Firstly, there were staff and service from Malé arrivals to our resort. Our butler, Ali was brilliant and kept us informed and was brilliant for all of our stay. We stayed in the ocean sunset villas which was conveniently located to the island guest areas with access to bikes throughout. The staff at Zero Degree, Ocean Breeze and Magu. Chef Sajol was amazing and even made a special dish which was special. Colleagues Ali and Yesim were friendly and always available to provide recommendations. Plenty of things to do we did kayaking and snorkel on sight and attended their Sea Salt bbq with unlimited grills and entertainment and highly recommend. We also did their dolphin and snorkel excursion and must praise Hussain for his professional approach and making sure our experiences was more than memorable. Again, our return was smooth and colleagues at every point from departure to Malé check in via boat and domestic flight. Overall Ayada went above and beyond with also allowing us to have a late departure and use and access to their guest areas and food/drink. Thank you Ayada for everything and would highly recommended!"

"The property was really beautiful and the fact that they have 2 islands double the amount of options you have for dining and entertainment. The staff is extremely helpful and they are always ready to help."

"This hotel served it's purpose. Biggest complaint. WALLS are thin, so you could hear anything and everyone on your floor in the early morning hours. However, it was a nice stay. Simple accommodations... everything you needed. A bit disappointed by dinner in the hotel the 1st night, the wait time, even though we were 2 of only 4 people in the restaurant. We waited for almost an hour to get our food.( food was good when it arrived) Breakfast was extremely disappointing, too. They really need to work on that. no real choice of anything. There was toast and fruit. All and all, the staff were very friendly and helpful. Good spirited people, as were everyone else on the island. Nice little rooftop wading pool, eating area and bar on top of the hotel. i suggest renting a scooter to get around... not much within walking distance (except the ocean for beautiful sunsets) True, the island is but so big, but a scooter makes getting around much easier. "