Pullman Maldives is the piece of paradise you deserve

After almost a year of not travelling due to all the COVID-19 restrictions, we decided to book a trip to Maldives for our anniversary. The choice of destination was easy since Maldives is one of the safest places to travel to during the pandemic and only 4 hours flight from Dubai. However, with almost 100 resorts to choose from, picking the right one was a tough decision. This was our third time in Maldives and it was going to be difficult to top the previous trip we had 3 years ago when we got engaged. That’s a story for another blog 🙂

After checking different holiday packages with Emirates Holidays, we finally settled on the Pullman Maldives on Maamutaa island. The resort opened in late 2019 and, unlike many other new resorts in the Maldives, it is built on a natural island where 80% of the original vegetation was preserved. It even has a natural sweet water lake with a wooden bridge in the middle. After checking some online reviews and pictures, we were hooked – it was just what we were looking for in a Maldives 5* resort!

The Pullman Maldives Resort All-Inclusive Package

The Pullman Maldives claims to be “the most generous all-inclusive resort”. Well, we were certainly going to put that to the test! Since most resorts are on their own island, having an all-inclusive package is usually cheaper and more convenient than pay as you go. 

The Pullman Maldives’ all-inclusive package covers all F&B venues across the resort, unlimited all throughout the day. All villas have a fully stocked mini-bar that gets replenished twice a day, with premium chocolates, wines and beer (we might have overdosed on the Ferrero Rocher). You also have free access to non-motorised water sports such as windsurfing, catamaran or SUP boards. Depending on how many nights you book, you are also entitled to different experiences. For instance, we had massages, excursions, fishing or scuba diving trips included in our package. The only thing that was not included, which we feel is a miss, are the bicycles. They are handy to get around the island quicker and cost $10/day for rental.

Where to stay at Pullman Maldives

Once we settled on the Pullman Maldives for our holiday, the next choice was picking the type of accommodation: water villa or beach villa. The water villas are on stilts and overlook the lagoon or the reef, with direct access to the water from your deck. Most of them have a private infinity pool and even a glass window on the floor where you can spot fishes swimming by. 

The beach villas are more private, set among the lush tropical vegetation and have direct beach access. Many of them come with private pools as well and a big sun deck. There are also two bedroom and family suites, as well as a four bedroom Royal suite!

We initially wanted to split the stay and book a beach villa for a couple of nights and then move to a water villa. However, we decided to stick to the water villa to avoid the hassle of changing rooms. We were glad we made that choice, especially since there was no difference in price at the time we booked. If you are staying less than a week and can’t decide between a beach or water villa, we would certainly recommend booking an overwater pool villa. It is the ultimate Maldives experience and probably the best stay we’ve ever had!

Tip: The sunrise villas face the reef so you’ll have more variety in the marine life you can spot. For better shark spotting and turquoise waters, the sunset villas are better. If you are staying in a beach villa, make sure to bring mosquito repellent.

Make your stay unforgettable in an Aqua Villa

However, if you really want a unique and unforgettable experience – and can splurge a few thousand dollars a night – you can go for one of the two Aqua villas. Pullman Maldives if one of three resorts in the Maldives that has underwater villas. The Aqua villa has a bedroom above the water opening to the infinity pool and a large living room. The second bedroom is 4m deep underwater and has a full glass wall overlooking a coral garden. We were lucky enough to get a tour of the Aqua villa and we were mesmerised by the view from the underwater bedroom. It is truly a one of a kind experience to be able to wake up with the fish and sharks swimming by!

Where to eat & drink

Reastaurants

Pullman Maldives has three restaurants you can choose from: Melange, Souq Oven and Phat Chameleon.  Melange is the all-day buffet style restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. It is the easiest to access and with the greatest variety of food. Andre loved their noodles, which he had every single day – even at breakfast. We also recommend trying the Eggs Benedicts and the butter salmon. The infinity pools next to the restaurant are great for a sun soak session while you’re having your morning coffee. 

Souq Oven is a great alternative for lunch and dinner and was our favourite in terms of food and atmosphere. It is an ‘a la carte’ restaurant that serves Italian inspired plates for lunch and Arabic at dinner. We loved the grilled local fish at lunch and for dinner you cannot miss the cold mezze, that is a mix of spreads and salads. Unfortunately, it only has indoor seating, so bring a sweater with you for the AC. The restaurant has an impressive wine cellar with over 80 different wines from around the world. Some of the wines are not part of the all-inclusive package though.

Phat Chameleon is open only for dinner and serves vegan and vegetarian dishes in a unique atmosphere. Indeed, the tables are in the garden where the resort grows most of the veggies you’ll eat. The food is excellent, and we recommend you to check out their veggie garden while you’re there.

Tip: Phat Chameleon and Souq Oven are in high demand for dinner, so book a table well in advance. It is a good idea to book at check-in to be sure you have a table secured during your stay.

Bars at Pullman Maldives

There are two main bars we would recommend. The first is Sol Rising, just next to Souq Oven restaurant, with a beautiful infinity pool where they host sunrise yoga sessions. There are few sun loungers, so come early if you want to secure a spot in the sun. Also remember to bring your own towels as they won’t give you any as COVID-19 precaution.

You also shouldn’t miss the stunning sunsets at the Saffron Affair bar. You can watch the sun go down from the hanging overwater nets with a cocktail in hand. It gets very busy, so you should go well before the sunset to secure a spot. Other than the drinks, the bar also serves complimentary shisha between 3 to 5 PM.

Things to do

Chances are if you’re going to Maldives you’ll just want to relax on your private sun terrace, take a dip in the pool or snorkel in the crystal clear ocean. And we wouldn’t blame you – that’s what we did for half the time as well! But once you’ve had enough of tanning there’s plenty of activities you should try. The Pullman Maldives organizes sunset and fishing cruises, nature walks around the island, yoga and bootcamps. You can also try many of their watersports, from diving, sailing, kite or windsurfing, kayaking or SUP. There’s even a tennis court and a fully equipped gym. 

Unfortunately for us, the wind was very strong during our stay. With rough sea the dive center cancels all boat trips, hence we couldn’t enjoy any of the watersports. Instead, we took the nature walk and learned a lot of interesting facts about the local plants and animals in Maldives. For instance, Maldives protects coconut trees that cannot be cut down. Also, a sandbank must have at least 3 coconut trees on it before it can be called an island.

We did however do plenty of snorkeling. We spotted loads of baby sharks, eagle rays, sting rays, turtles, squids and hundreds of colourful fishes. Their inhouse biologist, Amandine, even offered to name one of the baby sharks we spotted with a name of our choosing. We named it Tonino after Andre’s dad 🙂

Our package also gave us a massage, a scuba diving trip or a jetski ride to choose from. We initially wanted to dive but since we needed a refresher, we opted for the massage instead. We were not disappointed, since their therapists are amazing, so don’t miss their spa treatments. The views from the spa are divine too!

We also had a complimentary photoshoot during our stay and got one printed photo for free. You can purchase all the pictures in digital or print for additional cost if you like them all.

Tip: Most activities need advance booking so make sure you do that as soon as you arrive to avoid disappointment. Keep in mind that watersports are dependent on the weather so you may have to rebook some excursion in case of bad weather.

Excellent Service at Pullman Maldives Maamutaa

We usually have high expectations when we stay at high end resorts. With delight we say that the Pullman Maldives staff exceeded them. A team of polite and attentive people attended to all our needs, most of the time anticipating them without the need of asking. 

When we arrived at the resort, late at night, the check-in assistant welcomed us by name at the harbour. He not only knew our names but already sorted out most of the requests we made during the booking. The check-in process was stress-free, we just filled in the mandatory form and we were taken to our villa.  Throughout our stay, most staff addressed us by name, something not very common and that underlines the staff’s commitment to guests satisfaction.

The housekeeping team is also commendable. In less than 24 hours they understood our habits and preferences and delivered an excellent service.

COVID-19 Management

You won’t have to worry about COVID while at Pullman Maldives Resort or in Maldives in general. COVID protocols are very stringent and followed without exception. Every person entering Maldives must present a valid negative PCR test. Also, people cannot move between islands, thus reducing the chances of spreading the virus. 

We happily noticed that the staff thoroughly disinfected everything all the time a guest uses a service. Members of the staff wear masks at all times thus guaranteeing a safe environment for everybody. For this reason you won’t need to wear a mask during your stay, even though you should still follow all other precautionary measures.

If you’re wondering how safe it is to interact with the members of the staff, you should know that they are not allowed to leave the island. At least not until the situation is under control. This guarantees a complete isolation of the resort from the outside, with the exclusion of negative tested guests.

Getting There

Getting to the Pullman Maldives Resort is quite a journey. Our Emirates flight arrived in Male airport in the afternoon and it took a considerable time to disembark because of the stringent COVID-19 protocols at the airport. The whole operation took almost an hour. Even though both the cabin crew and the airport staff told us that usually things move faster, we would recommend to be prudent in booking your connecting flight, seaplane or boat ride. 

The resort arranged for us a domestic flight to Kooddoo island from Male airport with Maldivian Airlines. Our onward domestic flight was scheduled 2 hours and a half after landing in Male and we would have missed it if it weren’t for the Pullman airport team. They successfully managed to coordinate with Maldivian airlines to delay the flight until we were all on board. The domestic flight usually takes roughly one hour from Male but sometimes, they optimize the route and add a stopover in a nearby island adding 40 minutes to the trip. 

After landing in Kooddoo, the Pullman team escorted us in a buggy to the jetty from where we took a 15 minute speedboat ride to the resort. All-in-all, a 12 hours trip from Dubai to Pullman Maldives Resort, but we’d say it’s worth it if you’re staying at least 5 nights.