Jumeirah Maldives

In two visits Jumeirah Olhahali has woven its way into our collective hearts like a charm! Jumeirah O, you have gone and done it again! Calm and so zen and our home away from home. Beginning with our warm and welcoming island host Laith who devotes himself to our comfort and well being and makes us feel so wanted, to the fabulous team at Best Dives - the brilliant young Lewis who shared his learning and experiences and patiently instructed our almost 15 year old as she made her PADI certification dream come true, the ever cool Capt Moin, the Best Dives head Mukku - the spa team ( Yayiti you’re the best) , the crew at Kayto and Glow … Head Chef Chetan who whipped up the most delectable fare for us to sample - the new addition to the Shimmers restaurant who created some magical delicacies for my husband who is vegetarian … to the ever vigilant pool attendants and life guards who make time to have fun while watching over the kids … Jumeirah Olhahali knows how to make their guests feel at home and never want to leave. Ask us. We have two girls who always get emotional as we sail off and then some! GM Mohammed Ashraf runs a very tight ship … and is gentle, unassuming and gave us time to listen to our feedback! No wonder then that most people on the team have been with J for 7 years or thereabouts… we hope Olhahali you always stay this way…because we are going to keep coming back and wanting to come back! 🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶

This was our second stay at Jumeirah Maldives and somehow it felt even more special this time.

From the moment we arrived, it was obvious that all our preferences from the last visit had been remembered and noted. It sounds like a small thing but it makes such a difference when you come back somewhere and immediately feel known.

Laith is just exceptional. He looked after us brilliantly last time and this time it genuinely felt like we were coming back to see family. By the end, Laith & Lewis both felt very much like family to us. That probably says more about the place than anything else I can write.

Lewis once again showed us a completely different world. Last time it was turtle snorkelling. This time, together with Muku from the dive centre who organised everything superbly, it was diving with nurse sharks!! An experience none of us will ever forget. Lewis also taught our daughter her PADI course and was unbelievably patient with her. Watching her confidence grow over the week and seeing the underwater world through her eyes was very special. Lewis has this wonderful ability to make every experience feel like an adventure while making you feel completely safe throughout.

A big thank you to Mr Ashraf, the GM. The resort is beautifully run but what really stands out is the warmth of the people and I think that culture always starts from the top.

Chef Chetan also spoiled us throughout. I am vegetarian and he went out of his way to make me some fantastic Indian vegetarian food, while of course keeping the rest of the family very happy as well! He also gave us a little preview of the menu for the new Italian restaurant opening soon. Based on what we tasted, we will certainly have another reason to come back.

The resort itself is stunning. The villas, the water, the privacy and particularly the snorkelling around the reef. You can literally get into the water from the resort and see an extraordinary amount of marine life. The spa is also excellent and became a regular part of the trip!!

But ultimately it is the people who make Jumeirah special.

A huge thank you to all the staff who looked after us so warmly. When it came time to leave there were actually tears in our eyes.

I suppose leaving home sometimes feels like that.

Thank you Laith, Lewis, Muku, Chef Chetan, Mr Ashraf and everyone at Jumeirah. We miss you already & hopefully see you again soon!