Baglioni Resort Maldives

Two things are most important to us when travelling to the Maldives: the abundance of marine life and the quality of the people at the resort. We returned last week after two wonderful weeks at Baglioni Maldives, and it delivered exactly what we were hoping for.

We chose Baglioni primarily because of the reviews of its house reef, and we're delighted to say they were absolutely accurate. The reef is healthy and full of life, with huge shoals of colourful fish, blacktip and whitetip reef sharks, eagle rays, manta rays, turtles and one particularly intimidating-looking moray eel, all within a ten-minute swim of our water villa. We spent three to four hours in the water almost every day and never got bored.

Then there were the people. We met a team of genuinely warm, caring individuals who treated us more like old friends than hotel guests. I'm sure we'll unintentionally miss someone, but we have to start with Liton, our wonderful room attendant, whose towel art became so creative that by the end of our stay we'd almost accumulated a zoo on the shelves.

Rameez, together with his “apprentice” Yerma, looked after every detail of our stay, somehow appearing exactly when we needed help. Kristal and Monir kept the cocktails flowing, while Wai Wai (possibly the friendliest person in the world), Arti and Lota always welcomed us warmly into the restaurants.

The wider restaurant team, led by the peerless RJ and including Anmol, Ramzee, Prabath (who always made time for us), Safwaan, Edi, Wade, Affan, Naymur, Jack, Afshan, Aafaag and Naresh, made every single day memorable through their warmth, humour and genuine hospitality.

Special mentions also have to go to Chef Maduka, who prepared a wonderful meal for us on our final evening, and to Prageeth, who somehow always made sure our favourite small, sweet Maldivian bananas were waiting at breakfast each morning. Nittu, who delivered room service, was a great fun, Anish kept our minibar perfectly stocked despite being constantly busy, and Gem, the only member of the senior management team who really took the time to get to know us, even came to wave us goodbye as we left.

We'd also like to mention Bhuwan, who was on security at the arrival jetty. During an evening walk on my wife’s birthday we stopped for a chat, and his warmth and friendliness summed up everything we experienced throughout our stay. We'd also like to thank the grounds and maintenance teams, who were constantly smiling, working incredibly hard and always took the time to say hello, along with the chef at Yama; we’ll definitely return for his special meal !

Baglioni is about to close for refurbishment, and we genuinely hope the team are well looked after while the resort is closed. It would be a real shame if the resort were to lose people who are such an enormous credit to the Baglioni brand.

One point prospective guests may wish to be aware of is that the resort has a "Palace Club" vacation membership sales team. We accepted an invitation to a 90–120 minute presentation over lunch in exchange for US$500 resort credit. To their credit, the team were polite throughout, honoured the resort credit despite us declining the offer, and remained just as friendly afterwards. We personally felt that this sat a little awkwardly with the otherwise relaxed, understated luxury of the resort, although others may see it differently.

We originally booked Baglioni because of its outstanding house reef. We left with unforgettable memories of both the marine life and the people. The fish, turtles and reef exceeded our expectations; somehow, the team managed to do the same.

Like any resort, there are always areas that can be improved, and hopefully the forthcoming refurbishment will address those. Even as it stands today, however, we would happily return without hesitation.

This is our 2nd time staying at this resort & we love it! Our kids got certified open dive w the most amazing dive instructors! The food was exceptional every night, the cleaning staff made us the most amazing mural out of sand our last night just so sweet & laundry service amazing.

The overwater villa was breathtaking—spacious, pristine, and opening directly onto crystal‑clear turquoise waters. Waking up to the sweeping ocean views from our deck, with endless stretches of sea unfolding before us, felt like living in a dream. The villa’s thoughtful design lent an indulgent touch to every moment, and the panoramic seascape from our private terrace was simply unforgettable.

The warm‑hearted staff further elevated our stay. A special shout‑out to Naresh for his truly exceptional service: attentive, welcoming, and effortlessly professional. He anticipated our every need with a genuine smile and made us feel like part of the family, even during the resort’s busiest hours. His thoughtful gestures and impeccable timing enriched our entire experience. If you are fortunate enough to be looked after by him, your stay is bound to be perfect.