Honest Impressions from Our Honeymoon Stay at Angsana Velavaru (October 2025)
We stayed at Angsana Velavaru from October 18 to 26, 2025, for our honeymoon and my birthday. We had originally planned to book through Booking.com because the deal looked better, but the system failed during checkout and said the offer was no longer valid. We ended up booking directly through the hotel website at a higher rate. The website mentioned a clear package: Beach Villa with Full Board, plus several included activities like night fishing, a romantic dinner on the beach, and an $80 daily credit for water sports or spa. We also sent a message mentioning our honeymoon and my birthday, asking for a modern, quiet villa on the beach. The reply was short and generic — just confirmation of the booking and a note that transfer payment was due on arrival.
After a long journey with a layover, we arrived in Malé around 1:40 pm. The hotel’s representative was friendly and guided us to the Angsana lounge. Everything seemed well organized at first, but we were told the wait for the seaplane would be at least three hours. In the end, we departed Malé only at 5 pm, after sitting for over three hours in the lounge. The flight itself took about 1 hour and 15 minutes, with a stop at another resort for refueling. By the time we arrived at Velavaru, it was already dark and we had missed the sunset we were looking forward to.
Check-in was basic. There were only a few staff members, and the process felt rushed. Despite it being late and us clearly tired, we were asked to fill out paperwork before being shown to our villa. A young staff member with limited English led us to Beach Villa 133. Unfortunately, the villa was old and poorly maintained — worn furniture, torn curtains, cobwebs, yellowed bedding, windows that barely closed, and overall a very tired look. Privacy was also an issue, as we could hear every sound from the neighboring room. There were no sigh of welcoming gesture for us - no flower arrangements, no fruits or vine.
It wasn’t at all what we expected after our message about a honeymoon and birthday stay.
We immediately spoke up, and to his credit, the staff member said he would check for options. Later that evening, a manager named Imran approached us at reception. He apologized sincerely, acknowledged the condition of the villa, and offered to move us to Villa 128 at no extra cost. That villa was newer, cleaner, brighter, and much more comfortable — with a pool, quiet air conditioning, and fresh linens. We appreciated his attitude and finally felt we could relax and start enjoying the island.
From that point on, our stay was generally good. The island itself is beautiful, with lush greenery and turquoise water. Still, we noticed a lack of attention to detail and warmth from the staff. For example, even though the hotel knew about our honeymoon and birthday, there were no special touches — no decorations, no small gestures. My birthday was acknowledged later, which felt awkward and fake.
I had mentioned I’m a certified diver and was interested in diving spots, but no one followed up. The activities included in our package, like night fishing or the beach dinner, were never offered. It felt like the team waited for guests to insist instead of proactively creating experiences.
Food was fine overall — simple but tasty. The main buffet restaurant had enough variety, and theme nights like “Mongolian Night” were amusing, even if unrelated to Mongolia. The Mediterranean à la carte restaurant was disappointing, but the Pan-Asian one was good. Service was friendly but inconsistent. Some staff members stood out: Imran, who handled our concerns with professionalism; Laila, a kind and attentive waitress at the main restaurant; and a young man from the pool bar who was also a photographer — all genuinely nice people who made a difference.
There were some logistical hiccups. One dinner reservation was made for us, but not mentioned where the restaurant was. We thought that, like another a la cart restaurant, it was on water villas and went there. We ended up drenched in the rain before realizing the restaurant is actually on a main island. The team later apologized and offered a small gesture, which was fair.
The snorkelling crew were friendly. The spa was wonderful — we went a few times and loved every treatment. Water activities like jet skis and kayaking were also great.
When it comes to marine life, the house reef was disappointing. The corals are almost completely dead, and marine life is scarce. We saw just one turtle, one small ray, and a single shark during the whole week. Coral bleaching is a widespread problem across the Maldives, but this reef felt especially empty compared to others we’ve visited.
We were also unlucky with the weather — it rained for about half of our stay with strong winds. Of course, that’s no one’s fault, but better service and small thoughtful gestures could have made those grey days more memorable. Instead, we mostly kept ourselves entertained.
Every request we made was eventually handled, but usually after some hesitation or confusion, rather than with natural hospitality. There was no GM cocktail or welcome event, which most Maldivian resorts have, and that absence reflected the distant management style we felt throughout.
Our departure was delayed by about two and a half hours. The hotel offered a late checkout, lunch, and drinks while we waited, which was kind. A helpful lady at reception kept us informed, though we couldn’t understand why our flight was delayed while planes from other islands were departing normally. Eventually, we were rushed to a departing seaplane and barely made our international flight. Stressful, but it ended well.
In the end, Angsana Velavaru is a beautiful island with solid facilities and nice surroundings. The natural setting is truly peaceful. But the lack of attention to detail, personalization, and proactive service holds it back from being exceptional. If the management invests more in genuine hospitality and guest engagement, this could be a fantastic place. For now, we’d describe it as a lovely island experience with room for improvement.
Best,
Daniel
