Biyadhoo Island Resort

33 readers found this review helpful

this was supposed to be our honeymoon, if everything had gone to plan it would have been fantastic but, it had been overbooked so when we got to the island 6 couples including us were told that we had been selected to receive a 3 day cruise aronnd the the other islands free of charge , we thought how lovely so we accepted, when we reached our 1st island we were taken by speed boat as the sea was to shallow for our cruise ship.while we were on the island our ship refuelled several hours later we returned to our ship to move on to the next island but we were going nowhere as the captain said the barrels our fuel had been supplied in was contaminated & had messed up the engines so, we ended up spendind 3 days & nights stuck in the middle of the sea we were all complaining to our reps but they said we would have to wait as there was nothing they could do everybody then asked why cant we have a speedboat to take us back to our island we were then told the real reason why we were offered the trip was because they were over booked & they had nowhere to put us for a few days.when we arrived home we complained to Hayes and Jarvis as we had paid £3,500 for this holiday and this should have been a holiday of a lifetime as this was our honeymoon and my husband had put a lot of time and effort into this holiday as the honeymoon was a suprise & he wanted it to be as perfect as our weddind day, unfortunately we ended up wasting 4 days of our honeymoon & we were both broken hearted. we wrote to Hayes and Jarvis several times, who were very unsympathetic & seemed to refuse to acknowledge it was our honeymoon, they sent us £100 cheque and that was there final offer, i sent the cheque back and told them i was discusted by the offer and that we had used them thinking that they were a reputable company, how wrong were we. we would definately go to the Maldives again as it is beautiful but, never with Hayes and Jarvis, they were just not interested in our complaint we had saved very hard for this holiday. we thought by paying more we would get looked after more by our holiday company but this was not the case we would have a better response if we had gone with a cheaper operator but, you live & learn from a very dissapointed holiday maker that used HAYES AND JARVIS.

14 readers found this review helpful

Expected a quiet, sunshine holiday and found paradise. The staff were helpful and friendly especially the chefs and my favourite waiter Nazim - we are now penpals! The room was very clean with a power shower. We were given fresh beach and bath towels every day and the bed linen was also changed daily. Fresh flowers decorated the bed every evening. My husband did the diving course and I taught myself to snorkle - the reef is amazing, the water a gorgeous clear blue and sooooo warm. We were also lucky enough to have a school of dolphins cavorting around our boat on the way to the island. No phones, no newspapers and no tv or radio. AND not as expensive as we first thought. This was truly holiday heaven after the daily 9-5 grind of working life back home in the UK. We are truly hooked on these beautiful islands and plan to return year on year with the sincere hope that the islands and their people will survive the rising seas.

6 readers found this review helpful

We had the most wonderful Christmas and New Year, quite magical the island is beautiful and unspoilt, the staff very friendly and helpful. The accomodation and the food brilliant, nothing whatever to complain about, it's so good to be able to go swimming at Christmas in such beautiful warm water and the snorkelling is great so many amazing fish to see. There are several excursions to go on and other islands to visit, a trip to the main island of Male is very interesting. We have been to the Maldives before and are going again this year, can't wait.

9 readers found this review helpful

Hi,
Just returned from two weeks on the island. My sister-in-law had never been to the Maldives before but I had some years ago. What a fantastic time we had. The staff could not do enough for you and always had a smile. Food was the best, better than some five star hotels I have stayed in. Rooms were a little tired but are about to receive some TLC.
Even though it was rainy season (last two weeks in June) we did not have enough to keep us indoors. If you want glitz and swimming pools this island is not for you. Who would want a swimming pool anyway when you have such warm, clear sea to swim in. We got invited to the staff monthly party, wow, best night there!
No TV, Radio, Newspapers or telephones, BLISS
As the island is being done up, they are getting rid of deck chairs for sun beds and the hard chairs around the bar are being replaced with new cushioned ones.
Word of warning, watch out for the big black birds that watch over you on the beach, they pinch anything that is not tied down.
I asked my Sister-in-law was it what she expected and she described it as paradise plus more. We will have to go back as the hotel kindly let us plant a tree in memory of my late brother Dave near the sign for passage seven and we are having a plaque made.
Well I can fully recommend this island and should you choose it I hope you enjoy going back to nature as much as we did.

5 readers found this review helpful

Went to Biyadhoo in March 06 and am just about to go again in February 2007.
If you want great value for money and a genuine desert island experience this is for you. If you are looking for pampering, swimming pools, discos, and lots of entertainment forget it.
The rooms are basic, but air-conditioned with mini bars in each room which is charged at the same price as the bar, which is about the same as the UK. The food is good but can be a bit boring after two weeks. The service is superb and the staff will bend over backwards to help.
The diving centre is of a very high standard but be warned the diving is very relaxed, so if you are used to the hustle and bustle of Sharm and the pressure of multi technical dives, this is the slow boat of the diving world.
Most dives are usually 40 mins tops, usually fun dives in the morning (12 to 18m) and deeper dives in the afternoon with the occasional night dive (12m 30mins tops). Diving here is purely about the fishes, it won’t stretch your skills. If you want to learn to dive, this has to be one of the very best opportunities you will get.
Equipment, staff and the centre are what 5 star PADI centres should be.
Biyadhoo is becoming a rarity, most of the islands are being redeveloped and you can expect to pay redeveloped prices. Biyadhoo is stuck in a political wrangle over ownership and hence to some it could look a little run down but if you are doing the Maldives on a budget, this is the place for you.
Quickies – currency is dollars but you will be asked to pay for everything at the end by cash or card. Visitors are from all over without any predominance of one nationality. Bring everything you need as the shop is very limited.
Dress code for meals in the day is casual, tees and shorts and in the evening tees and trousers. Lots of sun cream, don’t underestimate how strong it is, lots of bite cream for the evenings.
No top-less, it’s a Muslim country, wetsuit shoes for paddling about in the sea the stone fish can give a nasty sting and if by some bizarre accident you forget your mask and snorkel they can be hired.
Take lots of books because the only things to do are sun, sea, sand, relaxing and diving.

4 readers found this review helpful

The holiday started for us the moment we set off on the speed boat. It was amazing spotting all the tiny little islands trying to guess which one we were going to stop at. After about 30 mins we arrived at Biyadhoo island which from the distance looked like the island from `lost', hundreds of trees surrounded by sand it was just beautiful.
We were met off the boat by the staff who were so friendly and after our drink we were shown to our room. It was a lovely sized room with bathroom and balcony. What really impressed me was how clean it was. The cleaner came in twice a day once in the morning to make the bed and give a general clean and tidy up, then again whilst you are out having dinner, you’d come back to your bed sheets being made into different shapes i.e. a fan with fresh flowers laid on your bed every time. The room was spotless the whole time we were there and towels were constantly being changed.
The island took us about 25 minutes to walk around it was that small. What is so good about this island is that it is kept so natural, its not been built up and made to look like the other hundreds of spas you can go to around the world. Its got character and you feel so lucky to be there. The water was so clear we saw sharks, stingrays, and loads of tropical fish. The seagulls still there walking around. The food was brilliant such a variety didn’t get board with it.
They do offer trips off the island although we didn’t go. We just relaxed on the sand and in the clear water. I would say its more of a couples holiday, we enjoyed it and will never forget our time spent there.

1 reader found this review helpful

Just returned after a week with my wife and son.
Enjoyed the island; the reef was tremendous and snorkeling and diving were excellent.
The rooms were pretty average - ours leaked and some other visitors on the island moved rooms. Some were so disappointed that they moved islands! The place is pretty run down and desperately needs a facelift. Only one bar and restaurant operated whilst we were there and Vilallaru - the so called "sister island" that some operators say you can visit and whose facilities you can share is closed and has been for a year. Biyadhoo's Spa was virtually derelict.
SO CHECK YOUR OPERATOR'S SALES BLURB BEFORE YOU GO. If you thought you might get some choices when you get there, you WON'T!
Everything has been said by previous reporters about the food.
Bar prices were pretty much in line with UK pub prices. U$3 for a big bottle of water (you can't drink the tap stuff); U$ 3-4 for a beer; U$8-9 for a cocktail; U$2.50 for a coke etc; and U$ 18 or so for a bottle of wine. All plus 10%.
The diving costs apparently are very reasonable. Our son did a 5 dive PADI open water course which cost U$465 - this it seems is about £100 cheaper then back home.
We had "entertainment" on one evening only.
No mozzies that we came across but plenty of "invisible" sand flies that bite; they don't seem to react to insect repellant so take some antihistamine with you.
Things to take:
Playing cards; plenty of books; a snorkel and mask; some beach shoes (the broken coral lying about on the sand is very sharp); a copy of the travel agent's brochure describing what you will get. Some of the people we stayed with had gone for a fortnight expecting that the place had a couple of bars; 2 restaurants, a Spa, and access to Villaru - they had taken the 3 kids with them and were very annoyed that the travel company had misinformed them.
Enjoyed our holiday - would definitely go back the Maldives. A house reef is a must for us but I am not sure whether the accommodation at Biyadhoo is up to a repeat visit. Still it is pretty good value.

1 reader found this review helpful

The journey from Male by speedboat was 40 mins & can only be described as a 40 min rollercoaster ride - we loved it. The resorts 3* rating was justified overall due mainly to the general newness of the accommodation. That said, food, cleanliness, service & location was 10/10. Buffet style southern Indian food, spicy. But my 13 year old daughter & sister-in-law found plenty to eat that wasn't, different salads, pizza, mash-potato !! non-spicy meats & fish etc. I can see how some may find it repetitive after 2 weeks but we wouldn't.
No need for beach towels. 2 per room are provided each day. Our rooms were constantly attended to by a cleaner from dawn to dusk. Aircon & showers fine.
We went for relaxing & diving. The diving was well organised & although may not challenge seasoned divers, was great for me & my daughter to get qualified. Instruction was excellent & waters & sea-life remarkable. There was different entertainment each night which I thought a bonus & not expecting.
The resort was made up of mainly Italians, French, German & Japanese. Just 3 English couples, a party of 4 & us during our stay. Suits me fine. Didn't bother with any excursions - Maybe would've if we were there 2 weeks.

Only booked this because we were cancelled from Cancun. What a break! This was the best value holiday we have ever had.
Yes the food is a bit samey, but with imagination i.e. not piling up with a bit of everything each meal you get a pretty varied meal. That's no mean feat for an island catering for just 190 people in one restaurant.
Of course if you want to be on the go all of the time, then Biyadhoo won't be for you - this is definitely a place to relax. The beach areas are great - staff even sweep them each morning!! It's fairly easy to get your own space, if that's what you want, but even busy spots i.e. about 8 people aren't noisy!
The staff are fantastic, have a great range of languages between them and have a lovely sense of humour. They do enjoy a game of football, but it's up to guests to organise themselves into a team. They also have their own badminton court but they will invite you to play if you turn up. There's a volleyball court too. Above all there's diving and snorkelling. I'd never done either before but I'm certainly hooked on snorkelling now. At $2.50 per day for equipment you're daft not to try it, and I promise you it's like being in your own aquarium. I couldn't do it justice, so I won't try to describe what you're likely to see.
By the way previous correspondent, the seagull was still around and well and living under various names - Napoleon, Sydney and George! He/ She gets by on whatever but has a penchant for the shoreline crabs!
We came back yesterday and were close to heading back down to the travel agent to see if there are any more late deals up - we'd definitely return. As I hope I've hinted, it's not the liveliest place but that really doesn't seem to matter at all.