Baros Maldives

We usually don’t write reviews, but for Baros, we simply have to. We spent 14 nights at Baros, and while the island itself is stunning, it was the people who truly made the difference- especially in the second half of our stay. The beginning of our vacation was a bit underwhelming in terms of service. Our initial butler was very standard- more like a receptionist who simply passed on information. We often found ourselves having to follow up on things we had requested, which left us feeling a bit unattended, especially given Baros’ reputation. However, things took a wonderful turn when we reached out to the hotel to request a change of butler. Within just half an hour, the resort manager John personally came to our villa. The way our request was handled from that moment on was a textbook example of professional hospitality. We were introduced to our new butler, Rifaau, and the difference was night and day. Rifaau went truly above and beyond. Sometimes we just had a small request, and he would handle it immediately- often within 5 minutes, we already received confirmation. We were very impressed by his efficiency. He also seemed to read our minds, anticipating our needs before we even voiced them. His thoughtfulness, attention to detail, and genuine care made our vacation unforgettable. We felt completely spoiled and truly taken care of. His warmth and dedication turned every moment into something special- and it’s because of him that our anniversary trip became so much more than just a holiday. We’d also like to express our heartfelt thanks to Shuga, our snorkeling guide from the Marine Center. She is incredibly knowledgeable and takes great pride in her Maldivian heritage, which shines through in everything she does. Her passion for the ocean and her culture is truly inspiring. Every trip with her felt like a discovery- not just of marine life, but of the stories and traditions that make the Maldives so special. She always made sure we felt safe, cared for, and informed, turning each excursion into a memorable and meaningful experience. Thank you, Shuga, for sharing your knowledge, your culture, and your warmth with us. You made our time in the water unforgettable. We’d also like to thank our villa attendant, Aravind, for his outstanding service throughout our stay. He is incredibly kind, and his attention to detail made us feel truly cared for. Every day, he ensured our villa was not only spotless but also thoughtfully arranged to meet our needs. For instance, he always made sure we had enough water and fruit- whenever we were close to running low, he would quietly replenish everything so we never had to ask. He even paid attention to the small things, like which sweets we liked and didn’t like, and made sure we only received our favorites. It’s this kind of attentiveness that made our stay feel so personal and comfortable. Thank you, Aravind, for your care and kindness! We also want to express our appreciation to the wonderful ladies at Lime Restaurant who welcomed us each morning. Although we regret not remembering their names, we’ll never forget their warmth. They always greeted us with genuine smiles, remembered our names, and even our coffee and tea preferences without us needing to say a word. Their cheerful presence truly felt like sunshine, brightening our mornings and starting each day on such a positive note. It’s this kind of thoughtful, personal service that made Baros feel like home. Overall, the staff at Baros are incredibly kind and welcoming. Their warmth and attention to guests truly set the resort apart. On our last day, while I was walking around to take some photos and capture the memories, I met a villa attendant named Ainul in the water villa area. Though we only had a brief chat, his friendliness left a lasting impression- just another example of how special the people at Baros are. It’s these small, genuine moments that made our stay so memorable. Baros is a beautiful place, but it’s people like Rifaau, Shuga, Aravind and Ainul who make it magical. We will always remember their kindness and hospitality, and we will for sure return.

Amazing experience. Celebrated our 5th anniversary and the team went above and beyond to make our stay as memorable as possible. Best snorkeling experience (reef sharks, sea turtles, all the fish you can imagine 🐠🐟). Great food and drinks (lime restaurant! Sail bar- sunsetini!) — they cater to all your allergies and dietary requirements. The team / staff - made our stay so much more enjoyable (they ALWAYS have a smile on their face). A big shoutout to our butler Shinta for going that extra mile for us. PS. We lucked out on the weather, it didn’t rain once.

This trip is celebrating both my wife's birthday and our honey moon, and it was just amazing! Welcome gifts and surprises are wonderful, two different villas got their own unique vibes, we went snorkeling a lot and got quite familiar with it. Especially I want to thank our butler Sujata, she's been really thoughtful and helping, also really appreciated for all the surprises. What a wonderful vacation!

We loved Baros, the reef and location was why we chose it (and the great reviews) and it met expectations in all regards. Shinta, our personal butler and all the staff were fantastic. The food was also excellent. Beautiful snorkeling straight off your room, no need to travel in a boat in you prefer not to. We were upgraded from a beach villa to a beach pool villa, this would be worth paying extra for, not for the pool but for the indoor bathroom (not so humid) and still with the must-have outdoor shower. The beach access and private sitting area is so amazing, there is no need for the pool. The ocean is so warm and inviting and there are many fish, sharks and if you are lucky turtles etc right there. I have no idea why people would prefer (and pay more for) an overwater villa, I thought the private beach villa was awesome and surrounded by lush garden, unlike the exposed overwater villas. We had birds, lizards and many shellfish getting around the place which was lovely. Our only complaint is that the drinks are extremely expensive, you cannot get a bottle of wine (just a basic but nice white wine for example) for under $130AUD, two glasses $50AUD. Disappointing that they don't at least include a glass of wine with dinner, especially as we don't eat huge amounts and for the overall price paid, it would seem reasonable. Looking around generally most people not drinking, unusual in a resort. All activities and the spa also extremely expensive, especially relative to resorts Australians are used to travelling to in South East Asia. Overall though we loved it but would probably stop somewhere else on the way to Europe where we can enjoy cocktails and drinks and maybe a massage without taking out a second mortgage. However, if we did revisit Maldives, we would love to go back to Baros.

Our stay at Baros was amazing, peaceful, beautiful, and very relaxing. What made it truly special was the service and our butler, Anas. He took such great care of us with his warm and thoughtful service. We left with wonderful memories and big thanks to Anas and the whole Baros team!