Where to stay in the Maldives?

[alexpollard]

I am hopefully looking to take my wife to the maldives this year. There are so many places on offer and I have no idea which Atoll to choose.

Looking for something all inclusive as I understand they whack you for food and drink. Also thinking about the end of April but understand they have a monsoon season around this time.

If anyone has been or has an idea where to stay your input would be very helpful.

Thanks!

[Kumagoro]

Never been but my parents have and they loved it.

The word meeru comes to me but I dont know if thats a place or what.

[alexpollard]

Thanks Kumagoro

I am also looking at Cuba as all the Maldives packages I have been looking at seem to be stupidly expensive. Decisions Decisions...

[mark19632]

My wife and I stay on the island of meerufushi (http://www.meeru.com/) in the north Male atoll in 2004

I was lovley and I would definatly go again. It is qute a large island (compared to some) but not too crowded.

I think the standard rooms, although basic are fairly cheap.

The food was good, fairly good varity and the resturant at the end of the island does the doest burgers, we went half board are the drinks were quite reasonable, although some islands do overcharge you some what.

That's the only place I've been in the Maldives but I hope that helps.

[alexpollard]

My wife and I stay on the island of meerufushi (http://www.meeru.com/) in the north Male atoll in 2004

I was lovley and I would definatly go again. It is qute a large island (compared to some) but not too crowded.

I think the standard rooms, although basic are fairly cheap.

That's the only place I've been in the Maldives but I hope that helps.

Thanks for the info, it looks amazing. What was the food like? Did you go all inclusive?

[GoNz0]

Thanks Kumagoro

I am also looking at Cuba as all the Maldives packages I have been looking at seem to be stupidly expensive. Decisions Decisions...

been to cuba in december for my honeymoon. you should go, we had a nice resort called iberostar varadero, very nice 5* place, with good food as well

if you want to see the sights, then book a twin stop and spend 3 days in havana 1st.

although in hindsight, a day trip to havana would have been fine, 3 days was a bit much.

[directhex]

the maldives are a VERY expensive place to go, but doubtless beautiful and enjoyable

i'm getting married next year in cuba, having selected a cuban all-inclusive five-star resort from 200 luxury places worldwide.

what i'd suggest to you is something similar to what i did (but perhaps with fewer 3am nights):

1) define your budget, and highlight ALL places in countries you're interested in that you can afford (use a bunch of high-street brochures, e.g. airtours, thomas cook, kuoni, virgin, thompson). be sure to include duplicates across multiple brochures, as prices vary by a good 20-30%

2) cross-reference the resorts against personal criteria - size of hotel, facilities advertised, catering method, official star rating, and so on

3) cross-reference the remainder against user average scores from tripadvisor.com

4) remove everywhere that hasn't scored at least 4.5/5 average from tripadvisor. you should be left with between five and fourty places

5) slash 20% from your budget, see who's left

6) look at user photos for the remaining ten or so places, slash off as many places as you can

7) for the remaining three, pick out of a hat!

[directhex]

been to cuba in december for my honeymoon. you should go, we had a nice resort called iberostar varadero, very nice 5* place, with good food as well

if you want to see the sights, then book a twin stop and spend 3 days in havana 1st.

although in hindsight, a day trip to havana would have been fine, 3 days was a bit much.

iberostar varadero was on my pre-final shortlist, and generally the iberostar chain managed 4/10 of the places on that list

[alexpollard]

been to cuba in december for my honeymoon. you should go, we had a nice resort called iberostar varadero, very nice 5* place, with good food as well

if you want to see the sights, then book a twin stop and spend 3 days in havana 1st.

although in hindsight, a day trip to havana would have been fine, 3 days was a bit much.

Thats funny because I was looking at that very resort last night. It has excellent reviews on trip advisor and someone mentioned that 1 day in Havana was perfect. I am concerned about the timing though as April is when the rainy season starts. It's not cheap though, looking at about £895 per person for 10 days. Cheaper than the Maldives though, thats well over £1100!

Thanks for all the help.

[directhex]

actually, have my pre-final shortlist! should serve as some inspiration. (links to tripadvisor.com user photos):

Iberostar Varadero and Paradisus Rio de Oro in Cuba.

Couples Ocho Rios in Jamaica.

Pinewood Village in Kenya.

Secrets Capri Riviera Cancun; Riu Palace Mexico; Iberostar Paraiso Beach; Iberostar Paraiso Lindo and Iberostar Paraiso Maya in Mexico.

Rendezvous in St. Lucia.

[mark19632]

Thanks for the info, it looks amazing. What was the food like? Did you go all inclusive?

We went half board, we decided not to worry about what we spent, everything is charged to your room anyway so you don't have to carry cash about, it worked out cheaper than all inclusive, but it depends if you eat lunch and drink alot.

Food was good, different kind of theme everynight for the buffett lots of fish dishes as well as meat and veggie.

They do have a resturant at one end of the island where you can have a dinner right on the water front, they only have 4 or 5 tables so it's nice and romantic

Here is one of my many pics from there http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/46699975/

[alexpollard]

actually, have my pre-final shortlist! should serve as some inspiration. (links to tripadvisor.com user photos):

Iberostar Varadero and Paradisus Rio de Oro in Cuba.

Couples Ocho Rios in Jamaica.

Pinewood Village in Kenya.

Secrets Capri Riviera Cancun; Riu Palace Mexico; Iberostar Paraiso Beach; Iberostar Paraiso Lindo and Iberostar Paraiso Maya in Mexico.

Rendezvous in St. Lucia.

Superb! Thanks for the advice. Cuba is looking like the one at the moment (although I have been known to change my mind at least 100 times before I go!). My boss is actually in Cuba at the moment and will be interested to see how he found it. No Americans which is always a plus

[alexpollard]

We went half board, we decided not to worry about what we spent, everything is charged to your room anyway so you don't have to carry cash about, it worked out cheaper than all inclusive, but it depends if you eat lunch and drink alot.

Food was good, different kind of theme everynight for the buffett lots of fish dishes as well as meat and veggie.

They do have a resturant at one end of the island where you can have a dinner right on the water front, they only have 4 or 5 tables so it's nice and romantic

Here is one of my many pics from there http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/46699975/

LOL - I like the little dude in the corner. That's not your lovechild is it?

[directhex]

oh, if you're curious, we picked the paradisus rio de oro in the end.

nothing could beat the wedding gazebo (http://cdn.tripadvisor.com/Images-b1...ing_Gazebo.jpg) which extends out over the sea

a close call for the random hammocks scattered about at couples ocho rios, though (http://cdn.tripadvisor.com/Images-b1385959S-Hammock.jpg)

[GoNz0]

no americans !!!
that aint true, they do go there, just not many. now canadians !

i left on the 23rd Dec, and the canadians decended for xmas.. got a little bit full on the resort then, and we were glad to be leaving.

Havana is a total and utter slum in most parts, of course you dont see that on the pics

heres a couple of pics from the top of the parque central slap bang in the middle of havana, as you can see turning round 180 degrees and it looks like basra

[GoNz0]

i miss a tall rum and coke (cubra libre) served to me on the beach