Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas

The Maldives has always been on my list of places to visit and I spent a long time researching which island to visit in advance. I was so pleased with our choice - everything was utterly perfect. Our over water villa was so beautiful, spacious and had everything we could possibly need. The little cuddly toy rays on the children’s pillows on the first night was such a lovely touch. The little hammock over the water was fantastic in the evening and we spent many hours there watching the stars (which are incredible from the Maldives) and saw sharks, multiple varieties of rays and loads of fish swimming right under us. The food was wonderful and the restaurants were never crowded despite the island being fully booked. Service was excellent and the meal we had at Fire was I think the best I have ever had in my life, helped by the glorious sea breeze, beautiful views and the occasional shark we saw swimming right next to us. Our children loved watching the bats fly past the main restaurant and pool area in the evening and the sea life from the under water restaurant was incredible - a huge family of rays swimming past was the highlight. We booked this island specifically for the snorkelling as we wanted somewhere that the kids could experience the amazing coral reef without having to do any tricky swimming or go out on a boat. The house reef really was incredible and you could see an enormous variety of fish within metres of the shore. The staff were all absolutely wonderful, with particular thanks to our villa host Sulhiya and to the night time snorkelling guide who took two of us out for an incredible evening snorkelling trip that our 11year old will remember for the rest of his life. The team who took us out on our dolphin trip were wonderful too - taking time to find the pods for us and then demonstrating the wonderful playful behaviour. Thank you so much for providing our family with such a wonderful experience of the Maldives

We chose Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas for our wedding anniversary and 30th anniversary celebration—and it was the best decision we could have made. We stayed for just under three weeks, and it truly felt like a home away from home. From the moment we arrived, it was clear that every detail had been thoughtfully considered. Our overwater villa was spacious and beautifully designed, with an outdoor shower and an indoor bath overlooking the sea—turning even the simplest moments into something special. The sunsets from our villa were stunning each evening, and the night skies just as memorable. We had an incredible stargazing experience and were even able to see Jupiter clearly—moments that added a real sense of awe to our stay. What stood out most for us was the house reef and how effortlessly accessible it was. At low tide, we could simply walk into the water and explore an incredibly rich marine ecosystem—making it enjoyable even for non-swimmers. Each morning felt magical as we were greeted by reef sharks, turtles, manta rays, and even the occasional bull shark, all visible right from our villa. We even spotted dolphins—experiences that felt truly special. We also deeply appreciated the resort’s eco-conscious approach. There is a clear effort to preserve the reef and marine life, including the promotion of reef-safe SPF products. Wildlife encounters here feel natural and respectful—there is no artificial feeding or staged sightings, which makes the experience far more authentic. The guided snorkelling experiences were a highlight. A special thank you to Ravinder, whose skill and calm guidance made all the difference. This was especially meaningful for my partner, who is not a swimmer—Ravinder ensured we could safely explore beyond the reef edge and return with complete confidence. Swimming alongside turtles was unforgettable. The Sea restaurant is an experience not to be missed—truly unique and something one should do at least once. The service throughout the resort was exceptional. The true strength of Kihavah lies in its people. Every member of staff made us feel welcome and cared for, always with warmth and genuine smiles—even during the fasting month of Ramadan in the heat, which made their dedication even more admirable. A very special thank you to Zidhan, our house host, who was outstanding in every way. His attention to detail was remarkable—nothing we mentioned was ever too small or too big. On one occasion, I casually mentioned I was unsure about riding a bicycle, and when we returned from breakfast, there was a three-wheel bicycle waiting outside our villa—something I had never even requested. It perfectly reflects the level of thoughtfulness he brought to our stay. Zidhan arranged all our activities seamlessly and created thoughtful surprises, especially during our anniversary week, making the experience deeply personal. We also bonded over a shared love of painting, exchanged ideas, and were incredibly touched when he gifted us a hand-painted anniversary piece on our departure—something we will always treasure. He played a central role in making this celebration unforgettable, and we will definitely be returning because of him and the experience he created. We were also touched by thoughtful gestures throughout our stay, including a beautifully etched bottle from the Spice Restaurant team to mark our visit. Special thanks to Toha for the beautiful personalisation on the bottle. It’s amazing how he captured the conversation we had with him about our trip on the bottle. A special mention to the Spice team, particularly chefs Yashvir and Vikas, who went out of their way to prepare customised Indian dishes for us on several occasions. Their care and willingness to personalise our meals added a real sense of comfort. We also thoroughly enjoyed the Maldivian cooking class with Chef Amal. It was engaging and authentic, and at our request, he kindly arranged a Maldivian spice box for us to take home—another thoughtful touch. The spa experience was exceptional, with a strong focus on Ayurvedic and holistic wellness treatments. Special thanks to Sangi, Tinni, and Yanti, who were all excellent. We had many treatments and all of them were relaxing and wellbeing focused. We would also like to acknowledge several wonderful members of the team who made our stay even more memorable: Nooh, for his consistent care and attention to detail during his time with us—he made our anniversary week especially memorable; Dilmi, for her warm welcomes at the restaurants; Ricky, whose kindness and attentiveness stood out—he would often anticipate our needs, even bringing a cold towel when we looked affected by the heat; Sanjida, for creating a beautiful and memorable stargazing experience; Chamak and Chana, who always greeted us with warmth and made us feel completely at home. There are many more members of the team who contributed to making our stay so special. While we cannot name everyone, each person we encountered was equally important, hardworking, and committed to delivering such a high standard of service. After Nooh left for a break, the housekeeping service could have been stronger, which we shared with Zidhan. However, this did not take away from the overall experience. This is a resort for those who truly want to relax and unwind. It is not a party or clubbing destination, but it offers lovely evening performances by talented singers that add to a calm and enjoyable atmosphere. It is also very welcoming and inclusive, including for same-sex couples, which we really appreciated. Culinary-wise, there are many excellent options. If there is one suggestion, it would be to consider offering more inclusions or personalised benefits for guests staying longer durations. Some inclusions we had hoped for, such as the village visit, were no longer available, which was a little disappointing. While we appreciated being offered in-room dining for two days on request, we felt that more structured inclusions for longer stays would enhance the experience further. That said, the strength of Anantara Kihavah is truly its staff. They hold themselves to very high standards, and it shows. It will be interesting to see how the resort performs when fully busy, as it was relatively quiet during our stay—but we have every confidence the service will remain exceptional. Kihavah, for us, is one of the very best out there. With heartfelt thanks to Zidhan and the entire team for creating such a memorable experience—we will absolutely be returning.

This is truly magical place to stay. From arrival to departure everything went smoothly due to friendly resort staff and our villa host Kiki. Even I had some skin problems from bed linens for last 2 days of my stay I would recommend this resort to everybody who wants to enjoy holiday every minute, there is so much to discover.

The hotel is a place in paradise and supports this experience with all they show and do. The people from top management, butler to the cleaning staff are all extraordinarily nice and very helpful and professional. The atmosphere in the hotel is great and everybody is nice and friendly. Our open water villa was great, we especially loved the terrace with the pool and direct water entry ( it is really highest standard). The island, the beaches, the reef and everything is great and we loved the relaxed atmosphere. All the restaurants are good and we liked the Barbecue and Arabian Buffet most. The underwater Sea restaurant is something very special and really a great experience although very very expensive. Mentioning that all the extras (food, drinks, activities) are so extremely expensive that you really think twice before you do something. That is sad as I think that this sometimes does not need to be appreciating that the islands are remote and transport is expensive. One personal note from my side: The tennis lessons with the young coach Chris were very good and inspiring, can highly recommend him! Thanks again to all the staff in Anantara Kihavah which really made that trip special and we loved to come back !

I love walking on the beach and was very happy that I could walk barefoot around the island on white sand. Our over water villas made our stay more memorable as we were able to see marine life literally at our feet. From my balcony I saw sharks, an eagle and manta ray swimming nonchalantly in the calm, clear waters surrounding the villa. I enjoyed sleeping at night with the sound of the waves. Amenities were sufficient, room was cleaned well twice daily. Our host, Tina Rusishvili, was very helpful and prompt with giving information we asked for and needed. If given the chance I will definitely come back and will not hesitate to share my wonderful week in Anantara Kihavah!