Baros Maldives

We just came back from Baros last week as our 16th Island since 2004 We booked Baros as we had heard good things about the house reef , which is always our no 1 reason for choosing an island . My take on the 5* island is that we went B&B as they don’t offer AL . As a Wedding event chef , food is a priority too! Always a pleasure to have another chef cook for me and here the food did not disappoint! Fine dining 7 course in The lighthouse cost us $500 Inc a bottle of red wine Seafood/ steak / Maldivian themed night buffets in Cinnamon cost $350 per night ( drinks extra) Lime À la carte cost $140 per night Inc gls of wine/beer The lighthouse al a carte $160 Inc a bottle of red wine We spent $2,5,000 in 7 nights on food and drink No excursions as we snorkeled the house reef 3 x a day! House reef : some nice corals but a lot of bleached dead rocks. New corals being planted and a sunken boat given a home to a myriad of small fish. For us after 16 islands since 2004 this reef was very disappointing. Easy access for beginners but very short and not much diversity, Reef sharks and a large nurse shark but we did not see the so called resident hawksbill turtle or anything else other than fish despite spending up to 4 hrs a day on the drop off! The best coral was to be found at a right angle from the end of the reef in front of Cinnamon. Though this is in a strong outward current towards the boat/ transit channel, so a strong swim back towards the island , best to zig zag over the coral garden towards the lighthouse where a new coral bed had been planted for their 50th Anniversary 2 years ago! Rooms were average , nothing to write home about but perfectly comfortable. I believe they even have Netflix!!! Aqua de Palma toiletries ( same as the Shangri La chain) Fruit basket , chocolates and fresh flowers daily but no complimentary champagne. Pool was lovely and we had it to ourselves most days ( 6 sunbeds ) Waiter would bring cool towels , water and Evian facial spray to the sun beds . If we wanted a drink we had to go and find a waiter and felt like an inconvenience and had to ask a few times for an ice bucket for my bottle of wine , which at 5* I found very surprising. Each evening between 5 and 6 pm the lighthouse served complimentary canapés with your first drink . We only went once as it cut into our snorkeling time when lion fish and octopus were waking up at dusk Breakfast was great , eye opener shot on arrival Buffet and à la carte and a good selection of juices and Prosecco. I lived on the vast display of fresh fruits , chef would prepare whatever you wanted . My favourites guava, lichees, pink grapefruit and passion fruit. My husband had a different cooked breakfast every day, we skipped lunch every day but most guests ate in the shade of sails bar whilst we had the pool to ourselves! Evening entertainment was low key We played pool one evening, and chess another Three bands played on separate evenings and on Friday evening a jazz band played in the lighthouse whilst we ate our fine dining menu which included Wagu steak and lobster . Flambé at the table ! Over all we had a great week with fantastic weather and good quality dinners . However we can’t quite put our fingers on it but it didn’t quite hit the mark . On our return home we decided never not to go AL in future We have just booked a cheeky little 10days at Reethi Faru premium AL at Xmas!

Baros is a fantastic resort with comfortable rooms, exceptional cuisine from all three restaurants and the extraordinary additional dining experiences and outstanding service from all of the staff we encountered during our ten day visit. All of the staff were polite, helpful and knowledgeable. In particular, Aswad, Shallini, Shimla and Shayan in the resort's restaurants were delightful, while Ainul who serviced our room every day made us feel special with his personal touches and incredible origami skills! However, the real measure of customer service is what happens when things go wrong. In our case, there were a couple of relatively minor but important issues with the water villa we were orginally given, which threatened to spoil our honeymoon but the response from the resort's management was exceptional. This was not easy for them as the resort was virtually at full capacity. Nonetheless, determined to ensure that our experience should be a happy one, they really pulled out the stops and by the end of the holiday we felt truly valued. In particular, our butler, Azzam, made a huge effort to find a solution for us and take away all of the initial stress and anxiety. We would have no hesitation in returning or recommending this resort.

The calm friendly atmosphere at Baros is wonderful. We felt looked after by all the staff, especially Mika and Shinta our butlers, and Sia and Ainul, who looked after our rooms. We enjoyed a snorkel safari and the marine biology talks and the nature walk, with the hydroponic garden a marvel with such an enthusiastic gardener. Thank you to Baros for helping out when a case was delayed from Doha. Also the early breakfast on departure day was very much appreciated. Hope to come again!

I was introduced to the Baros via the Hilton website. My wife wanted to make another trip to the Maldives despite us having been there multiple times. I was able to book the Baros using Hilton points which meant the 5th night is free. One big advantage to the Baros is its proximity to the Male airport. That means you are only a speedboat ride away from the resort. This saves a lot of money over a seaplane flight. I was met at the jetty by my host, Rifaau Moosa. Rifaau is a native Maldivian committed to helping people enjoy his country. He took me on a short walk to my villa, where he handled all of the check in details. As a Hilton diamond I received free breakfast each day. Frankly I cannot remember a better breakfast. The views from the Lime restaurant are incredible, the service is fantastic, and the food was plentiful and delicious. You can order custom dishes, have the buffet, or you can do both. Guess what I did? The Japanese breakfast with salmon is a great choice, and so are the Belgian waffles. There are multiple fresh juices and fruits. The delicious mangoes are peeled and sliced before you. I had a massage by Atera from Indonesia. She expertly worked out multiple aches and pains. The massage was a bit expensive but well worth it. I had dinner at the Lighthouse, where I was served by another native Maldivian, Aswad. His claim to fame is he can do everything and anything at the restaurant. I enjoyed a unique starter that consisted of tuna and watermelon (unique and delicious). My main course was tasty Mahi Mahi and a lobster tail, with shell removed. The crown jewel of the evening was tableside prepared fruit flambé with mango ice cream. I also watched as another table had lobster bisque flambé. My understanding is that the diving here is incredible, but I don’t do that. They do have chess, pool, ping pong, and multiple excursions. One afternoon I had a very nice iced vanilla latte, so they do have that option as well. The Baros is the third oldest resort in the Maldives having opened in 1973. The property is beautifully maintained, and their long history confirms that they know how to do luxury right. They earn their five stars daily.

My first time to the Maldives and Baros made it incredibly special! Greeted at the airport, greeted by my "butler" at the resort (who took care of everything), smiled at by everyone... The overwater bungalow was simply stunning - the room itself and the view... Diving was amazing (even the house reef) and dive shop was professional and flexible... Massage at Serenity was among the best I have ever had... All restaurants were world class but the atmosphere was relaxes... I will be back!