Shanti Maurice Resort & Spa

The food was a real highlight: excellent seafood, great Indian dishes, and the Shanti Burger was absolutely on fire. The hotel also sits among beautiful greenery, which made the surroundings feel relaxing. I didn't see bugs inside, though I did get a few mosquito bites without seeing any mosquitoes. The staff were friendly and welcoming, and the place was clean and comfortable, even if it is beginning to show its age beside newer, more modern hotels. Reception could be better. Sometimes it was difficult to get through by phone, and when someone did answer, they occasionally lacked the information and promised to call back without always following up. I had a pleasant stay overall, with good hospitality, lovely scenery, and great food, plus a few things that could improve.

Our two young children loved the kids club, which was great even for very small kids and free from age 3. The beach is calm and shallow, ideal for children, though we found the pool better for proper swimming. One small detail really stuck with us: it began raining as we walked back from dinner, and a staff member appeared with an umbrella. Our villa was beautiful, the grounds were kept in perfect shape, and the food was excellent with a good range of restaurants. Butler Kanen took wonderful care of us and did everything he could to fulfill our wishes. We had an amazing stay at Shanti Resort & Spa and will definitely return.

The views and location were great, and that's pretty much where the positives ended. Service was below mediocre for a five-star hotel, especially compared with the service in the Maldives. Our bags took an hour to reach the room. With a baby, plan ahead: getting food in the restaurant or through room service took an hour or more. The mattress was disastrous for me. If you have back pain or are over 30, it could be a problem. I also hated the sight of staff running around like headless chickens. The views are the only reason I gave it two stars.

The villa's private pool and views were excellent, but the jacuzzi never worked. We raised it with employees at both the start and end of our stay, and they neither fixed the issue nor offered compensation. Maintenance already knew about it, but nobody mentioned it upfront. That really hurt the stay, and they had three chances to make it right. For a five-star hotel, employees seemed unable to make certain decisions without management getting involved. Food scores: breakfast 10/10, lunch 10/10, dinner 8/10. Dinner with our feet in the sand was a fun experience and there was plenty of food, though the steak wasn't cooked as requested. It was the first thing we took off the grill to taste. A lizard appeared on our table, so we moved to another one and hoped they'd spray something to stop bugs crawling around while we ate. We had a positive experience at Starz and rumshed restaurant. The bar was excellent, with nice cocktails, and I'd recommend the person who served us, Mr.V. The spa is definitely worth recommending, too. Yogesh did a good job overall with several types of treatments.