Ellaidhoo Maldives By Cinnamon

We stayed at Ellaidhoo for 2 weeks for our honeymoon. We had an exceptional time. The island is fairly small, however there is a big beautiful reef to explore! We stayed in an overwater bungalow and loved looking out at the sea life from our balcony. The best part about this resort is the staff by far. We had a lovely room attendant named Sohog who was polite, quick and made our room always look lovely without intruding on our day. We also ate at the restaurant everyday, and every single staff member we interacted with was lovely, from the chefs to the waitress staff to the bar staff! Special shoutout to our waiter Raisham, he always got our orders through quickly, and was a delight to deal with. The excursions offered are fun, and there is lots of water sport variety whether you’re a beginner or pro. We particularly loved the Manta Ray snorkelling excursion and saw 5 rays swimming below us at once! The only thing I would say is the only shop on the resort is VERY expensive, for example a bottle of conditioner being $20, so ensure you bring lots of toiletries beforehand. We would love to one day return, the reef is something special and the staff are even better!

Staff were so accommodating, friendly and helpful often going above and beyond in their service, especially Gasim, Chef Dinesh and Ibrahim. Rooms were immaculate and very comfortable. Lovely island with stunning snorkeling. Excursions, especially the manta snorkeling was absolutely wonderful. Food was great and plentiful. Very safe and secure too which is great.

We had a beautiful two-day stay at Ellaidhoo Maldives by Cinnamon, experiencing both the Beach Villa and Ocean Villa. 🌊🏝️ Each had its own charm from waking up just steps from the beach to being surrounded by the endless blue ocean. The peaceful island, great service, good food, and amazing underwater experience made our short getaway truly memorable. Another beautiful stop in our continuing travel journey, adding memories we’ll carry for a long time. Definitely a place we’d love to return to. ❤️

Unforgettable 18-Day Family Stay: Incredible House Reef, Delicious Food, and Outstanding Staff! We recently spent 18 wonderful days at Ellaidhoo Maldives with our family of four, and from the moment we arrived, everything was seamless. Even though we landed on the island well before the official check-in time, we were warmly greeted and given our room very quickly. Here is why we loved our stay and would happily recommend it: Rooms & Housekeeping We stayed in a Superior Room. While the room is modest, it had plenty of space and everything needed for a family of four. The real standout was our housekeeper—the room was cleaned daily and kept absolutely spotless. He always timed the cleaning for when we were out, so we never felt rushed or in the way. Directly outside our room (5m away), sea access was via a few steps and we loved having dedicated sun-beds reserved just for us nearby. Island Vibe & Beaches The island is lush, green, and well-maintained. While sandy beaches are limited to the area between the diving center and the water villas, the island is compact and easy to walk around. Even with the resort practically full during our stay, the beach never felt crowded. Dining & Staff (The Highlight!) The buffet food was fantastic. Even on day 18, I was still discovering new dishes I hadn't tried before. In almost three weeks, we only had to wait for a table once (for just 5 minutes). The entire team works incredibly hard, but a few people made our trip extra special: Najah and Muaz: Our main waiters, who made every single mealtime pleasant, welcoming, and fun. The Salad Chef: Introduced us to new flavors, and the kids absolutely loved his creations. The Breakfast Chef: The star of the morning station with excellent eggs and pancakes. The Pizza Chef: Genuinely impressed us—we did not expect resort buffet pizza to be that delicious! Snorkeling & World-Class Diving If you love underwater life, this island is a dream: Snorkeling: Inside the protective sea walls, the water is calm and perfect for relaxing or helping young kids learn to swim. Just outside the walls, the drop-off goes down to 25–30 meters within a few steps. There we saw reef sharks, rays, a sea turtle, octopuses, crabs, and endless colorful fish right off the shore. The diversity of corals was also impressive. When there was a mild current we did a full swim around the island and it was a blast. Diving: My wife and I completed our Advanced Open Water course with the dive center. The operation is extremely well-organized with great equipment (free Nitrox, 10L to 15L cylinders, ...) and a fantastic boat crew. A huge plus is the house reef diving flexibility—you can pick up gear and dive directly around the island with your buddy (or easily pair up with someone at the center) using multiple entry/exit points whenever it suits your schedule. Evenings & Extras While we didn't use the pool or the spa (though the spa looked very inviting!), we spent several evenings at the bar listening to live music and DJs. Drinks were very reasonably priced for the Maldives ($8–$10 USD for cocktails/mocktails), and they had great promos like 4 drinks for $30 USD. Wi-Fi was available across the island and perfectly fine for standard use, though mobile service was spotty inside the room. Verdict Ellaidhoo offers an authentic, laid-back Maldivian experience with one of the best house reefs you can ask for, paired with genuine hospitality. We thoroughly enjoyed our time and wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to families, couples, and divers alike!