Machchafushi Island Resort & Spa Maldives, The Centara Collection

We had a lovely time in Machchafushi Centara. The staff were excellent and couldn’t do enough to make our stay comfortable. Particular shout out to Rishard, Raksh and Senthil and team in club who went above and beyond. Rishard was so lovely to our daughter and he has made our holiday. He is an asset to the hotel. We also really enjoyed the Italian and were again looked after so very well.

We stayed for 2 weeks in a beach villa with my wife and 2 children aged 8 and 5. The villa was perfect for our needs with both kids sleeping downstairs and us upstairs . We were in villa 33 right on beach near to water sports centre Food has been good. We had breakfast and lunch in the buffet most days and dinner in the Thai or Italian. Even for our fussy 5 year old there was always something to eat and the staff would go out of their way to make something for her if she didnt like what was there The reef is outstanding, its goes the full way around the island and we have lost count of how many times weve seen turtles, eagle rays and sharks. Also saw some mobula rays one morning and loads of healthy coral and fish I did my padi advanced open water with the dive shop who were fantastic. Joe guided us on most dives and really helped make it fun whilst teaching at same time. The on-site wreck dive and kuda rah being the best Kids club was really fun and our youngest wanted to go every day and all the other kids we met loved it too. All of the staff have been so helpful and made our stay. Would definitely recommend to anyone thinking about coming

We really enjoyed our stay at this beautiful Resort. The House Reef at Machchafushi Island Resort is one of the most beautiful ones we have ever been to and we spent hours observing fishes, turtles and reef sharks. The additional snorkeling trips we booked with "Best Dives" made our stay even more special: Our Tour guides made sure that we had an amazing experience during every excursion we booked with them, everyone was so kind and professional. The staff at the resort was also very kind and welcoming and our housekeeper Samsul made sure we had everything we needed and the room was always spotless and beautiful. We really loved our dinners at the Reef Restaurant since there was a vide variety of different cuisines available every day and we especially want to mention the staff members Desmond and Yaeesh as well as the Manager Sarath who were very caring towards us and made us feel very much at home in this Resort.

Visited Machchafushi 12th to 21st July. Amazing resort but more amazing are aa the people serving you. Cannot mention everyone but special mention to Jonathon Hamdhan, Yaseek, the barmen at the Coral and all the other waiters at the Reef. Everyone so helpful and would go out of their way to accommodate any request. Well done guys and gals , Keep up the good work.

We have recently returned from a 14-night stay at the Machchafushi Resort & Spa as a family of four adults, and it was everything we had hoped for and more. When choosing the resort for this special holiday we were looking for particular criteria to suit us all: A comprehensive all-inclusive package with a choice of restaurants and great quality food; a fantastic house reef abundant with sea life; clean, spacious and comfortable rooms on the beach and over the water and we were looking for a small, authentic resort where the service makes you feel special. Machchafushi did not disappoint. The island felt like home as soon as we arrived. The staff were all so welcoming, from greeting us to seeing us off at Male Airport; everything is within easy reach and with the Centara App, it was easy to find out information, make requests and book the a la carte restaurants. Staff work tirelessly to keep this island pristine, every day the pathways and beach are carefully groomed – you really can walk everywhere barefoot. Everyone, from housekeeping, the grounds staff to management always greeted you with a smile and management are always on hand to help with any queries. Nothing was too much trouble. Nalin, the General Manager, makes a point of meeting all guests soon after arrival, which is a nice touch. Our daughter celebrated her 21st birthday whilst we were there and she received birthday greetings from many of the staff throughout the day, had a fantastic bed decoration and received special treatment at our evening meal at the Mare Azzurro restaurant. The Restaurants, Bars and Staff It is very difficult to single out staff who went over and above to make our stay so enjoyable, but those who spring to mind are Jonathan in Suan Bua, Rishard in The Club, Sujan in The Coral Bar, Ajith & Ravi in the Aqua Bar. Not forgetting the wonderful man who prepares perfect eggs for breakfast in The Reef and the fantastic lady who works in Suan Bua and The Club (so sorry we didn’t get your names). In fact, all the restaurant staff deserve credit. The food really is delicious and they provide excellent choice given the very diverse tastes of all the guests. The à la carte restaurants were exceptional, the food was always beautifully presented and tasted delicious. An absolute must to experience during your stay. The Club As were staying 14 nights, we were given access to The Club and were provided with some extra benefits which was a great surprise (usually only available to guests in Club Rooms). The Club does feel that bit extra special and has a very relaxed atmosphere and a lovely pool to cool down in. It is a great place to have breakfast with a view with a la carte service. We also experienced the special 5 course a la carte dinner one night during our stay which was exceptional. The House Reef Most days we spent at the main pool, it is close to the house reef so our daughter could spend time snorkelling whilst the rest of us relaxed (there was usually a welcome breeze there too!). She was able to swim with a variety of fish, turtles and black and white tip sharks. We were also visited by many dolphins on one of the days and she was lucky enough to capture some underwater footage of them just off the reef! The daily shark feeding (which takes place at a no swim area next to The Coral Bar), is quite a spectacle, enjoyed by lots of Nurse Sharks, a few Black Tips and some fellow hungry fish. Excursions Between us we experienced three excursions: the Sunset/Dolphin Cruise, The Whale Shark Snorkelling & the Manta Ray Snorkelling. All three were very enjoyable and successful. The Best Dives staff were all friendly and helpful. On the Whale Shark excursion, the sea was a little choppy and there were a few people that became a little seasick, the staff dealt with this brilliantly. My daughter managed to see 3 Whale Sharks on the excursion, and thanks to a member of the dive team, got some amazing footage of her with one. The Spa Cenvaree A visit to the spa is a must whilst you’re there. The ladies there gave us all a very relaxing experience; 3 of us had the Signature Maldivian Massage and my son and I had facials too. Jen, Pin, Dao, Renee all deserve a special mention. The spa itself is beautiful with the 200-year-old Banyan tree in the centre reminding us just how established the beautiful island is. Visting during the low season This was our third visit to the Maldives, each time has been during July and therefore during their monsoon season. However, generally the weather had been fantastic with rain merely passing through. The worst weather we encountered was 4 years ago when we had two or three consecutive days of rain (there are worse places to get bad weather!). The weather this time was perfect, with just a little rain one evening and very early one morning (the showers literally lasted about 5 minutes). It was otherwise very bright and sunny; so don’t take any notice of the weather forecast! The sun is intense, so if you visit only bring high factor suncream; it was factor 30 & 50 all the way for us and we don’t burn easily! Also, despite efforts by the staff to keep mosquitoes at bay, we would recommend some repellent too. The sea was a little choppy at times whilst we were there, although you could always find a calm area to swim or snorkel. Interestingly, once the new moon arrived, it really calmed down. In our experience, visiting during the low season offers exceptional value for money.