One&Only Reethi Rah

An unparallel experience at the One&Only Reethi Rah. From our arrival experience to the departure, we’ve been blessed with overwhelming positive energy. There are too many names to mention, but all colleagues have been a delight to interact with, from the housekeeping to the F&B and from the airport to the culinary team. A special mention for Eugene, our host, who has been nothing short of amazing. She did an excellent job at offering a personalized and attentive experience while being unobtrusive. That’s a rare talent to have. Furthermore, delicious food was served at each of our meals, with a wide selection. And the villa took our breath away every single day. We’ve certainly had an experience we will remember and cherish forever.

From the very first moment, I felt genuinely welcomed. The atmosphere was so warm and inviting. There’s something truly special about arriving at a place where you are not just checked in, but truly received. The surroundings were stunning, and the villa was beautiful, but it was the feeling of being cared for that really stood out. The service throughout my stay was simply flawless. Every Lady and Gentleman I encountered was not only professional and attentive, but genuinely warm – striking that rare balance between excellence and making you feel like part of the family. Their attention to detail is unmatched, and it’s clear that this is a team that takes great pride in what they do. The new Tapasaki restaurant deserves special mention – what an experience! The creativity, flavors, and atmosphere were out of this world. It’s not just a meal; it’s a memory in itself. This is, without a doubt, the best hotel I have ever had the pleasure of visiting. My deep respect to the management and every single colleague working so hard behind the scenes and at the forefront. Thank you for making my stay so special – I already can’t wait to return. – Martina

This is our last day and first time at One and Only Reethi Rah and I have mixed feelings about value for the price of this resort. Island: The advantages of the Reethi Rah is that it is a vast green island. 40 hectares I believe they said. It is covered in vegetation and shade and is very picturesque, for the Instagram post chasers. It is indeed very very well maintained - trees, flowers, villas, interiors, etc. Food and wine: in restaurants is proper quality and level. Often better than I would have expected and on par with continental restaurants in Europe. Service: top notch, but would not say impeccable. Sports and activities: are ample - grounds for volleyball, football, padel, tennis. Water activities and excursions - are limited by only your budget. Now some downsides that are subjective to me and my family, fully appreciate not everyone would focus on those: 1. Too many russians. They are too loud and they come in numbers. This downgrades the level and vibe of the hotel for me. 2. Reethi Rah does not offer any meal plans - no half board, no full board, only breakfasts included. Which means everything is extra. Everything. They charge for the house water at the beach, which is a bit ridiculous compared to other hotels. 3. If you went for a water villa, you'd want to have access to the beach with sunbeds and cabans to relax at and you would think that this island would have many beaches to relax at, but no. Only one proper beach with sunbeds and cabanas placed so close to each other that you do not get any privacy there. Russians left and right again. 4. Reethi Rah just celebrated its 20 years. That's right - it opened in 2005. So villas are quite dated inside. Still functional but dated. 5. Because it is a very green island mosquitos here bite a lot. It was very tough for our kid. And actually all kids around were in mosquito bites. The hotel does fumigation but it did not help us too much. 6. We spend 16 nights at the hotel, which is quite a hefty su of money, and our flight is late at night. Reethi Rah is charging us $500 for late check out. And they are not fully occupied. Every other hotel would have offered us late check out free of charge. 7. Fruits: for this price - I have never seen mango or mangosteen served. I really expected more of the fruit options. 8. Kids club: is dated, grim and underinvested. It is sometimes the main deciding factor for us, but the kids club here is a disappointment compared to other hotels of this level. For these reasons I believe Reethi Rah does not deliver value for the money it asks for the stay.

We had an amazing stay at the One&Only in the Maldives! The resort is pure paradise—beautiful villas, stunning beaches, and top-notch service. A special thank you to Yeating, who was incredibly helpful and kind throughout our stay. She made everything so easy and enjoyable. We’re definitely coming back!

The service has recently returned to a very high standard, and the restaurants — with the exception of the pop-up Langosteria — are excellent. The newly built Japanese restaurant, in particular, is absolutely outstanding. Unfortunately, in most areas, the lagoon can only be entered with water shoes, as the seabed is scattered with sharp, dead coral — which is a real shame. Additionally, many of the villas are in urgent need of renovation and no longer live up to the otherwise exceptional quality of the resort. What really disappointed me, however, was an incident at the fitness center. Despite having used similar footwear for over ten years at the same Gym without issue, I was suddenly turned away and asked to return with different shoes. For a resort where a stay easily exceeds $150,000, this is absolutely unacceptable!! Even more disappointing was the lack of any apology from the management — neither from the general manager nor from the resort manager. This raises the question of how much genuine value is placed on guest feedback and how seriously guests are truly regarded at One&Only Reethi Rah. It seems pointless for senior managers to repeatedly ask how everything is going if they ultimately fail to take the concerns of loyal guests seriously. Such experiences will undoubtedly influence my future choices — especially with the increasing number of new five-star resorts opening across the Maldives.