One&Only Reethi Rah Resort

We stayed at Reethi Rah a few weeks ago but I’ve only jut got around to writing this. We stayed for only 4 nights as part of a split stay so we could be close to Male for our return flight which was of a morning. To be honest, this was our 5th Maldives resort and I was a bit apprehensive, as it is the first one we have stayed without a full house reef as I love to snorkel and for me that’s what the Maldives is all about. I was also concerned that now the hotel is circa 20 years old, it may have lost some of its shine. The resorts we have stayed at previously have been in the sold 5 star or 5+ category so we have been spoilt in the past with excellent F&B. We therefore have been spoilt but have high expectations. Another consideration is the fact they are located in the North Male atoll, which, due to extensive development recently is being busy and a little spoiled. Fortunately we felt whilst not the most remote, the island is peaceful and our location on the island had uninterrupted sea views. This has to be balanced with being around 45 minute speedboat journey from Male which is a big plus. We were allocated a beach pool villa on Reethi Beach. We are normally overwater villa people, loving the lack of mosquitos and sea breezes, but this villa won us over. We adored the beach, privacy and space between villas. We barely saw another soul, although it was low season in late June. That said, I can’t ever imagine it being busy. The villa itself was beautiful, excellently laid out, maintained and had the best amenities we have come across. We wanted for nothing. We especially loved the complimentary bar snacks and replenished fruits - we have never before seen this in the Maldives as one really should at this price point - often being left with rotten fruit or having it whipped away from us after 24 hours with fruit remaining that we were look forward to enjoying! Turn down was perfect also. Mosquitoes were minimal compared to other resorts, but definitely present and we both got a few bites. The lagoon was incredible. The colours of the lagoon were good, not excellent, but we particularly loved the swimming on the softest sand we have ever come across in a lagoon. Now some of this is obviously due to the lack of coral nearby, but it was something we were not expecting and really enjoyed. The lagoon also provided us with opportunities to watch huge rays, sharks and fish gliding by us. Due to the heat, we found the sea more refreshing than our pool - although that was lovely too and actually on the ‘too warm’ side. We did not use the beach club as we enjoyed the privacy and peace our villa provided. However, this provided a more lively atmosphere and plenty of amenities for those who prefer that. The island itself is very large, and this is a definite USP. We enjoyed biking about and exploring. Breakfast was one of the best we have had in the Maldives. Of particular note was the patisserie selection and acai bowls which we loved. We loved everything though and it is complimented by an extensive coffee and tea menu, alongside some really interesting al a carte options. I should caveat this by saying we are foodies so meals are important when we are on vacation. We ate everywhere except Botanica. Our standout favourite was Fanditha serving Middle Eastern cuisine. The food, setting and service were just exquisite and a memory we will treasure forever. Tapasake is an incredible venue having recently being rebuilt. It is huge and beautifully designed. However despite having the 7 course tasting menu which included Wagu and Lobster, we were left a little underwhelmed. Maybe our expectations were too high, but we had expected Japanese food similar to that we have experienced in London and it wasn’t quite there for us, although still enjoyable. We also loved Reethi Fire, the Asian offering. I had one of the best Rendang curries I have ever had, whilst my husband declared the Nasi Goreng was the best he had ever had. We wished at that point we had more nights to dine there again as the menu was extensive and it was hard to choose. The HB dine around credit was sufficient and fair compared to other resorts we have visited. The service was outstanding at every venue. We especially appreciated the GM and F&B Manager speaking to us nearly every day. We felt the chef at Tapasake who visited our table between most courses a lovely touch too as he was clearly very passionate about the menu. So this leaves us in a predicament. We have so many other islands we want to visit and our ‘one off’ trip has left us wanting more. We would not hesitate to return.