Le Méridien Maldives, A Return to Paradise

An insider’s review of escapism and elegance.

Tucked away on Thilamaafushi Island in the Lhaviyani Atoll, Le Méridien Maldives resort delivers on all fronts for friends, families, and honeymooners, while still managing to surprise. I experienced this from a couple’s perspective and from my holiday, I realised it is also a fabulous place for families and friends. Read on to find out why I will return to paradise (next time with my family in tow) and why you should book a stay too. 

Accommodation

Le Méridien doesn’t just offer the expected Maldivian beauty. It offers a distinct interpretation of luxury - marrying elegance with sustainability, exclusivity, and exceptional French style design influences. Varying options are available to accommodate couples, friends, or families and you can choose from a Lagoon, Beach, or Overwater Villa, with options of a hammock, garden pool, or overwater pool. The rooms feature a separate WC and bathroom, walk-in wardrobes, fridge, and the usual amenities of a five-star resort.

We chose to stay in a sunset overwater villa with a private pool. We had a private deck with sun loungers, a separate WC, separate bathroom, and separate shower room with tinted windows overlooking the ocean. The clever design meant that from snorkelling in the ocean, we could climb the ladder back up to our own deck, rinse off with the power tap, and enter straight into the shower room. Our pool overlooked the ocean and was perfect for watching the sunset; what better way to enjoy this oceanfront pool than with one of the add-on activities - a Floating Breakfast! With a variety of menu options to choose from, we opted for the Indian option. This was a perfect, private, and romantic resort experience.

Dining

Fine dining in the Maldives is expected – and Le Méridien distinguishes itself by infusing personality, creativity, and genuine hospitality into every meal. If dining is a crucial part of your holiday, here it’s the human element that truly elevated our experience. There were chefs catering to all preferences from European, to Indian and Chinese. When I made bespoke dish requests for a birthday, they were delighted to accommodate, creating beautifully spiced chicken Kothu and curries, tailored to our tastes using ingredients sourced from their very own hydroponic greenhouse.

With different meal plans available to guests, I highly recommend the All-Inclusive option as you have the most choice and can also enjoy meals and drinks at all the on-site restaurants (unlike other resorts) with an incredible variety of cuisines to suit all tastes. Plus, the in-room beverages were also complimentary. What I love when travelling is variety, and not eating every meal in the same buffet restaurant morning and night. This was never a problem at Le Méridien Maldives as each of the resort’s restaurants were available and showcase a unique culinary narrative:

Turquoise offers global dishes with local flair - enhanced by unforgettable sea views. They rotate the cuisine daily so you will never feel bored, and the breakfast service is impeccable, where you can view and order from live kitchen stations, and they come and deliver to your table, so you avoid the buffet queues you see in most resorts. 

Velaa Bar + Grill is ideal for elevated beachfront dining - think grilled lobster and champagne under the stars. And in the day, Velaa is the perfect beach café, with special additional barbeque buffets at their bi-weekly beach parties with DJs and dance entertainment. 

The poolside service was fantastic - press a button and someone appears to take your order so you can keep on tanning.

Tabemasu, the Japanese dining concept, presents a serene and precise omakase experience with impeccable service.

Riviera – a Spanish restaurant with a selection of dishes to suit anyone, and the most beautiful tropical beach views and atmosphere perfect for romantic dinners or a birthday celebration.

Waves is fantastic with more options suited to the health conscious traveller.

La Vie, a refined yet relaxed adult-only bar designed for indulgence with sun loungers and beds providing uninterrupted ocean views, plus a private pool. 

With special seasonal promotions for guests, my favourite was the 5-6pm ‘Ring for Rosé’ hour, where they have a decorated pink booth and bell where any adults can come and enjoy a glass of rosé at sunset on the house.

Latitude situated near reception offering tea, coffees, and snacks made the resort standout for us; when the catering team learned of our early departure (6am) before the breakfast opened, they arranged for our breakfast to be delivered to Latitude in takeaway containers, with our preferences packed for our onwards journey.

Activities, Sports and Experiences

The most energising and unforgettable experience I enjoyed at Le Méridien Maldives was scuba diving. Unlike many high-end resorts that require lengthy boat transfers to reach decent diving spots, Le Méridien Maldives boasts its own vibrant house reef just five minutes offshore. This is an extraordinary feature - and important because as part of your dive experience, as you spend less time getting to the dive site, you spend more time diving. 

We had the privilege of being guided by Ping, a Japanese dive master, who is as intuitive as she is skilled. As divers with a couple of issues (managing both asthma and claustrophobia) Ping’s calm and professional guidance transformed our initial anxiety into what became a once-in-a-lifetime experience. We encountered five sea turtles, majestic stingrays, baby sharks, swordfish, and an entire ecosystem of marine life that looked as though it had swum straight out of Finding Nemo.

The Dive Centre offers many courses for a range of ages, and the price justifies the experience of the guides, equipment, and of course the range of marine life that you are guaranteed to see.

For those that want to rejuvenate, there is an on-site gym, a range of complimentary exercise classes like sunset yoga, a Padel court, a water sports centre where kayaking and paddle boarding are complimentary, and a kid’s club, plus babysitting services. The dive centre also provides free snorkelling gear throughout your stay. 

You can also enjoy art classes with creations from canvas paintings to decorating coconut shells and coral fragments - subtly reinforcing the island’s sustainability ethos. Also on offer when I was there were sushi masterclasses and barista workshops, which rotate according to season and demand.

My favourite pastime was visiting the spa, and the Explore Spa by Le Méridien offers a view like no other. Nestled above the lagoon, each treatment room features a glass floor where you can watch vibrant corals and curious fish drift beneath you as you receive your massage. The therapists are highly skilled, the treatment menu is diverse and grounded in both wellness and indulgence, and the tranquil atmosphere is truly restorative. I would highly recommend you opt for the signature Balinese massage, although I tried a variety of treatments as they had some special offers on for multi-bookings, and all the therapists and treatments were equally impressive. 

I noticed a small inconvenience on my first visit to the spa - no hooks in the bathrooms to hang up clothes, and mentioned this as a suggestion to staff. The next day when I went for another treatment, they had already been installed, so this is a place where staff genuinely welcome your feedback and take it seriously.

The Surprises

One of the hidden gems at Le Méridien Maldives is the professional photoshoot included free for all guests. The photographer’s talent is extraordinary, and the resulting images are magazine-worthy. That said, the lack of a pre-shoot briefing is something they could consider improving upon. A note with suggestions for attire, shoes (not required even if wearing dresses), accessory options like sunglasses, or the opportunity for outfit changes (e.g., swimwear/daywear and evening wear) would elevate the experience and provide a wider variety of photos to encourage people to purchase them. However, for honeymooners or milestone moments, the results are undeniably exquisite and if you don’t want to buy the photos, there is no pressure and you are given one complimentary printed image as a keepsake.

Le Méridien’s design aesthetic is mid-century modern meets Maldivian minimalism, with light wood tones, sustainable materials, and clever spatial planning. Everything is designed to blend into the natural landscape, creating an atmosphere of understated sophistication. 

Le Méridien Maldives wears its eco-conscious ethos with quiet pride with solar-powered energy infrastructure, on-island water bottling and waste reduction, Coconut-based crafts, and local materials used throughout the resort. Bicycle rentals however are charged at $10/day, which feels out of place given the sustainability narrative, as not only would complimentary bikes reduce buggy demand (which often involves wait times), but it would reinforce the island’s commitment to low-impact travel. 

Another hidden treat you must not miss is The Greenhouse - an eco-luxury innovation that allows guests to enjoy ultra-fresh produce grown sustainably on the island. Ingredients marked with the greenhouse symbol appear throughout the menus and you can enjoy a tour to learn about their produce and methods. 

Le Méridien Maldives felt a bit like going to the Cheers bar - staff remember your name, your preferences, and your rhythm, and I give special commendations to: Emma (Turquoise), who greeted us like old friends every morning, Abhishek, the F&B Manager, whose passion for service and customer delight is evident in every interaction, Simon at the Velaa Beach Bar, who welcomed everyone with a huge smile and genuine warmth, and Nicole from Sales, who offered us a private island tour that left us completely connected to the resort’s mission and vision.

While the Maldives is a year-round destination, the ideal months to visit are from November to April, with calm seas and uninterrupted sunshine. We visited during late August and found the occasional tropical rain shower to be brief and atmospheric rather than disruptive. We could still have sundowners on our private pool deck as the area was semi-covered, which is not something other resorts always offer. This is a resort that is a once in a lifetime place to tick off your bucket list, and once you go, you will experience why it feels like a return to paradise, that you will repeat.

Summary of the Signature Experiences Not to Miss:

• Balinese massage at the Explore Spa watching the coral life 
• Scuba diving at the breath-taking house reef 
• Private photo shoot with a keepsake (pack two outfits!)
• Farm-to-table dining and cocktails featuring greenhouse produce
• Floating Breakfast in your private pool

For a limited time, we have a special offer for our clients for Le Méridien Maldives:  Flights, 7 nights with a free upgrade to All-Inclusive, a complimentary upgrade to an overwater villa with pool, free seaplane transfers, and lounge access with 25kg luggage – all from only £2599pp.

To book this offer at Le Méridien Maldives, call our Premier team on 0208 819 9852.

 

---

Back to Blog listing