Hotel reviews: Velassaru

• Location
• TO KNOW
• Overview
• Accommodation
• Food and drink
• Beach
• Photos

Around 200 islands of the archipelago are inhabited (recorded at the time of our visit in April 2010). Each hotel has its own island (unless you stay in the capital or Hulhule, the airport island). Among the 200 or so inhabited islands, some are inhabited by locals only - hotels and locals rarely mix unless in a work environment within a hotel structure. By this, we mean that there are no local villages which share a hotel's island and vice versa. Tourism and local life are kept separate. This means that there are no cultural activities on hotel islands, although most hotels tend to organise excursions to neighbouring local islands for the day.

Upon arrival at the airport, everything may seem very confusing, with people milling around all over the place looking lost - you will notice a row of hotel kiosks, and a row of Maldivian Air Taxi or Trans Maldivian Airline kiosks behind that. When you come out of the arrival doors, just look out for your host who should be waving a Velassaru Island placard. Your host will take you to the appropriate jetty where you will board a comfortable speed boat to the resort.

Velassaru opened in 2009 and has since been having a few teething problems with staff motivation, which can be felt in the resort. The hotel is however very open to guest feedback, so fingers crossed that things will go from strength to strength in its second year.

• Location
• TO KNOW
• Overview
• Accommodation
• Food and drink
• Beach
• Photos

Velassaru is a hotel that has all the necessary facilities of a five star property. However there is something in the layout that gives it a resort atmosphere rather than that of an exotic hideaway. The island is of a reasonable size but the accommodations are packed fairly tightly giving very little intimacy, especially for guests in the beach villas. The gardeners also cross the villa gardens regularly so if you happen to be having a smooch with your loved one, then you must be ready to have an audience!

The main bulk of the activity is around the reception area where you will find the infinity-edged pool and the food and beverage outlets. The reception and outlets are super-contemporary and aesthetically pleasing. The reception pavilion has a high ceiling, a sandy floor and some beautiful lighting. Further along is another large concrete pavilion with a thatched roof; this is the main restaurant, open for every meal. This part of the hotel is a little cold but the minimal chic revealed in teak, stone and thatch is elegant. The veiled day beds give the pool area a romantic ambience despite the activity around the pool. For guests wishing to feel like they are on a deserted exotic island, Velassaru probably wouldn't be the first choice. For guests wishing for a bit more animation and to be in contact with the other guests then this resort is a good choice.

Otherwise the island has some lovely vegetation although it is not thick and jungle-like as on some of the islands. For guests wishing to keep themselves entertained, there is a gym, ping pong, tennis courts. There is also a ?chill-out' room for kids with board games; however there is no staff to look after the children here. Children must be accompanied by parents.

Otherwise the hotel has a lovely spa that sits above the water close to the water accommodation at the opposite end of the island to the reception area.

• Location
• TO KNOW
• Overview
• Accommodation
• Food and drink
• Beach
• Photos

There are 128 rooms in total, which makes the island feel a little cramped. There are 53 deluxe beach villas measuring 76m², 30 beach villas at 96m², 26 water villas at 112m² and 17 water suites at 80m². There are no slippers or bathrobes in the lower categories. All rooms have flat screen televisions, complimentary tea and coffee making facilities. Guests do not receive welcome letters here either, which we felt took away that personal welcome touch. The deluxe beach villas are a little on the small side for the Maldives but remain spacious nonetheless. The décor is a mix of slate floors and touches of bright orange in the soft furnishings. The highlight here is the semi open bathroom which hides behind the doors. The rain shower area is absolutely lovely and you will want to spend all your time here. An open bathroom in the Maldives is like a white sandy beach - completely mandatory! The beach villas are the same but roomier. The disadvantage of staying in a beach villa is the lack of intimacy. The villas are fairly close together and as the hotel is fairly new, the mangrove planted to separate the villas hasn't fully grown yet, so your neighbours' terrace is completely visible as is yours from the beach. Gardeners often walk across the gardens too, and sometimes so close to the villa windows that you might get a little surprised glance as you wander out of the shower in your birthday suit!

During our visit the hotel was in the process of adding a new category: the garden villas, which lie on the other side of a path to the beach. These bungalows are set on two levels to give guests more space. However these feel a little dark and stuffy. The terrace of these villas are practically on the main path, not giving any intimacy. The water accommodation a little more elegant than the land accommodation in the choice of materials used such as oak wood floors. The rooms are very spacious and although the villas are fairly close to one another, there is a good level of intimacy for guests wanting to seclude themselves away from the clatter of the main hotel area. The bathrooms are on the small side, but the crisp white suites look good. Each villa also has its own deck with direct access to the water. Water suites each have their own Jacuzzi plunge pool out on the deck, which makes all the difference. The water accommodation has some lovely designer touches such as funky bean shaped sofas and contemporary metal sculptures which gives the room a sleeker look than that of the land accommodation.

• Location
• TO KNOW
• Overview
• Accommodation
• Food and drink
• Beach
• Photos

The hotel has three restaurants and a bar in total. Vela, meaning turtle in Divehi (the local language) serves world cuisine with an informal twist. Pomegranate is the hotel's Mediterranean restaurant with both indoor and al fresco seating found amidst the island's vegetation. Vilunoo, meaning the turquoise of the lagoon in Divehi, is the grill restaurant with live cooking stations with a range of Eastern, European and Indian food on offer. For drinks there is Fen, which serves drinks and snacks throughout the day. We found that the food was well presented and that an effort had been made with regards to the fusion of flavours which was original at times. The champagne lounge at the Pomegranate is especially cool with its bright, almost fluorescent high stools, original lighting and hanging decoration features.

• Z Location
• TO KNOW
• Overview
• Accommodation
• Food and drink
• Beach
• Photos

The beach is made up of fine white sand, swaying palm trees and blue waters. However the long stretch is lined by the beach accommodation which makes the area feel a little narrow, especially when sunbathers are all out at once. There is no spot that feels isolated here, so guests must be happy to share their space with other guests, but that is not to say that the beach is exactly crowded. In comparison to other hotels in the archipelago, the beach here does not feel like the Robinson Crusoe experience some guests might be after. Otherwise baby sting rays lying in the shallows close to the beach are quiet common all along the beach, so do keep an eye out for them! With regards to snorkelling, it can be difficult when the tide goes out and you could get stuck along the corals without being able to swim back due to the lack of water. During high tide the snorkelling is fairly good.