Ellaidhoo Resort, North Ari Atoll
Hotel Information
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Hotel Description:
A tropical dream island far away from the modern world with a total land area of 55,625 square metres.. The island is 300 metres long and 280 metres wide, and is covered by thick tropical vegetation. In the short history of tourism in the Maldives; Ellaidhoo quickly became, and remains for the moment, The dive island in the country. loading...
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Ellaidhoo Resort Reviews
" Please bear in mind that this review... "
Submitted By: Ms JSS Wood
Please bear in mind that this review is several years old. I went shortly after the Tsunami and this was my third island and sixth or seventh visit to the Maldives, but the first time I came with a companion.
I would agree with the other reviews on the general environment - the beach is small, most of the accommodation are in semi-detached bungalows with an outer row around the island and an inner row. There are also some 2 story row rooms.
The diving was excellent with Sea Explorers. The house reef is similarly enough to keep one happily occupied for at least a week as a diver and the snorkelling is very good. The house reef is only a few metres from the beach or the shore. Sea walls surround the island making it safe(r) from erosion and the channels around the island are deep making for very good sea life and easy for snorkellers to see.
The food was boring - reasonably good quality but rather repetitive. Staff lovely - and I have found nearly all Maldivians friendly and helpful. The staff try really hard given that this isn't the most beautiful island and make an effort with the gardening.
The bar was terribly quiet for a divers' island and Mr Nigel was the only one dancing usually.
There are birds and the usual other animals on this island (no free roaming cats or chickens which I miss - this keeps the less welcome insect life down, but is not the norm now on any tourist islands.)
I was able to move from an inner row to one of the 2-3 bungalows facing the beach, which was admittedly a much nicer view.
So all in all not the prettiest island particularly in terms of beaches, or in terms of food. Diving and dive staff - great /unbeatable.
I would agree with the other reviews on the general environment - the beach is small, most of the accommodation are in semi-detached bungalows with an outer row around the island and an inner row. There are also some 2 story row rooms.
The diving was excellent with Sea Explorers. The house reef is similarly enough to keep one happily occupied for at least a week as a diver and the snorkelling is very good. The house reef is only a few metres from the beach or the shore. Sea walls surround the island making it safe(r) from erosion and the channels around the island are deep making for very good sea life and easy for snorkellers to see.
The food was boring - reasonably good quality but rather repetitive. Staff lovely - and I have found nearly all Maldivians friendly and helpful. The staff try really hard given that this isn't the most beautiful island and make an effort with the gardening.
The bar was terribly quiet for a divers' island and Mr Nigel was the only one dancing usually.
There are birds and the usual other animals on this island (no free roaming cats or chickens which I miss - this keeps the less welcome insect life down, but is not the norm now on any tourist islands.)
I was able to move from an inner row to one of the 2-3 bungalows facing the beach, which was admittedly a much nicer view.
So all in all not the prettiest island particularly in terms of beaches, or in terms of food. Diving and dive staff - great /unbeatable.
2 out of
2 readers found this review helpful
- Date of Holiday:Feb 2005
- Board Basis:Select
- Tour Operator:Thomas Cook
" I have been to the Maldives 8 times.... "
Submitted By: Mrs A Anderson
I have been to the Maldives 8 times. This resort is not a four star resort. It is a one star resort.
Ugly old rooms, ugly beach, bad food, and the staff they doesn’t care about you.
We had small fleas in our bed. The first day it was overbooked and we had stay two nights in an old room (never been renovated) we tried to move to another island but the travel agent (Thomas cook) said no.
We couldn’t pay with visa card they demanded cash. I hated every minute.
Never go with Thomas cook.
Ugly old rooms, ugly beach, bad food, and the staff they doesn’t care about you.
We had small fleas in our bed. The first day it was overbooked and we had stay two nights in an old room (never been renovated) we tried to move to another island but the travel agent (Thomas cook) said no.
We couldn’t pay with visa card they demanded cash. I hated every minute.
Never go with Thomas cook.
1 out of
1 reader found this review helpful
- Date of Holiday:Nov 2005
- Board Basis:Half Board
- Tour Operator:Thomas Cook
" My experience was similar to the... "
Submitted By: Mr A J Gunn
My experience was similar to the previous reviews. The resort is overcrowded and something like 2/3 of the rooms should be downgraded because of their location and aspect. Room tariffs should reflect this.
While the house reef is excellent, snorkellers should be aware that access can only be comfortably gained from the small beach, especially at low tide.
We thought that drinks and excursions were expensive , ditto the hire of snorkelling fins ($6.00 per day).
To their credit, we found managers and staff as friendly and helpful as usual. On arrival they were overbooked and we found ourselves in basic minimalist accommodation used by staff. Two further moves were negotiated without unpleasantness however and we eventually found ourselves next to the real beach.
At least two other couples had similar experiences. We shall not return.
While the house reef is excellent, snorkellers should be aware that access can only be comfortably gained from the small beach, especially at low tide.
We thought that drinks and excursions were expensive , ditto the hire of snorkelling fins ($6.00 per day).
To their credit, we found managers and staff as friendly and helpful as usual. On arrival they were overbooked and we found ourselves in basic minimalist accommodation used by staff. Two further moves were negotiated without unpleasantness however and we eventually found ourselves next to the real beach.
At least two other couples had similar experiences. We shall not return.
- Date of Holiday:Feb 2006
- Board Basis:Full Board
- Tour Operator:Booked Independently
" We spent the 2nd week of Jan 06 at... "
Submitted By: Miss K L Kirk
We spent the 2nd week of Jan 06 at Ellaidhoo and experienced quite a few problems with our accommodation and diving. We received very little help from staff at the resort, and had to initiate any conversations with them to get our problems cleared up.
The staff / management seemed pretty disorganised, and nobody really seemed to care when things went wrong. There were a lot of unhappy people at the resort while we were there. It is apparently not possible to book a specific type of room as they all supposedly cost the same. This is fine if you get a room overlooking the beach, but the rooms in the 2nd line looked terrible!
We were really disappointed by the beach. It certainly wasn't a typical Maldivian island where powder white sand disappears into the sea. The sea wall that has been built around the island is really ugly and totally spoils the fantasy of being on a deserted island. There also isn't much beach around the island.
The food was pretty good but, again, fairly unimaginative and pasta with every single meal was a bit much.
The dive sites we went to were absolutely amazing! However, most of them were quite far from the island so this isn't really a valid reason to base yourself at Ellaidhoo. Another resort nearby (Halaweli) looked really good when we flew over. By the way - wherever you book, it's well worth doing the seaplane transfer for incredible views!
I unfortunately wouldn't recommend this resort for the "holiday of a lifetime".
The staff / management seemed pretty disorganised, and nobody really seemed to care when things went wrong. There were a lot of unhappy people at the resort while we were there. It is apparently not possible to book a specific type of room as they all supposedly cost the same. This is fine if you get a room overlooking the beach, but the rooms in the 2nd line looked terrible!
We were really disappointed by the beach. It certainly wasn't a typical Maldivian island where powder white sand disappears into the sea. The sea wall that has been built around the island is really ugly and totally spoils the fantasy of being on a deserted island. There also isn't much beach around the island.
The food was pretty good but, again, fairly unimaginative and pasta with every single meal was a bit much.
The dive sites we went to were absolutely amazing! However, most of them were quite far from the island so this isn't really a valid reason to base yourself at Ellaidhoo. Another resort nearby (Halaweli) looked really good when we flew over. By the way - wherever you book, it's well worth doing the seaplane transfer for incredible views!
I unfortunately wouldn't recommend this resort for the "holiday of a lifetime".
- Date of Holiday:Jan 2006
- Board Basis:Half Board
- Tour Operator:Booked Independently
" This was our second visit to the... "
Submitted By: Mr M Lindberg
This was our second visit to the Maldives and we had really looking forward to come back. We had booked a individual superior bungalow so we were really disappointed and irradiated when we got a room in the second line of rooms on the island. There were a couple of rooms in each block and not individual as we booked. The standard of the room was also bad. Very dark and ugly furnished. The bathroom wasn’t very fresh either.
This was absolutely NOT a for star room that we had booked. Also the smell in the room was very bad and I started to suffer from mould allergic. When we complained at the reception we got no understanding at all. We talked to five different persons and they all said they couldn’t help us. They told us that all rooms nowadays have the same standard and that there were no individual bungalows free.
They were all very unhelpful and unfriendly. Finally, after a long argument that really made the start of our journey to the Maldives very bad, we were offered a individual bungalow next to the sea but not until the day after. And what a different it was. This bungalow was really nice ! Very nice furniture, a large and beautiful outdoor bathroom with a little garden and a bathtub. Everything was very nice and clean comparing to our first room (the first room should have been categorised 2 star).
The island of Ellaidhoo is not what to be expect from the photos from a typical Maldivian island. It is not a very beautiful island. There is only one beach on the corner of the island and that beach is rather small so it gets a bit crowded . Around the entire island there are walls out in the water to protect the island from waves. Understandable but not very pretty. Next to our bungalow we had a little "beach" with a wall at the edge of the sea and a little stair leading down to the water. This was not a problem for us, frankly it was quite nice as we could lay in the sun almost in private surrounded by palm trees.
If you wanted nice beaches you could go to the really beautiful sister island of Ellaidhoo called Maaga. It took 10 minutes by Dhoni boat and cost 6 dollars to go to. There where no walls and very calm. Didn’t feel crowded either.
The meals at Ellaidhoo was a bit boring. I know the majority of people staying at Ellaidhoo are Italians but not ALL so why have so much pasta and pizza ?? It was quite nice with different themes every night but I think it’s a bit lack of imagination to have a Italian night and just a couple of nights after having a pasta night. Even the so called European buffet felt Italian. How ever, the food was well cooked and tasted nicely. The desserts was really good.
Breakfast was nothing special but OK. Absolutely best was the omelette cook that also took care of the desert table. He was so friendly and made the most wonderful pancakes and omelettes !!
The house reef at Ellaidhoo is quite fantastic. We have never seen such a big number of different fishes including sharks. One of us made some dives but to be honest, we saw more and interesting fishes just by snorkelling. Also, the current was far too strong out at the dive sight to make a dive comfortable. We snorkelled a couple of times every day and saw new fishes every time. Also sharks every time.
All in all. The best with Ellaidhoo is snorkelling at the house reef. But we wouldn’t come back. The dream of a beautiful Maldivian island is not what to be expected if you stay at Ellaidhoo. The island also felt a bit too crowded. We much more preferred the small and wonderful island of Thulhagiri where we stayed at our last visit to the Maldives.
This was absolutely NOT a for star room that we had booked. Also the smell in the room was very bad and I started to suffer from mould allergic. When we complained at the reception we got no understanding at all. We talked to five different persons and they all said they couldn’t help us. They told us that all rooms nowadays have the same standard and that there were no individual bungalows free.
They were all very unhelpful and unfriendly. Finally, after a long argument that really made the start of our journey to the Maldives very bad, we were offered a individual bungalow next to the sea but not until the day after. And what a different it was. This bungalow was really nice ! Very nice furniture, a large and beautiful outdoor bathroom with a little garden and a bathtub. Everything was very nice and clean comparing to our first room (the first room should have been categorised 2 star).
The island of Ellaidhoo is not what to be expect from the photos from a typical Maldivian island. It is not a very beautiful island. There is only one beach on the corner of the island and that beach is rather small so it gets a bit crowded . Around the entire island there are walls out in the water to protect the island from waves. Understandable but not very pretty. Next to our bungalow we had a little "beach" with a wall at the edge of the sea and a little stair leading down to the water. This was not a problem for us, frankly it was quite nice as we could lay in the sun almost in private surrounded by palm trees.
If you wanted nice beaches you could go to the really beautiful sister island of Ellaidhoo called Maaga. It took 10 minutes by Dhoni boat and cost 6 dollars to go to. There where no walls and very calm. Didn’t feel crowded either.
The meals at Ellaidhoo was a bit boring. I know the majority of people staying at Ellaidhoo are Italians but not ALL so why have so much pasta and pizza ?? It was quite nice with different themes every night but I think it’s a bit lack of imagination to have a Italian night and just a couple of nights after having a pasta night. Even the so called European buffet felt Italian. How ever, the food was well cooked and tasted nicely. The desserts was really good.
Breakfast was nothing special but OK. Absolutely best was the omelette cook that also took care of the desert table. He was so friendly and made the most wonderful pancakes and omelettes !!
The house reef at Ellaidhoo is quite fantastic. We have never seen such a big number of different fishes including sharks. One of us made some dives but to be honest, we saw more and interesting fishes just by snorkelling. Also, the current was far too strong out at the dive sight to make a dive comfortable. We snorkelled a couple of times every day and saw new fishes every time. Also sharks every time.
All in all. The best with Ellaidhoo is snorkelling at the house reef. But we wouldn’t come back. The dream of a beautiful Maldivian island is not what to be expected if you stay at Ellaidhoo. The island also felt a bit too crowded. We much more preferred the small and wonderful island of Thulhagiri where we stayed at our last visit to the Maldives.
- Date of Holiday:Jan 2006
- Board Basis:Full Board
- Tour Operator:Booked Independently
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My advive: Don't read them.... go and enjoy yourself in paradise. Go with that in mind and you will all most certainly fall in love with the Maldives....
This was our Honeymoon and was the first chance we had to spend some quality time together without the kids and our only wish was to relax. Relax we certainly did with heavenly surroundings.
On the supposedly shoddy accomodation: Well we had a beautiful appartment on stilts (water villa)in the sea overlooking crystal clear waters. Outside & indoor bathroom, excellent air conditioning and anything you could possibly need. Plasma tv with surround sound. The rooms were cleaned twice daily and the beds were arranged differently every evening.
We stayed on the island CHAAYA REEF ELLAIDHOO and the island was totally amazing. Bright white sands, transparent waters and beautiful forestation. The attention to detail was out of this world.
The staff Couldn't have been more friendly or helpful. They would run around after you all day if you let them. The food was perfect, I was a bit aprehensive before we went because I am quite picky but the choice was outstanding and the quality second to none. In fact I Don't think I have ever eaten so well.
To round it up: If you would like a holiday where you can truely relax in paradise, with service fit for royalty and perfect weather to go with it, then, CHAAYA REEF ELLAIDHOO is the place for you.
I may not be the hardest person in the world to please but this place left me feeling totally amazed that places like this really do exist. One thing is for sure, We are are going back.....
Advice: It is amazing....
Activities:
Good for: Beach