Machchafushi Island Resort & Spa Maldives, The Centara Collection

This is a truly beautiful island. We visited over Easter as a group of 12 and had a wonderful holiday. The island is very well managed and each member of staff, from room staff to bar and pool service; from gardening staff to management were courteous, supportive and managed a balance between remaining in the periphery and being proactive very well. Other resorts have, on occasion, been too forthcoming bordering on intrusive. Not so at Machchafushi. The resort was well maintained, and thoughtfully planned. On arrival, we were greeted from the sea plane by the boat staff and taxied swiftly to the island and quickly taken into The Club for cool towels and arrival cocktails. Check in was relatively quick and we were in our rooms efficiently with cases waiting for us. Our package included the island's Club, which entitled us to access to a pool (almost to ourselves for the time we were there), sandwiches and cakes in the afternoon as well as some extra drinks not available in the general all inclusive package. During our stay, we were served by Roshan, Suoodh, Vivik and Mery who were all wonderful, keeping drinks topped up, staying in the wings, taking restaurant pre-orders and ensuring things went smoothly. The Club also gave an extra option for breakfast - eggs and other dishes made to order with a small selection of fruit, cereal, yoghurt and nuts, allowing us a change of scene from the buffet in the mornings. We had beach villas during our stay. The villas had a nice quiet, white sand beach looking into the evening sunsets and were spacious (as long as you're comfy with the upstairs bedroom - steps are quite steep if you struggle). They were spotlessly clean and maintained by Samsul who kept the mini-bar topped up (another nice touch at the Centara) so we could watch the sun set, drink in hand. Habeeb and Hridoy cleaned the other rooms and also did a super job. Each day, we were entitled to four pieces of laundry per villa. The service was like clockwork and by the end of the stay, we had most of our laundry ready to hang back in the wardrobe! The island has 3 eating options for dinner, so you'll need to consider this, especially if you're staying longer than a week. On our AI package, we could have breakfast in The Club, or the buffet (The Reef). The Reef was open each day for lunch until 2pm and in an evening until 9pm. In addition, there are two restaurants (a Thai and an Italian over the water which you can use as part of your AI package.) Both have tasty menus, although its worth noting that the menu doesn't change, so again, if you're there more than a week, you might be limited, especially if you're vegetarian as some of our party were. (Although we did definitely get the feeling that we could have asked for pretty much anything, and the chef would have agreed to make it for us.) In the Italian, where we ate regularly, we were served by Ashik who was marvellously attentive, good humoured and added to our holiday experience. Outside of these places, there is the Coral Bar. This is the entertainment area with pool, snooker, table tennis and table football as well as a cool library area and the home of the evening entertainment. The food here isn't part of the AI, but if you're on a B&B package, the food here is good (the bar is excellent and is part of the AI). Service always with a smile from Neeraj, Abishek, Kumar and Ravi. Huhthu was in charge of Karaoke which the kids loved, he also organised beach football and volleyball every afternoon which was brilliant at keeping the kids occupied. The island is small and we like this. You can walk its beaches all the way around in 15 or twenty minutes. The sand is some of the best we've experienced in the Maldives - fine powder and coral white. There isn't a great amount of seaweed or sharp coral (something you do get on some islands) and the local reef is one of the best we've seen. We saw turtles, lots of sharks and so, so many fish just metres from the beach by the restaurants. The snorkels are free and the beach sports guys sort you out on arrival with flippers and masks, so you can go whenever you choose (mornings are best). So what else is there to do? Motorised water sports (as well as a clear kayak) are chargeable, but the none motorised stuff (paddle boards, kayaks, paddle boats) are free and not in especially high demand. If you are for scuba, there are the standard courses and guided tours available as you find in all Maldivian islands. All in all, the Constance, Machchafushi gave us a super holiday. The water was beautifully crystal clear, the resort peaceful and friendly, and the staff were amazing. The bar range was great as was the coffee in the restaurants and around the pool and we would certainly return. Thank you all for a great holiday. I miss it and I want to go back!

ur stay at Machchafushi Island Resort & Spa Maldives was pure magic from start to finish. The island is stunning with crystal clear blue water, unforgettable sunsets, and a true sense of paradise. We stayed in both a beach villa and an overwater villa and loved them both. The beach villa was perfect for easy at-your-doorstep beach access, while the water villa was incredible for snorkeling straight into the reef. If travelling with kids, we’d recommend a shorter stay in the water villa and more time on the beach as it’s much easier and more practical when watching little ones. Snorkelling with turtles was a highlight, made even better by the fantastic dive team. The food was excellent with plenty of variety, live cooking stations, and thoughtful attention to dietary needs. Our room was spacious, spotless, and very comfortable. What truly made the experience special was the staff. Mery created a beautiful private dinner setup by the pool for our last night, Roshan brought so much fun and energy and kept the kids entertained, and Yaeesh was always warm, welcoming, and lovely to chat with. An unforgettable holiday we will always treasure and can’t wait to return

It was amazing. Like in paradise!!!

Hassan was very prompt and and always looked after our needs. The views and amenities available on the island are top class.

This is our second time to visit Maldives and we had a wonderful time again. The coral reef here at Machchafushi is absolutely stunning - top snorkelling experience. The service here at Machchafushi was fantastic. Food was excellent and everyone has been very nice and helpful. Roshan (the Club), Mery (Italian restaurant) and Mini (reception) made our stay even more pleasant. The biggest regret of the trip was that we didn’t see the Whale Shark despite that we went on three searching excursions. We did see many Mantas and they were amazing. Maybe next time!