Which hotel to choose in the Maldives?

Coco Palm Dhuni Kolhu + The standard

Coco Palm.

Quite a good hotel. But I'm not looking for flaws)) The size is good - there's plenty of space to walk around. Privacy is excellent on the reef side. At first, we were placed in villa 50. They were burning trash nearby. The breeze was blowing straight at us and it smoldered all day))) We were moved to a deluxe, but not renovated, 63. There are no neighbors visible at all)) The pool, like the bathroom, is laughable))) Only good for breeding frogs. The beach on this side is nice in summer, sandy. There is a step into the ocean, which is a plus for those who love to swim) The depth is good, you don’t scrape your belly on the reef. The reef wall is a bit far away, but quite picturesque. Although there are currently issues with water clarity(

Food can be described as monotonous with a small assortment, but it's cooked tasty and the presentation is nice). There is always grilled fish for lunch/dinner (they cook it well, not dry) and kebabs on skewers (chicken/beef), in addition to the main dishes like Beef Wellington or baked lamb, pork (1 time/week). Desserts are also served in portions, salads/rolls are served.

It was quite pleasant)) even though it was rather modest.

For breakfast, there is a station with eggs in different variations, a station with pancakes/waffles, there is always a traditional Maldivian breakfast, and of course curry))

Evening entertainment is mostly at the bar. Either movies, presentations about the reef, about the turtle rehabilitation center, diving, or just music.

In general, everything is for relaxation, unity with nature, and unwinding. The gym is rusty there

The standard

The contrast after moving was a wow effect))) The villa over the water on the ocean side. In the evening, it certainly feels like complete seclusion - you can even walk around naked))) The wall is close, the reef is beautiful and lively, but there are more corals in Coco) Over 6 days, I encountered an eagle ray, a couple of reef sharks, a nurse shark, two turtles, almost stepped on a stingray, morays, anemones, and a swarm of fish))) The water is very clear in both the lagoon and the wall.

The beachfront villa on the ocean side is also private. Room 109. The beachfront ones are still more interesting to me - you can swim in the lagoon, dig in the sand, and if you wish, swim to the wall. By the way, we didn’t encounter any fleas...)))

The food for me was quite mediocre for some reason…. I’m generally not picky, but there was no love) Over 6 days at the buffet, I would only repeat the duck (it was served once). Usually, by the 2nd or 3rd day, I’ve already formed a set of favorite dishes))) That didn’t happen here. Even the standard fish/chicken was dry and tasteless((

The food is better in the à la carte, and also generally better in the main restaurant from the menu) Both the steak is cooked well, and the pasta is al dente)))

For breakfasts, there is a choice of everything.

There are cheeses, but in such heat, they melt quickly))) There is salmon. There is an egg station. There’s even Eggs Benedict, but with ham). There are pancakes. But if the salmon runs out, it’s unlikely they will bring more by the end of breakfast. The same goes for exotic fruits. Mangoes/mangosteens…

The kids' club is pretty dull. Within the camp, there are interesting master classes. They prepared rolls, made pizza, painted a picture…

The DJ is by the pool in the evening, shows periodically. The butler sends out a schedule of events.

The cosmetics are good, the hair conditioner impressed me. It seems to actually be Davines, not just a label on the bottles)

This is already the second time we find a five-star hotel doesn't live up to the four-star experience based on some subtle feelings)))

But still, we didn’t want to leave))))