Kuramathi Blue Lagoon Hotel, Kuramthi, North Ari Atoll

See if you can upgrade to the seaplane transfer for the return transfer - great opportunity to get some pictures.

Staff very helpful and friendly, very relaxed and laid back feeling about the island, well maintained rooms and facilities.

Having never been to the Maldives before, I was concerned that I would get bored with a 2 week holiday - not at all. We spent most of our time wandering along the beach, admiring the beautiful scenery, watching the abundant sea life chase each other around, get chased by the various crabs that inhabit the shoreline, and swimming and snorkeling.

Staff were superb. Really friendly and very attentive.

Having read other reviews on other islands, I realise what a great resort this is! You get your own table, the food is top notch - it alternates between a set menu (choice of main course) and a themed buffet, all the hot food is kept hot and constantly refreshed, the cold salad and fruit bar is kept cold so no tummy trouble at all, just too much food! You can have breakfast (all your typical fare including local curry!), lunch and dinner, and even an afternoon snack, but we tended to skip lunch. We never had the same meal twice the entire holiday, and there was always an alternative (usually some sort of fish) if you didn't like what was on offer.

We went All Inclusive and it is a good package - your mini bar is restocked with soft drinks and water every day, the bar is always open and only premium spirits (like old single malt) is at extra cost. The bar staff are brilliant, and will make whatever cocktail you want.

The snorkeling is great - You can go to the outer reef and see the bigger fish (manta rays, sharks, dolphins, and turtles etc.) but you can also see a very wide range of fish in the gentler lagoon side (which is good if you're not so good a swimmer, or not so confident in more open water).

We had a bit of bad weather (late Nov/early Dec), but to be frank it made no difference, as when the sun was out and the wind dropped it was boiling! So the odd shower was a welcome relief and quite entertaining.

There is a pool, but it is like a sauna with sunshine, as the trees shelter the cooling beach winds, so you can't spend long there, but it is nice for a quick dip. The pool is the only place that has proper sun loungers, but unless you want to baste yourself and come home looking like a piece of old leather, the lack of loungers is no big deal.

Sunsets are incredible, and the whole experience is so laid back you will never want to go anywhere else again.

We had a beach bungalow. It was nicely decorated, plenty of space, indoor bath/shower and outdoor shower (fabulous). We had a veranda/deck leading straight onto the beach, and we faced the sunset side, so we sat and watched it every night (with appropriate musical accompaniment from the iPod!).

We're sold on the Maldives, and I am currently researching other islands, but from what I've seen, very few compare to the resort in Blue Lagoon (which was also fantastic value for money). It is one of the bigger islands, but you wouldn't know it, and you don't have to venture away from this resort if you can't be bothered.

I've never felt so relaxed before, so coming home is a real struggle, but it's so worth the long flight/transfers to have 2 weeks away from all the stress and strain of everyday life.

There honestly are no bad points, at least not for us. It was wonderful, true paradise and at such good value. I'd never consider the Med again.