Lonuveli Hotel

The airport transport was useful, and the staff were friendly. Beyond that, I wouldn’t return unless there were absolutely no other options. I booked a deluxe sea-view room but ended up looking at a construction wall, not the view in the pictures. The shower was impractical too, with only a handheld shower head. Breakfast left a lot to be desired, especially for guests from other countries. They should put more thought into how the food is prepared.

There isn’t much to do nearby, so I found the stay a little dull. Lonuveli Hotel worked well as a quiet stop before my flight, though, and it’s close to the airport with free pickup and drop-off. I spent two nights there at the end of my trip. It’s a decent choice if you want peace and a place to stay before flying, but I wouldn’t pick it for a full holiday or if I wanted a lively atmosphere and more activities.

Breakfast wasn’t available when we went down around 10am, and we also had to pay an extra $18 for Green Tax on top of the hotel bill. The stay was disappointing. The air conditioning in our first room didn’t work, and it took nearly three hours for staff to move us. The TV was broken in both rooms, and some staff weren’t helpful, which made the situation more frustrating. The rooms are small, and with no elevator we had to carry our bags up to the first floor ourselves. At least it was only one night.

The hotel’s service and condition made what I thought would be a relaxing day in Hulumale a letdown. The city itself was beautiful, but I left feeling that the $110 I paid was far too much for what I received. I’d booked well in advance after being told there were no lower-priced sea-view rooms. They offered a Honeymoon suite, and with no other option in hand I paid upfront. Once there, the Wi-Fi was very poor, the room didn’t feel worth its price, the bathroom smelled bad, and the balcony door wouldn’t lock. The balcony was narrow and dusty too. I noticed many rooms were empty, so I wondered if lower-cost rooms might actually have been available and whether I’d been given the higher-priced room to fill it first. That’s only a possibility, but better service would have made a difference. Money matters less than being happy with a stay, but if the service doesn’t justify the cost, it needs to be said. The restaurant was another problem. The staff weren’t polite, and when we ordered pizza for dinner it came on a single dish with no sauce or other sides. Street pizza back home is much better. At checkout, the complimentary buffet breakfast had just chickpeas (Chola), rice, boiled egg, one sausage cut into four small pieces, and Tang orange syrup. I asked for a poached egg and was told it would cost extra. I’d spent four days enjoying Maafushi during my five days in Maldives. I planned to spend one day in Male city to see it and relax, so I chose this hotel in Hulumale. I’d seen its moderate rating and expected more.