Galaxy Sunrise Guesthouse

The nicest thing was that they arranged boat transfers to and from the island and picked us up and dropped us at the jetty. The area by the beach looks nice too. But we stayed four nights, and the noise through the thin wall and shared door from the neighboring room kept us from sleeping well on some nights. There were a lot of little issues that added up. Staff spoke very little English, so getting answers wasn't easy. On day two, I asked for water and was told it cost $2, even though the booking site says it's free. In reality, there was only one free bottle at check-in for all four nights, so we bought it cheaper from other shops. Other reviews mentioned good coffee, but when I ordered an espresso from their menu, they said there was no coffee. They had an espresso machine but didn't know how to use it. The staff also had strong body odor. Altogether, it was an unpleasant stay.

We liked it enough to come back for another four days, and at the price, the beachfront location was hard to beat. The room was spacious and clean, though the bathtub turned out not to work, even though my family had been pleased to find it. Breakfast wasn't great and lacked a lot of things you'd expect, but if you ask, they'll provide what you want. There are definitely better guesthouses on the island if you pay more, but you don't need to. I'd highly recommend this place.

The place seems fine for a short stay, and rates are the same for locals and tourists. The rooms look nice, with a minibar and water kettle, but overall hygiene was average. We stayed four days and they didn't ask about cleaning or clean the room. The walls are boards rather than bricks, so they don't block sound. The toilets looked promising but had flushing issues, and although an iron was provided, there was no ironing board. There are only a few staff and rooms. WhatsApp communication with the guesthouse was frustrating, and replies took hours. English/ Dhivehi wasn't fluent. We never saw a food menu, and meals had to be ordered an hour or more ahead. Breakfast had few choices, so we ate all our meals elsewhere. With few guests, excursions weren't reliably available. To go, we'd have had to pay for the whole trip, which was very expensive. We had to manage everything ourselves.

Staff were very friendly and helpful whenever we needed them, and they brought a bottle of water to our room every day. The front area was lovely, with sunbeds, umbrellas, tables, and lights, though the lights meant for atmosphere were never switched on. There is a restaurant out front, but we didn't try it because it seemed pricey and mostly served European food. Our room was a bit dated and somewhat dirty. It had just one window, which couldn't be opened, so it got very humid. We could hang wet things outside on the lines, but if it rained, they got wet again. The shower had warm water, but the tap and shower head weren't in good condition. Breakfast was basic, with rice and egg, sausages, toast, jam, tea, coffee, and Nutella. When they ran out of coffee or Nutella, there was no more.