Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas

My husband, 23 year old daughter and I have just enjoyed a blissful week at gorgeous Anantara Kihavah. For context, we have stayed at 9 other Maldivian resorts. The island is spectacularly beautiful - gorgeous jungly interior with majestically tall palms, all beautifully maintained, ringed by a soft sand beach and then by a truly exceptional reef. The reef circles the whole island and the coral is diverse, abundant and healthy. It is a very fishy reef. On most snorkelling jaunts we saw a turtle or two and a shark or two. We saw a couple of eels and three octopuses during our stay, and frequently saw rays around our water villa. The water villas are absolutely beautifully designed, particularly the decks. Very comfortable bed and bedding and quiet and efficient aircon. The bathroom was gorgeous. We were on Half Board. Breakfast at Plates was great, particularly the large selection of tropical fruits and à la carte dishes were beautifully prepared. We ate dinner at Manzaru and Spice, both had extensive menus (though quite a number of dishes were at a surcharge for HB guests) and we thought the food was of very good indeed. We also had the fish/seafood buffet on the Thursday evening, which was excellent, albeit a $100 a head supplement. The real highlight of our holiday was lunch at the underwater SEA restaurant. As divers we did not expect to be blown away by the experience of seeing the reef that close up but we absolutely were - the food was seriously good too! We enjoyed a private stargazing session at the observatory which is well worth doing if the sky is clear - the telescope is very high quality. Service was prompt, cheerful and efficient. We were particularly impressed that our room attendant always managed to time his visits for when we were at breakfast or dinner and the standards of cleanliness were exemplary. Many thanks to our lovely butler Harnie for making all arrangements for us!

Our stay at Anantara Kihavah was truly exceptional and easily one of the most memorable resort experiences we’ve had in the Maldives. From the moment we arrived, the level of service, attention to detail and genuine warmth from the entire team stood out.

A special mention must go to our wonderful butler, whose service was incredible throughout our stay. He was attentive, thoughtful and always one step ahead of us, making everything feel effortless. The cleaning staff took wonderful care of our room. Our water bungalow was fantastic beautifully designed, spacious, extremely comfortable and with a very practical layout. The room servicing was consistently impeccable.

The house reef is absolutely incredible — exceptionally healthy, vibrant and full of marine life. For anyone who loves snorkelling and the ocean, this is a very special place. The island itself is also beautifully maintained while retaining a wonderfully natural character. It is incredibly green and lush, with orchids and tropical plants throughout the island, which we absolutely loved.

The food was magnificent. Every meal was memorable, and the restaurant teams were exceptionally warm, professional, attentive and genuinely welcoming. The Sea restaurant was a particular highlight for us, with a spectacular setting and fantastic dining experience. We also loved the cultural dance performance at Sky Bar, which added such a wonderful sense of Maldivian culture and atmosphere to the evening.

The water sports and excursions team were equally impressive. Everyone we met was friendly, knowledgeable, informative and incredibly attentive. They made us feel completely comfortable while helping us get the most out of the incredible marine environment surrounding the resort.

It was wonderful to see that this level of care extends right through the senior management of the resort.

Overall, Anantara Kihavah exceeded our expectations in every way. The combination of outstanding service, beautiful accommodation, exceptional food, an incredible house reef and a naturally lush island makes this resort truly special. A huge thank you to the Anantara Kihavah team for making our stay so unforgettable.

We would absolutely return and highly recommend Anantara Kihavah to anyone looking for a truly exceptional Maldivian experience.