Hotel review: The Residence Maldives

A sprawling resort of two halves, this is the place for clients worried about island cabin fever

Key selling points for travel agents: 

• One of the largest resorts in the Maldives
• Home to the first Clarins Spa in the Maldives
• Complimentary non-motorised water sports (SUP, kayaking and guided house-reef snorkelling excursions)
• Access to facilities spanning two islands via a 1km private bridge

Overview: The Residence Maldives is a sweeping tropical escape of two halves, with Falhumaafushi connected to sister island Dhigurah via a 1km bridge. Those who don’t want to walk to the nearest shuttle bus stop and wait for the next service, can use the bikes provided at each the thatched-roof villas. Getting around takes time, but with so much space, there's less chance of clients developing island cabin fever here.

Rooms: Set on the beach or over water, villas come with one or two bedrooms, and many also have private pools. Mod cons include LED TVs and Nespresso machines, and complimentary filtered water is provided. 

Two-bedroom water pool villa

Dining: The resort's culinary highlight is a cookery lesson that culminates in lunch at the Earth Table in the chef’s garden on Dhigurah.

Spanning both islands, The Beach Bar and The Beach Club offer poolside drinks and casual lunches; Long Island, Café del Sol and The South Beach are where to get cocktails with ocean views, and The Library Bar screens sports matches. 

The main restaurant on both islands is simply called The Dining Room and offers an extensive family-friendly buffet in a casual open-sided space. 

On Falhumaafushi, signature restaurant The Falhumaa is a more romantic setting, serving elevated international cuisine, located at the end of a 230-metre-long jetty. Embraced by palm trees, Li Bai on Dhigurah serves contemporary Cantonese menus.

Sunset Grill serves up beachside barbecues three times a week, weather permitting

Facilities: Most come to The Residence for the diving. Popular sites within an hour of the resort include Vilingili Kandu, Ekkala Thila and Nilandu Kandu. Complimentary non-motorised water sports are also on offer. 

When guests aren’t in the water, they can enjoy a session in the gym or a massage in the Clarins Spa, but otherwise they kick back in one of the poolside cabanas. Advise clients to pack potent sun block as the cabanas don't provide any shade. 

Swimming pool

Parents can leave offspring at the kids’ club on Dhigurah between 10am and 5.30pm. Babysitting is available at an additional cost.

Getting there: From Velana International Airport on Malé, guests take a domestic flight (55 minutes) to Kooddoo-Viligili and 10-minute speedboat ride to the island.

For more information, visit cenizaro.com/theresidence/maldives-fm 

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