The Residence Maldives

We had an incredible honeymoon. Everything is thought out down to the smallest detail so that you feel like royalty throughout your stay. The place is beautiful and the staff are incredibly kind.

This was definitely a bucket list destination and The Residence Falhumaafushi did not disappoint. We were very happy with the location and service. Quality of the food was very good. And having access to their sister resort on the island next door was a bonus. We ate at the other resort several times and spent one day at that pool for a change of scenery. And the bar at the Dhighurah property is much larger and nicer than at Falhumaafushi. I highly recommend you make dinner reservations for Li Bai, Sunset Grill, and Falhumaa as soon as you arrive. Those restaurants fill up fast. We made our reservations the very next day we arrived, and we could not get into Falhumaa until the last night of our stay at 9:45 pm. A very late dinner, but we took it as that was all we could get. But you don't want to miss this beautiful restaurant, eating on the outdoor deck with sharks and sea life swimming below was a treat. As for Li Bai, this restaurant serves Italian and Cantonese cuisine. Our waiter informed us that the staff making the reservation decides what menu you will be given as we were never given the choice of Italian or Chinese. We ended up being given the Cantonese menu which we were very happy about and the food was delicious. The breakfast buffets are good with lots of variety, and omelet and crepe stations. My only restaurant complaint is with The Dining Room. One night we had dinner there and the service was beyond slow. Maybe the waiter was new, who knows. But he did not seem to have it together. In the end, he charged our entire bill to the other couple we were traveling with instead of charging each couple what they specifically ordered. We were on the half board program (not all inclusive). Our dinner was covered, so really it was just a charge for water bottles and all our drinks, but still just another issue of many with that waiter. We were very clear about charging what items to which room and he still got it wrong. Oh and yes, you do have to pay for all water bottles (glass) brought to your table at lunch and dinner. You will be offered still or sparking and I believe they are all $4 each. Water at breakfast is in a drink dispenser and there is no extra charge. There are also water dispensers and cups available at both pools. And glass water bottles are left in your room each day at no charge. I personally took my own reusable water bottle so I was able to take that to the beach/pool for my convenience. We found half board worked out very well for us. Yes, we did pay for all our drinks and the times when we ate lunch (which I think was only twice). We had such a big breakfast at the buffet, that we weren't really hungry for lunch. Especially after a few drinks at the pool. We did take a few snacks with us for munching - nuts, trail mix, crackers and such. But we were just fine most days to only eat breakfast and dinner. We stayed in an overwater villa for a week and loved every moment. The villa is made up of three rooms - living room with a sliding door to the deck, bedroom with a sliding door to the deck, and bathroom. The bathroom has a huge shower which leads to an outdoor shower. And has a separate toilet room. The bathtub is right near floor to ceiling windows that fully open. So you can take a bath with a direct view to the waves crashing below. There are matches in the desk drawer in case you want to light the candle near the tub. We didn't find the matches until the last night of our trip. The room is well maintained except the drapes are falling off the hooks which is not a great look. I saw another review stating this, so obviously it's a problem across the rooms. I feel this is a very easy fix and the drapes should be re-hooked by the staff before any guests checks into a room. There is a TV, mini fridge, safe, life vests, beach bag, robes, coffee maker, etc. in each room. The beach bag is for your use during your stay and I used it every day. I did see some guests check out and take the bag with them but I don't think that is the intent of the resort. We slept with our bedroom deck slider door open the entire week and it was divine. Got a few flies but that was about it. There is an AC vent in the bedroom and the other two rooms have to feed off that. You can make the bedroom cooler by closing off the doors to the living room and bathroom which is what we did most nights. Each evening our housekeeper brought us a plate of cookies. Usually shortbread but once they were macaroons and on Halloween they were decorated holiday cookies. A very nice touch. When he would drop them to us, he would always ask if everything was okay or if we needed anything. He was great! Always ready to please us. Also, you can request an ironing board and iron if needed. I did, and I kept it for the week. The life vests in your room should be taken with you if you are going to check out a kayak or paddle board. We thought they were supplied just in case you needed them for snorkeling off your deck, etc. But turns out the sports desk does not have a supply of vests. You must take the vests from your room. Each room has bicycles provided. We used them every day to get to breakfast, pools, beaches, and of course cross the long bridge to the other resort. There is a beach and bar in between both resorts, right along side the long bridge connecting the two islands/resorts - Falhumaafushi and Dhighurah. Sometimes the umbrellas are not in place due to winds and there really isn't any shade anywhere there. That was our experience. But a couple days later, the umbrellas were brought out and opened up. The bar on that beach has limited hours, so just ask someone before you head out there. That beach is where the ocean hammocks are located - including the one that says "RESIDENCE" which is a nice picture spot. There is also a large heart on that beach that is great for pics as well. You can check out snorkeling gear from the sports desk as well as kayaks and paddle boards - all complimentary. Lots of great places for snorkeling. We tried a few spots and were told under Fahlumaa is one of the best spots. Right off our deck was also great too. Just walk right out and start snorkeling. Buggies (golf carts) are used to transport guests if you do not wish to use your bike to get from place to place. For dinner we always called for a buggy as we were dressed nicer. It usually took about 15 minutes for the buggy to arrive. So we planned accordingly. And a buggy was always called from each restaurant to get us back to our villa. It was a very easy process. The traveling process to the resort is a bit of a jaunt. From Los Angeles, we flew to Singapore about 16 hours, then flew to Male about 4 hours, then flew to Koodoo about an hour, then took a speed boat about 10 minutes to a dock where we were put on a buggy to check in at the resort. The Residence arranges for the Maldivian flight from Male to Koodoo and the speed boat directly to the resort island. But well worth all the travel. Also, The Residence arranges for you to be taken to a lounge at the Male airport. There is a restroom and buffet there where you can relax and have some food and something to drink while you wait for your flight to Koodoo - all complimentary. That was a super perk! Overall it was one of the best vacation experiences we've had. The Maldives are stunning and The Residence is a great choice.

My wife and I have just returned from a 10 night stay at the Residence a Falhumaafushi in the Maldives and we absolutely loved it. Everything was exceptional from rooms, to service and food and drinks. The resort is small but big enough between the two islands that it never feels over crowded. We would highly recommend a visit here without hesitation.

The many positive reviews already tell a great story. We stayed here for 2 weeks to celebrate my husband's big birthday, joined by good friends from the UK for part of the stay. It's a much bigger resort than we usually choose..preferring the barefoot authenticity of small islands. That said, this one was fabulous. We loved: Our room 337, a Water villa with pool. The villa was huge and very well appointed. The staff. I had intended to name check several, but don't want to leave anyone out. The Falhumaa staff were exceptional. Going out of their way to ensure we had the best experience. Also Archana who checked us in and helped ensure our friends were given an adjacent villa and that hubby's birthday was a wonderful day of celebration! The food and drinks were superb. So much choice, although I was disappointed not to have evening/ lunchtime buffets occasionally ( due to low occupancy, which I fully appreciate). Sometimes, it's good to pick a few tasty morsels rather than have to face a full menu choice! Our visits to the a la carte restaurants were fantastic and both food and service were top notch. The reef was stunning BUT to get to the drop off from our villa was quite a swim and tough going when swimming against the current. The rewards were worth it. Leopard shark, nurse sharks, lemon shark, eagle rays, the usual fish soup and oh so many turtles! The reef at Dhigurah ( access from the dive jetty) was easier and equally rewarding. The bikes were fun too! The 'could do better' bits... We fed this back at the time of our stay. The first one particularly. The pool at Dhigurah had beautiful cabanas but absolutely no shade over them nor around the pool, no parasols either. The strength of the sun, being almost equatorial makes this completely unacceptable. Indeed we saw many people who had sun burn. Management assured us this would be addressed ..though it wasn't during our 2 week stay The second suggestion, from a safety perspective is to have a general entry/exit ladder on each jetty. Whilst snorkeling, a storm blew in and quickly whipped up the waves - whilst very competent swimmers, getting back to our particular villa in order to exit was very difficult.. it also would mean easier access to the Falhumafushi reef for those not staying in Water Villas All of that said, It's a stunning resort and apart from high winds, our 2 week August break was blessed with 12 days of sunshine. We enjoyed the islands so much that we are returning next year, though this time to Dhigurah.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Absolute Paradise – The Residence Maldives We arrived late into Malé due to issues with Emirates, but from the moment we landed, The Residence team looked after us superbly. A representative met us straight away, reassured us that everything was taken care of, and even arranged access to the airport lounge while we waited about 8 hours for our connecting flight. We were able to rest comfortably, and the same representative personally walked us to check-in to make sure we got our flight. We arrived at Kooddoo Airport around 1am, where another friendly representative greeted us and escorted us straight to the speedboat. On arrival at the island, we were taken directly to our villa and served a delicious meal — such a thoughtful touch after a long journey. From that moment on, everything was exceptional. The staff, the accommodation, the food, and the island itself were all absolutely incredible. Every detail at The Residence is five-star — from the warm hospitality to the breathtaking surroundings. We’re already planning to return next year, but next time we’ll stay at least 10 days — you need that long just to truly appreciate this slice of paradise! ⸻