After too long a wait, another Maldivian holiday returns us to paradise

Not a week has passed in the 11 years since we returned from our first trip to The Maldives that I haven’t dreamed of going back.

Those memories became my imagination‘s safe space. When I was stressed, or just needed to ease myself to sleep, I would dream myself back to walking down the stairs from our deck into the warm sea, slipping on my fins and mask, and swimming over the riotous colours of a reef packed with life. 

We’d hoped to return for our 10th wedding anniversary in 2021, but Covid killed that plan. It was a possibility for my 60th … 10 years after that first visit … but we decided to mark my husband’s milestone in the next year instead. And so, after 578 weeks of hungry fantasy, my toes were back in Maldivian sand, anticipating the warm embrace of the Indian Ocean. 

Except that rain was lashing, a red hazard flag was flying, and the slamming of waves was setting our over-water villa a-tremble. It was still warm … but we arrived in a monsoon. So the full perfection of paradise had to wait. 

Simply being back in that world of thatched huts, long boardwalks and white beaches had instantly put me in my happy place, however. Fortunately, we were there for 12 nights. So while it took two days to get proper sun and nine for the seas to calm, we got perfect perfection in the end. It is worth noting that the locals say the weather is no longer dependable in any season given changing patterns. A longer visit spreads the risk.

We slid down the star scale this time. Now that I’ve stepped off the corporate ladder, the five-star Constance Mufushi was simply not in the budget. The four-star Mercure Kooddoo was still a stretch, but one made more affordable by Club Accor loyalty programme points. Given that the Mercure was less than half the price of the Constance, what sacrifices would I be making?

Far less than I thought. The biggest tangible difference was food and drink. While both places built their main restaurant around a buffet, the Mercure focused more on Asian/Oriental food while the Constance had leaned more European. On the wine front, the Mercure offered a few options for each colour, served by the glass. The Constance had a thoughtful, expansive wine list and served you the whole bottle. The Mercure’s upscale restaurant offering was Italian; at the Constance it wasn’t any particular cuisine but featured candlelit dining on the beach with servers emerging from the palms with your food. Far more romantic.

Next, location. The Constance is on its own tiny island; nothing there but the resort and so small you can actually swim around it. You get proper desert island vibes here, and have to get there on a sea plane. The Maldives’ “one island, one resort” policy means the Mercure is also on its own, but this is a bigger island with an airstrip and a fish processing plant. They don’t intrude much into your holiday experience, but you do lose that Robinson Crusoe vibe so prevalent at Moofushi.

Finally, there’s the design of the place. Constance goes for a laid-back, barefoot chic with lots of open-sided thatched buildings, dotted with tasteful pieces of modern sculpture. There are still plenty of thatched buildings at Kooddoo but the restaurants have a more modern, industrial look that, without the stunning view beyond the windows, could be in any city in the world.

Otherwise, and on all the really important stuff … rooms, coral reef, service, amenities … there was no significant difference.

We were in an over-water villa. Thanks to my husband’s diamond status, we had been upgraded when we arrived and were upgraded yet again for our second week. All the rooms are similar, with comfortable king-sized beds, desks, mini bars, storage units, and a little seating area, with about a third of the total wall surface being floor-to-ceiling glass that makes the most of the water outside. There’s also a glass panel in the floor of the seating area so you can watch fish swim by. There’s a deck through a sliding glass door with loungers, chairs, and access to the sea. The higher you upgrade, the bigger that deck. In our second week we had our own plunge pool.

Service was impeccable, from the start. Everyone on staff knew our names, quickly learned our preferences, and was quickly present whenever we needed anything. We often felt like staff members were working exclusively for us, which is a pretty good definition of luxury.

Ultimately, with a coral reef this good, beautiful beaches and a bit of snorkelling equipment, you don’t need luxury. But it certainly adds to the overall experience. I started hungering for a return the moment we left Maldivian airspace. Hopefully, I won’t have to wait another 578 weeks.