THE RITZ CARLTON
The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands
“This was the third resort I’ve visited in the Maldives and it was hands down one of the best hotels I’ve ever stay at to date! The rooms are incredible, the staff is extremely hospitable of any requests, whether it be service related, food related etc., and the attention to food allergies was top notch. They even went so far as to change the amenities offered upon arrival to be safe for my allergies. We dined at 2 of the restaurants on property simply because my eating is quite restrictive between my food allergies and the fact that I do not eat shellfish/fish (except salmon) or beef. We also ordered room service to our villa every day for lunch and also ordered room service for dinner one night as well. Something I really appreciated was all the little touches. For example, we ordered sorbet for room service. It came in a freezer thermos so it wasn’t melted by the time we finished our meal and were ready for dessert. If you are visiting the Maldives, you will not regret staying at the Ritz! We can’t wait to go back.”
La Laconda – Ritz
“I dined here for breakfast every morning and also dined here twice for dinner during our stay. At breakfast you have two options, you can either choose to do the buffet or you can choose to do a la carte. If you choose the buffet, it comes with the a la carte menu. We chose to the buffet each time. The staff also went above and beyond to find safe options for me. On our first day, they walked us through the buffet and let us know what was safe and not safe and even offered to make “safe” versions of things like pastries etc. One day, I ordered pancakes, which was a treat as this is not something I can usually order at a restaurant. They also were willing to bring things that weren’t on the menu or buffet like avocado etc. For dinner, we had the same experience. Every item was labeled for each allergen so it made it a lot easier to know what was safe and not safe prior to ordering. We ordered the vegetable pizza without cheese both nights to split which was delicious and then I ordered chicken with roasted potatoes both nights. I was even able to eat the bread as well.”
Summer Pavilion – Ritz
“We dined at this restaurant twice during our trip and really enjoyed both meals! I had heard from someone who had stayed at this hotel previously that the Peking duck was amazing, so we pre-ordered that for our first meal here. If you want to order the Peking duck, you must order it at least 24 hours in advanced. They were able to prepare it for my allergies. In comparison to most times I’ve ever ordered Peking duck, it came with an appetizer and then an entree. The appetizer was the traditional Peking duck with the pancakes, hoisin sauce etc. The main course was the duck prepared two ways: salt & pepper or minced. We chose the minced. Unfortunately, the moo she pancakes had dairy in them so I was not able to eat those which I was pretty bummed about. They served me lettuce cups instead. On the first night, we ordered the fried eggplant which was out of this world delicious. On our second night there, we ordered it again in addition to a few other dishes. They were very knowledgable about allergies, the menu was clearly marked with what was in each item, and they went above and beyond and even created dishes that weren’t on the menu. Highly recommend!”
GILI LANKANUFUSHI
Gili Lankanfushi Maldives
“This was the fourth resort I’ve visited in the Maldives and the one that I was probably the most excited to stay at simply because it has a huge fan base behind it. It’s a very intimate resort with only 45 villas. While totally different than the Ritz Carlton, we thoroughly enjoyed our stay here. This resort has a Robin Crusoe type of mentality and is considered to be an eco-friendly resort. They have a no shoes, no news policy and truly want guests to completely unplug when you’re here. Upon arrival to the speedboat from the airport, they put our shoes in a bag and we honestly did not put them back on until we arrived to the airport. They have no beach villa and only over water villas. The villas themselves are also incredibly unique as they are indoor/outdoors. The villas are absolutely HUGE! Since the villa is an indoor/outdoor concept, only the bedroom is air conditioned. Some of the other villas have air conditioned living rooms and half baths, but it really just depends on the room type you select. We were here for 4 nights and I honestly wish we had stayed longer. The staff was incredibly warm and every single person knows who you are, what your preferences are etc., which is something I really valued. For breakfast and dinner, when not at the Japanese restaurant, you have the same waiter. They are also very willing to customize things off menu. This was honestly the perfect hotel for a honeymoon and we can’t wait to go back!”
By the Sea – Gili Lankanfushi
“My husband and I dined here for dinner one night and had a delicious meal! Despite the fact that I do not eat shellfish/fish (except salmon), or beef in addition to my allergies, I was able to find a delicious option to order. For an appetizer, I ordered the soba noodles which were effectively lo mein and then for entree I ordered the pork belly which was incredibly delicious. I loved the atmosphere of this restaurant and would have loved to go back again had we been at the resort for more than 4 nights. Just make sure to make reservations in advance or ask your Mr. Friday as soon as you arrive, as they’re only open certain nights of the week.”
