As families around the world seek an escape after a challenging year of confinement, the Maldives presents an ideal offering for those wishing to spread their wings.
The country’s extensive array of resorts are naturally isolated across the archipelago’s 1,190 islands, and thanks to elevated safety measures, the island nation has been welcoming guests back since July 2020. Accor has rounded up the very best family offerings across the group’s five resorts for a worry-free vacation in paradise.
Mercure Maldives Kooddoo
Location: Set on Kooddoo Island amidst mature lush vegetation, part of Gaafu Alifu Atoll, and a quick 55-minute domestic flight from Malé.
Families will love: From sunset and dolphin cruises to guided snorkelling tours around deserted islands, parents and children will discover the truly diverse marine life of the Gaafu Alifu Atoll. Mercure Maldives Kooddoo offers a host of experiences such as kayaking, sailing, and jet skiing. Pristine coral-sand beaches and calm, clear waters make the island a paradise for swimmers. Guests can borrow a pair of fins and snorkelling gear from the Dive Centre and go exploring around the house reef. On-land activities include tennis, futsal to pool, darts and karaoke. Families can join regular outdoor movie nights or performances of authentic Maldivian Boduberu music.
What to book: Mercure Maldives Kooddoo offers a spacious four-bedroom family beach pool villa, located on the beach closest to the turquoise lagoon. The family villa is available from 2,250 USD per night on an all-inclusive basis.
Pullman Maldives Maamutaa
Location: The resort is set on Maamutaa Island which boasts 18 hectares of lush vegetation, perfect white beaches and a natural lake. Located in the Gaafu Alifu Atoll, in the South of the Maldives, the resort is accessible via a 55-minute domestic flight followed by a 20-minute speedboat ride from Malé.
Families will love: The world is your playground at Pullman Maldives Maamutaa Resort. Children and teens are well catered for at Playground and Skillz Sports Centre, with a range of entertaining and educational activities including table tennis, board games, karaoke rooms and an indoor golf simulator. A kids’ club with pool, indoor and outdoor activities, and kid’s spa are also available for younger guests. Nature walks with the marine biologist are available for the adventurers at heart to enjoy the natural beauty of the island and to learn more about the living wonders of the underwater world. The all-inclusive resort offers more than just complimentary meals and free flow beverages, with diving immersion trials for new divers, and complimentary non-motorised water sports. Guests can book a ride on one of the resort’s inflatable tubes and bounce around behind a jet ski for an adrenaline-filled experience. Families will also love the tennis court, Pullman Fit Trail, and extensive array of restaurants for memorable meals all together.
What to book: The Pullman Family Beach Pool Villa offers intuitive contemporary design with 300 square metres of space for the family to relax. A separate kids’ room with a bunk bed offers exactly the right blend of privacy and company. The family villa is available from 1,400 USD per night in a Beach Villa.
Mövenpick Resort Kuredhivaru Maldives
Location: Nestled in the undisturbed Noonu Atoll in the north of the Maldives, the resort is a 45 minute seaplane flight from Velana International Airport in Malé.
Families will love: Mövenpick’s global family programme provides attractive kids’ offers and facilities for families, such as the Little Birds Club. The activities at Little Birds Club are flexible and tailor-made for different age groups, accommodating children with different interests. Junior VIPs can splash around at the pool by the Little Birds Club, while adults can enjoy some downtime at the stunning beachfront infinity pool. Families love the extensive array of excursions, which include dolphin cruises and turtle adventures. Thanks to the resort’s babysitters, parents can enjoy romantic moments such as a starlight Champagne cruise, private romantic dinner on the beach, or a couples spa treatment.
What to book: Mövenpick Resort Kuredhivaru Maldives offers a spacious three-bedroom Beach Spa Pool Residence, perfect for larger families. Sleeping options are flexible with two of the bedrooms offering king beds and the third bedroom offering twin beds. The large dining table seats up to six people. The Beach Spa Pool Residence is available from 4,850++ USD per night for 6 or 4 adults and 2 children. Rates include a daily complimentary one-hour massage for two, free flow beverages at selected outlets, daily mini bar replenishment, complimentary group sunrise and sunset yoga sessions, non-motorised water sports and snorkelling equipment and a complimentary excursion each week such as fishing, dolphin watching, or a sunset cruise.
Fairmont Maldives Sirru Fen Fushi
Location: Set on the Shaviyani Atoll in the North of the Maldives, the resort is a 55-minute seaplane flight from Malé. The island boasts a crystal-clear 600-hectare lagoon.
Families will love: Fairmont Maldives Sirru Fen Fushi offers an art studio for younger guests, with painting and crafts utilising recyclable materials. Families can also engage in educational experiences with the resort’s marine biologist who is on hand to offer lessons on marine life and conservation. Menus are available for younger children, ensuring families can dine together at the gorgeous array of restaurants. One of the many highlights of the resort is the ‘Coralarium’, a semi-submerged tidal gallery that interlinks the skyline, inter-tidal waterline and seabed. The Coralarium structure, and the sculptures within, act as an artificial reef, encouraging local marine life to make it a home. For the ultimate enjoyment of the 9-kilometre house reef, experienced diving guides can help guests to begin their diving journey or diving certification on the island.
What to book: Elegant and wonderfully proportioned, this rustic Two Bedroom Water Sunrise Villa offers bounteous amounts of space for families. Located on the waterbeds of the serene Indian Ocean and just a few steps away from the picturesque white sands, this villa is the epitome of Maldivian living. The Two Bedroom Water Sunrise Villa is available from USD 3,400 per night from March to April, and from USD 3,200 per night from May to September.
Raffles Maldives Meradhoo
Location: Set in one of the world’s most remote and pristine locations in the Gaafu Alifu Atoll, found at the southernmost reach of the Maldives, the resort is a 55-minute domestic flight and 15 minute speedboat ride from Malé.
Families will love: Raffles Maldives Meradhoo is a truly luxurious setting for the grandest family getaways. Marine Butlers lead guided explorations of the resort’s two spectacular house reefs while a personal Butler is available at any time of the day or night to facilitate private boat trips, hearty feet-in-the-sand meals under the shimmer of flickering tiki lights at The Firepit, or indulgent treatments at the resort’s overwater spa. Raffles Maldives Meradhoo’s team of Children’s Butlers can be enlisted to entertain younger visitors, and specialist planners are available to facilitate anything from surprise birthday parties to decadent anniversary dinners.
What to book: Occupying an unblemished stretch of the resort’s blissful Beach Island, the vast six-bedroom Raffles Royal Residence is perfect for larger family gatherings. Stretching comfortably over 1,700 square metres and accommodating up to 15 guests, the Royal Residence’s heart is the three consecutive reception rooms that border its 40-metre pool and look towards the property’s private beach. Whether savouring a fully catered barbecue or simply admiring unimpeded views of another staggering sunset, everything that the resort offers can be enjoyed in absolute exclusivity. The Raffles Royal Residence is available from 16,000 USD per night.
For more information and reservations, please visit all.accor.com
