My trip to Eri Maldives (formerly Eriyadu) began as a nightmare but transformed into the most memorable experience of my life, thanks to the resort's incredible team and their relaxed, barefoot vibe.
While traveling to the Maldives, I suffered a sudden, severe meniscus tear. The pain was so intense that I had to call an ER just to get a travel certificate and an injection of painkillers. I arrived at the resort unable to walk without a wheelchair, and I almost canceled the entire trip out of fear that the injury would ruin my stay.
However, the staff’s sweet and caring attitude immediately melted my heart. Seeing my struggle, they provided crutches and arranged for in-room dining since I couldn't reach the restaurant. They even helped me arrange a visit to a local hospital for a steroid shot. While the shot eventually helped me walk well enough to go snorkeling, I experienced a moment of severe pain afterward where I couldn't move.
In an incredible act of kindness, when the pain flared up again, F&B manager and two bartenders went above and beyond, literally carrying me back to my villa in a chair from the restaurant so I could rest.
The entire restaurant staff, including the F&B managers, took such great care of me, delivering food to my room while I was immobilized. Once I was able to use my crutches to reach the restaurant, they constantly checked if I was in pain, knowing how difficult walking on sand can be. To ease my stress, the F&B managers surprised us with a special destination dining arrangement that gave me so many smiles and great memories.
The kindness didn't stop there. The General Manager was incredibly understanding, allowing us to use a resort credit from a friend who had to cancel at the last minute due to a family emergency. From the receptionists and boat crews to the housekeepers, every single person was friendly, caring, and always had a big smile. I told the F&B manager that we had a truly wonderful experience despite the circumstances.
I told F&B manager how much we appreciated their kindness. He replied that while they don’t have five-star amenities, they strive to make every guest's stay enjoyable and memorable. Since a Maldives trip is an expensive, once-in-a-lifetime experience, he wants everyone to have special memories at Eri.
He is a very caring person who treats all guests well. Having stayed at over 40 resorts―from high-end ones like Cheval Blanc Randheli and The Nautilus to others like Lilly Beach and Kagi―I’ve found that not many resorts have entry-level staff with this mindset. Eri does because of their great management team, and I truly appreciate their thoughtful hospitality.
Here are my reviews:
Villa
We stayed at Pool Beach Villa #352, which had a sunset view and was in front of the biggest beach. All of the beach villas are small at 45 m², but they are brand new, very pretty, and big enough for two people. They are also well-designed.
The bed is nice and comfy with soft down pillows. I like firmer mattresses and was very happy sleeping on my back all night. The bedside table has a big drawer and storage space underneath. There is one power socket and a USB and Type-C charger on each bedside table. If you use many gadgets at bedtime, I suggest bringing a two-way wall plug adapter.
The closet is small but well-designed with spaces for short and long dresses and many shelves. There was no beach bag, but there were cute pink and blue beach slippers that you could take home. The bathroom door is right next to it, and the full-length mirror on the door is very convenient.
The minibar, desk, and counter table with a shelf are combined to form a long, counter-like table stretching from the entrance to the window. There, we could eat and charge our many gadgets while storing bathing suits and luggage on the shelf. I haven't seen this kind of huge, useful counter space at casual resorts such as Kagi or Helengeli, and it was a big bonus for us.
There is no bathtub, but the bathroom is spacious with a good shower. The toilet is open-style with no door like at Kagi, but you can close the bathroom door.
There is only one sink, but it has a big counter and a big bottom shelf, so the two of us could easily store our skincare products.
It's a small but well-designed villa. The only drawback is that you have to walk through the bedroom to reach the bathroom from the deck or beach. However, there is a small faucet on the deck to wash your feet, and they provide lots of big beach towels and doormats. Therefore, we could wash off the sand and dry off before entering the room.
The AC worked well, but it got a little warmer in the late afternoon because of the sunset exposure. Otherwise, it was nice and cool, and we slept well at night.
Deck
The Pool Beach Villa has a huge deck space that includes a large plunge pool, dining and coffee tables with chairs, and beach chairs for sunbathing. There is a laundry rack to dry bathing suits.
The beach in front of our villa is a large, white, sandy beach that I could stare at all day long. The neighbors pulled their beach chairs onto the shallow part of the beach to sunbathe.
The beach in front of us is the biggest and prettiest, and there are beach chairs that any guest can use. I saw several guests moving them around the beach. Some guests played beach volleyball, walked, and gathered, but the beach is big enough that they never bothered us at all.
The drop-off is a bit far to go straight, but if you go to the right (3 o'clock), it's close to the best snorkeling area, which is in front of the Beach Shack.
Transfer
The caring AP staff assisted us with luggage and escorted us to the boat dock for our journey to Eri. Upon departure, they waited at the dock, helped with luggage, arranged a wheelchair, and escorted to the check-in counter.
Unfortunately, the group transfer boat hours to Eri are from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Since our flight arrives at 10:00 p.m., we had two options: stay at a hotel in Malé or Hulumalé, or charter a private boat. We booked a private boat to Eri, and it was a nice, smooth ride.
On the day of our departure, I believe Eri made special arrangements for the group boat to depart later at 7:00 p.m. due to my knee issue. Therefore, we were able to check in right away for our 11:00 p.m. flight and rest in the lounge well before our long flight.
Welcome Gifts
Since we stayed in the most expensive category, the Pool Beach Villa, we received a bottle of red wine, a fruit basket, sandwiches (because we arrived late and missed dinner), chocolate truffles, and cookies. Everything was delicious, and we enjoyed the midnight snacks.
Minibar
The minibar contained instant coffee, sugar, creamer, tea bags, and a kettle for hot water.
There were two large and two small water bottles provided at the sink, but you can ask for more if needed.
There is a refrigerator under the counter containing beer, wine, juice, soda, and Pringles in the drawer. However, the all-inclusive plan does not include these items.
House Reef
I don't know about the time in Eriyadu, but I was happy to see beautiful corals in some areas.
There were so many fish, especially during sunrise and early morning. Access to the drop-off is very easy from the beach, and it takes one hour to swim around the island. The best spot at the drop-off is in front of Beach Shack. I saw many fish and turtles not only at the drop-off, but also at the inner reef near the beach shack and in front of Pool Beach Villa #352. I swam around the island and didn't encounter any currents since it was March. I'd say half of the island is very enjoyable.
I regularly saw mobula rays, eagle rays, stingrays, several turtles (among the ten resident turtles), some Nemos, several sharks (including nurse sharks, white-tip reef sharks, and black-tip reef sharks), and schools of fish (including fusiliers, powder-blue surgeonfish, convict surgeonfish, jackfish, and parrotfish). Dolphins even passed by the house reef!
The reception desk provides free masks, snorkels, fins, and life jackets at the villa.
I suggest wearing a rash guard for the plankton. It's not every day, but when we saw tons of fish, we felt some tiny pains from them.
Restaurant
There is only one buffet restaurant, Soul Kitchen, has an ocean view, and an abundance of trees provides good shade and a pleasant atmosphere. It was hot on sunny days in March, and I wished there were more ceiling fans. All of the tables are on an open terrace, and you can choose to sit under a roof or enjoy an ocean view.
All of the floor staff are were super friendly and very attentive, but two people in particular made my trip memorable: Amitha and Suneel. They were incredibly kind and helped us tremendously. They will always be in our happy memories. They fed my stomach and soul. I can’t thank them enough.
The buffet offers a good variety of food for everyone, but don't expect Michelin star quality ingredients given the reasonable all-inclusive price. It's very similar to their sister resort, Nova, which I enjoyed. Since they just opened, they have been working on the menus. Honestly, I thought the food was pretty good. It's not five-star quality, but it's very good for a four-star budget. I found it to be better than Kagi's breakfast.
We brought some Long Beach dresses, but there wasn't much wind in March, and it got a little hot because it's inland and less breezy. I recommend bringing a mini dress or shorts to survive hot, windless days.
Breakfast includes various pastries and breads (doughnuts, croissants, muffins, toast, gluten-free), a hot station (eggs, sausages, bacon, hash browns, pancakes, waffles, miso soup, oatmeal), and warm dishes (Maldivian curry, rothi, mashuni, noodles, vegetables, beans). Cold options feature cheeses, cold cuts, smoked fish, fruits, salads, yogurt, and muesli.
Daily lunch and dinner offer a diverse rotating menu of appetizers, salads, seafood, meat, and barbecue. Fresh pizzas and pre-cooked pastas are also available to order.
New self-service coffee machines are available, sometimes with short lines. Mornings feature detox water and watermelon juice, while lunch and dinner offer soda and ice cream.
All-inclusive covers house wines, beer, soft drinks, juices, tea, and coffee at meals. No sparkling wine, but you can bring liquor and cocktails from the main bar like Helengeli.
Destination Dining (Additional Charge)
Since we stayed in a Pool Villa, we enjoyed a floating breakfast, floating canapés and champagne at sunset, as well as two beach dinners. The dinners were beautifully set up, and all of the dishes were delicious. I loved them all and highly recommend them.
There is a Sri Lankan chef, and you can request a beach dinner with a special course of Sri Lankan or Maldivian cuisine. There are many chefs, and you can ask the food and beverage (F&B) managers for other types of cuisine.
Restroom
There is a toilet in the public area right next to the main bar, Sip & Dip. It's very pretty and clean, like a five-star resort. Since I have a knee issue, it was a bit of a hassle. I wish there was one next to the restaurant.
Bars
The main bar, Sip & Dip, is also very pretty and sits on the beach. It has indoor tables and bar counters with stools, as well as many comfortable chairs on the outdoor deck where you can enjoy views of the jetty and gorgeous sunsets. It is open from 10 a.m. to midnight and serves snacks (finger sandwiches & cakes) from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. and from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. It is located next to the main pool, which offers beautiful sunset views.
There are daily entertainment options, including DJ nights, saxophone performances, live music, and Maldivian dance shows. All shows start after 9 pm. I enjoy sunrise snorkeling, so I couldn't make it to all of the entertainment options, but they're quite enjoyable.
They have a wide selection of hard liquors, draft beers, cocktails, mocktails, and juices. The all-inclusive plan included some basic cocktails and liquors, but not all of them. I only tried the mocktails, which were quite tasty, and the bartenders were very friendly.
The main bar has an à la carte menu with additional chargeable food options, such as burgers, pizzas, sandwiches, calamari, nachos, and truffle potatoes, among others. The food was very tasty.
There is a beach snack bar, Beach Shack, on the other side of the beach, near the best snorkeling area. It opens from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. You can drink draft beer, soft drinks, and water. Chargeable food and alcohol menus are also available.
There are lots of beach chairs, tables, and stools, and some people enjoyed having drinks and snacks while sunbathing and snorkeling.
Spa
The spa is open. However, the skincare and manicure products from Thailand were delayed, so we couldn't get facials, manicures, or pedicures this time. My friend and I got massages a few times, and our therapists were excellent.
Since I had a knee issue, I couldn’t go to the spa, but the therapist came to my villa, and I enjoyed the massage and relaxed. My therapist was a pretty, petite woman with a healing touch who eased my pain considerably. Her hands were soft, and she was a highly skilled therapist with extensive knowledge of muscles, tendons, and fascia. Therefore, my tense muscles from the injury relaxed without further pain. My lower back and right leg were tired and tight from supporting my left knee, but the therapist treated them so well that I slept like a baby. I highly recommend her.
Excursion Tours
We have diving licenses, but we stick with snorkeling because the house reef is very healthy with plenty of fish.
My friend went on a manta tour and saw four mantas up close. The tour included a snorkeling trip to Makunudu, where she saw lots of fish.
We went sunset fishing twice and caught many fish, such as barracuda, snapper, grouper, and reef fish. The chef served them right after the tour or for lunch and dinner the next day. We enjoyed fresh sashimi, as well as steamed, deep-fried, and grilled fish.
Pool
The main pool is right next to the main bar, has beach chairs with Sunbrella and some on the beach in front of it. Most people were hanging out at the beach, and we saw very few guests at the pool.
Mosquitoes
They spray every few days at sunset or whenever guests complain. There are some bushes behind our deck, and I have been bitten a few times, but my friends has not. I reported it to the staff, and they sprayed later on. There have been no more bites since then.
Residence
The residence has several grey herons, a few crows, some fruit bats, and many white-breasted water hens. They always come to drink the pool water because it's their own house. We saw a white-breasted waterhen family, including cute, fluffy chicks.
Children
There were a few young European children, but they were well-behaved and never made any noise. Not sure if they have kids club. The staff was very kind to the children, and the children liked them too.
Public area
The public area has a multipurpose court for football, tennis, and more, as well as a beach volleyball court. There is also a gym with updated equipment, a game room with Subbuteo and table tennis, a medical clinic, a gift shop, and a photo shop. All of these amenities are near the jetty and reception area.
Construction
All of the major construction was finished, and everything looked very nice. Some minor maintenance work was done in the staff room one day, but it didn't bother us.
Beach and Seawalls
In front of our villa is the biggest white sandy beach. The next biggest one is where the beach shack is. I couldn’t walk around the island, but my friend did. The beach near the main bar and spa was smaller, with a few wave blockers like the ones at Milaidhoo. The smaller beach could be a seasonal issue, as most resorts in the Maldives have suffered erosion in the past several years. During my stay, the right side of the jetty toward the beach shack had plenty of sand and looked beautiful.
There were some seawalls near the jetty, which were visible from our deck but didn't bother us. When I swam around the seawalls, near the jetty carefully, I I saw lots of baby fish hiding there and sharks passing by.
I heard that there were some broken pieces of coral on one part of the beach before we got there, but they had already been removed by the time we arrived.
My friend, new to the Maldives, finds it tough to pick another resort after Eri's outstanding hospitality. She raves about the fish-filled reef, turtles, cozy villa, sandy beach, and the friendly staff. I share her sentiments and am grateful.
GM Haroon is so sweet, warm, and caring—just like a father.
F&B managers, Amitha and Suneel, are kind, funny, and reliable, like big brothers. They took great care of us and were a great company when I was down because of a knee issue.
Ali, the waiter, always made sure my juice and water were full. He worked hard but never forgot to smile. Ditha's happy smile also made us happy. All the waiters were attentive and caring.
Sagor, the housekeeper, cleaned the villa from corner to corner, making it shine like a five-star resort. He always greeted us with a bright smile and made sure we had everything we needed. He also created beautiful flower arrangements and sand art at the entrance. Even after we checked out, he came to visit us and see if we needed extra towels or toilet paper until we left that night.
Soliha, the salesperson who accompanied me to the local hospital, took great care of me and comforted me with her pretty smile.
The bartenders, Hirusha and Dharshan, are not only making great cocktails, but they are also very attentive and caring. They actually carried me in a chair when I had a sharp pain and couldn’t stand or walk anymore. They were so caring, always checking if I felt better and noticing when my walking improved in the later days.
The boat captains and crew are nice and funny. I couldn't climb the boat's ladder, so I had to give up the snorkeling and diving tours. I joined the dolphin and sunset fishing tours instead, and I enjoyed them a lot. The captains and crew were so caring and supportive. They held my hand when I got on and off the boat, even on the return trip to AP and during the hospital visit.
The reception staff deserves a mention as well. They are informative, always respond to WhatsApp messages right away, and are sweet, caring, and have gentle smiles.
The clinic doctor is very thorough and informative. She comforted my mind and heart.
Due to the Middle Eastern issues, many guests had to cancel or were canceled by the airlines, and the occupancy rate was between 50% and 70%, including the 5% of guests who were stranded and didn't have a flight home as planned. The resort staff, especially the management, were busy helping and entertaining the guests. I spoke with some guests who extended their stay to catch several connecting flights home. They appreciated the staff's kindness and assistance during a stressful time.
Over the past 20 years, I have visited more than 40 resorts in the Maldives, some of which I have visited more than once. This is a lovely, natural island with some of the friendliest staff.
I adore the Universal/Pulse resorts, especially Eri, a four-star resort with exceptional five-star service. Although not extravagant, Eri offers limited activities like diving, snorkeling, sunbathing, and spa treatments. What makes it special is the friendly and welcoming staff, who make you feel like a valued guest from the moment you arrive. Their smiles are still vivid in my memory.
Will I go back to Eri? Absolutely!
I recommend Eri to people who like laid-back, barefoot, small-island resorts with pretty, comfortable villas, a great reef full of fish, and warm, family-like hospitality.
