We loved Kuramathi for everything basically and we want to go back this summer (unless the Coup d'Etat that just happened yesterday prevents us). We were there from Jan. 1-12, 2012, weather was great, a couple of rain showers or so but that was nothing to worry about! We appreciated the hotel and the way it is run (as far as us clients are concerned of course); we loved the water villa with jacuzzi : fabulous room, comfortable bed, great bathroom, fantastic deck, good jacuzzi, + also really appreciated the Nespresso machine ! The island itself is beautiful and long and you can really walk, the vegetation is fantastic and so well kept every day; we loved the herons, the noisy birds and the flying bats ! The reef and ocean are truly beyond belief !!! The scuba diving (for me - excellent dive center, by the way) and snorkeling (for my husband) were amazing (even if I was unlucky on the hammerheads!), and we saw soooo much more here than in Polynesia or Micronesia or in Caribbean, in terms of manta rays or other rays and sharks and napoleon wrasses and turtles and dolphins and octopus and all the beautifully colored other smaller fish or lion fish and so forth! The restaurant allocated to our Jacuzzi water villa was fine, I'm not going to pretend it is great cuisine but who cares we didn't come for that, and anyway we ate perfectly well always and you also had a good selection of veg and fruit everyday so as to keep healthy ! Still the cheesecakes were brilliant ! Breakfast was very good too. We were just full board and took none of this "Select" stuff (which in any case didn't include the brands we like!) as we don't drink very much and it would not have been worth it for us - in fact we had the perfect choice for our needs. We tried the Indian restaurant but were disappointed (mediocre) and also tried the Island Coffee Shop for lunch before taking the seaplane back and that was very nice. But we preferred to simply eat at our main allocated restaurant when we felt like it, without the need for any booking, rather than having to book elsewhere a specific time and do so 2 days in advance (!) for in the end food that wasn't much different from the other place. The Kuramathi staff were always very nice and helpful at the restaurants, bars and elsewhere which we also greatly appreciated. As for Wi-Fi, it was slow and not free - you have to buy hours of usage and it is expensive for what it is. Otherwise and generally it was all great, in every aspect, and we had a superb holiday ! We loved it so much we want to return!

We stayed at Kuramathi for just over a week last May. This place just blows you away as soon as you step foot onto the jetty. The island is stunning, and has a wonderful mix of beach and vegetation. It's also relatively quite large so you don't get too claustrophobic if, like us, you don't particularly like holidays where you spend a week lying flat on your back on a sun lounger. There is a bus service that runs pretty much constantly, so if walking in the heat isn't your thing you can just jump on.

We stayed in a Garden Villa, I would advise you ask for one in number 1-12, as these are actually right on the beach. They are also the newest, and in my opinion much nicer than the Beach villas. The villa we had came with a little area at the back which was an amazing waterfall shower, which I spent a huge amount of time under!

I would definitely advise you go all inclusive, we went for the cheaper all inclusive which didn't include the restaurants. The food in the main restaurant you are allocated was amazing, and I would say you don't really need the other restaurants, although they do have a more romantic setting, so this might be an idea for a honey moon etc.

The bars are all lovely, and we spent alot of time at Laguna bar making friends with Saeed, a hilarious and very friendly young bar man. You can also watch the feeding of the sting rays from here.

The snorkelling around the island was fantastic, and from the end of the peer at Leguna bar had some of the best fish etc. We did attempt some of the dedicated snorkelling lanes, although didn't think these were worth it. They have a big emphasis on conservation and have an area where you can learn about all the wildlife on and around the island.

It was my birthday on the day we arrived, and they even put a Birthday card in the room with flowers on the bed, and at dinner they brought me a huge cake and all sang to me! This is just the level of service you can expect from the most amazing place on earth.

This resort should come with a warning, because I now just sit all day dreaming of the Maldives, and dreaming of Kuramathi. I want to go back, right now!

We have just returned from a two resort holiday having spent the first week in Sri Lanka and the second in Kuramathi. This is our 2nd visit to the Maldives and first to this Island and the North Ari Atoll. What an amazing destination to spend the week relaxing. This really was our idea of heaven, so much so that we plan to return later this year!

Transfer
We had a pleasant 2 hour wait in the Kuramathi Lounge. It was air-conditioned and comfortably seated. A selection of sandwiches, cakes, hot and cold beverages were freely available. Wi-Fi was also available free of charge. The lounge staff were most efficient in looking after us and giving information about our transfer. By the time we filled in our check-in paperwork, freshened up and had something to eat and drink, our transfer was ready. The Sea plane transfer with Trans Maldivian from Malé was very pleasant and took only 15 minutes. It was a novelty to be dropped off on a floating platform in the middle of the sea with our luggage, but this was to stop the noise on the Island itself. Our boat quickly arrived to take us the 3 minutes to Kuramathi.

Check-in/Reception
Upon arrival in the very modern reception we were met with a cold drink and friendly staff that quickly got us to our accommodation and advised us on our Welcome meeting with our Kuoni Rep. This process was very quick as we had already filled in the necessary paperwork in the lounge at Malé.

Accomodation
We had a Deluxe Beach Villa Room 327 and I was overjoyed when we saw it for the first time. It was cool, spacious, spotless and very well presented. The four-poster bed was enormous and very comfortable (I am very fussy about my bed comfort, but this was a dream!). The bathroom was spacious, very well equipped and tastefully presented. I loved having the inside bath/shower as well as the outside shower. The Mini-bar was stocked with branded soft drinks and water which were included in our All-inclusive package. We were pleasantly surprised as this isn’t the case on other islands. Storage was a bit limited as there were only two small drawers under the dressing table, however we felt this was not an issue. The position of the villa was (in our opinion) on the best part of the island being quiet and having the nicest beach on the sheltered side of Kuramthi. We had comfortable sun beds both on the beach and on our balcony area. We very much appreciated the shade from the trees in which our villa was nestled. Our room was kept clean and well stocked with towels, bedding and mini-bar twice a day with the turndown service in the evening. There were plenty of TV channels to choose from with a great picture on the TV. Wi-Fi was charged and the connection in the room was adequate enough.

Island
The island itself is very large compared to most, but it retains its charm nonetheless. Ideal if you enjoy a stroll or early morning jog. An air-conditioned mini-bus and golf Buggies regularly cover the island so it is really easy to get around if you don’t fancy a walk. The island is well lit at night and there are plenty of things to see. I was very impressed with the flora which is superbly maintained by gardening staff. The island is kept spotless and the beaches and pathways are swept daily. It is clear Universal Resorts spends a lot of money in the maintenance and modernisation of this Island. There was a complete mix of Nationalities holidaying on Kuramathi which gave it more of an International feel and everyone was very pleasant. All of the staff, from maintenance through to reception all seemed friendly and helpful.

Food
We were All-inclusive and thoroughly enjoyed the food at Farivalhu Restaurant. Although we are not big eaters, there was more than enough variety for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Each day we enjoyed a different themed menu and all the food was tasty and fresh. Our table was allocated on our first day and we had the luxury of the same waiter called Amir throughout our stay, who deserves recognition for being friendly and efficient and went out of his way to provide superb service.

Beach
The beach varies around the island with some slight rocky areas on one side, but mostly the beaches are soft sand. We didn’t feel it was necessary to wear shoes most of the time but there are a few small areas where we wish we had because the tide had washed in some small sharp pieces. The current would naturally bring in some debris on one side of the island which was cleared and the sand was kept tidy and swept. About a third of the island had built sea defences made from blocks of dead coral covered in wire netting. Whilst these were unsightly, they are necessary for the preservation of the island and a haven for marine life so I soon got used to them.

Water
One of the reasons we chose this island was because it had a house reef within snorkelling distance and saved a daily boat trip. However, our snorkelling trips had to be timed with the tide because the water is very shallow over the reef and we did struggle not to come into contact with the corals on our first attempt. To rectify this problem the island has very cleverly created swimming channels which are clearly marked on the beaches and in the sea with signs, flag posts and buoys. There is a definite current so it is best to go with it to get the most from the experience. Trips do still have to be timed to get the most out of the experience but once you get to the reef, the variety of corals and fish are breathtaking. We noticed the corals are beginning to become more colourful after the bleaching in 1998 and the fish appeared to be much bigger than on other island reefs. Initially we were alarmed at the size of the Black tip Reef sharks but soon got used to them. From our beach area we saw dolphins. In previous years at other islands we had encountered some aggressiveness from Picasso and Titan Triggerfish, but it was refreshing to experience them in Kuramathi as being nice natured and not interested in human activity.
We went on the Snorkelling Safari one morning with the resident Marine Biologist Reinhart, visiting two reef areas close to the neighbouring Island of Rashdoo. Both sites were very interesting with differing corals and marine life. The highlight of the Safari was seeing an Eagle Ray swim past. That evening Reinhart gave a talk and slideshow of what we had seen and he had captured on camera in the Eco Centre. We were able to buy a disc with all the images as a souvenir of our day. His knowledge is fantastic and he has built up a wonderful centre in the years he has worked on the island including a museum with the skeleton of a female Sperm Whale which is very impressive.

Entertainment
After the exhaustion of snorkelling and chilling all day, we headed off to bed early most days so we missed the evening entertainment. From what we heard when they warmed up early evening, the entertainment in the Laguna and Dhoni bars was relaxing acoustics and singing. For a livelier feel there was more disco type entertainment in the Fung bar. There are plenty of interesting little walks around the island such as the Botanical Walk and nature Trail. Unfortunately we didn’t sample the Dive Centre but we aim to return to the Island to do the Open Water Padi course later this year.

Spa
I thoroughly enjoyed my ‘Shantiram’ treatment by a lovely Indian lady called Manjou at the Spa and thought it was very good value for money. The Spa is well equipped and has a large selection of treatments available with experienced and qualified staff. After feeling a bit tense from our travels, I really unwound and completely relaxed into my treatment. I would highly recommend you treat yourself at least once. Before the treatment you can have full use of the Steam Room, Sauna, Jacuzzi and showers which were in a beautiful setting.

To sum up our experience on Kuramathi, it exceeded our expectations and we were most impressed with the quality and high standard of amenities and service provided. In our opinion it is worthy of a 5 star rating and makes an ideal destination in The Maldives.

I spent my honeymoon at Kuramathi in a jacuzzi beach villa and a jacuzzi water villa. It was everything i could have wanted from a honeymoon and more...

Spectacular rooms,
Friendly staff
Superb restaurants and menus.
Amazing setting
Unbelievable snorkeling and scuba diving.

One thing i would say is that if you can push the boat out and go for all-inclusive with drinks and food from any restaurant at any time then do. It was so nice not to have to think about taking cash with us everywhere. Also if you've gone for a beach villa then i would upgrade to a water villa in resort even if for a few nights. You won't regret it.

This is a luxurious, friendly resort and i really, really hope i'll be coming back here.