Dusit Thani Maldives

“After 7 trips to the Maldives, I think we may have finally found the one we’ll return to again and again.”

What truly stood out to us about this resort: - Spacious villas with a massive super king-size bed, excellent bedding selection, quiet air conditioning, and good blackout curtains. The only small downside is that some blinds still let in a bit of morning light, so the room may not stay completely … more

What truly stood out to us about this resort: - Spacious villas with a massive super king-size bed, excellent bedding selection, quiet air conditioning, and good blackout curtains. The only small downside is that some blinds still let in a bit of morning light, so the room may not stay completely dark for guests who are sensitive to light. - The dedicated plant-based restaurant was one of the main reasons we chose this resort over the neighboring properties. This concept will definitely attract more health-conscious and environmentally aware travelers. The food was carefully prepared, beautifully presented, and absolutely delicious. Full marks on this one. - The house reef is phenomenal. I think being farther away from Malé helps preserve the marine life. During our stay we saw a loggerhead turtle, nurse shark, two octopuses, puffer fish, spotted eagle ray, blacktip reef sharks, countless clownfish, and even a pod of dolphins swimming past our pool villa. Their house reef is genuinely hard to beat. - The staff were very friendly and helpful overall. Most were constantly smiling, welcoming, and eager to help, while a small handful perhaps looked like they needed a well-deserved vacation themselves. - The food deserves special mention. When you have Thai and French chefs doing things properly, expectations are already high — and somehow they still exceeded them. This was the best all-inclusive dining experience we have ever had in the Maldives in terms of both quality and variety. - Having a personal bicycle with your villa number on it is such a wonderful touch. Riding around the island with the sea breeze on your skin adds so much charm to the experience. - The villas have a very large outdoor deck with enough space for two sun loungers, a daybed, and a separate dining table and chairs for coffee or afternoon tea. The outdoor shower is also perfect after snorkeling or swimming. - Even the life jackets were noticeably better quality than those provided at most resorts. They were soft and comfortable rather than the usual stiff orange ones. The only downside is that they are quite thick and block the sun completely. - We also appreciated that the all-inclusive package genuinely included access to all dining outlets on the island. Many resorts exclude one or two “premium” venues unless you pay a substantial supplement. It was refreshing not to feel constantly upsold. - We originally planned extra excursions to swim with whale sharks and manta rays, but in the end the snorkeling around the island itself was already so incredible that we simply ran out of time. - Wine lovers will be very happy here. The wine selection was consistently impressive and clearly curated by people who genuinely appreciate good wine. Having a French General Manager and Executive Chef probably helps. Excellent job on this. - We also enjoyed the games room, especially the pool table and table tennis facilities. - Wi-Fi was fast and stable throughout the island. I would also like to highlight a few staff members who made our stay especially memorable: - Sala Plant-Based Restaurant & Bar: Amila - The Market Buffet Restaurant: Kaka - Benjarong Thai Restaurant: Pande These individuals are true gems within your organization. If a company takes good care of its staff, the staff will naturally take good care of the guests — and from our experience, it certainly feels like this resort values its people well. What could be improved: - The reservations team should be more transparent when communicating transportation costs. All mandatory charges should be clearly explained upfront rather than introduced gradually later in the booking process. We were initially told the domestic flight would cost USD 550 and the seaplane USD 650 if arranged by the resort. After we independently booked our own domestic flight and shared the details, we were then informed there would also be a USD 350 boat transfer charge. This should have been disclosed in the very first communication. First impressions matter, especially for a luxury resort. - On our return journey, we were charged for a “private boat transfer,” yet another individual who was not in staff uniform was also onboard. We were not informed who this person was or why we were effectively sharing a boat despite paying a private transfer rate. This did not meet the level of transparency we would expect from a five-star property. - It would also be nice to see one or two additional healthy vegetarian breakfast options added to the menu. - More directional signs around the island would help, especially for guests cycling from the diving center side. Some turns are easy to miss unless you already know the layout of the island. -The material used around parts of the water villa and pool area felt unnecessarily rough. In some places it almost resembled coarse sandpaper, meaning you constantly had to be careful not to scrape your skin while using the pool or walking around barefoot. A smoother and more refined finish would greatly improve comfort, especially for a luxury resort experience. Overall, I would still rate our stay 9/10. The resort itself delivered one of the best Maldives experiences we have ever had. The only reason I am deducting one point is due to the lack of transparency surrounding transportation arrangements before arrival.

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