Mercure Maldives Kooddoo Resort 4 gwiazdki

We come to the Maldives often and normally get a warm welcome from the resorts we stay, the welcome in the airport and at the resort was nice enough. The staff at the restaurants are the only reason we didn't rate this a 1, as they're lovely, helpful and will go above and beyond to make the guests feel welcome. However the customer experience manager (Kseniia) made us feel less like valued guests and more like strangers to be put up with. Unfortunately our camera was water damaged during our stay and my sunglasses lost, however when we brought this to her to see if we could get an incident report, she immediately pushed back stating their was no proof the camera had been damaged on site, usually at a resort like this guests are believed rather than doubted, even if there isn't anything that can be done by the resort immediately accusing us of fabricating it. As we were leaving the security manager spoke to us, after we told the reception we weren't happy with our stay and the reason, and explained the procedure, I understand no report could be provided but at the very least we shouldn't be indirectly accused of making it up. There is also a very strict rule about staff eating at the restaurants when guests are around however Kseniia felt it appropriate to do this, leaving crockery to be cleaned up by those working. The dive centre was understaffed and when we enquired about snorkelling gear with reception we were basically told "tough luck" as it is a separate company and they can't help however when we discussed this with restaurant staff they tried to reach out to the dive centre to help As mentioned earlier in the review the staff in both Al-a-carte and Italian restaurants are lovely and made our stay much better than we were expecting, especially Jo-ann, Poppy, Ibrahim, Kori and the chefs who made the food especially spicy to order

We had an amazing stay here back in November 2025.  In our opinion, everything about this resort was amazing.  We agree with lots of the other comments which say it is the staff that make this place so special.  They were just all so genuine and wanted you to have a good time.  I don’t think we’ve ever been somewhere as smiley, kind, or as friendly as here.  You can tell the staff are very well trained.  Even if they were having a bad day you could never tell, because it was all customer focussed. You also didn’t ever feel that you were being laughed at or talked about.  All of the staff here; from the chefs to the gardeners, cleaners, or maintenance staff are all so kind, hard working and smiley, which we loved.  You greet anyone with a smile and hello and you get this back ten fold. You can tell the staff are treated well, which is great to know.  The following people we have mentioned because they made us feel so special.  Kseniia - Guest Experience Manager was very charming, professional and helpful.  Sauhil - our room cleaner was very helpful and nothing was too much trouble for him. Our room was kept spotless and we loved the fact that he never moved our stuff around when cleaning, especially the bathroom counter.  The mini bar buy: I can’t remember his name, sorry. But he was so helpful and very discreet. Always checked every few days that we were OK & had what we wanted.  Bar:  Once they knew your drink that was it, you were given it every time. Which made you feel special.  They were great guys and discreet if you wanted to chat they would, if you wanted to be left alone they did.  Pradeep was very smiley and friendly. Naveen, Gilbert, Kunir, Kamal were all so charming and friendly, we had lots of laughs and fun with them. Apologies if we left a name off.  Alita Restaurant: Jo-Ann the hostess. Great sense of humour, very kind lady. Smiley Poppy, Manvi, Shifa and Ibarahim stood out for us and we had most interaction with them. However, all the other servers were just as friendly.  I am sorry we cannot remember all the names.  All the chefs were very friendly and were pleased to know we liked the food. They were very helpful if there was anything extra you wanted if something had run out.  Vista Restaurant: Jo-Ann, the hostess.  Kori the server was very engaging , smiley, friendly and good fun.  Pubudu - barman  was lovely.  Roshan - The Executive Chef, who we often saw riding around on his bicycle. He always gave us the time of day and was interested in our thoughts on the food.  He was so friendly and loved being acknowledged.  Spa: Ida and Rena. Lovely people. Very kind yet professional, who made us very welcome in the peace and serenity of the spa.  Very lovely atmosphere here.  Thank you ladies.  We had an amazing couple massage from them both.  It was so good I returned to see Rena for a second time.  She was incredible at her job.  Dive centre: Hammey is a very nice guy.  He was very knowledgeable when we did our guided house reef snorkel trip and the sunset cruise.  All the other team were friendly, engaging and helpful too.  DJ Dulan:  Hits the spot every night with the tunes he plays.  He was so good at reading the room and playing the right music, depending on his audience.  He was great at engaging with people. We clicked over our shared love of music.  Youcef - our go to person was very discreet but helpful. Also Raushan, who picked us up from the airport, and after this always remembered us and had a friendly smile and a wave.  I am sorry I can’t remember everybody. But we genuinely had the best time ever. We would love to come back one day.  Thank you to everybody who made our holiday unforgettable.  We will never forget you all and how special you made us feel.  Thank you and stay free.  John & Fiona.

Everything was amazing from ambience to staff behaviour n the beautiful sunsets n the rooms were very beautiful n proper hygiene was maintained,I highly recommend this property if you want to have an amazing time with your loved ones n I especially wants to thanks Tirmann travels who organised a amazing trip for us they are highly professional in their field n very reliable ,I always plan my trips to them n they never failed to surprise me from flights details to hotels n rooms n I really wants to thanks my travel company n to mercure resort for giving me the wonderful experience without any worry 🙏🏻🙏🏻🤩🤩🤩🥳🥳

My partner and I stayed at the Mercure Maldives Kooddoo for six days, hoping for a relaxing all-inclusive Maldivian escape. The natural beauty of the island and the dedication of the frontline staff were outstanding — but poor management decisions and inaccurate advertising left us extremely disappointed. Resort Facilities Not as Promised: Several amenities advertised as part of our stay were unavailable for the entire trip — the 15-minute tube ride, karaoke room, and kayaks were all out of action. Only paddle boards and snorkeling were available — and even that wasn’t smooth: I had to replace my snorkel mask twice due to constant leaking. We also decided to use the tennis court and were provided three balls that were nearly unusable — most of the felt was gone, like dog chew toys. Small detail, but it speaks volumes. There were also cracked tiles in our bathroom, showing basic maintenance issues being ignored. Dining: Staff Fantastic — Premium Restaurant Underwhelming The restaurant staff and chefs were fantastic — genuinely doing everything they could to accommodate requests. The care they put in is a real highlight. However, the “premium” Italian restaurant, Vista, was underwhelming. We don’t expect authentic Italian cuisine in the Maldives — but we do expect imagination: • Starters like arancini and the pastas were fine • But the mains (“secondi”) were just a piece of protein with the same blanched vegetables, plate after plate • No starches, no variety, no thoughtful presentation For a restaurant marketed as a premium experience, the food felt unfinished and uninspired. The buffet breakfast and lunch were fantastic even though we aren’t buffet people but some of the theme buffet dinner nights were a let down especially the seafood bonanza and grill nights. Unfair Arrival & Departure Experience: We arrived in Malé at 11am but couldn’t be transferred to the island until 3:30pm. By the time we checked in, it was nearly 5pm half a day of our paid stay gone. Older reviews said the resort used to offer late checkouts and extended all-inclusive access to compensate for these unavoidable domestic flight delays. But new management has removed that entirely. All-inclusive access stops at 12pm on checkout day, and you must leave your room by 1pm. We were then left sitting in the restaurant/bar area watching other guests continue enjoying their all-inclusive benefits while we were cut off until our 4:30pm transfer. Then another long wait in Malé Airport until our 11:20pm international flight. This is simply an unfair way to treat paying guests, especially when arrival delays are completely outside our control. Staff: Incredible People Doing Their Best Credit where it’s due: • Restaurant staff & chefs: outstanding service and attitude • Roshan at reception: helpful, polite, exceptional support • Our concierge, Yusuf: informative but tried to add charges wherever possible, including an unnecessary extra night when we upgraded our room for two There is also a pool bar menu clearly labelled “exclusive for all-inclusive guests,” yet items were suddenly chargeable once ordered very misleading and frustrating. Final Thoughts The island is stunning. The frontline staff care deeply and are doing their best. But management policies, unavailable facilities, and poor upkeep heavily detract from what is advertised as a premium, carefree all-inclusive experience. With the right leadership and guest-friendly approach, this could easily be a 5-star resort. Right now, it does not deliver what it promises.

Maldives is truly an amazing place, and it was a pleasure to be welcomed at the Koodoo airport by Khan who took charge of our bags and then quickly transferred us to the nearby Mercure hotel in a buggy. The check in procedure was a breeze and then we were shown around the resort and then to our villa. The villa was truly outstanding - great a/c (a must in this hot place), tv, minibar, comfy bed and a pool to die for! Everyone at the resort was friendly and attentive. I would like to specifically say big thank you to Jo-Ann and Poppy for the wonderful chats and an attentive dining experience at both Vista and Alita restaurants. Shifa also was very helpful in providing an outstanding floating breakfast for us (a truly remarkable experience for those with a private pool). The bar people are also very quick and happy to help out when selecting a drink, especially Kunal. The most delicious meals were found at Vista as the chefs really do an outstanding job and it is truly a 5 star dining experience! Definitely worth visiting, however requires a booking of at least a few days.