Viva Beach Spa Maldives

The rooms were always clean, and we really enjoyed the food. Everyone was kind, including the manager. We came with our kids and are sure we’ll return to this beautiful island. Special regards to the man we used to call mister Happy. Regards from Jelena ( Serbia) Ferdi ( Turkey) Lara and Aras! 💙

The way Imran handled our booking left us uncomfortable about staying here. I called him myself, politely, to explain our concerns after the booking confusion and cancellation. Instead of trying to sort it out professionally, he was arrogant and ended the call abruptly with “deal closed.” We had first booked through Agoda and received its confirmation, then the property told us they “do not use Agoda.” Imran later confirmed the booking directly, but then cancelled it, saying the rooms were no longer available. The very next day, we were offered the same room again, with a dismissive tone that made it seem as though the earlier problem wasn’t their responsibility. Even before that, communication with Imran had been slow, unenthusiastic, and unhelpful. He made little effort to assist or reassure us during booking. Taken together, this felt like ongoing poor communication and a lack of accountability, not a one-off misunderstanding. Hospitality depends on trust and service, and I found neither here. I would never book or recommend this property, no matter how appealing it looks online.

A few of the boys working there were respectful and hardworking. That was the only positive for me. The beach in front of the stay was dirty and didn’t look like the pictures online, and the food was terrible, sometimes with a spongy smell. Please confirm your room carefully: I was promised a Beach View and got something else. The host had a bad attitude and didn’t seem to understand the importance of clear communication. They need some basic customer service classes, I guess. The boat ride to this island was a nightmare, and the transportation was so poor that I’d tell people to avoid the island. It’s far off in the Maldives and dominated by Europeans. There’s nothing extraordinary here, and it’s neither a proper hotel nor a spa. Anyone travelling from North America, especially, should avoid this place and island.

A few things I wish I’d known beforehand: this is a guesthouse, not a resort, and if you only book breakfast, tell them a day ahead if you want lunch or dinner. As it’s a local island, they buy ingredients based on how many guests they expect. Breakfast was simpler than we’re used to, but even picky eaters like us found something tasty and never went hungry. The bikini beach is about a five-minute walk away. Some reviews called it far, but that didn’t bother us. You can walk around the whole island in 20 minutes, so everything is close. Snorkeling was best at the bikini beach; the waves made other spots less convenient. For food, we loved Deliza near the guesthouse, especially the chicken noodle soup, which I got obsessed with. There’s a small souvenir shop across from the big restaurant banner, and its prices are lower than in Malé. The island is cozy, and the locals are friendly and helpful. Special thanks to the guy who saved me from a falling palm branch during a storm! The staff at the guesthouse looked after us from day one and checked if we needed anything. The owner, whose name I unfortunately don’t know, gave us useful tips on places to eat, things to see, and where to buy souvenirs. They cleaned our room promptly when we asked, as long as we remembered to hang the cleaning sign on the door. I was worried before booking because I couldn’t find much information, but we had an amazing time. If you have questions, feel free to message me on Instagram: @avoshal.