Resort Segmentation

\ Leave a Comment \ by

Maldives resort segmentation table

This recent tour made me realise that I really need to consider “Best of the Maldives” posts by price tier. Reethi Rah, Soneva and Velaa may have everything you can imagine, but few of us have the wallets to go there. Now that the sector as tripled in size since Maldives Complete started, you can find just about anything, certainly in the super premium properties. But it remains distinctive when a more modest tiers property offers such a unique or striking feature.

This musing also got me thinking about the core segments that the Maldives resorts have coalesced into. Actually, they are pretty conventional quartiles that you find in many markets (as illustrated in the chart below which compares them to other products):

These price bands play an important role in user reviews like Trip Advisor. Such star-ratings are not based on objective box-ticking criteria like hospitality association ratings (which has a long check-list of requirements for each grading class). Instead, these ratings really reflect performance against expectations. As a result, you can get a budget burger joint getting 5-star ratings because it is the best $3 burger that you have ever had. Conversely, a white-linen, silver setting gourmet establishment can get a 1-star rating if the meat is overcooked and service a bit slow during your $100 meal.

The key to exceeding expectations is (a) tick all of the boxes for your class (the cake), and (b) add a few special bits above the class (treats) that are valued and memorable. For example, Siyam World sits squarely in the Business Class segment, and yet still snared the crown as one of the Top 10 Hotels in the World in Tripadvisor’s 2025 Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best Awards 2025. It sits in the comfortable “business class” of Maldives resorts, but adds enough luxury touches to feel distinctive in that class.

Posted in: Industry \ Tagged:

Best of the Maldives: AI Activity – Oaga

\ Leave a Comment \ by

Oaga - ai activities

In many destinations around the world, “all-inclusive” has a sort of down-market perception of value pricing, but in the luxury-packed Maldives, even the most exclusive properties have AI offerings (primarily for customer convenience, not budgeting). As a result, there is a bit of an arms race of packing in the most features to each resort’s AI, but Oaga has thrown everything including the kitchen sink if there was an experience you could have with the kitchen sink:

Conventional

  • Complimentary return speed boat transfers from the airport.
  • Meet & greet at the airport, welcome drinks and amenities upon arrival to the resort.
  • Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner at Kaa Kada/ La’ Fuh Dan, dine around a la carte with 5 street carts offering a global selection.
  • Unlimited selection of alcoholic & non-alcoholic beverages from our standard beverage menu, from Raa Baa.
  • Mini Bar refilled once a day and includes – canned beers, soft drinks, packed juices and a wine bottle menu.
  • Complimentary non-motorised watersports; Stand-up paddle board and Kayak throughout the stay for 30 minutes per day.
  • Complimentary snorkelling equipment during the stay.
  • Complimentary use of Pulse recreation activities: Darts, Beach Volley, Archery, Foosball, outdoor calisthenics gym and so much more.
  • Daily entertainment and indoor games at Raa Baa.

Special Experiences

  • High-tea in the evening at Jeymu café.
  • 1 Thashibari (In-Villa Dining) experience per villa during the stay.
  • 1 Float-stagram (floating breakfast or lunch) experience, per villa per stay.
  • 1 beer or gin tasting experience at Sobi Bar, per villa per stay.
  • USD 50 credit per villa per stay towards one theatrical dining experience at Samaasaa.
  • 1 Learn a Dish (cooking class) experience with our Chefs.
  • 1 Cocktail Apprentice (cocktail making class) experience with our F&B team.
  • 3 excursions per person per stay; Sunset Cruise, Sunset Fishing, Guided House Reef Snorkeling.
  • Complimentary beginner snorkelling lessons in the lagoon.
  • 20minute guided motorised watersports per villa per stay; Jet ski ride & Fun tube.
  • 1 Scuba Dive in the house reef (for certified divers) OR 50% off on Discover Scuba Diving (for non-divers).
  • Wellness:
  • Daily complimentary Hin Dhemilun (stretching) / Bandu (core workout) classes.
  • 1 Dhulhaheyo (wellness) experience activity at Hoba Spa [Vah Buru (full body workout) or Araam Adu (Sound healing)], per person per stay.
  • Complimentary morning and evening rituals.
  • 1 time Free Flow (art class) experience with our Resident Artist.
  • 1 Take Notes or Dance Lab experience with our Resident Musicians/Performance Artist.
  • 5 pieces of laundry per villa per day.
Posted in: Best of the Maldives \ Tagged: , , ,

How Much is a Pool in the Maldives?

\ Leave a Comment \ by

Maldives pool

One of the very first motivations to start Maldives Complete was to get a comprehensive list of resorts with pools (which our kids loved to frolic in). Now the pervasive 5-star luxury properties nearly all have pools with every room. But, they come at a price. That is, a price uplift versus equivalent rooms without the pools. Similar to my previous, “How Much Does a Sunset Cost?”, I thought I would tap into Maldives Complete’s database of over 1200 room categories to analyse this pool premium.

I compared all room types where the resort had definitively matching room descriptors of a room type with and without a pool (eg. “Beach Villa” and “Beach Villa with Pool”):

Disclaimer: Not all pools the same. Also, a number of “with Pool” room categories have larger room footprints so the room type is really more than just an added pool, but rather the pool is the signature addition that also signifies and includes other enhancements.

Posted in: Industry \ Tagged: , ,

Best of the Maldives: Maldivian Spa Products – Ailafushi

\ Leave a Comment \ by

Ailafushi - Maldivian spa products

Many prospective guests seek out the authentic Maldives experience when visiting and one aspect is to enjoy Maldivian products made by Maldivians themselves. Ailafushi’s spa features the Ogaa line of soaps and candles at its NU The Spa so you can not only enjoy Maldivian body care pleasures, but even take them home.

Posted in: Best of the Maldives \ Tagged: , , ,

Best of the Maldives: Room Gallery – Oaga

\ Leave a Comment \ by

Oaga - room gallery

More resorts feature more artistry from local creatives, and some bring these pieces into the villas, but Oaga features a veritable museum of distinctive art in its Veyoge Gallery Pool Villa room category. And if you are looking for an inspired memento of your ‘night at the museum’, you can purchase the pieces displayed. And even if you don’t buy one, your stay benefits the local artists who graced your space:

  • “Suvāsthi Gallery Art: Revel in the art exhibited on the wall, part of our in-house art collection from Maldivian artists. All the displayed art is acquirable via our Suvāsthi Retail Gallery. Fun fact: For each night spent in this villa, an allocation will be made to the contributing artist community.”
Posted in: Best of the Maldives \ Tagged: , , ,

Best of the Maldives: Diving AI – Sun Siyam Iru Veli

\ Leave a Comment \ by

Sun Siyam Iru Veli - diving

All-inclusive is becoming very de rigeur in the Maldives these days. But not the “AI” with cheap, constrain your budget, drink off-brand booze to your heart’s content stereotype, but “luxury AI” where the quality of the property and the “inclusions” are high. And in the luxury destination of the Maldives, the 5-star properties are regularly including everything under the sunshine to make the package even more appealing. Sun Siyam Iru Veli has gone beyond just “everything under the sun” to include under the water too with 3 dives included in its AI offering:

  • “Within the premium all-inclusive package offered by Sun Siyam Iru Veli, up to three dives per person per week are included for certified divers as an alternative to spa credit. Guests must present a valid diving license and medical record if applicable. Boat charges and equipment hire fees do apply.”
Posted in: Best of the Maldives \ Tagged: , ,

Best of the Maldives: Coconut Soap – Amilla

\ Leave a Comment \ by

Amilla - coconut soap

We love all things coconutty and Amilla Maldives features another item for our basket of tropically inspired items:

  • “Our soaps are hand-made in Amilla Fushi with home-made pure coconut oil, powdered herbs handpicked from our gardens and natural essential oils”

You can lather yourself with the essence of Amilla for weeks after your return.

Posted in: Best of the Maldives \ Tagged: , , ,

Best of the Maldives: Co-Working – The Crossroads

\ Leave a Comment \ by

SAii Lagoon - coworking

The remote working revolution, powered by the pandemic lock-down, has transformed the extent to which people can unshackle themselves from the location (and time) constraints of doing their job. Some people have taken advantage of their new found freedom to work in the cozy idyll of a shed at the bottom of their garden. But others have taken the workplace revamp to the extremes extending their Maldives holidays by doing a bit of work abroad.

“Residences” and long-term stays (ie. months) have risen dramatically here. A good Internet connection and a growing standardisation of teleconferencing as the default mode of doing business make this increasingly feasible and appealing. It used to be that face-to-face included was the default and you did teleconferencing when you really had to, but now the situation has flipped).

To further help you whistle while you work, SAii Lagoon has introduced the first ever co-working space in the Maldives:

  • “Crossroads Maldives is set to open the Maldives first-ever co-working space in the Maldives located at The Marina at CROSSROADS Maldives..‘Your SPACE’ at CROSSROADS Maldives would be the first of its kind in the Maldives where freelancers, remote workers, start-ups, and other independent professionals can work together in the communal setting. Offering flexible membership levels from hot desk to designated desks and spaces, members would be able to enjoy complimentary return transfers from Malé, free Wi-Fi, secretarial services including printing, scanning, mail delivery, meeting room booking and self-service coffee and tea. Additional benefits include exclusive discounts from the diverse range of dining and shopping outlets at The Marina.”

Other resorts have added enhanced work spaces in the villas (now tagged with the new tag of “Remote Working”), but SAii Lagoon and Hard Rock have introduced a space dedicated to such working in their Crossroad centre. That way one can get some privacy and other business support services for getting some vital work done (hopefully, so you can stay even longer in paradise with all the fires put out at home).

This is a bit of a special topic for me as one of my other websites/blogs has been looking at the concept of remote and flexible working long before it became trendy – Dynamic Work. As it happens, I am posting this piece from another island paradise, the Galapagos, where Lori and I are taking our Maldives-honed diving skills for a different type of diving adventure and our first ever live-aboard experience.

Why have a faux background on your Zoom call, when you can have the real thing?

  

Posted in: Best of the Maldives \ Tagged: , , ,

Best of the Maldives: Coral Reef Gardener – Coco Palm Dhuni Kolhu

\ Leave a Comment \ by

Coco Palm Dhuni Kolhu - coral garden

Mari-time, Mar-itime…How does your garden grow? With help from a lucky aquatic gardener at Coco Palm Dhuniu Kolhu. The resort is advertising for a “coral reef gardener” to work for a three placement:

  • · “A lucky winner will be flown out to the luxurious Coco Palm Dhuni Kolhu resort in September, where they will help the Marine Educator with managing and fostering coral growth in the surrounding house reefs…applicants must submit a link to a 2-3-minute video and a 500-word cover letter explaining why they think they would be a good fit for the role. Applicants do not need to have previous experience, but they must be over the age of 18 years, be a competent open water swimmer and keen to gain experience in this field.”

Working in an octopus’ garden has 12 May deadline for application.

Posted in: Best of the Maldives \ Tagged: , ,