Zan Lodge

The karaoke was awful. I suspected someone on staff was using another remote from somewhere to interfere with my playlist, messing with the volume and changing songs. I didn't make a fuss, luckily, and it didn't bother me much. If people can't sing loudly, they should just shut the karaoke place instead of opening it.

The staff made a real difference. They were friendly, helpful, and flexible when I had requests. The hotel was fairly priced compared with similar places nearby, and my room was exceptionally clean and well maintained. Getting around was easy too, with the airport, banks, ferry terminals, and shopping areas all convenient to reach. I'd recommend this hotel for its cleanliness, location, fair prices, and supportive staff.

The staff were a pleasure to deal with, very pleasant and helpful. There’s a bakery counter in the lobby with treats that looked tasty, though we didn’t try any. For an overnight stop in Malé, Zan Lodge’s location is hard to beat: a short walk from the airport ferry terminal and close to shops, ATMs, and restaurants. We stayed there both on arrival and before leaving Malé, partly because changing our booking felt like too much trouble and the location was convenient. Next time we visit the Maldives, we’d look for something better. The hotel itself is mediocre, with worn, tired rooms. The bathroom was especially run down and seemed to let mosquitoes in. The bedroom AC and hot shower worked more or less. Breakfast was entirely cold, with a small spread of mostly local dishes such as curries, plus toast, boiled eggs, and fruit. We declined the offer to microwave it and just had tea after seeing the hot food left out for hours. A loudspeaker just outside our window broadcast the Muslim call to prayer across the island. We were told it would be brief around 19:00 and 04:30. We were there near the end of Ramadan, and on one night it also ran continuously from 01:30 to 03:00. Each call will wake you even through earplugs. Since it’s citywide and there are many mosques, I’m not sure there’s a perfect fix. For tourists, Malé is mainly a place to pass through on the way elsewhere in the Maldives. If you need a convenient overnight place to crash, I expect you could do worse, though you could also do better.

I was treated with dignity and respect, and the staff were lovely. It’s a nice hotel, though extremely overpriced, as accommodation across the country seems to be. I'm sharing an honest, thorough impression, not trying to nitpick or harm anyone’s business. The front desk arranged a wake-up call and called a cab without any trouble. They carried my bags to the curb and waited with me until it arrived, which I appreciated, though Malé feels pretty safe anyway. The staff were very courteous and pleasant, but I didn’t like being asked for extra fees on arrival for reasons that felt arbitrary. The hotel charged a Green Tax separately and added a fee for using a foreign card. It was my third hotel in the Maldives, and the first where I had to pay either charge separately. I’m not saying whether that’s right or wrong, just pointing it out. I don’t mind a deposit if I know about it in advance. Growing up, I was used to hotels requiring a credit card and putting a large hold on it, though that’s less common in the US these days. My bellhop hovered for a tip on three separate occasions. I needed time to get my bearings, rest, eat, and then find an ATM at a sensible hour, but my friend kept hanging around. I tip generously, sometimes too much, yet in more than 20 years of travel through Asia, Africa, and Europe, I’ve never had someone hover like that. There were no bug zappers or mosquito devices visible anywhere. My room had a bit of a smell, either because someone had smoked in my non-smoking room or because odors were building up from the bathroom drain. The area is busy, cramped, and safe, as you’d expect in Malé. There are small cafes and some good restaurants nearby, though they’re poorly marked. Ask a local and they’ll point you in the right direction. There’s an ATM around the corner. The adhan is right outside the window. The hotel has a slight tropical feel, solid woodwork and decor, and a gorgeous though snug elevator. The tile and woodwork were sturdy and clean throughout. The lighting could be better. The doors have extra security locks, there were plenty of towels, and the shower gel and shampoo came in tiny tubes. I found crumbs in the closet. Thankfully, there were international sockets under the chair. The minibar was nice, but the snacks shown on the menu were missing. I didn’t have time to try the restaurant, so can’t comment on it, though the menu looked extensive. The hotel offers half-board and full-board plans. The cafe by the main entrance has a good range of options at good prices.