Anantara Dhigu Resort & Spa

When you book a holiday in the Maldives you know you are getting clear endless blue water, white sand and days of quiet relaxation. We were apprehensive to book our holiday to the Maldives as we are an active family and were worried that the perfect picture beauty of the place might be dull after a day and that the hotels would be luxurious but soulless. We chose Anatara Dighu because of the distance from the airport , the snorkelling and also the restaurant options available. We chose the over the water villas as a special treat. From the time you exit the plane, the entire stay and till the time you are back at the airport when departing, the Anantara team make everything easy and stress free. The over the water villas are well decorated, well stocked with toiletries and thoughtful additions like sun hats, umbrellas and bicycles. There are also yoga mats, beach bags and flip flops ready for use. Yes some over the water villas will overlook the local island which mars the endless sea but it is a fact of the location so if this bothers you, then factor this into your decision making. Note that some face just the sea so one to ask about when booking. The ‘picnic’ island off the hotel island is fun to paddleboard to and a nice day out for snorkelling. The current can be quite strong and the corals are only just coming back. The activities were just enough for our activity levels - the pool is a good length to get laps in, a nice snorkelling area near the reception and by the Fire Sea Salt restaurant - to get to the lobster nets and see some baby sharks if you are lucky; gentle waters to paddle board around the island (the paddleboard and surf team are super friendly and helpful); a good place to try out diving in safe waters, which we did. The corals have been destroyed and are only just coming back but spending time with Oriana, the local marine biologist is such a positive memory to the vacation. Hearing about the efforts that she makes to replant the corals and the priority that Anantara gives to the environment and conservation agenda is very inspiring and uplifting. This should become a a differentiator when choosing hotels and Anantara certainly is high up in these rankings. The food - this is critical when you are locked on an island and have only the options offered by the hotels. Pankaj, the Food and Beverage Director had this well covered. Breakfast is a spread - seriously, can’t imagine what can be added to this smorgasbord. The sushi at the Origami (Japanese restaurant) was creative and delicious and Cumin (the Indian restaurant) delivered some of the best lamb chops we have ever had. Do try them, the tandoori prawns and also the lobster balchao. A special mention to Manoj at the Dhigu breakfast restaurant and Boket at Cumin. Manoj - you made my mornings with the special tea and Boket - your sunny personality makes the meal more fun! Special mention to the stunning decor, the steak and the bar at the Fire Sea Salt. . The man who kept us comfortable and stress free thoughout - Chopey - you have a knack of being available but not intrusive. You just knew how best to ensure that we had the most stress free time on the island. Where there might be improvements considered - definitely the Acqua could do with a freshen up and a more interesting menu. Lunch on Dhigu is only at Acqua and the menu gets very dull and repetitive. Daily specials would make it more interesting. The mezzanine could be used better with board games etc - specially for a rainy day, one of which we had. Thanks to the entire team for a perfect stay.

An amazing place with great food and dedicated staff. We truly enjoyed every moment of our stay in Dhigu. Kadir took special care of us and made our holiday extra memorable. We will definitely come back again.

We spent 10 nights at Anantara Dhigu with a group of 9, and it was one of the best holidays we’ve ever had. Even though the resort was fully booked, it never felt crowded except when making dinner reservations. Our villa host, Kadir, went above and beyond he created a dinner itinerary for us, which made everything so much easier. He was always attentive and checked on us daily during breakfast. Our villa was kept spotless by Khalid, who also left thoughtful good-night notes. Special thanks as well to Till (Water Sports), Saja (Fushi Café), Suaja (Aqua Bar), and the friendly teams at Origami and the Thai restaurant. Everyone made us feel welcome, and we can’t wait to return!

The environment is beautiful, the service is attentive, and the food is amazing. simah was very attentive and professional. He was such a big asset to Anantara. So grateful we met him.

Very relaxing trip and best hotel in the maldives had so much fun. Chopey helped us a lot with bookings and made the trip much more memorable.