Eden BAANI Lodge

The islanders welcomed us warmly and encouraged us to join local music and dance. Staying on residential Felidhoo instead of a resort gave us a lovely view of Maldivian culture. We also walked around the island with a guide, visited a nearby island, and had a local tourist beach just a 3-minute walk from the guesthouse. We came during monsoon season, but went out every day and the rain didn’t take away from the island’s lush beauty. We were the only guests at the time, so Malek became our private guide. He was knowledgeable, friendly and did everything he could to make the trip special. Our private boat came stocked with snacks, and each day brought great snorkelling. We had free equipment and saw colourful reefs, a shipwreck, sandbanks, sharks, turtles, dolphins, stingrays and all sorts of local fish, which we could identify with posters in the dining room. Feeding the sharks was a memorable thrill. Malek also took underwater GoPro photos and videos and shared them for free. The guesthouse rooms were clean and comfortable, with four-poster beds and excellent air conditioning. We were upgraded to two rooms at no extra cost, and had a peaceful private garden. Freshly caught fish, exotic fruit at breakfast and dessert, and authentic local flavours made the meals special. The speedboat ride to Felidhoo took two hours and was choppy in the wind. The trip back was much smoother. If you’re prone to seasickness, you might want to take tablets. Thanks to the whole team, especially Malek and owner Shuja, who was so kind and helpful and even joined our evening outings. We can’t recommend the guesthouse enough and are already dreaming about coming back.

You arrive as a guest and leave feeling richer for the experience. Make sure to visit this Eden at Maldives.

The thing that stood out most was the staff. Every employee was smiling and happy, and the friend who accompanied us out to sea was especially responsible. He stayed close, kept checking back to see where I was, and made me feel safe on the trip. Both the sea service and hotel service felt five-star, and I hope to come back next year. I’ve stayed on many residential islands in the Maldives, so I feel I can compare. The rooms here get lots of sunlight, don’t smell musty, and each has a little balcony.

We were the only guests for the week, and the guesthouse took great care of us. Shujau, the owner, provided free snorkelling gear and sand toys for our little daughters. Malek cooked whatever we asked for, from local curries to pasta, which was handy since there aren’t many places to eat on the island. The breakfast was amazing, the furniture was well made locally by hand, and the shower is under the open sky. It felt like a resort on a local island, without the extortionate price or the beachfront setting. It’s in the middle of the island, so the bikini beach is a 200-metre walk, which wasn’t bad. Fabulous stay, highly recommended!