Riu Palace Maldivas- All Inclusive

This island in truly one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. The water was crystal blue and so clear that we were spotting fish, turtles, baby sharks and stingrays swimming past every single day! The marine life is so abundant and absolutely worth the snorkeling sunburn that both my husband and I received. The staff were also such a highlight of the trip - so friendly and welcoming, and always doing whatever they could to make the stay more enjoyable. Puja, Samee and Chamara in the bar and Yomi the chef made such a positive impact on our stay. Also, it was quite a walk from one end of the resort to the other, and the little buggy shuttle that you could catch to and from the different areas was a welcome escape on some of the hotter days. Overall, there were only 2 negatives that we would be able to provide about this location. First was the "USD$250 Resort Credit" that we received upon booking with Booking.com. Upon arrival we asked about the credit and were informed that this could only be used at either the spa or the water sports hut, however, it could only be used for a small selection of treatments and activities AND could only be redeemed for USD$15-25 off a selected treatment or activity that were already priced USD$150-$300. It was pretty unfortunate and very misleading as that was not explained during the booking phase. The second thing would be the food, specifically the room service. If you are someone who loves room service meals on a holiday, this resort is not for you. If we wanted to order any kind of room service in between meal times, or instead of going to the buffet, all you could order was a salad or a sandwich. There was very little on offer and it was a bit disappointing.

We stayed at the RIU Atoll in the Maldives from 24th September to 1st October 2026, and we would go back in a heartbeat! The location was absolutely beautiful. The Indian Ocean was so warm—it felt just like stepping into a warm bath. We have been to the Caribbean islands on several occasions and loved it, but the Maldives has now officially taken over as our first choice for holidays! The only downside was the travelling time from the UK, which was made slightly worse by an approximate 3.5-hour wait at Malé airport for our domestic flight. However, the moment we stepped onto the island, we knew the journey had been entirely worth it. Our TUI rep was waiting for us and escorted us to our beachfront accommodation, Villa 29, which I have to say was idyllic. It is located on a stretch of semi-private beach shared by the occupants of 12 rooms. Fortunately for us, only six other people decided to make use of it during our stay; we assumed the others preferred the lively pool area! The rooms were cleaned and beautifully made up every single day. I unfortunately cannot remember our cleaner's name, but he deserves a massive thumbs up. My partner lost a ring that held great sentimental value, and the cleaner literally took the room apart—even checking the drains—to help us look for it. Although our villa wasn't the furthest point from the resort's amenities, it was still a "good walk" to the dining facilities. Because of this, I highly advise asking reception for an umbrella at the start of your holiday, just in case of the sudden rain showers, which are usually short but very heavy. The food in the main dining room was superb. I am without a doubt the fussiest of eaters, but the choices were so varied and abundant that even I was completely spoilt for choice. As for the service, it was outstanding. The team is led by the dining room manager, Thaney, who was incredibly welcoming and attentive every day. He is ably assisted by Faiz, his second-in-command, who was fantastic and gave us so much wonderful information about local life on the islands. Their entire staff is excellent and always one step ahead, anticipating your needs before you even ask. We also needed to visit reception on a couple of occasions, and again, we cannot praise the team enough. Yaees and Hasanna were both incredibly helpful and kind. If you are thinking of booking, do it—it is a piece of paradise!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ We had an amazing experience at RIU Hotel during our honeymoon! Everything was absolutely wonderful, and the staff made our special trip even more memorable. Everyone was incredibly friendly, welcoming, and attentive, always going above and beyond to make us feel special. The service was exceptional, and the hospitality truly exceeded our expectations. A huge thank you to the entire team for making our honeymoon such a beautiful and unforgettable experience. We couldn’t have asked for a better stay and would absolutely love to come back. Highly recommended! ❤️

Everything was perfect from start to finish!. Riu made sure everything was 1st class from our first interaction at Male airport to our stay in this wonderful location. They made sure the transfers were smooth and nothing was too much trouble for anyone. The location was paradise and water villa was lovely. Couldn’t recommend this holiday enough! We will definitely be returning..