Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas

We have been coming back to Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas every summer, and every time we return, it feels less like coming to a hotel and more like coming home. The location is simply breathtaking, beautiful turquoise waters, incredible beaches, stunning villas, and the kind of peaceful surroundings that make you immediately slow down and relax. It is the perfect place to escape, recharge, and enjoy the beauty of the Maldives. What truly makes Kihavah special, though, is the service. The staff are consistently warm, attentive, and genuinely welcoming. There is a wonderful feeling of being remembered and cared for, which makes every stay feel personal and special. And, of course, the food is exceptional. There is so much variety, and the quality is always outstanding. Every meal feels like part of the experience, and we always look forward to discovering what is on the menu. After returning year after year, Anantara Kihavah has become a very special place for us. It is incredibly relaxing, beautiful, and somehow always manages to give us the same feeling of happiness and peace every time we arrive. We are already looking forward to coming back again next summer ❤️

The honeymoon stay at Anantara Kihava was the cherry on top after a busy and eventful month after our wedding. The villa we stayed in had the best view of the sunset paired with the oceanic scene was an amazing combination. It was rain season when we arrived nonetheless, me and wife had the best time and was a perfect way to end the holiday. The staff were amazing and attentive throughout our stay special shout out to Kiki who made our week a memorable experience. We will definitely come back here to visit as they have a lot of activities to do like tennis, swimming with sea turtles, manta rays, sharks, jet skiing etc. I would recommend Anantara Kihava to all my friends and family 4.9/5 stars 🌟

We had a wonderful stay at Anantara and would highly recommend it. The resort is absolutely beautiful, impeccably maintained, and every member of staff we met was genuinely warm, friendly and welcoming. The food was excellent at every restaurant, and the underwater restaurant was an unforgettable experience. A special thank you to our host, Piyal, who really helped make our stay so enjoyable. He was always friendly, approachable and attentive, arranging little extras in our villa, organising a later check-out, and collecting us for dinner or when it was raining. Nothing ever seemed too much trouble, and his kindness made a real difference. The house reef is one of the highlights of the resort—it’s incredibly accessible and full of marine life. We were fortunate enough to see hawksbill turtles, eagle rays, blacktip reef sharks, and an amazing variety of colourful fish, making snorkelling an incredible experience every day. Thank you to Piyal and the whole Anantara team for such a memorable holiday. We hope to return one day!

There are places that are beautiful, and then there are places that change the way you breathe. Anantara Kihavah is the latter. From the moment we stepped off the seaplane, we felt like we had entered a world where time slows down just enough for you to feel everything more deeply. But what truly made our stay unforgettable was our incredible private housekeeper, Naomi. She didn’t just coordinate our dinners and excursions—she anticipated our unspoken needs. She remembered the little things: how we liked our coffee, which sunset spot made us linger a little longer, and even the names of the fish we spotted while snorkeling. Her warmth and attentiveness made us feel genuinely cared for, not just as guests, but as people. She turned a five-star resort into a home we didn’t want to leave. The overwater villa, the starlit cinema, the underwater restaurant—all magical. But Naomi’s kindness is the memory we’ll carry back with us, long after the tan fades. Thank you, Naomi, for being the quiet anchor of our most beautiful days. We will be back—because you made sure we left a piece of our hearts here.

Overall speaking, the experience was fabulous. I am quite picky, as I am comparing it with other luxury hotels—or non-luxury ones that excel with finely arranged details. Room (9/10) Our over-water villa (10/10) was spacious, featuring a large swimming pool and a lovely balcony. It is full of great photo spots: a swing bed that accommodates two people, a nest bed for stargazing, and a bathtub with a glass floor allowing us to see the water beneath. The bed was very comfortable, and the housekeeping service was brilliant (10/10). The staff came in to tidy the room twice a day while we were at breakfast and dinner, changing the towels and sweeping away any tracked-in sand. However, I totally don't understand the purpose of having a glass floor for the outdoor shower. It becomes very slippery when wet, and you can't see any fish beneath anyway while showering with the running water—it's just a gimmick. Dining (8/10) The Sea Restaurant (10/10): This was my favourite. The underwater view is stunning, as we could see numerous marine animals during the meal. The food was delicious, and the service was excellent. The staff even gave us a Chinese catalog introducing the marine creatures (though we can actually read English). Breakfast (9/10): There were plenty of choices, including items prepared to order. Most of the food was good, but occasionally the staff missed orders or mistakenly delivered dishes intended for other guests. They should really consider implementing a QR code ordering system to reduce mistakes and allow guests to place follow-up orders easily. Spice & Manzura (7/10): Both restaurants offered nice scenery and good service. The starters and mains were good, but the desserts were just so-so (generally too sweet, yet the mangoes weren't sweet at all). Specifically at Spice, which features spicy Indian and Thai cuisine, the staff was helpful in tailor made a less spicy version for us. Drinks: I don't drink alcohol, so I tried a few mocktails. Most tasted good, but they were also very sweet. I would appreciate it if sparkling tea were introduced, as it is increasingly popular in fine dining restaurants across Asia. I would also recommend including photos of the dishes on the menu; sometimes I had to search online to see what unfamiliar dishes looked like when we wanted to try something new. Check-in & Check-out Arrangement (10/10) Early check-in and late check-out were provided, which made us very happy. We were welcomed warmly at Velena International Airport, and the staff escorted us all the way to the seaplane terminal and subsequently to the island. All transfers were smooth. Even when our seaplane was delayed due to bad weather, we were able to wait with a drink and a comfortable sofa. Snorkelling (9/10) The house reef is very beginner-friendly. I could see the coral reef not far from the beach, and plenty of fish were visible. We could borrow snorkelling equipment from the dive centre for free, and lockers were available. However, there are no specific snorkelling goggles for nearsighted people. I had to wear contact lenses and then use standard snorkelling goggles. Activities (8/10) Resort occupancy was quite high during our stay, making it difficult to book activities. Even for a yoga session, we had to book two days in advance. Despite that, the yoga class was much better than expected for a complimentary activity; limited to a group of eight, everyone received proper attention. We didn't book any manta ray trips in advance due to unstable weather, so all sessions were fully booked by the time we arrived. The spa is very relaxing and was one of my favourite parts of the stay. It also features a glass floor for observing the water beneath, though frankly speaking, I didn't see any marine creatures during my treatment. Villa Host (9/10) Our villa host was friendly and helpful (9/10). She responded within minutes whenever I messaged her on WhatsApp and always arrived with a buggy promptly, even in the rain. However, I personally prefer making requests via an app or an iPad rather than messaging our host for everything. (Why can't I place an in-villa dining order directly with the kitchen rather than requiring my host to relay the message while driving her buggy?) Minor Hotel Mobile App (0/10) The resort app was a total failure. It is supposedly designed to let guests order in-room dining, check the event schedule, and request buggies or other services. However, I was completely unable to use it, as it displayed a technical error every time I tried to pair it with my room. My host attempted to help fix the problem, but eventually, I gave up and just used WhatsApp instead. Bicycles (1/10) The bicycles provided were totally unacceptable and dangerous, as there are no brakes! Every bicycle in my home city has brakes. Our host told us we could pedal backwards to brake, but in reality, when I tried to avoid another bicycle coming from the opposite direction, I couldn't control it well and crashed into a fence. Even worse, the bicycles lack reflective labels and bells. At night under dim lighting, oncoming bicycles and buggies cannot see you well until you are extremely close, forcing sudden stops to avoid collisions—which is impossible without brakes! This is particularly dangerous in the water villa areas, where there are only floor lights on one side of the pathways. We were constantly worried about falling into the water. I think Anantara is a decent resort and I would recommend others to visit—just don't attempt to use the bikes.