After checking out of our overnight airport hotel, Samann Host, my husband and I were finally headed for Mövenpick Resort Kuredhivaru! Situated in the Noonu atoll, this resort is a 45-minute seaplane ride away from Velana International Airport.
With the help of promo codes on Trip.com and Traveloka, as well as the use of my painstakingly amassed Trip coins, this stay ended up being a total steal for us! Note that as with all tourist hotels and resorts in the Maldives, there is a green tax of USD$6 per day.
- Inclusions:
- 3-night stay in Overwater Pool Villa Ocean
- Full-board (breakfast, lunch, dinner, free-flow non-alcoholic drinks during meal times) for 3 nights (upgraded from 2 nights)
- Spent: SGD$1107.04 + $2915.87 in Trip coins
- Contents of this review:
Seaplane transfer
Trans Maldivian Airways (TMA) is the main company managing the seaplane transfers in the country. Seaplane transfers are typically more expensive than speedboat transfers, and our round trip this time set us back USD$652 per pax (oof!). Given that this was our first ever trip here, I was completely blindsided by this mammoth of an additional expense and there were no other alternatives to get to the resort. My bad for not researching more thoroughly before cementing our plans 😛
Anyway, after we alighted from our airport transfer at Velana International Airport, a staff from Mövenpick Resort was ready and waiting to escort us to the TMA reception counter. The first order of business was to get our bags weighed and tagged.
Once that was done, we were directed to board a shuttle bus for a short ride to the newly built Noovilu Seaplane Terminal, our departure point.
Next, a staff from the terminal ushered us to Coral Lounge by TMA on level 2 to relax in until our boarding time. The lounge had plenty of seating, a quiet zone with massage and reclining chairs, as well as a kids area with a tent and some shelves of toys. It was an inviting space given the bright and cheery ambience.
If you fancy some fresh air and scenic views with seaplanes taking off in the distance, you can park yourself at the lounge’s balcony instead.
There is complimentary food, drinks and wifi available for all guests. During our visit, it wasn’t much of a spread though (think basic sandwiches, pastries and local bites) but it sufficed for a brief pit stop. The drinks, however, had a slightly wider variety (different flavours of iced coffee and juices) than many of the contract lounges we’ve visited.
Zayaan, an amiable lounge staff, requested for us to complete our pre-arrival forms via the resort’s app to speed up the check-in process. It wasn’t long before we were informed that our transfer was ready for boarding (15 minutes ahead of the original 7.45am departure time), so we didn’t manage to fully enjoy the lounge offerings!
Zayaan brought us to the waiting area for boarding and shortly after, we were out on the deck excitedly walking towards our seaplane located at the end of the jetty!
The seaplane ride itself wasn’t the most comfortable though. There was no air-conditioning (only small fans by the sides), we were packed in a tiny enclosed space, and the propellers were extremely loud. We could tell who the seasoned passengers were as they came fully prepared with noise-cancelling earphones and handheld fans. I ended up borrowing my husband’s AirPods as the noise got rather overwhelming.
If it is your first time taking a seaplane, I recommend sitting right up front just behind the cockpit. You get to watch the pilots manoeuvre the plane (they usually go barefoot too!), take in the propeller views and be cooled by intermittent drafts of wind coming through the cockpit windows.
Check-in
Disembarking at the arrival jetty, the resort staff were all poised to welcome us with vibrant music and clapping. We got acquainted with our personal island host, Lina, who informed us that our check-in had already been completed and that the time here was one hour ahead of Malé time. She then proceeded to give us an introduction to the island while we strolled across a lengthy boardwalk to the breakfast venue.
Along the way, she pointed out a baby blacktip reef shark swimming up close in the lagoon! She also shared that our one-night booking for the Overwater Pool Villa Lagoon had been upgraded to the ocean-facing category, which we really appreciated (: We communicated with her easily via Whatsapp throughout our stay, and she was timely in her responses. Wifi was generally available throughout the resort such that we didn’t need to use the router we brought.
The open-air reception area is situated where the boardwalk starts. On the last day, this was where we waited at after check-out for our seaplane transfer.
My husband wanted to get some drone footage of the resort but he was only allowed to fly it near the reception area. He even had to sign a form to get approval for each day he intended to fly the drone, plus inform the staff what time he wanted to do so (we decided on 3.30pm on Day 2 and 6pm on Day 3). They were pretty strict about the whole thing, with a staff deployed specially to monitor his drone-flying activity during the entire session. Glad to know that guest privacy is taken very seriously here.
Room
After breakfast, Lina gave us a buggy ride and showed us to our villa. The overwater villas starting with the number 2 have more privacy than those starting with 1 as the latter ones face the beach area where many activities are held.
Upon entering, we were greeted with shimmering turquoise waters through a glass floor at the entryway, an iconic feature of the overwater villas here. She then introduced the different aspects of the villa and highlighted that the air-conditioning system is connected to the heater system, so if we wanted hot water, the air-conditioning had to be switched on (odd but true). Items from the mini-bar were chargeable as our package didn’t include this, but they did give us a complimentary fruit basket.
There was so much room to spare here, with the bed and living area on one side and the bathroom on the other! Everything was generally clean, hygienic and comfortable. Housekeeping was automatically done twice a day too. Alas, the bed and the supposed firm pillow I requested for were super soft, which wasn’t ideal.
There is a sizeable closet area with ample space to store luggage and clothes. This is also where you can retrieve your life vests and beach slippers should you need them.
One thing to note about the room is that the soundproofing isn’t fantastic and you’ll likely be able to hear the buggies rumbling by quite audibly. Thankfully, this didn’t happen that frequently for it to become an issue.
The bathroom comes with an enormous tub that, according to Lina, takes 45 minutes to fill up. Frosted glass doors at the back open up to the sheltered open-air water closet and shower. Although conditioner was provided, it was too mild to untangle my crazy windswept tresses so I ended up using the one I brought instead.
Every overwater villa here comes with a private infinity pool, a lazing net, deck chairs and direct ladder access to the ocean. There is also a rainshower next to the ladder so you can rinse off before entering the villa.
The deck chairs were my absolute favourite place to hang out thanks to the sunny weather and amazing ocean views. I so wished there was a way to tangibly capture and revisit these precious moments of serenity – the hypnotic sounds of ocean lapping against the villa stilts, rolling waves splashing white in the distance, warm golden rays paired with a gentle cool breeze, occasional glimpses of fish and birds along the water surface – I really could get used to this ❤
Unfortunately, snorkelling right outside your villa probably won’t be a great experience as it just looks like a barren underwater wasteland. But if you venture further out, you may find clusters of small reefs where some fish gather.
Do exercise caution if you’re planning to leave your things out here to dry, or if you have kids in tow. On one of the evenings, the waves came up really high, washing up far onto our deck. Whatever we left out to dry was completely drenched again. The force was so strong that I could actually feel the impact of them punching against the sides of the villa.
Alas, the villa was not without its faults. The open-air section of the bathroom had tiles that were flaking off, mould was growing on some of the columns and along the rainshower pipe, there were hard water stains on the metal fixtures, and the coating on the wooden sink counters was peeling quite badly.
Additionally, the grooves of the outdoor deck were largely blackened so I perpetually wore the slippers provided whenever I went outside. Moths, flies and the rare bee came to visit every once in a while so we kept our sliding doors closed at all times.
Facilities
ONU Marché is the main buffet restaurant and bar serving breakfast (7am to 10.30am) and themed dinners (7pm to 10pm). Reservations are not required to dine here.
We were pleasantly surprised when Lina brought us here for breakfast upon our arrival on Day 1. According to the description on Trip.com, our full-board plan supposedly comes into effect only at dinner. However, Lina shared that dining privileges commence the moment guests set foot in the resort, awesome! As such, I left my takeout breakfast from Samann Host Hotel untouched and made a beeline for the buffet 😛
The restaurant is entirely open-air, with seats either on the deck or in the sand. If you sit closer to the beach, you can spot little hermit crabs making their way across the sand.
Breakfast was a decent spread that included western staples, Maldivian curries, pastries, cold cuts, fresh juices and Prosecco (which I mixed with orange juice to concoct my own mimosa). In addition, there were live stations for noodles, eggs, waffles and pancakes. Most items delivered in terms of flavour but some of the textures were a little off.
The ones I really liked were the pastries (: These had just the right sweetness and were executed really well, especially the cruffins and danishes. I also relished the flavours of the curries, although some were too spicy for me. Breakfast items were largely similar from day to day with some minor variations.
One regrettable situation here was the abundance of pesky flies and ants that couldn’t wait to get at the food. I was dying to try the brioche from the buffet line but the moment I used the serving tongs to agitate it, a swarm of flies emerged from its surface before landing back down again. No, thank you.
A unique feature about Mövenpick hotels and resorts worldwide is that they have a signature event called Chocolate Hour, where guests are invited to enjoy an array of complimentary desserts.
At this resort, this event takes place daily between 4pm to 5pm at ONU Marché. Guests can drop by and help themselves to free-flow Mövenpick ice cream and chocolate. However, the chocolate wasn’t that impressive as it had a plastic-like texture and barely tasted of anything. The mint ice cream was nice though.
Buffet dinners are also served here, each night with a different theme like Maldivian Night, Jungle Night and Atlantis Night! And it isn’t just the menu that’s in theme, even the decor is designed to create an atmosphere in keeping with the theme.
On Day 3 of our stay, the theme was International Night. On top of the usual buffet classics, there were live stations serving Mongolian fried rice, grilled meats and churros. However, like breakfast, only a couple of items were memorable. Our unanimous choice that night was the minced beef shepherd’s pie. Skip dessert if you’re running out of tummy space.
On a separate note, I had the privilege of conversing with the friendly executive chef, Ricky Rimenda, who instantly recognized where I was from by my accent and related that he started his career in Singapore’s Le Meridien Hotel. He went on to recommend the fresh grilled local prawns and even cut the best medium rare parts of the wagyu beef for us to try (:
During breakfast on Day 4, he caught up with us again and introduced me to the chef at the waffles and pancakes station, saying he could customize pancake art in the likes of dinosaurs, crabs and sharks. We ended up with a super cute crab pancake! ❤
Latitude 5.5 restaurant and bar is one of the two lunch (12pm to 4pm) and dinner (7pm to 10pm) venues on the island. Guests need to make a reservation via their island host to dine here. The seating areas are all open-air and they offer an international menu.
We had a 3-course lunch here on Day 1, where we first met the lovely Glaiza (whom we would see quite a bit throughout our stay at the other restaurants as well). She took wonderful care of us each time we crossed paths (:
Anyway, our meal began with a generous bread basket, followed by our starters of Maldivian fresh tuna mas huni salad (light, refreshing and mildly spicy) and wild porcini mushroom soup with sherry vinegar (smooth and creamy with a slice of crispy toasted garlic bread).
Then came our mains of black angus grass-fed beef with truffle mash (some parts were a little tough to chew but good flavours overall) and locally-sourced reef fish (a tad underwhelming as the fish just tasted like a whole chunk of salt).
Our meal concluded with a basque cheesecake with blueberry lemon compote and a 54% dark chocolate crème catalana. Sadly, both desserts were rather forgettable.
On Wednesday and Friday afternoons (weather permitting), the restaurant transforms into a pool party venue complete with a barbecue buffet and a live DJ with dance performances. You can add on premium items like lobster and tomahawk steak for a fee, which the chefs will cook for you on the spot.
We had lunch here on Day 4 and it was the most memorable meal of our stay in my opinion! There were live stations for grilled meats, pasta and crepes where the chefs would whip up made-to-order dishes according to your preferences.
The prawns were the best, hands down, and I don’t even like prawns that much. These ones were so fresh, succulent and well-seasoned with that slight char, plus they came conveniently deveined and sliced along the back for easy peeling. A close second was the beef, which was super juicy and tender. The reef fish and tuna were strong contenders too. Last but not least, we rounded up our meal with a piping hot Nutella crepe, a delicious treat indeed!
Bodumas restaurant is the other lunch (12pm to 4pm) and dinner (7pm to 10pm) venue that guests need a reservation to dine at. Serving Japanese fusion cuisine, the restaurant has both an indoor air-conditioned area and an overwater outdoor deck seating.
On Day 1, we came here for a 4-course dinner. We were served some warm, salted edamame sprinkled with sesame seeds and an amuse-bouche of avocado with prawn and Japanese mayo.
Next up were our starters of shoyu scallops (tender and seasoned wonderfully, but the pea purée was sweeter than expected) and black angus beef tataki. We requested for the beef tataki to be medium rare instead of rare but after trying it, my husband felt it would’ve been better if he’d ordered it rare. Nevertheless, it was flavoured superbly with the ponzu sauce.
The next course comprised agedashi tofu (lightly crisp on the outside and nicely firm on the inside) and marinated black cod (soft texture but the sauce was too sweet for my liking). These came with sides of garden salad and garlic egg fried rice (yummy comfort food).
Halfway through our penultimate course, it started raining pretty heavily so we had to hurriedly carry our food indoors. As if adding salt to the wound, both our desserts turned out oddly disappointing.
The Japanese cheesecake was way too dense and had an artificial berry flavour, the matcha mochi being the dish’s only saving grace. The puff pastry with kurogama mousseline was by far the worst dish of the night, given its insanely hard and dry pastry, plus a repulsive cherry flavour in one of the cream components.
We returned for a 3-course lunch on Day 2 and were pleasantly surprised to find that full-board packages come with a complimentary Bodumas signature sushi platter, which consists of 4 pieces of nigiri, 6 pieces of sashimi variety and 6 pieces of maki rolls. We requested to have the sashimi portion switched to salmon only but I think it didn’t get communicated properly, so we ended up with a whole platter of salmon sashimi instead! It wasn’t a bad thing as we didn’t want to pile on the carbs anyway.
Our first course was seafood ceviche without the jalapeños (seafood elements were well-cooked such that they weren’t rubbery) and chicken katsu (absolutely divine, firm to the touch but melted away easily with every bite, plus a light and flavourful batter). The latter is a must-try as it seriously left us craving for more!
For our mains, we had the roasted duck breast (as tender as breast meat can get, though the sauce was overly sweet and sticky) and angus beef striploin (quite succulent, but again, the sauce was too sweet for me).
Dessert was thankfully much better than the ones we had for dinner. The chocolate cream puffs were light and delicious while the yuzu orange parfait had a yummy jelly surprise in the centre.
Located at the boardwalk that leads to the overwater villas, the Oak Lounge is mainly used for private or paid events like wine-tasting. The Management Cocktail Party event is sometimes held here on Saturday evenings and is complimentary for all guests. You’ll get to sip on pre-dinner cocktails, mingle with the management team and watch a traditional Boduberu performance.
Adjacent to this lounge is the island’s only gift shop, which we dropped by on the last day as my husband wanted to look for souvenirs. He casually asked the staff whether they sold souvenir stickers. The staff said they didn’t but very kindly whipped out two Sunbum stickers (the brand of all their sunscreen products) and handed them to us while wishing us a wonderful last day. Such a sweet gesture!
The resort has plenty of activities and facilities to occupy guests of all ages. The bar area of ONU Marché is where you’ll find games like table soccer, billiard and table tennis. In addition, during the month we visited, there were live DJ and salsa performances here every night except Sundays. I was more looking forward to catching a live band instead as I saw it on some online reviews. Alas, there were none during our stay.
The gym, tennis courts, football field, volleyball court and Little Birds Kids Club are situated near the reception area. As for the pool, it is located at Latitude 5.5 restaurant.
Guests can visit the Water Sports Centre near the reception area to rent water sports equipment. Only non-motorized activities are complimentary, such as kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding, windsurfing and catamaran sailing. Motorized activities require an extra fee.
We wanted to kayak some time in the afternoon on Day 3 but because the waves looked turbulent, the staff advised us to come back later in the evening or the next morning instead. These are low-tide periods that are more suitable for water activities as the waters are generally calmer. As such, we headed over to the Dive Centre for a short snorkel first before coming back to take the kayak out for a brief spin. It was a relaxing experience but we didn’t manage to see any fish here.
On Day 4, my husband tried his hand at stand-up paddle boarding. Halfway through, as there was someone jet skiing at the same time, the waves it generated knocked his board over and he cut his foot on some corals while trying to stand up. Best to bring along protective footwear when at this part of the beach!
Open daily from 9am to 6.30pm, the Dive Centre is where you can come to snorkel, dive or sign up for excursions. Approach any of the staff to borrow snorkelling fins and masks at no extra charge for the duration of your stay. There is even a lifeguard on duty so if you aren’t a confident swimmer, it’s definitely safer to come here to snorkel instead of at your overwater villa. One of the days, we saw a lady struggling to swim to the ladder as the waves were very choppy, so the lifeguard threw her a life buoy to pull her in. They’re very vigilant!
If you want to get up close with sea life while snorkelling, this is probably the best spot to do so (: We saw lots of colourful fish and even a turtle here! We also saw small jellyfish that initially freaked us out but the lifeguard assured us that they weren’t poisonous. If we did brush past them, our skin would get itchy but that’s about it.
No 5-star resort is complete without spa facilities, and the one here is Sun Spa by Healing Earth situated near Latitude 5.5 restaurant. There is also a yoga sala lookout point where you can soak in the breathtaking sunrise and sunset views while you exercise too.
My overall rating of the experience: 4 out of 5 stars. I loved how spacious the villa was, complete with a private pool, a huge tub and vast ocean views! There were visible signs of wear and tear but generally, it was quite a well-maintained and comfortable space. Plus, waking up to blue skies and turquoise waters every day was a total dream ❤ No mosquito issues at our villa but I did get bitten once or twice when we were inland at the restaurants and along the paths where the air was still. The restaurants had a pretty good variety of food and the overall quality was considerably decent. Service staff were very welcoming and personable too, especially Glaiza, who was really attentive to our needs. Alas, much of the underwater landscape was barren except the area around the Dive Centre, which was teeming with abundant sea life. We enjoyed our snorkelling adventures at this spot and even got to see a turtle (: All in all, it was a captivating first experience that truly solidified my fascination with the Maldives!
If this post helped you in some way and you’d like to buy me a coffee, I’d be incredibly grateful (:
Dania Experiences 