Conrad Maldives Rangali Island

All I can say is WOW! We came to the Conrad for our honeymoon and it was by far one of the most beautiful properties we have been to. It gives you the WOW factor of the Waldorf in Cabo, but in a different way. Arrival: Conrad will set up your airplane arrival for you through TMA. I was nervous about taking the seaplane, but it was a smooth flight and effortless experience. Upon arrival a Conrad member will meet you, assist with luggage, and get you checked into TMA. We met some other couples who did get hit with the baggage fees for oversized bags, but we got lucky. We also flew in first class on Emirates, so not sure if this had something to do with that. Once we arrived to the Conrad the general manager and staff will meet you at the jetty. There is where we met our butler Naeem. We were greeted with fresh coconut water and were taken to our rooms via golf cart. Rooms: We stayed in the Grand Overwater villa and premier villa. -Grand Water Villa: The best rooms you can get are rooms 419 or 421 as these are at the end of the board walk which offers uninterrupted views (and no sight of neighbors). We were at 417, which was beautiful, but you could still see your neighbors from the deck and pool. These rooms are truly over water and not just off of the beach like of the other overwater villas. They have more of a tropical feel than the premier villa. These rooms are located on the family side and if you are at the far end it is a very far walk to get to the morning breakfast buffet. We did not mind the walk though to get some steps in before the day. The grand water villas with pool face sunset and are protected from wind. The ones with the hot tub face the opposite side and could be exposed to wind. You can walk out into the water for a very long distance with the water at your waist. We saw several sharks and a few rays from our room here. Housekeeping and turndown service was very consistent on this side. -Premier water villa: After speaking with the staff, it sounds like this room was originally built prior to the 2 bedroom Rangali Pavllion rooms. The ONLY downside to this room is that it connects to the only other premier water villa, which makes privacy an issue. We felt bad playing music on the Bose system as we were unsure if this would effect our neighbors. We did have neighbors next to us the whole time, while there is a divider, they are literally right next door to you as the patios connect as well and can be accessed through a latched door. This would be a great option if you were travelling with friends though. This is a newer room than the grand water villa and much more modern. It has a heated toilet, bidet, beautiful marble bathroom. The walk in closet was also something different from the grand water villa. I did get some inconsistencies with turn down service on this side, which is unfortunate as this was the more expensive of the 2 rooms. Small differences like the nightly sweets not being set out for us. However, one day we did return to a bubble bath drawn for us, which was a lovely touch. This room also faces towards the sunset, so you are protected from the wind as well and the water is by far the calmest on this side, wind or not. This room is located on the adults only side and the island has much more of a tropical feel to it. We were looking forward to walking down to the end of the island, however that beach is reserved for the 2 bedroom villas. -Picking between which room is better would be very hard. The premier is much more modern, but lacks some privacy. Food & Beverage: It is very strange to see which items are priced higher than others. For instance a basic ceaser wrap was around $40 and if you wanted a patron margarita that was close to $60 (instead of $27 for a jose cuervo margarita). If I recall Johnny walker blue was the best option for only $40. It was a bit shocking to see the tequila selection as well. For a luxury resort, I was not expecting their well tequila to be jose cuervo. The options for tequila were jose cuervo, patron, or ACDC tequila. Not the greatest options for a luxury resort, but I do understand the importation circumstances. For gin, whiskey, and vodka there is a much great selection. One thing I loved is that you can literally be barefoot your whole stay, even at the restaurants as almost all of the restaruants are in the sand. -The quiet zone: We spent most of our time here. While they do not have servers coming to each table, the staff is incredible here. Shout out to Aye and Shahid! By far some of the best bartenders we had. The gin and tonics are massive here and delicious! Try the Maldivian tuna sashimi! -Ufaa: This was our favorite when it came to the flavor and actual taste of food. For both lunch and dinner it was delicious. -Ithaa: We opted for visiting hour, which I think is really all you need. Friends told us the dinner was a 3 hour tasting, which may be a little too long for some. Small apps and 1 glass of champagne was offered. Would have like to have seen at least 1 more glass of champagne offered. -Sunset Grill: We tried the tomahawk steak and the way it was cooked was delicious. This was a newer item added to the menu as of recent per the staff. Only word of advise would be on the presentation. In the states we are used to having it be thinly sliced, spread out and laid under the bone for display. The cuts were filet sized cuts and they served my husband the fatty cap. For the price, would have expected this to have been perfected, but still cooked to perfection. -Mandhoo: Food was great, service was a little slow and there was a bit of a language barrier, but the manager there was awesome and made up for it. -Champagne and lobster dinner: If you are hungry hungry, this is a great all you can eat addition to your stay. It was bottomless champagne and a beautiful display of seafood. The live music was a great touch. -Vilu: Food was good and there is a really cute bar where you can relax with a cocktail beach side. Came here for happy hour which was nice. They also have an ala carte breakfast, but we thought the buffet had way more options. -Breakfast buffet; Honestly, this was probably the highlight of our food experiences. This buffet it massive and offers American, Chinese, Indian, Maldivian and various other types of breakfast foods. They have an omlette station and a fresh juicing station. -Manager's Cocktail Hour: Hilton Honor members (not sure of which status level) get invited to the manager's cocktail hour which has apps. and cocktails. It is a great way to meet the staff and mingle. The staff is incredibly welcoming. We made friends with several staff members and learned so much about their backgrounds from all corners of the world. The general manager will be sure to welcome you and inquire about your stay. You can tell he truly cares about your feedback as well. Spa: My husband and I had a couples massage at the spa and it was one of the best massages I have ever had. I had Marcel as my massage therapist and she was very thorough. She offered stretching at the end as well. The overwater spa rooms are beautiful as well....can't miss out on the open air toilet! Excursions & water sports: We were very grateful to have joined friends on the private yacht to swim with whale sharks. Our snorkel guide made sure we were ready to go once a whale shark was spotted. Once out in the ocean you are competing with other tour groups to swim with the whale sharks, but the team at Conrad was actually able to get us 10-15 mins alone with one. I was worried about jumping into the deep ocean, but the water is crystal clear and still rather shallow. I believe we got to swim with 3 different whale sharks. I chickened out on the first jump, but the snorkel/dive instructor took my hand and made me feel as ease the second time around. While we did not go fishing, our friends made it back with a great catch, which the chef at Rangli Bar prepared deliciously for lunch. -Paddle boards: Paddle boards are free and a great option for any time of the day, you can actually take the paddle boards all the way to the opposite island. There did not seem to be much of a current either. You can rent snorkel gear upon check in and keep them with you until departure. This was a nice touch to be able to throw on your gear and snorkel around your villa. House Reef: Due to the rising temps of the water, the coral bleached about 6 months prior to our arrival in February. We were told that the coral was making a healthy turn around and we did get to see some live corals returning. There is an abundance of fish from trigger fish, angel fish, tangs, puffers, I believe I saw some clown fish, black tip reef sharks, rays, and turtles. Neither my husband or I saw the turtles, but the lifeguard guided us where we could likely see them. Try to plan accordingly with the wind, this side of the island was exposed to the wind the days we were there, so it was a bit choppy. Gounds: The ground are immaculately kept. In the morning and throughout the day, the grounds keepers are sweeping the sand and keeping things very clean. The resort is made up of 3 islands, the adult side, family side, and the staff side. It is massive and you can get quiet a few steps in. There are certain parts of the islands where you can literally dive into the ocean from the beach or walk out several hundred feet. We met several people who said this resort was far superior to the Conrad Bora Bora. I cannot imagine how you can go up from here. The water is crystal clear. One thing that was very nice to hear about was the conditions of the staff island. While we did not go over there, we were told about how they have one of the best football stadiums (they compete against other resorts in various sports) and their own bar on the other side. They also are fortunate to have a colony of nurse sharks that call come to their beaches. We heard that a lot of Maldivian resorts do not have private areas for their staff and that staff are often situated in the middle of the islands exposed to hotel guests. It was very nice hearing about their accommodations. The staff: The staff truly make this experience unforgettable. Take some time to get to talk to them an know them. We met people from Singapore, India, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Myanmar, Thailand, Philippines, all over. Some over them have been there since the opening of the resort. The Conrad also offers them wonderful travel benefits and many have been able to travel all over the world, some share truly incredible stories. Butler Service: You are assigned a butler upon arrival, be sure to download Whatsapp for quick communication. We were able to make reservations and ask questions throughout the day as needed. We also got locked out of our villa one day and were able to ask for assistance this was as well. Departure: Conrad will arrange your TMA flight for departure based off of your outbound international flight. You will get this a day or 2 prior to leaving. Naeem arranged for our luggage pick up and our pick up, ensuring we had time to eat prior to leaving. The Maldives has been on my bucket list for a while, we went back and forth between here and the Waldorf Astoria. My husband like super modern ultra luxury, so I think the Waldorf would have been more of his style. He loved the premier villa as this was very updated and modern. The island gives you a tropical luxurious feel. You do not need to be over the top dressed up for dinners and can go without packing shoes. I loved that about this place too. You truly feel transported to a slice of heaven where you can disconnect. On that note though, the wifi works very well. We would go back in a heartbeat. Thank you so much to the staff from the grounds keepers, housekeepers, waiters, bartenders, butlers, and GM who made this all a once in a life time unforgettable experience. We will be back for sure!

We have been going to the Maldives for the last 4 years, staying at different resorts. We decided to go to the Conrad and booked their grand water villa with pool for 10 days. We had a few issues with our room and our butler (Erika), Thomas Hoeborn the resort manager rectified the issue and as an apology he upgraded us. We don’t like to make a big fuss, especially as we like to go away and relax due to the demand of owning multi businesses. But on this occasion we had to say something. I can honestly say he truly was amazing and his customer service in taking care of his guests were second to none. Thank you once again, Thomas! The island is clean and well kept, staff were amazing on both islands. Although there was one really rude and obnoxious staff called Shark that I believe was the manager at the restaurant on the quiet island. One day I thought I would try the gym on this island and go for breakfast. I finished my workout and headed to the restaurant, Shark then refused to give me a table as I wasn’t allowed to wear my gym clothes at breakfast. I questioned him about this and told him this isn’t a problem on the main island restaurant. But he wasn’t budging and I didn’t come on a relaxed holiday to be arguing with someone useless. I then left very disappointed and humiliated - never went back to that restaurant again! I just stuck with the main restaurant that served breakfast and staff were very welcoming! There were a few staff that went above and beyond throughout our stay, I would like to thank Backura, Ivan, Mutheen and Rooman for making our stay extra special. I would recommend the undersea restaurant for the experience. Dwayne was a great host! Our favourite restaurants have got to be UFAA and the Sunset Grill. Overall a great holiday, It would have been a 5 star given the issues but the Shark situation was not pleasant at all! Suggestions: The island is really big, so bikes for guest would be amazing and refurb the water villas as they are looking tired.

Even after 5 times the island is just one of the best spots in the world! Rooms are exceptional and the staff is friendly as always. The food is fantastic.. the price went up a 100% since my last visit. Beverage prices are insane… for example 4 persons for dinner: wine soda and sparkling water over $ 150. we took the cheapest wine we could get! A soda like sprite over $10 Chateau Minuty as example $150 Ect… not really funny at all! We recommend to book half board or full board. More infos will follow

Overall, we had a fantastic experience here. Our honeymoon expectations were met. We got the sunrise over water bungalow and the view was to die for. We thought it was going to be sitting on top of the water but it was more of a beach side over water. We learned that many people preferred this, and first weren't seeing the appeal, but quickly realized how nice it was to have the beach behind us and the ocean in front. Seeing so much crabs on the beach and sharks in the water every morning was the many highlights of our day. (Right from our toilet!) We got lucky and got the room in the edge so only had one neighbor on one side. Breakfast buffet was fantastic and if it gets old you can switch it up and head to Vilu for breakfast. Cocktail visiting hour at Ithaa under the sea is highly recommended. We had such a great time me and if worth the $125+ per person versus lunch or dinner. House reef was nice and had plenty of fishes for us to snorkel with. We saw sharks, manta rays, sting rays, and such a variety of fish. The coral life leaves something to be desired. I hope people are more conscious about their interactions as I witnessed some coral killers just standing on and stepping on the coral :( Remember, it's their house, we are guests. We never missed a Hilton honors happy hour and made some great friends. The canapes were usually delicious and the staff was good about taking care of us. We usually could get at least 3 rounds in. People that stood out: Our host Shmack was always in communication with us. Our housekeeper Mohammed was kind and intuitive to our needs. Kosy from Atoll ALWAYS with a smile and warmth every morning and checked in on us. My husband quickly said, this position is a waste of talent for him. The staff needs to be trained by him. Our room was amazing, food was great, albeit pricey, but we are in the middle of the ocean, so no real complaints. Just wished the beach was smoother, but not much they can do. I would recommend water shoes as the shells and coral sometimes hurt. Grabbing a buggy seemed inconvenient at first, but they come pretty fast. You can call your host to arrange or the front desk. We also took the Dhoni (taxi boat) on the last day and it was funner than the buggy. They only operate during breakfast, happy hour, & dinner. Also, the private lounge prior to getting on the seaplane was really nice. Conrad had their own exclusive lounge and it wasn't shared it with other resorts.

We really enjoyed our second stay at the Conrad Rangali Island, Maldives. The Resort and food was excellent, but on this occasion we want to concentrate on the staff and the Maldivian people. We had one of the nicest, genuine and thankful host in Khaleel, nothing was to much trouble, his communication was high, he was never late and showed kindness, compassion, gratitude and thoughtfulness throughout our stay, thank you Khaleel. We also had the pleasure to meet and share a drink with the extremely hard working Hotel Manager Akshat, a great guy, full of positivity about the resort and keen to hear the feedback from guests. We had no negatives at all, just complimenting the team, which he appreciated. The Maldivian night was fabulous, ran by the inspiring Abdulah who is a real superstar, from start to finish he made us feel special and we are very grateful for that. We loved every breakfast in the vilu restaurant, the staff are just amazing, we also had two lovely meals here. Many thanks to the whole team especially Hussain, Ahmed and Zaadh - you are all special. The sunset grill was fantastic, the manager superb, they were always so busy I forgot to write the team’s names down - sorry, you know who you are and you are fabulous. We also loved the bars. But this is all about the wonderful 500 staff on this island, thank you all from the bottom of our hearts. We will return.