Gunbaru Inn Guest House

The hotel is close to the beach, and sunbeds are available there. Families with children or other loved ones should feel well looked after, with clean rooms and bathrooms, room service, and a helpful reception. You can order food, arrange kayaking, BBQ dinners, fishing trips, or trips to see manta rays in their natural habitat. Check the weather before you go.

The snorkeling trip with Shakeeb and his team was unforgettable. They took us swimming with manta rays, and even though I can’t swim, I felt safe with Shakeeb underwater. We loved the accommodation, the staff who took care of us throughout, the meals, and all the activities and trips too. We love Ukulhas, but Gunbaru inn even more. We’ll be back to the Maldives!

The friendly, helpful staff and owner were a bright spot, and the owner also arranged two evening events, which helped fill the time since there’s no alcohol. The snorkeling was enjoyable overall, especially the fish, but we saw only 3 to 5 live corals and mostly dead ones. We’d asked specifically about live coral because the reef around the island already has lots of fish and dead coral. The owner said we’d see plenty and that they knew the right spots, so I felt that was misleading just to get us to book. A fishing trip he arranged was cut short by the weather, and he offered a fresh fish dinner as compensation, but it never happened during the two days before we left. We weren’t particularly happy with the inn, though I can’t compare it with the other places on the island. The bathroom had no window and lots of mold on the walls, and the toilet wouldn’t flush properly. There was barely room for toiletries or clothes, with only one wardrobe shelf. The restaurant food was worse than at SeaLavie and Retro Royal.

My short stay was very comfortable, thanks to the clean sheets and really friendly staff. It’s one of the better places helping promote local tourism on these islands. Highly recommended.