Choosing the right island in the Maldives

I’ve recently returned from a work trip in the Maldives. We visited several islands to get a better understanding of what each island offered. My biggest surprise was how different each resort was and how important it was to understand the different islands.

We visited a number of 4-5 star islands which were very back to basics - you took your shoes off as you arrived at the island and didn’t put them back on until you left. These islands didn’t have luxury facilities; they were about leaving all you worries at home and completely relaxing with no distractions. These are ideal islands if you’re looking for the true Maldivian experience. You do need to enjoy complete peace and quiet. You need to be content with a good book and the company of your companion. These islands would not be suitable if you’re after a range of facilities to keep you entertained, and want your home creature comforts.

Some of the islands we visited were more traditional all-inclusive complexes and in complete contrast to the islands mentioned above. We visited a number of 3, 4 and 5 star islands and they reminded me of the Caribbean, large hotels with everything you can imagine on offer. They had various restaurants to choose from, endless activities to enjoy on land or in the water and great entertainment programmes. The rooms had all the mod cons including plasma tv’s and coffee makers and the islands tended to be larger in size so either provided golf buggies or buses to take you around the islands. If I’m honest I have to say that you do lose a little of the Maldivian feel when the islands are larger but these style of islands are great if you’re taking children or if you prefer a lot going on to keep you entertained.

There were also a number of 5 star islands we visited which were the height of luxury and elegance. Aimed at the discerning traveller that won’t accept anything but the very best. They had chic fine dining restaurants on offer. They boasted amazing infinity pools with most offering private pools in the hotel rooms too. The designs ranged from traditional to contemporary but all were amazing.

We also visited a number of specialist islands too, including ones that specialised in diving holidays, and a couple that specialised in surfing holidays.

There really was a complete mix of different islands and choosing the wrong one could have a detrimental effect on your enjoyment of the holiday. Speak to either me or one of my colleagues who have also been and we’ll be able to recommend the most suitable island for your Maldives Holiday.

Out of the islands I visited, here are some of my favourites::

Maafushivaru – This is an island that in my opinion really captures the true essence of the Maldives. It’s a small island so you really get the feeling you’re on a dessert island. It’s modern but is still in keeping with the Maldives. There isn’t a wide choice of facilities or restaurants but if you’re after that this island isn’t suitable for you anyway… it caters for someone after time to completely relax and get away from it all.

Vilamendhoo – This was my favourite all-inclusive resort. It wasn’t a small island by any means, but wasn’t as big as most the other all-inclusive resorts. It has a wide choice of activities on offer, had a selection of restaurants but still had that Maldivian feel. It was recently renovated so is like a new hotel, and for the 3½ standard I felt it was more luxurious than some of the 4 star islands we visited.

Kuramathi – This resort is one of the larger islands but is great if you want a wide choice of restaurants and facilities to choose form. It really does cater for everyone so whether you’re a couple that wants a wide choice of restaurants or a family looking to have lots to keep the children entertained this is ideal.

CoCo Palm Bodu Hithi – If you are after 5 star luxury, this hotel certainly delivers. From the private pools in each of the island villas, the several fine-dining al a carte restaurants on offer and the chic design running through the property this hotel is simply amazing.

If you’re planning a holiday to the Maldives or a Maldives honeymoon, get in touch and we’ll happily tell you all the suitable hotels and get you the best deal! It's an amazing place and somewhere everyone should experience - just choosing the right hotel couldn't be more important!

Nadine's Multi Centre Honeymoon in the USA

I chose this destination as a honeymoon so we had something to remember. We have done so many longhaul All Inclusive beach holidays they all just roll in to one, so I wanted something we could look back on with a clear picture. A USA Multi Centre Holiday seemed a great choice.

Our 1st stop was LA for 3 nights, we stayed in the Best Western on Santa Monica Boulevard, it was just a simple basic hotel but in the perfect location.  If you want to be able to get around on the buses in the day and then walk to the bars and restaurants at night then this is the best area to be in.  We walked up to Sunset Boulevard at night for drinks in the cool bars and saw some (want to be celebs) and the odd famous local pulling up in their Ferrari’s and getting noticed.   During the day we visited Universal Studios, the stars homes of Hollywood, the Chinese Theatre, Walk of Fame and Rodeo Drive!!  Santa Monica beach is nice, just how you imagine an LA beach to be, lots of people blading and jogging and hardly any sunbathers except me and the new Hubby sat people watching, very nice and relaxing.  Also another beach to visit was Venice Beach now that was an experience; you have to see it to believe it, great fun. If you like the gym, Muscle Beach, the outdoor gym on Venice Beach is the place to be!   A trip to the mall is worth it for any sports stuff, although the trainers are not much cheaper than here.  Apart from Universal Studios you can also get to Disney Land and Knott’s berry farm from here, these are great family days out.

2nd stop was Vegas  for 4 nights at the Luxor,   Wow the hotels here are amazing, it doesn’t really matter which one you stay in as you can visit all the bars, casinos and shops in each of them and it’s good to walk to them in the day and have a mooch.  They all have their own theme that runs throughout the hotel so they are all different but whichever you choose to suit your budget will be good.  The Outback Steak house is half way up the strip which serves the best steak I’ve ever had, and cheap too.  The shopping mall at Ceasers Palace is fantastic, Abercrombie is cheaper in here!  Casinos are the main thing in Vegas but there are also shows to see, clubs to go to and pools to sunbathe around so there is enough to keep you occupied for a good 4 days.  The day trip over Grand Canyon by Helicopter is a must if you can.

We then flew to San Francisco and spent 3 nights here at the Hilton Golden Gate Bridge, we hired a car from the airport here to drop off in San Diego.  A sat nav with car hire is important for these areas as you don’t want to get stuck somewhere you are unsure of, there are many areas that you need to avoid in America so I would recommend a sat nav.  In San Francisco we took the trams and did it in true style! we visited china town, Union square and fisherman’s wharf with a day trip to Alcatraz, I loved Alcatraz it was definitely one of the highlights.   Union Square is good for shops and bars.

From San Fran we drove down the coast road to San Diego, stopping off at various places.  Santa Cruz, my hubby loved this place as it is where they filmed the lost boys!! Then moving down we found this little town called Buellton, not far from Santa Barbara.  We stopped for petrol and the lady recommended it as it’s where Michael Jackson and Dolly Parton have their ranch; it reminded me of a little Holland, such a pretty place and a good overnight stop half way.  Next stop was Malibu and then the OC, Newport Beach, we just pulled up at a Motel and stayed overnight, we had a walk down the moorings for a meal overlooking the water, this is definitely a place I could live (if I had the money!!) 

The next day we went on to San Diego for 6 nights at The Solemar, A Kimpton hotel located in the gas lamp quarter.  This is the place to be if you want the cool bars and nice restaurants,  there is the TGIs and Starbucks but there are also some nice Fish Restaurants,  we had one of our best meals in one,  the starter was enough to fill us and we shared that!!   A car is a must in San Diego as everything is very spread out and nothing is in walking distance.  Mission bay and Coronado bay are the nicest beaches, Mission bay is where people have their beach houses, hotels and boats moored and Coronado bay is more like its own little beach town, with a promenade of shops and cafes.   You can do various day trips from San Diego, there is Sea World, San Diego Zoo, LEGOLAND and you can also drive in to Mexico and do some shopping in Tijuana. 

Overall I would definitely recommend this multi-centre trip to anyone looking for something different and to take home some wonderful memories! So much to see and do but with also the option to relax by the pool or chill out at the beach, perfect for a honeymoon or those important family holidays before the kids grow up!!

Phil Goes All-Inclusive In Sharm

Last June my Fiancée and I fancied a bit of sun at short notice.  We’d normally venture further afield, but we only wanted a quick week away and Sharm seemed to fit our requirements; 4-5 hour flight, a selection of good 5* hotels to choose from and not to forget the 30+ degrees of dry desert Sun.

Our main intention was to be self-contained with no real need to leave the hotel, so we decided on all-inclusive.  We wanted a hotel with fine dining, decent entertainment, good pools, great service and a nice private beach to relax and soak up the sun.  We were also toying with the idea of our first Dive so a hotel with a diving centre would also be a big plus.  So I picked what many regard to be the best all-inclusive hotel in Egypt – The Baron Palms….

I already knew that the Baron Palms was a good hotel as I’ve sold it many times, but In all honesty it still managed to exceed my expectations. Top quality service, great food and a really beautiful stylish Andalucian design throughout make it one of only a few hotels in Sharm that truly merit a 5 star rating. 

The hotel does cater for families, but I’d say it’s predominantly suited to couples and ideal for anniversaries or honeymoons.  The attention to detail is what makes the Baron Palms an ideal place to stay on special occasions. 

The hotels private sandy beach is 600m away and shared with the hotels neighbouring sister property, the Baron Hotel which is also a classy 5 star, with an informal atmosphere.   One example of the high service levels was being able to order drinks from your sun lounger on the beach.  When they brought ours they’d also gone to the effort of bringing us a couple of chilled towels soaked in Rose water to freshen up from the immense desert heat.  One bit of advice I’d give would be to take a few one dollar bills because with such high service levels they deserve to receive the odd tip now and then.

During the daytime if we weren’t on the beach we’d be in or around one of the hotels 2 large swimming pools.  Each pool has its own cascading waterfall.  The hotel run daytime entertainment is pleasant, but I found it could be a bit distracting if had my head in a book.  I’d read a review on trip advisor before going that advised to sunbathe on the loungers near the waterfalls as the noise of the waterfalls blanked out the entertainment, and it proved to be good advice. 

If like me you love your food, then you won’t be disappointed.  The hotel has a nice buffet restaurant for breakfast, lunch and dinner and you’ll find that they cater for all tastes.  The food looked and tasted delicious.  The hotel also has an Egyptian a la carte restaurant which you have to reserve in advance.  Sadly we never ate there as we ended up going to Naama bay on the night we’d planned to eat there.  I am however aware that the food is fantastic, one of the best Egyptian restaurants in Sharm.

On our penultimate day we decided to take the plunge, and booked to go scuba diving through the hotel’s PADI approved dive centre.  We booked in for a 30 minute dive with an approved instructor from the hotels 150m jetty.  I was amazed by how stunning the coral reef is and also by the variety of marine life we encountered – baby barracudas and sea snakes to mention a few…

In the evenings there is a good variety of hotel entertainment.  Shows, dancing, live music.  There is also a nice little pool hall and a disco where they play mainly western music.

Overall the holiday was great and if your after an all-inclusive holiday in Egypt it's ideal. Also if you fancy visiting the pyramids, or venturing over to Luxor we can arrange Egypt Multi Centre Holidays so get in touch and we'll tailor make you an itinerary.