Le Méridien Maldives Resort & Spa

Le Méridien brings another recognisable brand from the Marriott stable to the Maldives. It sits somewhere in the middle of the portfolio, and at a price level that invites stiff competition. The seaplane flight in gives a great view of the long strip of an island, with wide beaches and expansive lagoon that will appeal to swimmers.


The villas are a mixed bag. Those expecting luxury will find the beach villas rather small (with no desk or dressing table to sit at or work from), with cookie-cutter interiors. The overwater villas are a different kettle of fish, much brighter and more spacious, particularly the two-bedroom pool villa.

With a strong international brand comes investment and this is best illustrated by an excellent range of facilities. The overwater Explore Spa, gym & wellness complex (Waves Lifestyle Hub), kids club, health clinic are all excellent and run by enthusiastic professionals. Likewise, the dive & water sports centre, managed by Sub Oceanic, and marine conservation hub are state-of-the-art. ‘The Greenhouse’ hydroponic farm is a unique addition, supplying super-fresh greens for the restaurants.

There is very nice snorkelling to be found both on the house reef and amongst the seagrass fields favoured by turtles and rays. However, it’s a good distance out and only strong swimmers would try to reach from the beach, meaning a boat trip (annoyingly chargeable) is more feasible for most.

Dining in the signature Tabemasu Asian restaurant is a lovely experience, while the adults-only pool bar Riviera is a great spot for sundowners. Unfortunately, we found the F&B experience to drop off somewhat elsewhere. The main restaurant Turquoise had a canteen feel with erratic service, and Velaa Bar & Grill beside the main pool didn’t quite work as both ‘bar & grill’, but we were assured by management that improvements were in progress. We also found menus to be very pricey, even for the Maldives: the All Inclusive meal plan is an essential option.

Le Méridien will probably work best for active families, staying in the overwater villas, and will be popular with Marriott customers with reward points to spend.