Velassaru Maldives

Absolutely pristine! Dazzling white sandy beaches and crystal clear waters embrace and welcome you, delighting your senses. It brings you serenity. The rooms are very spacious with views to the beach. There are plenty of dining options including a buffet and restaurants. The Chill-Bar offers breath-taking sunset views. Really, what you see in the pictures is what you get. Check it out! Make it happen :). You won't regret it.

After extensive research of dozens of resorts for our first ever trip to the Maldives, we decided on Velassaru and were extremely pleased with our choice! Velassaru is a short 25 minute speedboat ride from Male airport, which enabled us to reach our destination and begin our holiday right away, without being at the mercy of the weather / timing that comes with a seaplane transfer. A Velassaru representative met us at the arrivals gate and promptly escorted to our speedboat transfer - a very picturesque and pleasant ride. Upon arrival, our host Hiyaleh greeted us with warm smiles, led us through a very efficient check-in process (during which we received complimentary welcome drinks) and overview of the resort, before bringing us to our room. Our family stayed in an over-the-water villa and an over the water bungalow with a pool - both of which were very elegantly furnished, comfortable, and offered direct access and absolutely stunning views of the lagoon. We felt that Velassaru was the perfect size in many respects - there are plenty of activities, facilities, and dining choices but you can walk the entire length of the island in about 20 to 25 minutes; and the resort was fully booked during our stay, but it never felt overcrowded, nor did we ever have any issues finding seating at the beautiful infinity pool or any of the dining venues. Moreover, while any resort in the Maldives is expensive, we thought Velassaru offered some nice complimentary amenities for a boutique luxury resort, including a free morning cruise in the lagoon, free use of snorkeling equipment, and a complimentary photography session. The grounds are very clean and well maintained, and the water in the lagoon was absolutely stunning, which made for some amazing snorkeling. Guests are a mix of couples and families. Although other reviewers have mentioned that Velassaru's relatively close proximity to Male was an issue (since you can hear seaplanes and see some of the buildings in the distance), we really felt that such concerns were overblown as none of this detracted from our experience (and as already mentioned, the ability to start your vacation ASAP due to the short transfer, was a huge plus). Although the resort itself is amazing, the staff is extremely friendly and pleasant, and truly make Velassaru a special place - particularly, Executive Chef Vincent Tan (who has received numerous industry accolades) who was very friendly and went above and beyond to make our dining experience very memorable; Sous Chef Jimenez also ensured we had a wonderful experience in the Vela buffet; and the resort's resident physician, Dr. Hassan, was very pleasant and personable in working with our kids for a minor medical issue. We've been fortunate enough to have stayed in many different hotels around the world over the past few decades - and we can definitively say that Velassaru is certainly one of the best stays we've ever experienced!

From the moment we landed in Malé we were welcomed by friendly and helpful staff at the airport and boat transfer. Velessaru is a tropical paradise with stunning views, outstanding restaurants & bars, a great selection of activities for relaxation and recreation and most importantly the staff! The people are so friendly and welcoming, they truly take care of their guests. The accomodation is beautiful, with comfort and privacy considered. We will definitely return to this luxury resort.

A special getaway - sunset drinks at The Chill Bar, delicious dinner at Teppanyaki with amazingly talented chefs, delicious Mediterranean set menu at Etesian all deserve a special mention. The spa, snorkelling with nurse sharks, dolphin safari, sunset cruise, and glass-bottom canoeing were all memorable experiences. Our beach villa, complete with a private pool and outdoor living space, felt like a dream.