Kuredu Island Resort, Lhaviyani Atoll Reviews

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Kuredu Island Resort, Lhaviyani Atoll
★★★★☆
4.1
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Latest Reviews

“My husband and i have just returned from Kerudu island...”

★★★★★

written by on 02/09/2009

My husband and i have just returned from Kerudu island Resort, Lhaviyani Atollafter spending 12 whole days on the island celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary. We just can not find anything to moan about, we were completly looked after from the time we arrived till the time we returned. Apon our arrival they allocated us a free upgrade from a beech bungalow to a beach villa on the O`resort. We did not even ask for that which was nice of them. I have to say not the best part of the island but not complaining as it gave us a chance to walk a short walk along beautiful shoreline basked with sharks and rays to the other side of the island were clear tourquise seas were waiting for us. The restaurants all served the same sort of food , only differance was the O`restaurant had the most scienic and best setting. But on the whole they all were really very nice and well run,with the most polite staff you could ever have.The Bar staff were so lovely and well mannered they could teach our people a few manners over here there is really no comparison they are the best.We have visited the Maldives twice now once on a smaller island and now at kerudu and both times we have been looked after and enjoyed. I really don`t know what people find to moan about but i guess they are either fussy or very unlucky. We had some really bad weather but it did`nt bother us one bit as there was always something to do rain or no rain.

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“I can not praise this Island enough, loved it. husband...”

★★★☆☆

written by on 19/08/2009

I can not praise this Island enough, loved it. husband and I went to Kuredu Island Resort, Lhaviyani Atoll in November 2008 cos it is one of the islands that would marry us underwater in a scuba diving wedding. But to our surprise the rest of the island was the best place in the world Flight was yuk, kids screaming and crying and the parents doing nothing to control them, they should have designated seating are on planes for families with small babies and young children.
The Island was wonderful, well looked after and the people were very welcoming and friendly and we were very well looked after.
Accommodation We stayed in the O Resort it was beautiful and so romantic. I could not have wished for a better place to get married and have a honeymoon. Food Yummy, different everynight, GO ALL INCLUSIVE DEFINITELY waiter wonderful, restaurant the best, d cor stunning and elegant yet chilled out too. This is one of the larger islands and not for those who want a small get away. Next year we will be going to a small island to get away for our 1st years anniversary probably Biyadhoo, we will mainly be going for the diving and have heard this is the place to be for diving. But I would recommend Kuredu to anyone who is thinking of going out there
PS the dive and boat crew were great, could not fault them.

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“Just back from the Kuredu Island Resort which was a...”

★★☆☆☆

written by on 21/07/2009

Just back from the Kuredu Island Resort which was a big dissapointment, hardly anything can take away from the sheer beauty of the island, the sea's the wildlife etc but this hotel do their best to try....

It was purely down to the hotel that the holiday was slightly spoiled - these guys bring a new definitition of trying to make a fast buck !!We went all inclusive gold, but still found a constant stream of waiters telling us "sorry sir that isent included" if you want your water in a bottle you have to pay... tip the same bottle into a glass and its included? Water is double the price in the gym (when you most need it) drinks are included - at certain bars, which catches you out. Coffees which are included cost us $15 for two because we chose to have them skinny.

All sports are free - but they dont tell you in advance is tennis balls cost to rent, shuttle (which were rubbish) cost to rent, we got gold games included - however had to pay $15 for 3 golf balls !!!

And quite literally the most inflexible staff (not including waiters and cleaners who were fantastic) - we emailed in advance about required equipment but arrived to find snorkel sets(which we were told we would get for free) for $70 each !! in the gym you HAVE to wear shoes, we were told you didnt - trainers surprise surprise are additional, my partner coudl not train for 2 weeks.

Food is very samey - mexican tastes just like Maldivian and to get different foods (surprise surprise) you have to pay at the laughable "ala carte" restaraunts, the Italian boasting the best Italian outside of Italy, when I am not even sure its the best Italian on the island - one meal consisting of some garlic bread, bit of very tough fatty steak and chicken came to $110 !!!

There was example adter example of this - we had paid for the top package in advance and still ended up with a $600 bill....

Also, we were 1 door away from Sanghu a restaruant, but because we werent allocated this one we had to walk 10 minutes to eat !!! I asked that the staff help me out and all he suggested was that I wake at 8am on my relaxing holiday to beat the rush and to book into Sanghu - I did this repeatedly, each and everytime the Sanghu was empty and in fact a complete sham in terms of booking.

Same went for the Ala Cartes - one evening they were fully booked, we walked past and 2 people were eating, this was we were told to create an air of exclusivity !! What a joke.

I loved the Maldives, despite this hotel - I will go back, just not to this hotel.

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“I and my wife are just back from our honeymoon in...”

★★★★★

written by on 03/07/2009

I and my wife are just back from our honeymoon in Kuredu and I have been reading these reviews since I booked and feel we should give our view now.
We stayed in the O' villas for 2 weeks on the all inclusive option. (All inclusive is needed as a spirit and mixer will cost $12.50)

Our flight out with Monarch was a lot of hazel, we wanted to upgrade to premier as it was our honeymoon and where unable to do this before hand with direct holidays (Not good at all, will not book with again). When we arrived at Gatwick airport I was sent to a lot of desks which had big cues at them to try and get upgraded with no luck and was then told by a staff member to ask the crew when I board, as they had four seats available on board. I did this and got upgraded at a cost of 155 pound per person one way; feel they could have done it a little cheaper since it was last minute. The upgrade is worth doing as it was along flight and you get a free bar and all the other extras. Great fun.

The transfer at Male to the seaplane was well organised. We where told to take whatever luggage we need now and the rest will arrive at our hotel by 19:00 by boat on the same day, which it did.
We where then taken to another waiting room to await our seaplane transfer. This room is very nice and cool with plenty to drink which is all free. A member of staff took me around and showed me the sea planes and told me a little history of the island - Very nice people and was not looking a tip. The seaplane ride is great and gives you the best view of the Maldives and a nice way to start you holiday.

When we arrived at Kuredu, the blue clear water and white beaches and a lovely cold drink a waits and a very nice welcome. The Sangu and O resorts have their own receptions and we were transferred to the O resort as requested before hand by the taxi service, The road is mad with trees growing everywhere. When we arrived at the reception we were given another drink and advised of various things.

We where then escorted to our room, which was suburb with great views (Ask for villa near 320, as the lower down the beach you go the more trees there are and wave breakers, which block your sea view) and shown how things work. The O Villas in my view are a lot nicer inside then the other villas, although the sand is not as good but still very nice. The water on this side of the beach has a very strong current, so be careful but overall the resort and pool all makes up for this, plus no children under 12 are aloud and it has the best view of the sun set.
We ate mainly at the O restaurant. Our waiter was good, very nice and did what we asked although other waiters did go overboard for their guests. The chief is very nice as is all the staff on the island. The food we felt got a little similar and boring after two weeks but still tasted very good. You can eat breakfast and lunch at any of the restaurants without booking but for evening meal you can book that morning, Franco's to eat in is ok, service was very slow and you can order room services which tastes very nice. Pizzas are very good, although slow to arrive but hot. I rathered the beach are the Far east restaurants as it is alot like you would get in a great restaurant back home (around $60 for two courses and drinks for two).

Diving/ snorkeling gear costs $8 a day with deals done for longer. Pro divers are excellent and know the water and area well so go speak to them early in your holiday; the turtle trip is great as was the local island visit and you must do the night fishing and the sunset cruise (All great). On the island visit you get to meet the locals and their way of live (i.e. Schools, Hospital etc).
In summary the island is paradise with great staff and great food and as much to do as you want. (May cost you, but your on holiday). With regards tipping our advice is tip a little at the start, middle and end. They do work for it, especially the room boy who is great and very friendly and cleans your room twice a day. (The staff dont go looking for tips but may expect a little tip. About $30 for two weeks for the room boy and $20 for waiter)

Building work is taking place at the top end of the island by o resort bungalows and in the middle by the spa but here it is hardly noticeable. We were very sad to leave and would recommend Kuredu to anyone.
Tips to help you on your holiday.
1. Bring plenty of high factor sun cream (Very hot and expensive to buy).
2. The mini bar food is cheaper in the shop to buy. (store up and take back to your room)
3. You do need flip flops for the rocks at the O resort side of the beach and for night, so you done stand on any mini crabs.
4. Take some small dollar notes for tipping.
5. The area is not lit up well so bring a torch and a small umbrella if going in wet season as they will cost $20 over here.
6. Go to kuredu web site and look at rooms and email hotel and state requirements.
7. If staying in kuredu ask for villa around 320.
8. If on honeymoon, let hotel know this before and when you are there as you will get a surprise. (Let room boy know)
9. Have a small bag packed before hand with clothes for going out that night and a swimsuit and leave sun lotion at top of suitcase to take out when over there.
10. Go to the spa, it is great and not expensive. Cheaper then home.
11. Things are layed back here. So relax and do the same and enjoy


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“We took an excursion to our own dream island while we...”

★★★★★

written by emmaandjoe on 04/10/2008

We took an excursion to our own dream island while we there, it was nothing but sand without and trees or grass and it was just two of us there for the morning, a worth while experience and a beautiful island. Two sun lougers, towels, umbrella, lunch and a big ice box filled with cold soft drinks was included in the price and also two huge flasks of tea and coffee!
This excursion cost $160 for the two of us, which at the time worked out around £100- £110 so I thought it was reasonable!

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“Gorgeous, beautiful little island. Excellent house...”

★★★★★

written by Christina Hall on 25/03/2008

Gorgeous, beautiful little island. Excellent house reef for divers, excellent snorkeling facilities. Beach bungalows are lovely and we felt no reason to upgrade to a water villa. If you want to relax and play enjoy the fishes, baby sharks etc swimming outside your beach bungalow this is the ideal place for you.
Visit before it's too late and the Maldives are under the sea! There is not much to buy on the island, only one little shop but we did not go to Kuredu Island for shopping we went for relaxation and a beautiful location and we got just that. Nothing really! If I am being picky it would be that we had to pay for the drinks in our mini bar (but I am being picky).

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“We had a beach villa, which was great, air-con, half...”

★★★★★

written by ajwaller137 on 20/03/2008

We had a beach villa, which was great, air-con, half open air bathroom, 20 metres from the sea.
The food was good, plenty of choice for all meals. We ate at one of the a la carte restaurants. Its nice to go somewhere different and it wasn't too much more money but I wouldn't recommend it unless you are a big fan of the type of food they serve (there's an Italian, seafood and Thai restaurant).
Would thoroughly recommend Kuredu to anyone and everyone. It was our honeymoon and we'll never forget it.
Please post any questions you might have, I will be happy to answer

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Frankdrebin's Response to 353008_ajwaller137's Review

Written on: 16/07/2009

Hi there , I am heading to Kuredu in August, also to a beach villa. I notive from the map that there are two stretches of beach villa, one south of the watersports area and one north of it. Which part would you recommend if you had a choice for better beach, more peaceful etc? are there any specific number that are better, or any to avoid? Many thanks

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“We spent our honeymoon on Kuredu Island Resort and...”

★★★★☆

written by Chillers on 24/08/2007

We spent our honeymoon on Kuredu Island Resort and arrived on the 18th December, staying until New Years day.
We arrived in the middle of a storm which was quite exciting - the sea plane had to land a long way from the island and taxi across the water to the jetty. We learnt that we were the last plane that they allowed to land that day.
We got very wet on our way to our bungalow, and our suitcases did not arrive until the evening so we ended up having to stay in the room with our robes on!
The golf is fantastic, the snorkelling was just amazing and the baby sharks and rays that gather around the cove near the water bungalows are fascinating.
A lot of people comment that you must use the Sangu restaurant, and go on about getting allocated tables etc. Well, we were not in the Sangu - we got the same allocated table for our entire trip - and no we didn't share this with strangers!
The food was good, especially the gala dinners on Christmas eve and New Years eve.
The highlight of our trip was winning the Gladiators competition - we won quite a lot of money which really helped with our room bill!

Overall we had a really great time and I would recommend this island to anyone looking for paradise with something to do!

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“From the moment we got to Male we knew we were in...”

★★★★★

written by Rattu on 12/03/2007

From the moment we got to Male we knew we were in paradise. As this was our honeymoon, the staff on Kuredu tried extra hard to make it special for us. The seaplane transfer is a must and you should not miss out on the opportunity to see the beauty from above. Once we got to the Island we were given a cold towel and ice-cold drinks, which was perfect. Once checked in, we went to our Jacuzzi Beach Villa and we were totally in love with the room and the Jacuzzi area. The setting in the room is fantastic and the honeymoon decor on the bed made it even more special. We were allowed to eat in the Sangu restaurant where the food is much better than the Bonthi and the Komas restaurants. You get designated tables for your entire stay. In the Sangu restaurant you are allowed to sit where you like, we even sat on the beach at night and had a candle lit dinner, it was very romantic. There are many activities for you to do during your stay, myself and my wife did parasailing which was a blast, speedboating, dolphin safari, a desert island excursion and the night fishing, which is a definite must. Night times can be a little boring but there is entertainment in the Babuna bar to try and liven the evening up. There was entertainment such as crab racing, a live band, quiz night and pool chipping. Weather was perfect, no rain at all, which made our stay even better. Another thing you must do is have a massage in the Spa, totally excellent, I was so relaxed I fell asleep. There is also a tennis court, football pitch and golf course to make sure you don't get bored. Nearly forgot, you will see the amazing baby sharks swimming close to the beach, don't be afraid just sit back and enjoy the view. You must do snorkelling, my wife never did it and she missed out, luckily I didn't! Overall, Kuredu Island is the best place in the world and I will be going back next year.

Ricky and Jas

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Raynebow's Response to Rattu's Review

Written on: 16/04/2008

My partner and I are also going to Kuredu for our honeymoon in March next year, so it is very reassuring to get such positive feedback from people who have been there the same time of year we will be going. Again, because it will be our honeymoon we naturally want it to be magical and something we will remember forever.

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Degbert's Response to Rattu's Review

Written on: 16/04/2008

Good comments - Kuredu is fabulous, especially Sanghu end of the island (though it's all nice). We were lucky enough to have a Water Villa which was fantastic, but the Jacuzzi idea seems great too.
Try the snorkelling if you can - you can hire the stuff there. The stuff you can see is amazing and the sea is so warm anyway, you would be missing out if you didn't.
I would go every year if I could...

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“Water is now included in the all inclusive and I have...”

★★★★★

written by Lou Seymour on 04/03/2007

Water is now included in the all inclusive and I have never experienced such excellent Customer Services, the people on the island can not do enough for you.

I would go back every year if I could afford it.

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“We stayed at the Kuredu Resort between Tuesday 12th...”

★★☆☆☆

written by SMILEYSLC on 28/12/2006

We stayed at the Kuredu Resort between Tuesday 12th December and Thursday 21st December in a Sangu Jacuzzi Beach Villa, for 9 nights.
we booked our honeymoon with Kuoni, and I can only praise them and would certainly book with them again. The rep at the resort was excellent, very informative and sorted out any queries quickly and was not a pushy sales woman.
we flew direct from Heathrow with Sri Lankan Airways, airline were superb and would strongly recommend them. It took approximately 10 hours. Landed in Male where we had a short bus trip to sea plane departures. We had to wait approx an hour and a half before sea plane took off but the sea plane waiting area is very pleasant with lots of seating, nice views and refreshments.
the sea plane transfer took approximately forty minutes to kuredu. From friends and website reviews it was built up to be an amazing experience however we thought it was OK, more of means to an end. Be warned though with no air conditioning it does get very hot and uncomfortable. But I am sure it was better than a 4 hour boat trip to the resort.
the sea plane landed on the island, some islands you get dropped off on a platform in the sea and a boat takes you to your resort.
our sea plane carried us and our luggage. At this point I took off my flip flops and did not put them on for the next ten days. On arrival on the Island Sangu guests were taken in the Sangu taxi to the Sangu resort reception area. We were given cold towels and coconut ice cream which were very much appreciated. We were given details about the resort, our welcome meeting and were handed our keys.
we stayed in Jacuzzi beach villa number 132. From reading the hotels website I emailed prior to arrival to get an outdoor bed next to the Jacuzzi, and we were lucky enough to get one, a nice extra if you fancy it.
The room was exceptionally large, with air conditioning and a ceiling fan, a security deposit box, CD player, tea/coffee making facilities and a wardrobe, no drawers though. The bed was very large, with two iron chairs and a small table and dressing table. Very impressed with the room. To the rear of the room is a door leading out to the bathroom area, with a toilet, double sinks and large shower. Leading on from this is an open area with a washing line, the outdoor bed and Jacuzzi.
the front of the room looks out onto the white sand and palm trees. On the veranda there are two chairs for your sole use and on the sand in front of your villa are two sun lounges for your sole use. Could not fault the room at all, very impressed.
Sangu guests get the use of their own restaurant and bar. The bar is a nice extra to have as it is the only bar located near to the Sangu accommodation. The restaurant is a self service buffet. We stayed on an all inclusive basis, which gave us breakfast, lunch and dinner included. Breakfast consisted of a choice of four cereals, fruit, 2 pastries, toast, and a mixture of hot food including bacon, baked beans and a chef cooking eggs, pancakes and omelettes. Your waiter remained with you at every meal for your entire stay. The waiters were very good. Lunch varied there would also be a soup, a cold salad buffet, a two or three hot meat dishes to choose from and three or four desserts. Dinner had a different theme every night including Indian, BBQ, Chinese, Mexican, again with a soup, salads and four desserts. If the weather was good enough some tables were set up on the sand next to the sea and they were fantastic. I would describe the food as OK, it had no wow factor and after a few days it all tasted the same and after 10 days I was really not enjoying eating it. The resort has three other restaurants, but I looked at the prices which were steep and thought why should I have to pay those prices on an all inclusive holiday when the food is not good enough in the main restaurant. Included in the all inclusive deal were limited drinks, the basic soft drinks, wine and beer. No cocktails, these were being sold for about $5/6/7 and prices for premium branded alcoholic drinks were high. The gold all inclusive package included these drinks so it may work out cheaper to pay this up front, this also included the mini bar in the room.
we bought our own snorkelling gear and I think this was a good idea because turtles do not always show up when you want them to so it was handy to have our equipment at hand. The snorkelling is excellent especially off the jetty. Canoes and windsurfing was available to do at no extra cost and twice a week lessons would be put on. There was a huge range of other water sports to try but all at a cost.
The Island is unique for having golf course, six holes. With a driving range and putting area. The golf pro does an hour introduction once a week for free, this was very good. After this you pay for everything. To play you have to pay $10 a round per person not including balls and balls cost $12 for the cheapest pack. Again you pay for the driving range. The golf club has its own bar and TV and has a nice relaxed atmosphere. The resort runs golf competitions, surprise surprise you have to pay to enter, $10 Texas scramble, golf ball in the pool you have to buy a $5 cocktail to gain entry. Found the concept of paying to enter competitions on an all inclusive shocking, especially when the prizes were cocktails or such like. Crab racing was more entertaining but you have to bid for your own crab, they can go for up to $90 each. The entertainment or lack of it was the biggest let down. I have never seen so many people play cards, scrabble or monopoly before in my life! We had to buy a pack in the resort! Read all of my books in the first three days because in the evenings there is nothing to do. In the day the same is very true except you have the beautiful beaches, snorkelling, and pool to keep you occupied. The swimming pool is great, plenty of sun lounges and a pool bar.
we also made use of the spa which was wonderful; prices are about what you would expect about $60 for an hours massage. They do about every treatment you could imagine.
we had the same room cleaner for the entire stay who was excellent, towels were regularly changed and the bed made twice a day. A bottle of water was also let in your room every night so you did not have to pay for bottled water.
the resort has a number of shops, which sell basic items you may need. I found that gifts to take home were expensive and were much cheaper at Male airport. The resort had its own jewellery shop and water sports clothing/equipment shop. The resort has a system where you pay for nothing at the time you simply give your room number and it goes on your bill at the end of the stay, even in the jewellery shop!
we walked around the whole island which took just over an hour and saw the other types of accommodation. Our Jacuzzi beach villa was virtually identical to a beach villa, the beach bungalows looked like a tin shack, but if you don't want to spend much time in it I guess it does the job. We went in a water villa which are lovely but some what isolated and you don't have access to your own bit of beach because at the rear of the water villa are the beach bungalows.
something we both found really annoying was the sound of the sea planes from where our room is they were really loud. The first one leaves about 7am and there are a few a day landing and taking off. It felt like an airport hotel.
the sunset cruise included in the price of the holiday was excellent and we got some lovely shots.
I walked past the main restaurant for non-sangu guests it looked like ours only larger, seemed quite compact for the number of people though.
the bars on the resort all had nice furniture, some bed you could lie down on and chill, clean and with a nice atmosphere.
we were honeymooners and were told we would get sparkling wine, fruit and t-shirts on arrival. This was not the case, after reminding them we got the fruit and wine but the t-shirts did not show up till the final night with flowers on the bed, this was after asking twice.
The night before we left we had to settle our final bill, this came to $450, quite a lot considering that we did not use the mini bar, have any non-inclusive alcohol or eat at non-inclusive restaurants. Most of it was entertaining ourselves, golf, competitions and at the Spa!
Departure is very organised and the day before you get an itinerary of where to be at what time. Our flight back to Heathrow was via Colombo in Sri Lanka, which although was tiring there were no real problems.
In summary I was disappointed, the weather was bad which did not help Since the tsunami the seasons have shifted and the June/July rain did not come which has resulted in unusually high amounts of rain since late October. The wind and the rain meant that a number of sea planes were cancelled and the only form of transfer was boat, we saw people getting off the boat soaking wet and still being ill from sea sickness.
I would never go back to Kuredu or recommend it to anyone. The island without the hotel is amazing; our Jacuzzi beach villa was great but little after that. I think the Maldives is a special place but this resort does not do it justice.

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Degbert's Response to SMILEYSLC's Review

Written on: 29/12/2006

Terrible shame the weather conspired against you, which will always make a holiday feel 'bad'. Especially so on honeymoon. I (or rather we) were one of the lucky couples to have two of the weeks in late June 06 where the weather was great, and we were in a Sangu water hut. But to be honest, it appears the only difference was the weather. Apart from that most of your review suggests everything was pretty good. I'd agree with that, but of course good weather will make it just that more enjoyable. I guess my point is - good or bad - the weather makes a subjective review of a holiday quite difficult.

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“I felt I had to write a review because no one has...”

★★★★★

written by Lucy100 on 06/12/2006

I felt I had to write a review because no one has mentioned about taking children to Kuredu. Having travelled the world in my younger days and never making it to the Maldvies we went last Christmas and New Year, taking my 8 year old son. What a fantastic trip. We flew direct to Male with First Choice and a sea-plane transfer was like something out of James Bond. This was included in our price but would definitely be worth paying extra for. Having flown over most of the islands, as Kuredu is one of the most Northern, arriving on a sea-plane makes a beautiful start to your holiday, especially the landing. As soon as we arrived, we upgraded to a Beach Villa for 7 nights and then back to the Beach Bungalow. Well as we walked from the seaplane to the bar to get the welcome drink and check in, my son already had his swimming trunks on and shoes disregarded, already in Maldivian mode. The Beach Villa was beautiful with outside bathroom and set on the beach. It had perfect views and the only place that I have ever been where it is the same as the holiday brochure and postcard. Without even unpacking (if you have a seaplane transfer then bags arrive later on the boat) we put on our beach clothes, no shoes and went for lunch. I have read about sharing tables but this never happened with us or anyone in our restaurant. Then straight to the pool, to find friends for my son, so as not to make our holiday a nightmare. He found two boys aged 9 and 10, both there separately which led me to be able to read a book. The next day they found another 8 year old boy and that was it, a gang. A few days later another boy and a girl arrived aged 8 and 10 and then on Boxing Day another boy and girl arrived around the same ages. My concerns on not having enough children to play with were to no avail and he was extremely happy, in fact so much so with one family they are returning again with us this year for Christmas and New Year. There is no kids club at Kuredu but there is plenty to do, with the main focus around the swimming pool. There was an activity for the kids daily, whether Mini Olympics or cookie making, they were more than amused. The golf club also provided further entertainment for them and they played daily. My son also scuba dived, water-skied, wind surfed, played tennis and badminton, snorkeled and boat tripped to his hearts content. I was worried, as I thought there would not be many children or we would be bored but we had a fantastic time. I would imagine that the rest of the year you would struggle for kids and those that did go were well behaved and quiet, so everyone was happy. It was not only couples there either but lots of groups, whether family or friends, and from Boxing Day the resort was full with lots of different Europeans. I can definitely rate this resort for families, in fact anyone. The staff are fantastic from cleaners to management, although Reception were a bit snooty. I hope we have as good a holiday as last year because Kureda Island is the best ever and we have stayed at places such as Forte Village in Sardinia, Marbella VClub etc. and we were most impressed with the people and resort at those places too.

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“My wife and I travelled to Kuredu for our honeymoon....”

★★★★★

written by david mcentee on 15/09/2006

My wife and I travelled to Kuredu for our honeymoon. It was a dream come true for us as we had always wanted to go to the Maldives. Before we left I took the time to read some of the reviews on this site and most of the ones I read were fantastic and filled me with confidence, however there were a couple of bad ones which got me thinking. Well now that I have been there and seen it for myself all I can say about the bad ones is that the people that have written them either had an extremely rare bad experience or they are incredibly difficult people to please.

The journey started at Heathrow at 15.00hrs and we landed in Doha at about 12.20am local time. A tip for you here is to try and book into the Oryx lounge (if flying Qatar) it will cost about $25 each but this includes free tea/coffee and soft drinks as well as biscuits and sanwiches and will make your stay infinatly more comfortable as they have lovely big sofa's and arm chairs. We then got our connecting flight to Male, after an hours wait at Male we were on a seaplane heading towards Kuredu. We had to make 2 stop offs at other islands, this is quite rare but it was nice to see the other islands and upon taking off from the first stop we all of a sudden dropped back into the water at the point of take off, we were later told by the pilot that 2 dolphins were in front of us and they had to stop to avoid hitting them!

Upon landing it became apparent that all the pictures and postcards that we had seen were indeed factual, the water really is that Blue and the sand really is that White!
It was a relief to get of the seaplane, they are very hot and extremely loud so earplugs are a must, but they do offer the best views of the various islands that you fly over.
We were met off the plane by a friendly face who escorted us down the jetty where we were greeted by a drum beat reception, although I did comment to my wife that it felt as if we were fresh meat arriving on the island!!! We were taken to the Akiri bar where we were given a soft drink and given a brief talk on the island, it was then off to reception to check in and get our key.
We walked to our room (425) which was a beach bungalow. Now this is the only criticism I have about this island, the bungalows are very basic, they have a double bed in the room, a small table with chairs, and built in wardrobe and a dresser. The bathroom is indoor/outdoor so they are open to the elements and the wildlife.
It was our intention from the start to try and get an upgrade if possible, so within minutes I was on the phone to reception and was told that we could have a water villa for the last 4 nights of our holiday. It would cost us $160 a night but we thought that was a fair price so we booked it there and then. This is something that I strongly reccomend you do, if you are in a bungalow then try for an upgrade straight away if thats what your after. I'll come to the water villa later but it was to prove to be the making of our honeymoon.
We had 4 days of great weather but a nasty storm moved in that was to last for 5 days, even though it was bad weather it didnt stop us enjoying ourselves, when the weather is bad the only thing to do is hit the bar!

Unfortunatly the bad weather led to a few of our trips being cancelled, we had a night fishing trip booked and a half day excursion to another island and a short stay to a deserted island booked and both of these were cancelled due to bad weather, but we did go at the tail end of the monsoon season so it had to be expected.
With the high wind sleep in the bungalows was hard to come by, the noise it makes as it whistles through the palm trees is quite loud and on one particular night all this was compounded by 2 gecko's having a territorial war in our room, so dont throw those ear plugs away! Also another tip is to not leave your bathroom light on at night when you go out, we had huge red ants all over our toilet as a result of not switching the light off, a quick call to reception and the problem was better but not quite solved, you will get a few ants without the light on but make a habit of checking (ladies escpecially!) before using the toilet.

We upgraded to our watervilla on the thursday before our departure on monday 11th. And what a change it was, they really are beautiful, all wooden with a four poster bed, a INDOOR bathroom, lovely decking balcony with steps that lead down into the lovely clear water. And best of all no wildlife in the bathroom, this pleased my wife no end. All of the watervillas offer a sunset view (cloud cover permitting) this makes for amazing snorkelling, we saw more fish within 5 minutes of being there than we did in the 7 previous days. We saw big Rays, Triggerfish, Black tip reef Sharks, Unicorn fish, and god knows what else so I was in my element.

When you move down to the Sangu end of the island you have a different restaraunt where you can have your own table. In the other restaraunts you have to share a table with another couple and you have the same table for the duration of your stay, this is ok but it was nice to have more of an intimate meal with just the two of us. The food is very good, there was always plenty to choose from and its always freshly cooked, I dont think they have had a case of food poisoning in the Maldives for over 2 years, but the food is quite rich so if you have a weak stomach then it may be worth taking the appropiate medication.

I would probably reccomend that you take your own snorkeling gear, we hired our from the pro dive shop, it cost us a total of $90 for mask's and snorkels but whatever you decide to do just make sure you get some in as the snorkeling is fantastic. Dont do it on your own, always make sure that you partner does it with you as it is very easy to get carried away and drift away, so make sure you use common sense and keep popping up to check your bearings.

Well I hope i've painted a good picture for you. It was without a doubt the most amazing holiday we have ever been on and it will take some beating. Kuredu really has it all, you can have slendid isolation during the day and if like us you want a bit of a socialising in the evening then it is there for you. If you are reading these reviews and have a holiday booked at Kuredu then I am truly envious.

Mr and Mrs Marangos-McEntee.

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“We stayed at the Kuredu Island Resort in the Maldives...”

★★☆☆☆

written by agarforth on 05/09/2006

We stayed at the Kuredu Island Resort in the Maldives for a week, and we were not sad to leave. The resort skimped on essentials and tried to make a quick buck wherever it could.

For an all-inclusive package we were charged for water, cocktails, ice creams, soap for washing hands, and we were charged $48 for the use of a cot. We even had to pay $41 for an umbrella in the shop for the 1 day it rained. Refills for the tea and coffee in the room were also chargeable.

The drinking glasses in the room were never cleaned. There were 4 of us in the room, and they would take 4 dirty towels and only replace them with 2, this turned into a daily battle of us having to justify why we needed a towel each.

Our rep was completely useless and provided us with little information, and when complaining about the service, we were told that is how it is.

Upon arrival we were given a drink and told it was a difficult booking, whilst being hurried along before the next lot of people arrived. We were then given a key and pointed in the direction of the beach villa. When we eventually got there some 10 minutes walk later the key didn't work, and we had to walk back to reception to be told to just try harder. No-one came with us.

Our whole parties (7 people) luggage was delivered to one room and they were told they would have to come and drag their own luggage half way across the island. We managed to convince them to take it to the other rooms.

The restaurant staff were good in the main and A La Carte restaurants. Although the food in the main restaurants was unoriginal and bland.

The prices are very high, and we had to pay $5 for 1 litre of milk for our baby.

The nightlife was never explained in the brochure. We expected something quiet, but it was loud and annoying.

We were on our honeymoon and had to argue for the honeymoon items we were told we would get. We did get them, but not until the last night when we had already packed our cases.

On the plus side, the bar staff were friendly and the dive centre was excellent.

We left feeling completely ripped off, and we won't be going back.

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“We visited Kuredu Island Resort in the Maldives from...”

★★★★★

written by daggster on 25/08/2006

We visited Kuredu Island Resort in the Maldives from 30th July to 14th August for our Honeymoon. A week before we left I visited the Review Centre website and was disheartened to read not one, but several bad reviews of the resort. Whereas I fully understand that this was our 1st visit to the Maldives, so therefore have nothing to compare it to, I feel I must jump to its defence, regardless of the fact that others feel there are better resorts to visit.

I can honestly say that from start to finish my wife and I could not fault the place one little bit. It was always impeccably clean, and with first-class service received from every member of staff, we were left wanting for nothing. We stayed in Beach Villa No 203, which had beautiful views of the talcum powder sand and sparkling aqua green sea; a joy to wake up to every morning. The food, in my opinion was varied and very tasty. Everything is cooked fresh in front of you, which was a nice touch, and there was always plenty of it.

My wife virtually lived in the spa, which was also very, very good. On the second day we had the couples massage, which was 50 minutes of pure heaven culminating with a bottle of champagne in our own little wooden hut - that really set the mood for the whole two weeks really!! Being Honeymooners we had the opportunity to upgrade to one of the Sangu Water Villas, but although very nice and slightly larger than the Beach Villas, we opted to stay where we were, as we preferred the sea breeze and the two steps to the beach from our veranda. On booking the holiday we were initially down for a Beach Bungalow, but we paid a little extra to upgrade to the Villa. We were very pleased we did this, as on one of our more energetic days we took a wander around the island (1 hour 20 minutes door to door) and took a look at the Bungalows, which were basic to say the least. Having been spoilt by being just a step away from the beach in the Villa, I would have been disappointed if we'd stayed with a Bungalow, which were no comparison. It felt as if they were stuck on the other side of the island as an after thought, and as another reviewer has already mentioned, it was quite a hike to the restaurant, which to me was important as the average day seemed to revolve around eating!! This is the only downside of the resort, but I must stress, the only downside.

I do agree with another reviewers comments regarding flying Monarch. I'm 6'1" and really struggled to get comfortable. Also, on the outbound flight the cabin crew were very unhelpful. This was all forgotten though once we'd arrived and on the Seaplane transfer, which is well worth paying the extra for. Also, one thing that we were unsure of was tipping. Basically it's up to you. We decided to wait until the end of the holiday and tip our waiter and room boy then. The currency most used on the island is the US Dollar, and it's advisable to take a number of small notes, $1 & $5, for all other tipping e.g. Spa and bar guys.

All in all, we had a fantastic, very relaxing, beautiful two weeks. The only problem we have now is we don't want to go anywhere else, and seeing as it's quite a costly holiday option, it looks as if it's going to have to be once every two years for us from now on. Oh well. In my opinion it's worth the wait.

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“Kuredu Island Resort in the Maldives is very beautiful...”

★★★★☆

written by fivdp on 14/08/2006

Kuredu Island Resort in the Maldives is very beautiful and paradise like. The room was simple but nice. Service was excellent, and house keeping was very good. It was a nice touch with the T-shirt, fruit and sparkling wine for honeymooners. We were in a jacuzzi beach villa, which was nice, and I think I still prefer it to a water villa, as you are on the beach and you have the jacuzzi.

Unfortunately, I got very sick and had to call out the doctor in the middle of the night. Thank God for insurance, because it was $240 for that. The doctor told me it wasn't food poisoning as they hadn't had that on the island for at least 2 years, but I am not so sure.

Also, we were asked if we would move islands (an upgrade) as they were overbooked, which would be for 1 night. I didn't want to, as I was only just feeling better, but I don't think they were to happy with this.

Overall, it was a good honeymoon location, but I haven't got other islands to compare it with.

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“The Kuredu Island Resort in the Maldives is a great...”

★★★★★

written by stuarcher on 13/07/2006

The Kuredu Island Resort in the Maldives is a great place for a honeymoon. You can have lazy days followed by some lively evenings!! The golf course was a really exclusive club, if you lived up that end of the island; not too many people get there! The downside is there is a bit of a walk to the main area's, which is a good thing at times. All the staff were very friendly and always smiled while getting you drinks.

Highlights: Swimming with turtles and the dolphins on our sunset cruise.

Overall, we had a great time. Highly recommended.

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“Having travelled to the Maldives a few times before...”

★★★☆☆

written by allansmith on 12/07/2006

Having travelled to the Maldives a few times before Kuredu was a big disapointment. Our mistake was booking onto an island that is too big for a Kuredu Island Resort - Secluded break. The levels of accomodation are limited and having upgraded to a Beach Villa - which was ok - the cost in doing so was overpriced. This was the poorest standard of accomodation we have seen in the Maldives. Think of tin sheets for roofing and being on the blusteriest side of the island far from ideal. A route march is the order of the day for meals as some beach bungalows are a long walk from the restaurant. "Like a row of huts in a prison camp" was as one guest aptly put it.

The food while good was distinctly lacking in originality. I like fish but I like it presented in more that just two or three ways. The staff were excellent and had to put up with a fair amount of comparison from others who have been to the Maldives before.

The management have a policy of charging for water (????????) and it is the first all inclusive where cocktails are not all inclusive. Nobody could explain that one to me. They tried to claim this is policy in the Maldives and I pointed out that this is not the case at all. Very disapointing.

For the money Kuredu was a very poor resort as we have stayed at better for less money. While the holiday achieved the relaxation we required we will not return.

For those thing of going to Kuredu - Do your research - Know exactly what you want from a holiday - Look at other islands in the Maldives. Kuredu just does not have that Paradise Feeling which is one reason people go to the Malives as it can be Paradise.

Allan

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“Kuredu Island Resort - I read with interest the...”

★★★★★

written by degbert on 10/07/2006

Kuredu Island Resort - I read with interest the reviews from the past year and feel obliged to put the case for the defence. Admittedly, we'd gone the whole hog and opted for the Water Villas and the exclusive "Sangu" end of the island. But I think it was worth the extra. The service was impeccable throughout, faultless execution of our every wish. The all inclusive was good as the food was superior to other islands I've stayed on; more variety and better prepared. The fact we were actually in the lagoon meant access to sea life was second to none and we swam with turtles, rays, sharks and a myriad colourful fish.
I find it frankly impossible to think of anything bad to say about the place, except I wish I was still there.
This is from someone who isn't an avid snorkler, doesn't scuba, and endured a couple of days' rain while there. I can appreciate the beach bungalows might not be brilliant (I did see them), but my perspective is that this is a faultless island, very well run, with enough to do to keep you busy but quiet enough (at least at one end) to make it completely relaxing.

Top tip - don't fly Monarch if you are over about 5' 7" unless you are happy not to walk straight for a day or two. We flew Sri Lankan which was much better for legrooom.

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Libbys's Response to degbert's Review

Written on: 04/08/2006

Have read with interest your review on Meedhupparu and Kuredu. We went to Kuredu last August 05, and are about to go to Meedhapparu. How do they compare? We absolutely loved Kuredu and we are not sure that any other island will match. Pleased to hear about Sri Lankan airlines having legroom as this is who we are going to be travelling with. Last year flew upgrade on Monarch which was great. Libby Shepherd

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“Kuredu Island is a beautiful island to visit....”

★★★☆☆

written by Doreen Ford on 23/03/2006

Kuredu Island is a beautiful island to visit. Unfortunately we booked a beach bungalow and was very dissapointed with our accommodation, on the first day of our stay we requested an upgrade to a Beach Villa (which we were more than happy to pay for) only to be told that accommodation on the island had been double booked and that they had a large party of divers expected later in the week. We later saw an adverisement in the reception area asking for volunteers to transfer to other islands with a free upgrade, we put our names on the list but were not accepted as they required the Beach Villas.
The holiday was supposed to be all inclusive but we had to buy water, ice-cream etc. The choice of food was very limited and so at times we were paying to eat in the a la carte restaurants (which were very good and also good value).
Several times we asked for hand towels, as we were only given 1 bath towel each, three days before leaving the island we were told that they only supply one towel per person in the Beach Bungalows. On the pattio area we had two plastic chairs which were not at all comfortable.
When walking on the beach you had to be very careful as there was quite a lot of broken glass etc scattered about.
It was impossible to swim in the pool as there were children running round and jumping in with parents throwing them from one to another.

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