Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Located on the private island of Huvahendhoo in South Ari Atoll, Lily Beach Resort & Spa has been awarded Best All-Inclusive Resort in the Maldives and in Asia in 2019 and 2020 by TripAdvisor Traveler's Choice Awards and #11 in the World. With its extensive Platinum Plan, the resort continues to reinvent culinary offerings to stay abreast of trends in dining experiences, beverages and presentation. Additionally, the island enjoys a renowned character for its pristine beaches, lush tropical vegetation, and the unspoiled house-reef just a few meters away from its shores.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
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Lily Beach Resort & Spa garners acclaim for its plethora of amenities, including delectable dining choices, an array of activities, and exceptional snorkeling that guests find enthralling. The service at the resort is frequently lauded for its warmth and attentiveness, contributing to a welcoming, luxurious atmosphere that many find memorable.
While the value-packed 'Platinum Plan' is popular, some travelers note the costliness of certain extras. The resort's pristine cleanliness and stunning location near vibrant marine life are highlights, though a few guests suggest the rooms could benefit from an update.
Location
Picturesque
Atmosphere
Welcoming
Rooms
Spacious
Value
Expensive
Cleanliness
Immaculate
Service
Attentive
Amenities
Abundant
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I am sure there are things I have left out but my thoughts on different aspects of Lily Beach from our 10 night trip in July 2024
Arrival No person with a board waiting by the exit but the Lily/Hideaway desk is just round the corner. The rep swiftly had us at the TMA desk, luggage weighed and off in the bus to the seaplane terminal. The Lily/Hideaway lounge is a nice space to relax and all the food/drink is free. Told by the rep on the front desk it would be a 90 minute wait but less than 30 mins later we were told that the plane was leaving. A slightly strange escort of us and a few others using the lift (the lift is very slow!) and into the waiting room. Our big luggage case was not on the plane we were told (I expected this - arrived a few hours later via Vilamendhoo) and then out to the seaplane. A drop off at Moofushi along the way (nice to instantly see a baby black tip hunting in schools of bait fish just metres from the dock) and then a quick 10 mins over to Lily. Dropped off at the floating pontoon, one couple collected first via speedboat (presuming they were in a Residence villa as it seemed a little weird but then certain guests did get more preferential treatment during the stay e.g. wine buckets, reserved tables at buffet etc.) and then our dhoni collected everyone else. Escorted straight away to the sitting area next to reception and had a cold towel & fruity punch drink while having all the resort facilities explained and the resort managers introduce themselves - not sure why they do this while most arrivals are tired from overnight flights and just want to get to the villa to refresh. Then a buggy (the only one we used all stay - see below) to villa 313 as requested prior to arrival. Thankfully the staff member did a quick walk-thorough and then left us alone. First 2 hand luggage cases arrived a few moments later and the big case a few hours later.
Deluxe Water Villa Villa was a little old in style and they do need some work to bring them up to modern standards. However they are a good size with separate bedroom and bathroom with all the features you might need - multiple sockets each side of the bed and at a good height to plug in. The air conditioning was ok but 16 degrees did feel more like 20! One thing that bugged us increasingly over our stay was the lack of a real sofa/chairs in the room. There is a daybed but with no back to it I was hard to sit on 9Easy to lay on) and the only other options are the bed inside & chairs on the deck outside. The shower and toilet are in separate cubicles in the bathroom and these are open on one side with no wall - you could fall out of them into the lagoon! Not too problematic but they get very hot as exposed to the outside - the shower I could live with again but the toilet needed air-con - sweating while using the facilities is not much fun! The room attendant for 313 was great, followed all our pre-arrival requests for mini-bar drinks & (no) bed art and needs a promotion or payrise! 313 is perfect for accessing the reef on the south side being close to a channel but this side does have views of many other islands (Vilamendhoo being quite close) so if you want unending views out to the atoll without interruption then request a north side villa. Bed was comfy and we asked after a couple of nights for a bed sheet instead of a duvet (a little too warm due to the air con not going lower) and this was accommodated instantly. The main bedroom contained a kettle, Nespresso machine & a mini-bar fridge. The AI plan included bottles of sparkling, red & white wine, beer cans & different types of soft drinks (Coke, Diet Coke, Fanta & Sprite). There were also nuts & crisps snacks, Mars bars, coconut chocolate bites as well as a range of tea & Nespresso pods. The range was very good for Maldives AI plans and replenished daily without any issues. Deck area had a pool which was nice to cool off in, a set of chairs and steps down to the ocean. Proper setup down as well with no ladder involved so that that was quite nice! Overall the villas were perfectly fine for us, a little below standard for the high prices and modern villas are found in mots other resorts these days.
Snorkelling/House Reef Fantastic! Best reef of the 5 I’ve been to (Veligandu, CBH, Sangeli & Maadhoo). North side by the water sports centre is a more gradual reef and has easy to access channels from the beach along the whole length. Always something good to see on this side and had a snorkel with over 10 different sharks & multiple rays. South side is more drop off in nature and the section between the water villas and the restaurant has lots of coral and structure (a proper coral reef). Again, always something to see here. Access is more difficult though if not in a water villa as there is no beach as such. There are steps by the dive centre and some steps along the water villas jetty but not next to a channel so at low tide it can get very tight. At low tide the water level barely clears the reef so be careful. I have seen on both sides many reef sharks, turtles and eagle rays so the reef is very much alive.
The AI plan includes snorkelling equipment obtained from the water sports centre. This was a bit hit and miss. The fins were a good brand & style for snorkelling but looked very old & used. The first snorkel they gave me was an old style without a valve so it let in a lot of water (not great for new/inexperienced snorkelers - just about ok for me) when waves went overhead. I saw a few other guests with better ones with valves to stop water entry so went back to the water sports centre and they happily gave me a better version. It would be better for all guests if the snorkelling equipment was newer & a better quality (and give all guests the same type of equipment).
The night snorkel was $40 through the dive centre and is a great activity. There are many sleeping nurse sharks under the restaurant and they start to be awake at dusk so a perfect time to see the sharks and the reef in a completely different perspective. Credit to Kris (guy from Aberdeen) at the dive centre who led a great trip and was incredibly fun to snorkel with. If they promoted the trip a bit more then it would amaze so many more people - at other resorts I’ve done it you could see the guest torches at night from the beach/bar but at Lily I could not see anyone else do it as it goes towards the water villas more. Being able to see others do the trip at other resorts motivated more people to do it.
The reason so many Nurse Sharks could be seen was the 9pm feeding off the arrival jetty. Personally I do not think this is appropriate in the modern age (questionable as well if entirely legal in the Maldives) so stayed away from the feeding. However, I did benefit from the sharks being around for the night snorkel. Lots of guests did see the feeding every night so it was very popular.
Food and drink Breakfast at Lily Maa - buffet breakfast has a range of pastries, cereal, fresh juice station, live egg & pancake/waffle station as well as hot curries, English breakfast & sushi areas. Stuck mostly to pastries & pancakes - best pancakes ever as they were incredibly fluffy & soft so credit to the chefs. The waffles could have been better though (a little too hard & burnt for my liking) so not perfect.
Lunch could be at the main Lily Maa buffet or a la carte at the Vibes or Aqua bars. Went buffet once and perfectly fine - lots of nice hot food and live cooking stations. Did not eat lunch at Vibes as Aqua was closer to the water villas and had great food. Burgers, pizzas, steak (plus others) were all cooked fresh to order and the burgers & steak were honestly so delicious - possibly the tastiest burger I’ve ever had. I would come back just for the burgers tbh!
Dinner was at Lily Maa buffet (all other options were paid options) each night. Another great selection of hot food with each night having a different theme (e.g. east meets west, mediterranean, Maldivian). Dishes were always hot and constantly refreshed by a large number of chefs dotted around the area. Live cooking stations for fresh fish, fresh meat, sushi & pasta were also available. All we tried were excellent - one small hiccup was with the pasta. My wife ordered one portion of ravioli and was then served a grand total of 4 small parcels! The chef did ask how many portions she wanted but did not say how big a portion was (and my wife assumed it would fill the bowls they use as the previous nights bolognese was quite large!) Put it down to communication but perhaps the resort need to ask guests how many parcels they want to avoid communication errors.
Drinks all bars were also good and the menu was the same in all bars/restaurants. There is a wide variety of cocktails & cocktails and the staff would happily change ingredients if you requested it. Vibes was a little varied in terms of consistency and drinks made the same in other bars were often a little different (e.g. more of one ingredient) at Vibes. Not a major problem but a favourite drink would be slightly disappointing at Vibes. 3 champagnes were available as well (not partaken in) and the wine list also contained a wide variety of red/white/rose. Not a big wine drinker but all the white & rose I had with dinner were very nice.
Vibes was the main/family pool bar. They had a snack buffet in the afternoon which contained waffles, pastries, cookies etc. but also most importantly of all, a serve yourself Mr Whippy style ice-cream machine with 3 flavours each day. We went most afternoons for a cooling swim (and some ice-cream) as by 3pm most of the pool was shaded. Never a problem to get a sun bed or table at either bar/pool area. Aqua was the adult only pool area and this had sun all day with the only shade being under the parasols. Too hot for us (and no ice cream machine!)
Service All staff are incredibly friendly and helpful in all bars, restaurants and areas. Staff always inquiring/asking if you need anything and then leaving you along if you did not want anything else. Everyone greeted you with a friendly greeting (good morning, good afternoon etc.) although you could tell the training was effective! The GM was also very visible in the mornings at breakfast, speaking to guests and walking around the resort. We were invited to a beach cocktail management party but ‘sadly’ we were too busy relaxing for this (never been to one yet!)
Guests were from all over the world and I could see/hear British, European, Chinese, Russian etc. and the staff were able to converse in a range of different languages - English was the common tongue though mostly.
Island Lily Beach is clearly a more mature island. The foliage is dense (and shady) while walking around the interior of the island. There are paths around the island and the sand here is very compact so not great for bare foot walking - more below on why this is.
The land based wildlife was a highlight. Maldivian ‘chickens’ (Water Hens) are plentiful around the island, multiple herons can be seem flying around, fruit bats swing from the tress around Vibes bar snacking on the fruit trees & there were a couple of Asian Koels providing the familiar soundtrack to a Maldivian visit.
There are sea walls/groynes around the island but the beaches are very soft sand on the North side. On the north side towards the Spa, there are quite a few sandbags protecting the villas and there is little beach at high tide. Due to the location of the Dive Centre, Lily Maa & the Lagoon Villas on the South side, it is impossible to walk around the whole island on the beach - you have to walk on the inner paths around these so pretty much the entire south side of the island has no beach as such.
Then we get to the BUGGIES. The paths are compacted sand as the resort uses electric buggies for staff to transport items and also carry guests around the island. This is solely my opinion but I was clearly spoiled at my first 2 Maldivian resorts (Veligandu & Coco Bodu Hithi) as they did not use buggies. We noticed a lot of buggies at our more recent visits (Sangeli was even worse than Lily as they just motored up & down the jetty to randomly pick guests up) but guests seem to want to be ferried by buggy everywhere which just causes traffic everywhere - on the water villa jetties, inland pathways etc.) We walked everywhere and EVERY walk was interrupted by a buggy in some form. It takes away from the peacefulness and tranquility of the resort - now I get that some people have paid a lot of money and can do whatever they want to if the resort allows it but I will be looking for resorts that do not use buggies in my future trip planning. Most people seem to like buggies so perhaps I will have to reconsider if the Maldives is for me in future.
Departure Informed on the last night that the seaplane would leave at 8am via the letter left on the bed. Woke early, final pack up, walked to breakfast at 7am and had a final helping of soft, fluffy pancakes. Sat in reception and seaplane time kept getting pushed back. Eventually it arrived and thankfully due to numbers, no stop offs back to Male. Off the plane at the seaplane terminal seemed a little chaotic with so many flights arriving back but after being told to get on one bus, we were then told to get on a different bus. Quick journey over to the departures and into the melee of a morning departure from MLE! My tip is to remember to use the Business Class lanes on the entrance, immigration & at main security check as they do save time. Quick trip over to the Leeli Lounge but our BA flight was already being called for on the board (but experience said we could stay for a little while). Had a quick coffee and pastry and then off downstairs to the main departure area - the airport desperately needs the new terminal as downstairs is complete chaos. Trying to figure out exactly which lane to go in based on seat class when hundreds of people are already through the extra security check and sitting down while the lane queues snake through the seats is always ‘fun’ but eventually we make it to the bus to the plane. Not sure I will return until the new terminal is ready - hopefully plane gates with walkways will help spread passengers out more and lead to a more organised end to a paradise holiday.
Overall Thoughts Pros - Food & drink - best of any resort we’ve been to. Great quality food (especially pancakes at breakfast & burgers at Aqua) and a very good range of beverages. - Snorkelling - easy access and great fish life all around the island. Do the night snorkelling as it is a great paid trip (thanks Khris). - AI plan - everyone is on the same plan (except for Residences) so everything is simple in terms of service and requests. The inclusion of 3 trips is also good (only did the Coral Garden trip and it was ok for me but the house reef was better!) - Service - tight up there with the top resorts. Friendly, consistent & helpful from every member of staff. - Seaplane lounge - a very nice space to wait for the seaplane.
Cons (nothing too big but for sake of proper review): - BUGGIES - everywhere/too many! - Old room styles - Deluxe Water Villas are a bit old in style and if they ever get refurbished then please move all the toilets & showers indoors! Consider adding a proper sofa in the rooms instead of a daybed. - Snorkelling equipment - old/wrong type/inconsistent types handed out - Slightly inconsistent drinks - different mixes of ingredients between the bars (the worst at Vibes) - Pasta Station at Buffet - make the ravioli portions bigger! Ask guests how much they want to avoid communication errors.
Would I go back to Lily Beach? Happily - it was certainly the best resort we’ve been to. If they could fix the cons above then I would become a regular visitor but currently I would check for resorts without buggies.
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Date of stay: July 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Laurent Driole, General Manager at Lily Beach Resort & Spa
Responded 11 Aug 2024
Dear Kpk1981, Greetings from all of us at Lily Beach Resort & SPA! Thank you for taking the time to share such a detailed review of your stay with us. We're delighted that you enjoyed many aspects of your visit, and we genuinely appreciate the constructive feedback you've provided. I'd like to address each of your points to ensure that your next visit—and those of future guests—are even better. We're pleased to hear that your arrival went smoothly and that our team at the seaplane terminal provided efficient service. We understand that the initial escort process might have seemed unusual, but our experience has shown that taking a few moments to introduce guests to the resort upon arrival is crucial for enhancing their overall experience. This brief orientation ensures that you receive all the essential information right away, allowing you to make the most of your stay without any confusion or frustration. However, we respect individual preferences, and when guests express a desire to head straight to their villa, we gladly accommodate this and provide the orientation at a later time. Our goal is always to balance efficiency with guest comfort. Regarding the Deluxe Water Villa, we appreciate your observations and agree that some updates could enhance the guest experience. We will certainly consider these aspects as we plan future renovations. It's great to hear that your villa attendant met your expectations, and we will pass on your kind words to the team. We're thrilled that our house reef stood out as a highlight of your snorkeling experiences in the Maldives. It's wonderful to know that you enjoyed the night snorkeling with Kris, and we'll work on promoting this unique experience more broadly. Your feedback about the snorkeling equipment is duly noted, and we appreciate you bringing this to our attention. We will strive to ensure that all guests receive high-quality and consistent gear. We're delighted that you enjoyed the food and drink offerings, especially the pancakes and burgers, although our buffet does offer a variety of more elaborate dishes that we are proud of. We understand that guests often wish to sample small portions to try as many dishes as possible. Guests are always welcome to request larger portions or return to the buffet for seconds. The positive side of a buffet is that it offers a wide array of cuisines with an all-you-can-eat option, and at Lily Beach, we ensure that the buffet hours are broad. We'll also focus on maintaining consistency across all bars to ensure that your favorite drinks are always prepared to your liking. Thank you for recognizing the friendliness and helpfulness of our Team. Providing top-tier service is a priority for us, and we're glad this was reflected during your stay. We're also pleased that you found the seaplane lounge to be a comfortable and relaxing space. We appreciate your candid feedback regarding the buggies. While many guests find them convenient, especially to reach the further water villas exposed to the heat, we understand that they can impact the tranquility of the island. For this reason, we stop running buggies on the water villas jetty from 11pm until the first departure in the morning to preserve the peaceful atmosphere that our resort aims to offer at night. We're glad that your departure process was generally smooth, though we understand that the seaplane delays and the busy airport environment could be frustrating. We hope that the ongoing terminal improvements at the airport will enhance the departure experience for all our guests in the future. We're honored that you consider Lily Beach the best resort you've visited. Your detailed pros and cons help us pinpoint areas where we can improve, and we hope that the steps we take based on your feedback will encourage you to return as a regular visitor well aware of our Platinum Plan inclusions. Thank you once again for sharing your thoughts, and we look forward to welcoming you back to Lily Beach. Warm regards, Laurent
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Originally our holiday last year was intended as a “once off”, however it was so wonderfull we decided to return this year to Lily Beach.
We prefer a beach villa instead of a water villa. We were booked into one of the refurbished villas which looked refreshed, but it is certainly not a punishment to stay at any of the other villas.
The service staff always takes good care of you during your stay and come twice a day to clean the room and to change towels.
The food is great, also at the main restaurant, but we especially liked our lunches a la carte in the smaller restaurants AQVA and Vibes.
All the staff is extremely helpful and they give you the feeling you are at your best friends place. The interaction is genuine and the staff is taking all the time needed to make everything a special experience.
My wife was pleasantly surprised several times during her birthday. She thought I organized the birthday song, birthday cake as well as the beautiful birthday wishes on our bed in the evening. I had to admit it was not me! She loved it!
We booked 10 hours at the Spa for different massage treatments, including Balinese, tension relief, hand and foot massages. The team is very professional and skillful, a real must to go during your stay.
Are there no recommendations? Perhaps a few details to make it even better: - the transfers from/to the Main terminal and the waterplane waiting lounge was more comfortable last year (dedicated car). This year it was with a bus which was uncomfortable (I am 6ft3 and could not sit down because my knees were blocked by the seat in front). Personalised car transport or comfortable bus would be nice. - although the food was great, compared to last year it was not fully at the same level. I heard the kitchen team was a bit understaffed at the week of our stay.
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Date of stay: March 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from patrice aira, General Manager at Lily Beach Resort & Spa
Responded 30 Sept 2020
Thank you very much for your return visit, I am delighted to read that you had a wonderful time again and I look forward to have the pleasure to welcoming you back this year!
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If you manage to find one fault, one issue or something wrong with this place, then that's on you! You went looking for issues, and no where on this planet will make you happy! Seriously, in 10 unbelievable nights, we did not encounter one problem or find any disappointment with staff or the resort. We have been fortunate enough to travel the world, and the Maldives has been on the bucket list for many many years. A quick google of "best resort in the maldives" reveals Lily Beach, over and over again. And, for good reason! Where do we begin? Customer service and friendliness of staff...over the top! Managers Patrice and Monica have created and promote a culture that puts the guests first. Lets face it, it's not cheap to get here, and the resort delivers every penny you spend to stay there. Every member of the Lily Beach team were sincere and friendly, accommodating and great to be with. Food? 5 star in every way, with Executive Chef Chris overseeing every aspect from menu to prep to presentation. A personal thank you to Chris for all his incredible additions to our food experience. To our Butler Ayaz, thank you sincerely for making our stay the most incredible holiday we have ever experienced. An incredibly smart, diligent man who read us well, researched and remembered every aspect of our day to day routines, likes and dislikes, food and drink, restaurant times and always had a single malt and a gin gin mule ready for us! We have never been treated so well by any resort employee, anywhere in the world we have travelled, so many thanks for all the work you did to make our experience incredible. Our housekeeper Mas was impeccable in his duties, and Hassan in Lily Ma was awesome! If you get a chance to dive, this is the place to do it. Laura and her team run the most professional dive service we have ever experienced and the dive sites were un-crowded and pristine. We will definitely return. Thanks for a trip of a lifetime and making our experience world class!
Paul & Laurie
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Date of stay: February 2020
Rooms
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Service
Room Tip:Suite 402, sunset villa, best seat in the house!
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from patrice aira, General Manager at Lily Beach Resort & Spa
Responded 30 Sept 2020
I am thrilled to read you had such a wonderful time at Lily beach! Thank you very much for taking the time to leave these detailed comments and generous praises and I look forward to have the pleasure to welcoming you back very soon!
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We recently got back from the Maldives where we got to celebrate our wedding anniversary at Lily beach resort and spa. Our trip was nothing short of incredible! We opted for the Platinum plan which made it extremely convenient to include excursions, special dining options and other perks with our trip. Our deluxe water villa was a dream come true! Our villa was gorgeous, spacious and so tastefully decorated. As you enter it had a glass bottom floor and a separate bathroom and bedroom area. My favorite part of the villa was the large private deck right that offered insane uninterrupted views of the Maldivian blues! We also had a plunge pool, lounge chairs and a stairway to our own private little lagoon right beneath us. Lily Beach has a house reef, so snorkeling options are plenty right at your doorstep! To choose where to spend the afternoon was the hardest part - at our own private villa, the beautiful adults pool or the main beach area!
The other thing I loved about Lily was how it caters to a wide range of travelers. The Maldives is no doubt quite synonymous with being a dream honeymoon/couples destination. However it’s certainly a lot more than just a couples paradise, and this also depends on which resort you choose to stay at. Here at Lily Beach it was refreshing to see a diverse range of tourists from families, couples, small groups of friends and even dad/son or mom/daughter duos! The resort has different activities and accommodations to suit every kind of traveler.
Plenty of dining options on the island - our personal fave was Tamarind! Perfect for a romantic date night! Also highly recommend the couples Balinese massage at Tamara Spa it was sooo amazing.
Again I whole heartedly recommend it for families and couples alike!
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Date of stay: February 2020
Rooms
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Patrice Aira, General Manager at Lily Beach Resort & Spa
Responded 08 Mar 2020
I am so glad to read that your Anniversary trip was so memorable! thank you for sharing ! I look forward to your next celebration at Lily Beach !
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The short version of my review is that Lily Beach is perfect, and you shouldn’t hesitate to book.
The longer version…. We originally booked to come to Lily Beach in Sept 2020 for our honeymoon but due to the pandemic it simply wasn’t possible. We ended up rebooking a further three time before we eventually managed to go at the end Oct 2021. Throughout the multiple bookings everyone I dealt with was friendly, helpful and knowledgeable.
On arrival to Male’ airport we were greeted by a representative who took care of our bags and took us to the lily beach lounge for our seaplane transfer. The lounge is very nicely done with air conditioning, comfy seating and complimentary snacks and drinks. We weren’t there for long before with were taken to our seaplane which was an amazing experience.
We arrived at Lily Beach, and it is quiet simply stunning. It’s beyond the paradise island you’re hoping for. We were greeted be a dedicated member of staff who took us through the information about our room, activities, candlelight dinner and all the other options we had available to us and we were then taken to our Overwater Villa.
The villa was magnificent. From the stunning view stretching out over the sea from the infinity pool to the glass floor which is like your own personal fish tank. We saw many fish, sharks and rays swimming under, and it’s touches like that which really add to the magic. The room was kept immaculately clean throughout, I’m sure our room was done 3 times a day and we had a few lovely surprises of our bed being decorated.
The food throughout the resort was fantastic. The main restaurant Lily Maa claims to be a buffet but it’s so much more than that with live cooking station where you can pick out fresh fish, Pasta, Sushi, Pizza etc to be cooked to order. We had wonder experiences with a candlelight dinner on the beach, a fine dinning Thai meal and a teppanyaki evening. We also had a floating breakfast in our villa one morning which a wonderful and unique experience too.
The snorkelling is by far the best I’ve ever experienced. Whether its simply going down the steps by the villa, following the drop down the island or going on the garden coral tour there is an abundance of life and coral to which you simply can’t get board of.
As amazing as all the above is what really made our stay was the staff. They were all so friendly, knew our names, what our itinerary was and made the whole experience so personal and relaxing. I’d like to give a special mention to Alin in Lily Maa and Auf who took care of our villa. They couldn’t do enough for us and made our honeymoon so special.
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Date of stay: October 2021Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Lorenzo Sabatini, Other at Lily Beach Resort & Spa
Responded 05 Nov 2021
Dear James K, Greetings from Lily Beach Resort & SPA Maldives! Thank you so much for reaching out to me and for your outstanding review at Tripadvisor. It’s always a great pleasure to hear such kindly words regarding Lily Beach Resort & SPA Maldives. We could not be more pleased that your honeymoon at Lily Beach Resort & Spa Maldives was perfect and exceptional. We are all delighted to read that you enjoyed our Deluxe Water Villa, exceptional cuisine, quality of the stunning natural beauty of the island, and the service excellence delivered by Alin, Auf and the entire passionate team. I will personally pass your kind words to them along your recognition of their service excellence. Thank you once again for reaching out to me and choosing Lily Beach Resort & SPA Maldives and it was such a great pleasure to host you and yours. The entire team are looking forward to welcome you again in the near future at your private paradise Lilly Beach Resort & SPA. Our best wishes to you and yours, Lorenzo & Team Resident Manager
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Lily Beach Resort and Spa is a fantastic hotel which provided us with a much-needed break. Going the extra mile for everything was never a problem and we left feeling refreshed and very grateful for the 10 days we spent with the Lily team. The resort itself was clean and modern. The staff were friendly and genuinely enjoyed making your stay as stress free as possible. Thanks to all the members (and sorry I cannot name and thank everyone individually) but wanted to mention, Jenny, Azima, Asadullah, Thoothey, Mohammed, Afrah, Zubir, Lakshitha, Mustafa, Faruq, Peter, Adam & Nemo. You all left us with amazing memories of our stay at Lily Beach Resort and Spa!! The staff made sure to keep their distance, to wear masks and sanitiser was always on hand every time we went to eat (and scattered throughout the resort). Lakshitha (Lucky) the head chef and the team made some truly amazing food. The stand out for me was the butter chicken from Tamarind. The only slight challenge with the food (which they rectified quite quickly) was the limited vegetarian/vegan food available for my wife. The restaurants did have a limited range, however Lucky spoke with us every morning to set out a meal plan which was fantastic. If you are looking for a getaway, somewhere safe which will give you the holiday of a life time consider Maldives and Lily Beach Resort and Spa. We’re already planning our next trip back here next year. 9pm Shark feeding the best experiance too.
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Date of stay: September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from patrice aira, General Manager at Lily Beach Resort & Spa
Responded 05 Oct 2020
I am delighted you had such a wonderful time at Lily Beach and were able to escape to paradise! I have shared your raving review with the team and thanked the mention staff for their excellence and personalized service. Thank you again for sharing your feedback and I look forward to have the pleasure to welcoming you back soon!
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
I visited both Lily Beach Resort & Spa and Mirihi. I thought Lily Beach Resort and Spa was okay. We stayed in the deluxe water villa. The rooms are in need of updating. The food was average and their wine list was okay as well as their wine list. Be aware that the front desk reservations do not know what they are doing when you book a room. I booked directly with online reservations and paid a 50% deposit, upon arrival I paid the remaining 50% balance of $7300.00. When I checked out they demanded another $4300.00 for the balance to be paid and apologized for their error upon booking the room and demanded I pay the amount or I would not be able to go on the seaplane. It was a terrible feeling and I was very disappointed. Had I known that this was the price for the two over water villas that I booked I would have stayed longer at the Mirihi as I absolutely loved the Mirihi and only stay there for 5 nights. Please read my review for the Mirihi Island resort.
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Date of stay: December 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from patriceaira2017, General Manager at Lily Beach Resort & Spa
Responded 03 Jan 2020
Dear Mrs. W, Thank you very much for your feedback and my colleague Irshaad has forwarded you back the chat transcripts of Nov 20th you had with him, as well as the pro forma invoices, which cover the entire stay for the correct amount charged. I hope you have had time to review and now feel more at piece with being charged the right amount.
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I have no words to describe our gratitude to this resort and all his members. These people do not know how to say NO and they will make your stay here unforgettable. I will be forever grateful for all the details at my vow renewal. We have 2 rooms, the water villas and the beach villa for our kids and they were both beautiful but what really makes this place magical if the people that works there, the general manager is always checking on you to make sure that you will have the best experience, their photographer Farey was amazing, our friend Oana the yoga instructor was soooo nice, we asked her to be part of our ceremony and do it in Spanish and she prepare everything for us in less than 2 hours. I can not Thank you enough for an excellence service. We met a really nice couple Sandy and Tim that been there 9 times and I can see why. I will go back to Lily Beach if I have the opportunity one more time. Thank you from the Fellove's family.
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Date of stay: December 2019
Value
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from patriceaira2017, General Manager at Lily Beach Resort & Spa
Responded 03 Jan 2020
Thrilled to read this 30th Wedding Anniversary was so memorable and the Team contributed to it ! Thank you for choosing Lily Beach for this very special occasion and I look forward to have the pleasure to welcoming you back next year !
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A big shout out to Nihal who negotiated us such a good deal a 7 night over water villa . Upon arrival to Lily Beach Roberta was there to check us in & brief us on all the facilities & book in for the activities. I was nervous the room would be small for 2 adults, a teenager & a child but it was actually perfect. Huge spacious bathroom, patio & big bedroom area. Niyaz & Hamza attended to our room twice a day and did a spectacular job tidying up after the kids! We had the same waiter in Lily Maa all week and we can’t thank Afrah enough for his friendly & accommodating attitude as well as his impeccable attention to detail. Shaffaz looked after us at Tamarind (the best meal) and the Aqva bar. He was so accommodating when one of the kids hurt their toe and couldn’t walk for 2 days so Shaffaz arranged for a takeaway lunch so they could eat it in the room. Our three favourite people on the entire trip would have to be bar tenders Heshan, Yadhu and Jeemon from The Spirit Bar. WOW! What fun we had with them after dinner every night. Such a laugh and top-notch service. A shout out to the staff at the water sports centre and the gentlemen that took us fishing as well. The food is great, premium alcohol, amazing sea life and snorkelling (highly recommend the shark feeding every night on the pier) and all around just a great experience. My only small insignificant feedback would be to have air conditioning (in the Lily Maa bathroom) and hand towels in the public rest rooms (there was only tissues available and with the humidity they stuck to you).
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Date of stay: May 2021
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Alla Elizarova, Guest Services / Front Office at Lily Beach Resort & Spa
Responded 21 May 2021
Dear rowaidanicoleb, thank you for your kind words and it's a great pleasure for us to know that we exceeded your expectations. The water villas experience is indeed out of this world and we are happy you had such a great time there. Your words of appreciation have been duly passed to all the staff you named and they mean a lot to them and to us, management. We have well noted your remarks on Air conditioning in Lily maa and wet towels in rest rooms - it will be shared with executive management. We thank you once again for choosing our resort for your family get away and we hope to welcome you back for another amazing vacation!
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Not enough words to describe it. Where should I start with....hmm.. Impeccable service, right from the time you land in Male and are greeted by ever smiling representative of Lily Beach resort and transferred in the resort car to a private lounge, so refreshing.
In the lounge (private lounge for lily beach guests) , came to know tgat my sea plane was after a couple hours but they managed to reschedule that earlier, incredible. A great feeling when we entered the resort, we removed our masks as all the hotel stall was wearing masks and they had sanitizers everywhere. It is actually the most safest place to escape to.
About the resort, just wowwwwwww, right from their restaurants to resort pools to bars to excursions to staff to water sports activity center, Just name it and they have it. Food -> Awesome, buffet breakfast with ala carte lunch with buffer dinner and in between snacks and drinks. Just can't beat this and the foos is just awesone. Infact, a day before my departure we requested for our lunch to be packed (as we didnt wanted to eat at airport due to COVID). Mr Mohan (chef) prepared us an amazing Biryani (want to have more, so yummy) and packed it for us before departure.
Each and every staff just goes an extra mile to make things happen for you. We didn't know how to do Snorkeling and went to sports center. Mr Tomas took an hour session for us and showed us how to do snorkeling and also took us inside ocean (we were scared to start). We were at complete ease with Tom, just awesome. After this, we did snorkeling every singke day.
Some names which I remember, Jennie (neet n greet). Didi, Hari and forgot the other persons name (Vibes), person at reception who faciliated our COVID PCR test. Apologies, do not remember all the names but everyone is absolutely fantastic.
The whole team is amazing and a big shout for Mr Patrice (resort manager) to have such a great team. Mr Patrice is ana amazing guy and you will surely love to have a chat with him (you can see him around) and talk about experiences. Lastly and not the least, I forgot my iPhone and charger in resort and mailed Mr Patrice the next day after reaching back home and got a prompt response asking for my address so that they ean courier it. I can surely go on and on with so many experiences which I can share. Go to Lily Resort without any second thought. You will surely cherish each aud every moment. Go for Deluxe Villas (with Pool). Great views.. will stop here for now but already started looking at my dates for next visit to Lily Resort :)....
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Date of stay: November 2020Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Patrice Aira, General Manager at Lily Beach Resort & Spa
Responded 12 Nov 2020
It is wonderful to read you comments on your family holiday at Lily Beach ! I am thrilled you had such an amazing time from start to finish and it was a pleasure to meet you. Thank you for taking the time to share your comments and I look forward to have the pleasure to welcoming you back soon !
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
indeed the sand bank tour is an exclusive tour that we definitely charge and the tour is to be booked rom Lily app or directly through your guest relation officer at front desk once at the resort.
There are more places to choose from in the Huvahandhoo Island area.
PRICE RANGE
R 16,185 - R 37,975 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
lily beach hotel south ari atoll, lily beach resort and spa, lily beach resort all inclusive, lily beach maldives
LOCATION
MaldivesAlifu AtollSouthern Ari AtollHuvahandhoo Island
NUMBER OF ROOMS
125
Prices are provided by our partners, and reflect average nightly room rates, including taxes and fees that are fixed, known to our partners, and due at time of booking. Please see our partners for more details.
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