Kurumba Maldives

My new wife and I selected Kurumba for our honeymoon having researched the resort on trip advisor and other sites. We found it to be one of the most pleasant holidays we have had. After a pleasant pick up and short trip by speedboat to the island, we were met with politeness and courtesy and were instantly given the impression that we would be looked after on this trip... which we were. We stayed for two weeks in a deluxe bungalow. Although we were given one which was not on the beachfront (thanks for nothing Thomas Cook!), we only had to ask reception if a beachfront bungalow was available and they did their best to move us. The following day we were moved from the west of the island to the north, into what we considered to be one of the best bungalows on the island. The North features clear uninterrupted views, from beneath palm trees. The bungalow itself was very comfortable, was clean and tidy. It was well maintained and the bathroom is just fantastic. Yes, you do have neighbours, but anyone thinking about staying here will hopefully have done their research (by visiting the website for example) and will already have discovered that no, you are not Robinson Crusoe. There are lizards on the island, and ghekos, but they are totally harmless and add a bit of character. There are no spiders, so no webs and everything looks clean. There are few birds but fruitbats in the evening which if you're lucky make for great photographs! The staff were so pleasant; everyone from gardener to management will greet you when passing. Nothing is too much trouble and they are always so polite. We went half board, which turned out to be a good decision as the weather was so hot that lunch was rarely even considered. With half board, our breakfast and dinner took pace in the main dining hall, which although being a large open restaurant space, is perfectly adequate... it won't blow your socks as an a la cart dining environment, but it is pleasant and functional as it would have to be. Food quality was consistently good. The breakfast buffet was always more than enough to fill us up for the day, even though some guests seemed to see it as an opportunity to eat as much as physically possible! The evening buffet changed every night, from Maldivian cuisine, to Sri Lankan, Arabic, Indian, chinese, italian... Okay, not Gordon Ramsay, but fresh ingredients, cooked very well, with plenty of choice, with local flavours. We enjoyed every meal we had and tried a lot of different dishes... The other restaurants were also very good. We tried the italian, indian and Ocean Grill. A good menu, limited to just the right amount and cooked very well. The Ocean Grill, was just great... good australian steak. The island is beautiful and does actually look like the website pictures, but no its not deserted. Yes, you are near Male, which is slightly disappointing and yes, you can see planes and boats, but by looking on a map, this is no surprise either. They didn't really interfere with what was a really great and memorable holiday.

Just returned from Kurumba on a 5 night trip to the island for our honeymoon. Must say that the resort n the hospitality was indeed very good. The staff is very helpful and friendly and are very prompt in serving you. Deluxe bunglows( beach facing) is a great place to live in. We stayed at Room 160 which is considered to be one of the best located cottage. Sea is only 7 steps from your room and the view is brilliantly scenic. For the first two days we stayed in the Garden villa which has a huge bathroom and a jaccuzi. If visiting make sure that you get a beach facing villa so that you can enjoy the experience. catamaran safari is also advisable and to book on half board basis would be a good / more economic sense. For honeymooners, they give a great complimentary sea side dinner. Must go once

Excellent 3 night stay well organised and good service,really enjoyed and relaxed in one of the beach side bungalows which was worth the money for our special break,brilliant safe snorkeling for the less adventurous.A few beers Happy hour 6.30pm in the bar before choosing were to eat (spoilt for choice we had chinese night 1 Intermational night 2 and completed the holiday with a curry on the last night ,breakfast was wonderful with a wide variety of choice.The journey from the airport was 10 mins by speed boat check in was 10 mins unpacked and on the beach in less than one hour is perfect.This is not for Robinson Crusoe fans it is 5 star International Standard excellence and we will return .a big thanks to all the staff

My new husband and I stayed here as part of our honeymoon tour - and after sampling the sheer delights of Hong Kong, Singapore and Dubai my desert island experience was most disappointing. We had booked a seafront bungalow, only to be told on arrival that there were not any available. To top off the cheek of it (the seafront accomadation is a lot more expensive than the others) we were told later in the week that we could pay to upgrade! Have to say bathroom was amazing and huge, but that was the best part of the accomadation given. Not being a fan of lizards I was also horrified at the amount we constantly got in our room. Nothing much to do on the island. Not the true desert island experience I had expected and a disappointing way to finish what had until that point been an amazing honeymoon.

We stayed at Kurumba for the first two nights of our holiday in the Maldives. We arrived early in the morning, and this resort was a great location, for stepping off a plane and arriving at your destination within 30 minutes. However what this does mean is you are close to the airport and Male which at times looked quite industrial. So if you want to experience tranquility and seclusion, this resort might not be ideal. We got a good deal direct with the hotel for a pool villa, which is highly recomended, as you get your own private pool, massive patio area, and lovely interior. Plenty of choice of restaraunts.

Having expected a true 5* hideaway we were utterly dissapointed. Proximity to the airport is that close that depending on the wind the long distance planes/maladivian water taxis are taking off/landing over the beach which makes a robinson feeling imposible. Food is served free of charge in a cantine atmoshere. It is served buffet style and was nothing special at all. The 9 other restaurants are extra adding roughly $100 dollars per night for the dinner for two to your room bill. The accomodation is newly renovated after the tsunami. We stayed in a deluxe bungalow which was the only highlight on the island despite lacking the attention for detail. People and staff are nice and try their best but do not in any way meet international 4* or 5* standards, walking around in cloth and shoes that do not fit them (shoes are only supplied in one size). Having had to use the medical center on the island because of a bad stomache we were supprised to find that their is a doctor but no medical staff which meant that I had to assist the doctor whilst he was trying to insert the needle for the needed IV. The Staff at the Dive school is friendly and follows padi standards. 10 Dives add up to 700 $ inkl. equipment and boat. Visibility in August was poor, most dive sites were dissapointing apart from Manta Poitnt (Dozens..), Nassimo Thila (Corals) and the big wreck. Summary Far too expensive, 1 week is enough, expect to pay extra, do not expect 5* food and treetment.

Arrivals/Depature On exiting the airport we were met by the Kurumba representative holding a sign, then were assisted on to the boat for the short transfer. We arrived late at night and the water was like a highway, many lights of other boats in the area. Very surreal. A bottle of water was given to each of us complimentary as well as towels. We tipped the boat driver as we had read that was customary and greeted at the jetty by Kurumba reception staff who guided us into an airconditioned room. We were then given refresher towels, a beverage and able to check in this environment. We were then taken by golf buggy down to our villa and our attendent showed us the features of the villa. Payment on depature, as they joked, there is no way off the island. Return transfer was punctual and assistance again to/from airport. Villa The island was quite full for our stay and we stayed in a villa. The open bathroom wtih private jacuzzi was a bonus. The rooms are very true to the photos on the Kurumba website. Complimentary bottles of water given daily as well as restock of espresso machine coffee. All parts of the villa are airconditioned except for the bathroom. The basins, wc and 1 shower are undercover outside then rain shower and jacuzzi open air - nice at night and private. Island There is spa/beauty centre, sports available, 9 restaurants, gift shop and an enjoyable walk around the island following the pathways. Tours can be organised, scuba, snorkel,trip to Mahe for example. Everything has been thought of on this island. For souvenirs better choice at airport on depature. Very polite staff and very attentive to detail. We found this to be a very multicultural island, people from all over the world which was nice. The depatures/arrivals of planes posed no problem of noise to us. We took bread to feed the fish at the jetty each night on recommendation from a staff member and we saw children enjoying this with their parents after the meal - a tip for families. As a couple we did not find this island dominated by children, it was near full to capacity and we saw maybe 10 to 15 people a day. Some based by the pool and others dotted around the beaches on the island. An afternoon treat when the staff cut down the coconuts for the restaurant each day was they would cut them one forus to eat and we gave a tip to them...they are very friendly and didn't expect it which is nicer. We would stay here again, it isn't an isolated island of the Maldives that are available by plane transfer or further boat trip but it is a good experience for those not knowing what to expect. The manager of the resort held a briefing for guests during our stay and explained the expansion of Universal Resorts in Maldives & Seychelles and how the best of produce and beverages is imported from Australia, to Dubai and Europe etc. This is 1 of just over 80 resort islands of 1200 that makes up the Maldives total so we can talk only of this island and nothing posed as a problem or was too much to ask.

On arrival, after a short speed boat transfer the check-in was very easy and quick. The bags were delivered to the room before I even had my shoes off! The deluxe room was large and airy with high ceilings and a ceiling fan. The air conditioning was efficient but sometimes a little noisy. Going out on to the balcony there was a day bed, table and chairs and a lovely view of the white sandy beach and turquoise sea. In the dressing area there was plenty of wardrobe space, dressing gowns, tea/coffee making facilities, complimentary bottles of water (which were replenished frequently), a fridge and a free mini safe which was a decent size. The bathroom was definetely a wow factor! Opening the double doors there was a large bath with taps in the middle and windows which could be opened on to a patio area with amazing plants and an outside shower where you got a lovely breeze while looking up at blue sky and palm tree tops. Beach towels were also provided as was an umbrella in case of any heavy downpours. Everything was so clean and kept very clean and tidy throughout the week with lovely little touches like orchids on your pillow in the evening. You can stroll around the island in about 15 minutes so it is amazing that there is such a variety of restaurants including Ocean Grill (best sea bass ever!!), Indian, Lebanese, Chinese, Italian, Buffet and Neptune Coffee Shop. I did not have a bad meal during my stay and all food was presented so well and good sized portions. Average cost for dinner is $40 per person including wine. The evening entertainment is in the main bar - singers and bands of varying standards! There is also karaoke which goes on until about 1am but this does not disturb you if you do not join in as it is in an enclosed room. There is an amazing, but pricey, spa - $95 for a facial. This is near the gym which is well equipped and air conditioned. Also avaiable are tennis courts, table tennis and a small sports pool. The main pool is lovely with fountains and lots of shady areas. The beach is clean and the water lovely and warm. Plenty of sun loungers here so no need to get up too early in order to get a bed! Lots of watersports are on offer including sea kayaks, snorkelling, diving, parascending, windsurfing and boat trips. Yes, this hotel is near the airport and you will see some air traffic, but its not exactly Heathrow! There are a few boats going past too but this did not bother us, it depends on how isolated you want to feel. I think this island provided the luxury I expected without the total isolation from civilization. Take some snacks such as crisps and chocolate bars and also plenty sun tan lotion as the only shop there does not sell much apart from wooden ornaments! Also, have a look at kurumba[--] - it gives photo tours of the hotel.

My wife and I recently visited this island on the 18th of June for a week’s holiday. This was our first trip to the Maldives and to be honest we was very impressed with the hotel and the island. Check in The check in was a pleasant and speedy affair after which we was given a friendly ride on one of the golf buggy things that they use to deliver us to our room the bags where delivered about 15-20 mins later. Accommodation We stayed in a Deluxe room (236) on the back side of the island with a view out to the sea from our porch. The room was of good quality well modernised with a very comfortable bed and quality fittings and was a nice size and design ((--)). The safe was large enough to hold my laptop, passports and 2 cameras happily. The mini bar was quite pricey, I think around $6US for a tin of beer but the beers where icy cold and quite refreshing after a long hard day snorkelling! The TV channel selection was good and we enjoyed watching a film or two on HBO when we had a nasty storm on our second day. We didn’t use the High speed internet connection because we felt that $20 was a little steep for a days usage. Throughout our stay the room was kept immaculate by our cleaner who left everything shining like new every day. Food This was one of the hotels best points the food is fantastic (especially if you like fish)! Both my Wife and I was especially impressed with the Indian Restaurant where Fernando the Restaurant Manager and his staff make you feel like pure royalty and present you with food that well quite frankly was fantastic and out of this world. They do a cookery lesson/demonstration in the kitchen that we thoroughly enjoyed. The Chinese, Ocean grill, Italian are sophisticated and very good too and for lunch the Neptune’s maldivian fish curry and grilled fillet of fish burger are my favourite choices for lunch. We didn’t visit all the restaurants because the Indian food was so good! The island/resort The location of the island is really handy for the airport and reading some of the reviews here you would think that there was a constant flow of 747’s flying overhead this is not the case. I think in the week I say about 4 large planes but I did see around 10 or more sea planes in the distance (however these are quite cute and nice to see). I suppose it comes down to how secluded you want to be. You can see ships and Male from the main bar side of the island but these look quite attractive in the distance. The snorkelling on the reef was great just past the break barrier there is some fantastic fish and coral to see. Flowers and gardens around the island were very well kept and the beaches cleared well and all in all it’s a very nice place to be. The bars and restaurants have a quality feel about the buildings and furnishings – its hard to explain this in words but they are nice places to be. Diving The dive school is a Padi centre they are all really friendly but professional and offer a free refresher for divers who have not dived for more than 3 months to help you get a hang of weights etc. They have a fantastic dive boat and crew. The hire equipment was of good quality and repair too. The Staff takes all the hard work out of diving and help make it a pleasure. Check out The day before they dropped us a note to help us organise what times we would need to do what for a smooth check out and transfer. This was really handy as this helped us not forget anything and also they put extra staff on these tasks at the times it was needed. This was impressive organisation and worked really well. All in all A wonderful holiday we will be returning to the delights of the wonderful beach and for a swim in the sea just as soon as we can!

We stayed on Kurumba in May for 9 nights for our Honeymoon, it was simply wonderful. From arriving, the staff always wanted to do everything they could to make sure you were satisfied. I had done quite a bit of research in the Maldives with exactly where we wanted to stay, one of the main reasons for choosing Kurumba was the fact that they were the 1st resort. Also with us going on the 'Mixed Meal Plan' option, their were 7 restaurants to choose from. 5 being ones which were included in this option and the other two (Ocean Grill and Japanese) receiving a discount if you wish to eat there. Apparently we went in the 'monsoon' season but we did not see a single drop of rain, the weather was fantastic with a welcome sea breeze to keep cool. There are 180 bungalow's on the island but we did not really see many people during our stay. The accommodation was very nice and we felt very comfortable. The room was cleaned and maintained to a high standard and we were given plenty of water. The only things you need to be wary of is the cost of food and beverages as it can be a shock to the system. I strongly recommend visiting the Kurumba website as it gives you an idea not just of the Island and amenities but also menu's for the restaurants along with prices. I can't say the planes overhead bothered us, it was'nt as though it was all day every day. Around 3 times a day and to be honest it was interesting to watch. Their are some ships nearby but again that is being very critical. I would most certainly go back to Kurumba and recommend it to anyone!