Mercure Maldives Kooddoo Resort 4 stars

It was everything we hoped for and more! The room was exactly as advertised and the daily room service was exceptional. We had one of the more desired locations, close to the end of the reef which also makes it a longer walk to everything else. However, the staff was always willing to give us a lift on one of the golf carts whenever we requested, usually within 5 minutes. The two restaurants were more than adequate with the variety and quality of food offered and the service was exceptional. Ibrahim, Made and Fazlan at Alita were so thoughtful and always looking to see how they could accommodate us. Yamen at the Vista restaurant was very attentive and professional. He also made the best aperol spritz on the island! Reception was quick to respond to any questions or requests that we had, I'm pretty sure "no" is not in their vocabulary! Kylie at reception seemed to be able to read our minds and was always there when we requested anything. The dive center runs all the recreational activities and tours so we got to know all of them. Chris, Nikko and the other dive instructor were fantastic. Not only were they enjoyable to spend time with, but very professional and knowledgeable about everything we were doing. I highly recommend doing at least one snorkel tour and if you are comfortable, going diving. The island is an amazing underwater playground and you should take advantage of it! It is really a small resort so we didn't have any crowds or lines! We couldn't get everyone's names but really, every employee was terrific, which says a lot about the management! Tips: Bring lots of sunscreen, go during the dry season, stay on the sunset side, go snorkeling/diving multiple times a day.

Firstly I will begin with the bad points as there’s really only a few. The front of house management is poor . Check in was way to OTT . We had been travelling for around 20 hours and was keen to get to our room but it went on a bit . We also had an issue with the all inclusive part of the resort which in all truth was handled very badly . The manager in question later apologised but by then the start of our stay had been soured somewhat. Also the manager of the entire resort introduced herself at the reception and said she would see us around. We never saw her again, only at the management cocktail hour and even then she couldn’t be bothered to speak to is simply spending her time with the guests that were staying in the most expensive villa. Be aware that some things in resort are chargeable even though we were premium all inclusive. There’s a lot of tankers that go past which isn’t too much of an issue. There is a fish factory on the island and to be honest I think this had something to do with the amount of flies that were around. They were extremely annoying especially in the morning . There’s also a very small beach and there are no loungers on there so if you expect to sit on the beach you can’t. Now to the good stuff! THE STAFF . They were what really made it . Every single person had a smile and was amazing. Kasun and all the gang at the bar ! They are lucky to have you! We never had an empty glass! Ibrahim and everyone in the restaurant including all those working behind the scenes, you were truly wonderful. Bare in mind some of the guys were fasting and it must have been incredibly difficult in the heat yet they were still happy. Our room was cleaned fabulously every day by our lovely cleaner. Even the staff in the dive centre were fab! The reef is to die for! We saw so many wonderful things ! The food could be a little warmer in the buffet but we addressed it and it did get better throughout our week. All in all it is a stunning resort but honestly I think the staff were superb and really made our holiday. Would I recommend Kooddoo? Most definitely!! Would I go back? In a heartbeat!! Just hope those that are high up recognise the hard work of the employees as to be completely honest they were the icing on the cake!

Resort We loved the Mecure Maldives - it’s a small resort and so very relaxed, attracting similarly chilled out people of a range of ages. It had all the usual activities on offer from the dive centre. The reef, from the kayaking that we did, looked pretty good. We even saw a pod of dolphins passing by when we were in the pool bar on our last day. Bar & drinks I was pleased with the options of drinks offered - we’d rather drink local beers and cocktails than something that we might get at home. I avoided the Carlsberg on draft for that reason - its brewed in our home town. Instead went for local Lion beer, a Chinese beer and an Italian beer that was on offer. All were great - and served ice cold. The guys at the bar knew my wife’s and my drinks within a day and would start pouring before we got to the bar. Fishing Fishing was a highlight for us. Just a 10min ride out to the fishing spot and then traditional line fishing. We both caught a fish each, and had one cooked for us for lunch the next day - it was delicious. Italian The Italian restaurant is fantastic. We love the idea of all inclusive, I think it’s even better if it’s cooked to order, and better still if it is as well cooked as the chefs did in this restaurant, and served to the table efficiently. The restaurant doesn’t open everyday - so booking is suggested. We couldn’t get a suitable evening booking, but in all honesty - the view back at the resort, other islands and end of the runway is best in the afternoon when the restaurant didn’t need a booking. We ate there twice and had a great meal each time. Buffet restaurant This was good - lots of available options, together with a live station, for breakfast lunch and dinner. The local food was good. Indian meal This was very good. We really enjoyed the experience. The portion sizes were great and the flavours were good. It was a well cooked meal from start to finish. Beer delivery We didn’t try this, nor did we use the mini bar - as we were so close to the main bar and pool, and sunbathing there was better. Villa The villa was very nice - with a great outdoor shower which I took advantage of a number of times. Everything was as advertised and expected. There was also a bath - we didn’t get around to using that. Water pressure was great and there were plenty of fluffy towels provided. Zircon was good - in both bathroom and bedroom. If I return. I think I would go for the Overwater villa to avoid the insects around the beach villas, and also for access from the steps to the sea. The depth of the water at the bottom of the steps was very shallow and allowed great exploring in beach shoes. The variety and number of fish that could be observed was excellent. Arriving and leaving Checkin was handled very well, completed check in at our villa - allowing for us to start our holiday only after a short tour of the resort. And at check out, once all the formalities were completed, we were taken back to the pool bar for a couple of drinks then the short drive to the airport. Bar to departure lounge - 5 mins. Pity that the plane was a little late. Environment The little bit of jungle, together with the fish factory at the other end of the island doesn’t help with controlling flies and insects - even with the twice per day fogging. The flies and insects weren’t much of a nuisance - but packing some bug repellent and some bite treatment to manage any itchy sores would be a smart move. Communication I think the resort could do a little better with updating the timetable for each day - improved clarification on when the Italian restaurant is open, that earth day was being celebrated - are a couple of examples. The other resort we were at sent a short WhatsApp each day which was useful and maintained communication with the guest experience managers. During earth day when the lights were out, and the stars came out it occurred to me that an offering of star gazing would be a great option - perhaps switching the lights off at the Italian restaurant when it isn’t operating - I’m sure the far side would create a good dark area from which to gaze. Top tips Take plenty of sunscreen Consider an overwater villa Go fishing Bring insect repellent

Everything at this wonderful resort was top notch! Everything starts with a dedicated and courteous staff, and they were all so nice and attentive - Selva, the Chef at the buffet, Aman, our housekeeper, Nicholas, the dive master, Christina at the dive shop. A few names I unfortunately can't recall, but the bartender, the DJ, the front desk staff - they are all wonderful! The food was EXCELLENT, which was an unexpected surprise, as this is an all-inclusive resort. The variety, quality, taste and presentation of all the food was outstanding. Our accommodation (water villa with pool) was superb and well maintained - very clean with comfortable bed and linens, and a large bathroom with soaking tub and separate shower. The sunset views from our pool were stunningly beautiful. My wife went diving twice and the dive team is very profesionnal and make you feel safe. We also went on the Sand Bank excursion, which I recommend - snorkeling was like being in a huge aquarium with a variety beautifully colored fish - we even saw a leopard shark! The main pool is expansive and lovely. This adults only resort is one of the best all-inclusive ones we've been to. We will most likely visit again, and we highly recommend it!

Lovely resort and service by amazing people.