It’s an idyllic chain of 1190 islands perched just down a bit and to the left of India. The Maldives has long been the playground for Europe’s rich and famous, but the secret is now out – and more importantly, so are cheap airfares from Australia.
So, if you’re a really good Travel Agent and want to be ready for the barrage of quote requests then you’ll need to have a few go-to resort recommendations up your sleeve.
Being the really good guy that I am, I went on a whistle stop trip last month and figured out the best resorts for different types of clients – read on to become a Master of the Maldives!
For customers that want fantastic value try:
Centara Grand Resort
Image Source: invitetoparadise
Thai resort chain Centara really hits the tuna on the head with their ‘Ultimate All-Inclusive’ package.
The obvious positive is that customers know what they’re spending when they book with you – and hey, it’s a bonus that all that food and drink is commissionable as well!
I’ve been burned badly in the past with ‘All-inclusive’ style hotels –personally and with client bookings with food and beverage being where most AI’s usually fall short.
The Centara Grand comes to the party big time though, with a massive offering of fresh seafood (including sushi), authentic Thai and Italian, plus your standard everything buffet – spread across four restaurants.
The inclusive cocktail menu is also extensive; I couldn’t even manage trying all of them over four days.
The perks don’t stop there, with free activities including: Whale Shark snorkeling, sunset fishing, windsurfing & a cultural visit to a local island, plus more! After a hard day of watersports what’s better than a thirty-minute massage? A free one, that’s what! Every guest has $100 of spa credit to burn DAILY, and you know the Thai’s know how to run a spa.
For customers that want Robinson Crusoe vibes, with five-star perks try:
Soneva Fushi
Soneva was one of the first private island resorts to pop up in the Maldives, so you could call them a leader in the field of doing things differently. You wouldn’t be surprised to catch a glimpse of Madonna or Prince William cycling down a jungle path past rabbits and lizards, both being past and frequent guests.
Their brand slogan and USP is ‘No news, no shoes’ which became apparent when our shoes were tagged and bagged on the boat ride after our thirty-minute seaplane ride from Malé. Breath easily though, as Wi-Fi is available in each of the handcrafted, individual villas made from local materials – it can be turned off on request though.
Families, friends and couples alike will enjoy a barrage of activities, from glassblowing courses with their resident artist to private cocktail parties on a deserted sandbar. Parents will love spending quality time away from their kids, as it will be impossible to drag them away from the world-class kid’s club that looks like it was designed and managed by Dr Suess himself.
Foodies will lose their minds when reading through Soneva’s ever changing weekly program; from fresh salads made in the midst of the islands own herb garden to superbly prepared dinner under a blanket of stars at the flagship restaurant, Fresh in the Garden – which also sports an observatory for some after-dinner star gazing.
For customers who hate the sight of a buffet try:
Outrigger Konotta Maldives
For a truly a la carte experience your customers will love the Outrigger Konotta Maldives. Being only recently opened in August 2015 it’s one of the Maldives newest resort and it has the flashy toys to prove it.
You won’t find any daggy old plastic paddleboats here, instead we chose to zoom and weave underwater between reefs using Seabobs.
I likened them to riding an underwater motorbike and could hardly be dragged away from my new favourite watersport after circumnavigating the islands reef system, seeing turtles, sharks and chasing thousands of brightly coloured fish.
This is definitely the place to splurge on an overwater bungalow, having just been built, these super sleek villas boast all the mod cons and are amongst the largest you’ll find in the Maldives.
Built with their guest’s privacy in mind these luxurious pads sport large balconies with an infinity pool, super comfy deckchairs and nets that hang over the crystal clear waters to enjoy a glass of bubbly in.
Outrigger somehow pulls off resort dining without feeling like you’re in a resort – which is a glorious thing. Every meal felt like we were out to dinner at a world-class restaurant in any big capital city. Their concept is simple: no buffets. Nope, not even breakfast. An orgasmic menu will delight your clients with tastes from around the world from Chinese dumplings for brekky next to freshly baked croissants to seared tuna salad for lunch and a hilarious Teppan-yaki experience with melt in your mouth sashimi for dinner.
All of the above hotels can be booked via Australian wholesalers or direct through their websites.
The writer was a guest of the above hotels.