Atmosphere Kanifushi

It is a very amazing and unforgettable experience for us to stay in Kanifushi. The infrastructure of this resort satisfies all of us and the recreation also leaves us a deep impression. Besides, I would like to mention that Sonya, a staff in Kanifushi who served as our steward, provided us with a lot of help. Without her, our experience in Kanifushi would not have been so good. Read less

A few disclaimers: While this review is not glowing, I still want to point out that there were positive things about our time in Kanifushi. It is truly impossible to visit the Maldives and not fall in love with the sound of the ocean, the night sky, and the incredible sunsets. We were so lucky with the weather, it had rained for 14 days prior to our arrival, but was sunny and beautiful during our stay! Also, this was not our first time visiting the Maldives, and we have stayed at another Atmosphere property that we loved, Varu. This review is about Kanifushi, and I will break it down into simple pros and cons: Things we loved: - The all inclusive package! We did this at Varu as well, and it is one of the things we love about Atmosphere properties. Honestly, would not visit the Maldives without it being all inclusive. It just works best for us. - The pick up and drop off service to and from the airport by seaplane. The staff in the airport and everyone we interacted with on the journey from the chaos of VIA to the the resort was excellent and efficient. This was also true of the return journey. Seamless. - Seaplane transfer included in the rate! It definitely is a standout benefit! - The villa we stayed in was amazing. We had booked a Beach Villa with pool. It was large and very comfortable. We honestly enjoyed staying there most of the day just enjoying the seclusion and our part of the quiet beach. - The included experiences - we took advantage of the free massage as well as a sunset cruise. Both were great! There were other included perks, but honestly we just enjoyed reading and relaxing most of the days! - Food (Pros) - Food and beverage will be on both lists as we felt there were good and then not so good. We loved the Sunset Restaurant, once we discovered it we went there for lunch and drinks most days. Our included Speciality dinner was there, and it was excellent. We also booked (at a charge) in Teppanyaki for dinner - by far the best meal and the chef and staff were EXCELLENT! - Staff (Pros) - Like Food and Beverage, the Staff will make both lists. In general the staff at the property was "fine". Perhaps the stand outs I will mention are simply because the majority of the staff were just ok. However with in the over 500 employees on the island these few left us with a great memory. I will apologize for not getting names, but honestly seldom did the staff even introduce themselves unless we asked - As mentioned above, the Chef at Teppanuaki - he was welcoming, funny, skilled at his job, and honestly made the dining experience amazing for everyone at the table that night. The crew of the Sunset Cruise was lovely, engaged with the guests and made an effort to to connect with everyone. The servers at the Sunset restaurant and the chef made an extra effort to be friendly, warm, and welcoming. The one shuttle driver, I wish I knew his name because he was by far the best employee they have! He chatted with us, would always wave and greet us even if we were walking or on another shuttle. I know he loves football, and played for the Main Office Team. Honestly just a great guy! Now to the Cons: - Overall impression - the island is large (over 2km), so you feel that on the island. Sadly, I am comparing this to our experience in Varu - which had such an intimate experience. The staff really got know us, and we got to know them. Here that didn't happen. Not sure if it set up that way, or that the over staff are not interested. - Check In Process - My partner and I found it odd, that we had to do all the work at check in. We were asked to log into the app, enter all our information, etc while the GRO sat there. I guess it is a small thing, but after traveling all day, I really just wanted someone to take my passport and get me checked in; rather than trying to make my eyes focus on an app and set up wifi, etc. - The Waiting Area - I understand that rooms won't be ready when you arrive early, also I realize that you will not be able to stay in a room if you have a later check out. Please do more with the waiting area - have it staffed so that you can get a drink, small bites of food, etc. Maybe even have a small shower dressing area to change and freshen up. (If any of this was available it was not shared, and that is also a missed opportunity). - The GRO - we saw rave reviews from others about their GRO, ours was lack luster. Honestly, I think if I hadn't texted him with what we needed we would have never heard from him. No daily check in, no check up on us. In fact, I even had to remind him that I had requested spa booking. After he dropped us at our rooms we never saw him again, and never even heard from him unless I reached out with a request. To be fair, if I asked for a reservation or housekeeping he was very prompt in his reply! In the end, he never even wished us well on our check out or trip back. Again, just odd if you are the Guest Relations Officer, but really dont build a relationship with your guest. - Food ( Cons) - Outside of the locations we mentioned above - the food and food service was ok. The Main Buffet was average. Again, I just felt lost and unseen there. Most mornings we walked into Spice, and there was no one to greet or seat us. Our first day a kind gentleman who was sweeping took pity on us, and got us a table. What we realized was that if host or hostess didn't seat you you were never gonna see a server. Once you were at a table, you were on your own for breakfast. The food for breakfast was average at best. Dinner service and food were much better, and the staff at dinner more attentive and friendly. - Shuttle Service - the island is huge from end to end. Walking is ok, but we were at the top of the island, and it was a solid 20+ min walk to the main areas. Thankfully Sunset was closer! So the shuttles were important and needed. But they were hit and miss in timing. There was another app we were asked to download and use in order to track the buggies. It helped, but we always had to really plan on when to leave because we found the shuttles inconsistent especially around dinner or meal times. You ended up walking because you couldn't find a shuttle or if you did they were full. That system definitely needs a bit of love and organization, because it is impotent to the experience of the island. - Staff (Cons) - I general I found them ok, No one was unprofessional or unpleasant. It may be unfair to compare, but at Varu we knew our servers, bartenders, and housekeeper but because they went out of their way to actually make those connections. (It made tipping so much easier easier). I never even met our housekeeper, and I have already mentioned our GRO. Perhaps because of the size of the island, and the larger guest to staff ratio it is not possible to achieve that connections, but I really feel it is just about training and expectations being set. In the end I gave the overall resort a 4 (if possible I may have made it a 3.5). It was good, but would I go back to this specific Atmosphere property probably not. It may not sound it, but we really are easy guests. We like friendliness and to feel like we are seen. Something I just found missing at Kanifushi. While this resort may not be to our expectations, we know that it may be different for someone else. Read less

We celebrated my husband's birthday and our wedding anniversary in Kanifushi. It was a magical vacation! From the moment we arrived, the managers and escorts took care of our comfort, convenience, and tranquility. 🛩️The seaplane flight lasted 45 minutes, and it was an unforgettable and very interesting experience. The villa was cozy and clean. The restaurants and bars served delicious food, and the portions were generous. I really enjoyed excellent service and food at the Ceylon Bliss bar 🔥, and I highly recommend it. It's a Sri-Lankan street food bar, and the food is spicy but incredibly delicious. The Spice restaurant offers a buffet with a wide variety of options. The Sunset restaurant has a romantic setting with an adults-only pool, and the menu is also excellent. On my husband's birthday, our cleaner wrote a birthday message on the bed and prepared a bubble bath with flower petals, and at dinner, he was greeted with a song and a candle cake. It was a lovely surprise 🥳. For our wedding anniversary, we had a dinner on the beach by the ocean near our villa. The setting was beautiful and very romantic, and the dinner itself was beyond praise! We only met people when we rode bicycles or in restaurants. We had an amazing rest! A quiet, peaceful vacation. It's just us, the sand and the sea, the ocean 😄🐠 Read less

Our stay at Atmosphere Kanifushi was absolutely wonderful! The resort is stunning, with breathtaking views, pristine beaches, and excellent facilities. The food was delicious, with plenty of variety to suit every taste. A special mention to Hashi, our Guest Relations Officer, who was incredibly helpful and welcoming throughout our stay—she made us feel right at home and ensured everything was perfect. The staff overall were friendly and attentive, making the experience even more memorable. From the relaxing atmosphere to the exceptional service, Atmosphere Kanifushi truly offers a dream getaway in the Maldives. We can’t wait to return! Read less