Pullman Maldives Maamutaa

Our recent stay at the Pullman Maldives Resort was a remarkable experience, spanning 12 nights of absolute delight and tranquility. We split our stay between two different types of accommodations, spending 9 nights in a Beach Villa and the remaining 3 nights in an Overwater Pool Villa. Accommodation The Beach Villa and Overwater Villa, though almost identical internally, have subtle differences that might surprise prospective visitors. For instance, the snacks provided in the villas varied significantly. In the Beach Villa, we found chocolates, M&M's, and nuts packaged in small packets, along with a couple of Toblerone bars. Contrastingly, the more luxurious Overwater Villa offered nuts in glass jars and included Lindt chocolate bars. This differentiation in snack presentation seemed rather peculiar to us, particularly as we did not expect there to be any difference. Another notable distinction was in the bath linen provided. The Beach Villas came equipped with standard bath towels, whereas the Overwater Villas indulged guests with plush bath sheets, enhancing the sense of luxury and comfort. Staff and Service The staff at the Pullman Maldives Resort are exceptional and truly elevate the guest experience. They are not only welcoming and friendly but also exhibit a remarkable ability to remember guests' names and preferences. Their dedication to ensuring an extraordinary stay is evident in their willingness to go above and beyond in fulfilling guests' needs. Special mention must be made of Aneesha and Hakeem at the Melange restaurant, whose attentiveness and service greatly enhanced our dining experiences. The Island The island itself is a picturesque paradise, larger than any other Maldivian islands we have previously visited. This expansive size initially seemed daunting, but the resort manages it well with frequent buggy services that shuttle guests to various locations. This amenity ensures that the vastness of the island does not impede the convenience and accessibility of the resort's facilities. If desired, you can ‘hire’ bikes to get around at US$10 ++ per person per day. Why the bikes aren’t included is a bit strange. Dining Experiences The resort boasts three main restaurants: Melange, Phat Chameleon, and Souq Oven/Sol Rising, each offering unique and diverse culinary experiences. Melange Melange serves as the buffet restaurant, open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We found Melange to offer the best range and standard of food, with a diverse array of options that cater to various tastes and preferences. The quality of the dishes and the attentive service made it a standout dining option throughout our stay. Phat Chameleon Phat Chameleon, the resort's vegetarian restaurant, is not open every night, but when it is, it provides an exceptional dining experience. The food is innovative and flavorful, showcasing the culinary potential of vegetarian cuisine. It was a delightful change from the usual fare and a highlight of our dining experiences at the resort. Souq Oven/Sol Rising Sol Rising is an excellent choice for a healthy breakfast, offering a variety of nutritious and delicious options. In contrast, Souq Oven proved to be somewhat inconsistent in terms of food quality. While some dishes were extraordinary, others were rather ordinary and did not meet our expectations. For instance, despite promoting itself as a Mediterranean/Middle Eastern dining destination, we were surprised to find that the pasta dishes were made with dried pasta instead of fresh, which detracted from the authenticity of the experience. The Hub The Hub is one of the places where you can get drinks around the pool and has live entertainment most nights. Interestingly though, the snacks (burgers etc.) that you can get here are not included in the all-inclusive. This seems a very strange thing to do. Getting there Some things to consider for getting to the resort are that it involves an internal domestic flight from Male to Koodoo. This flight is only 55 mins, but is not run by the resort, it is run by Maldivian airways, and they do not schedule flights until 3-4 days beforehand. More importantly, the way they schedule the flights, is based on when they can fill up the flights. In our example, we arrived at Male at just after midday but were informed that the connecting flights during the afternoon had been ‘cut out’ and the next flight wasn’t until 4pm. There was then some stormy weather and this was delayed until 5:30pm. This flight then left late and by the time we arrived at the resort it was 7:30pm. This is not the fault of the resort but should be factored into the travel arrangements if you are thinking of coming here. Late Check Out Knowing before we went that our return flight from Male was around midnight and the normal checkout time at the hotel is midday, we decided to enquire about a late checkout so we could keep the room until just before we left the resort. We were offered a late checkout at 4pm at US$200 or 6pm at US$400. We decided to take the later one and paid US$400 a few months before the trip. Upon arrival we wanted to double check and requested clarification from the Guest Services Manager whether the late check out included the All-Inclusive (drinks/food) until we left the room. This was confirmed in writing via the resort chat app. It was then that we first found out that the 6pm checkout might be an issue as we may have to leave the island earlier in the day due to the domestic flight times but there would be a correction adjustment made to the final settlement if that should occur. The day before we were to leave, final departure times were confirmed as being 3:45PM. When we went to settle the account at reception and asked about the credit we had been promised, suddenly, the late checkout fee didn’t include the all-inclusive package and was just a room rate (even though I had confirmation in writing that it did include the all-inclusive, and they don’t advertise any room only rates anyway). But “to make things right” they would include the all-inclusive benefits until the check out as a good will gesture, but we would not receive any credit! To say this left a bad taste after an otherwise great experience is an understatement. The Upsell ‘ The Pullman advertises itself as an “All-Inclusive Resort” and as a rule it is a very good all-inclusive package compared with other resorts. However, there are multiple attempts every week to sell you additional events/activities . For example, on one night they were selling a BBQ dinner on the beach which included Maldivian Lobster at US$100 ++ per person. As far as I could tell the only benefit was the lobster, which you could purchase as an add-on at the Melange restaurant anyway at US$12 per 100g. The rest of the inclusions were already part of the all-inclusive package. Now I may be wrong, but maybe what’s included above and beyond the standard all-inclusive should be detailed a little more so that people can see what they are getting for their money? Overall Experience Despite the few inconsistencies, our stay at the Pullman Maldives Resort was overwhelmingly positive. The resort's stunning natural beauty, combined with excellent service and a range of dining options, created an unforgettable holiday experience. The differences between the Beach Villa and Overwater Villa, though notable, did not detract from the overall luxury and comfort provided by the resort. The attentive and friendly staff, particularly at the Melange restaurant, further enhanced our stay, making it a memorable and enjoyable experience. Will we be visiting the Pullman again in future, probably not. Not because of the resort so much, but because of the logistics of getting there and back from Male may mean you lose half a day of your trip. Read less