Anantara Veli Maldives Resort

Incredible place, highly recommended, from the infrastructure to the nearby reefs full of nature life to the activities to the superb breakfast to the excellent people, most of all Evgeniya who was looking after us during our stay. We can’t wait to come back!

If you’re considering Anantara Veli, let us make this simple: go. It’s one of those rare places that looks spectacular online but is somehow even more beautiful in person. The colours, the calm, the stillness of the lagoon — it all feels surreal in the best possible way. My wife Elly (the Queen) and I stayed for eight nights for our honeymoon and her birthday, and the entire experience was something truly special. A Location That Truly Delivers The setting is so idyllic it almost defies belief. No photo or video can prepare you for how peaceful, soothing, and restorative the island feels. Whether you arrive stressed, busy, or already relaxed, Veli has a way of slowing you down even further and bringing you into the moment. Adults-Only Paradise Veli is a no-kids island, and that alone is a dream for anyone seeking pure quiet and relaxation. We did pop over to the sister island, Anantara Dhigu, for meals on occasion — and while the food was excellent, returning to the peace of Veli always felt like slipping back into paradise. Rooms: Book the Deluxe Overwater Bungalows We started in a Superior Overwater Bungalow and then upgraded to a Deluxe Overwater Bungalow — and the difference was significant. The Deluxe version is larger, more modern, better laid out, and perfectly positioned for that Maldives fantasy moment of walking straight from your deck into warm turquoise water. If you can, aim for Bungalows 164–167. Exceptional spots. We also checked out the Overwater Pool Villas. They’re huge and impressive but face due west (very hot), and the pools are chlorinated. With water this beautiful, we preferred swimming in the lagoon. Dining: Every Meal Was Great, but Cumin Was Our Favourite Across Veli and Dhigu there are plenty of restaurants, with a quick five-minute shuttle boat connecting the islands. But the standout for us was Cumin, especially for breakfast. You sit with your feet in the sand, the atmosphere is relaxed, and the staff really tune in to what you enjoy. As the days went on, they started customising dishes for us, making breakfast something we genuinely looked forward to. Special mentions to: • Ibrahim – consistently warm and attentive. • Bokey – creative with food and always looking after us. • Dema – kind, welcoming, and thoughtful. • Manager Logu – clearly takes pride in running a great team. The chefs also went out of their way to create vegan and gluten-free options for Elly, including a panna cotta she absolutely loved. On our last morning, they surprised her with another one after breakfast — a lovely touch that meant a lot to her. The People Who Made It Special The staff at Veli are the heart of the place. A few people who really stood out for us: • David, Senior Manager – super kind, gentle, and thoughtful. He helped us move rooms so Elly could live her bucket-list dream of stepping straight into the lagoon from our villa, and he helped arrange a beautiful birthday dinner. • Hameez, our Villa Host – fast, friendly, and always helpful. Everything we needed was sorted instantly via WhatsApp. (And yes, Elly adapted to having her own butler very quickly. I took a bit longer.) • Amir, housekeeping – handled our turn-down service. On some nights he created sand or leaf messages for us, which were always lovely to come home to after dinner. Departure: Service That Keeps Going On departure, a team member escorted us to the airport, helped with check-in, and made sure everything went smoothly. Even after we tipped him, he still insisted on helping us right up to the point where he couldn’t go any further. That moment summed up the service at Veli: kind, genuine, and never transactional. A Note About Us Both of us are outgoing, joyful people who travel with a mindset of gratitude. We don’t expect things — we appreciate them. And sometimes it takes a little conscious effort to slow down and open up to the experience. And when you bring that energy to Anantara Veli, a simple holiday can become something unforgettable. Final Thoughts Five stars without hesitation.

Absolutely amazing memories created right from the time we landed in Male till we departed. Everything was so well taken care of to the minutest detail. Very convenient 30 min boat ride. Best part is you have access to 3 separate islands so it does not feel we are confined to one island. So many exquisite restaurant and dining options to choose from from. Absolutely spoilt for choice. Lovely Astro turf tennis court. Firstly, from the moment you reach the property, we were assigned a personal host, Evgenia who was such a wonderful host and so prompt and nice and really took great care of us. Extremely prompt and caring. This personal touch was an icing on the cake. She took care of all our bookings, on call requests and very hospitable. Being an adults only property, everything is so well curated to give a very warm experience like fine dining breakfast as opposed to the regular buffet spread. Very good fish sitings while we were snorkeling around all the 3 islands. Overall a very very good experience and must recommend for all. Thank you Evgenia, David, Noa, and a few other names who I can remember are Ziyan, bokey, Logu, Rashad and many many more……

Me and my husband went on our honeymoon and had the best time! The food was amazing, the staff are as beautiful as the surroundings, and the accommodations were extraordinary! Our host Eve was incredible, and made our stay even better! As well the crew at Cumin and Dhoni Bar, specially Zyian, Bokey and Kamal, who showed us more about the maldivian culture. Also at Aqua, with sweet Disni and the guys. The Dining by Design was even more special with Buddy and Chef Sannek! Besides it, the massage and the floating breakfast are more than worth!! Hope to be back soon!

We have just returned from a truly wonderful holiday at Anantara Veli Maldives Resort. We were looking for an adult only resort, but we also had access to the sister island Dhigu and the restaurants and facilities on offer there. One of the unexpected highlights on our arrival was a complimentary upgrade to the Deluxe Over Water Villa. The villa created the perfect private sanctuary for our holiday. It truly elevated our experience and made it all the more memorable. Each restaurant on the Islands had their own unique style; we had the most amazing bespoke Indian meal at Cumin which was both authentic and delicious and also enjoyed a beautiful Sushi experience at Origami. The Baan Huraa Thai restaurant was a firm favourite and for our last night, we dined at Sea Fire Salt overlooking the lagoon where we were joined by black tip sharks. What makes each restaurant particularly special is that the resident chefs are local to their cuisine and not only did we enjoy the various culinary experiences but getting to know the team we learnt so much about their different cultures. We had breakfast by the sea at Cumin each morning and a huge shout out to Logo and Nabith ("fancy a cuppa!"), for making us feel so welcome. It was really important for us to not only to relax on this holiday but also to enjoy the variety of sports activities; my partner was particularly grateful to find Mando (fitness coach) to play tennis (thank you!) and the gym was well equipped. The spa in both Veli and Dhigu were amazing; on Dhigu you could actually watch the fish in the lagoon whilst having a treatment. We opted for a three day wellness package so indulged in a couples massage which was truly magical, and later on in the week, I treated myself to another massage with the wonderful Kaew. I particularly enjoyed the early morning yoga sessions by the sea, of course with the resident heron overlooking proceedings! At Dhoni Bar, they had lovely cocktail evenings and the DJ was excellent. A special shout out to David and Kareem who concocted special cocktails for us each night! A special shout out and thanks also to Rashad who maintained our villa and spent a significant amount of time designing the most incredible display on our bed of a Chelsea montage, all the more special as Rashad is an Arsenal fan! Both Ashruf and Joelle, part of the senior management team, spent time with us to ensure we had the most lovely stay but the biggest shout out goes to our villa host, Fathi, who made our stay even the more special where nothing was too much trouble. So looking forward to catching up with him in the UK! If you could steer yourself off the Island for a day, we would highly recommend to take a trip to swim with the nurse sharks and mantra and sting rays! Incredible experience. Highly recommend this resort for pure relaxation and a chance to heal the soul and mind. We will be back!