OBLU SELECT Lobigili

So lets start at the beginning. One of the reasons we booked Lobigili was the 15 minute transfer, unfortunately after clearing customs and collecting our bags very speedily, we went to the desk in Male airport and were told that we would have to wait an hour for the boat. After 16 hours of travelling this was not what we were expecting, especially as we had to wait outside very close to truck spewing out diesel fumes. This is at best misrepresentation and at worse fraudulent. Once we arrived at Lobigili, Ester our smiley host checked us in at the bar. Lobigili has no reception and everything is meant to be done via their app. This took 20 minutes to download and fill in all the details that they already had and was a pain. Ester eventually took us on a buggy to our over water nest villa, which was indeed splendid and Pooja our housekeeper kept it spotless. Why I had to request sparkling water for our mini bar 5 times before I got it vexxed me. Of course if there was a reception I could have mentioned it as I passed. The staff are generally very pleasant smiley and for the most part quite efficient, but alas not all. One of the things that irked us, was that for the most part there was an almost complete absence of management at the resort, perhaps that's their corporate philosophy, personally I thinks it's and abrigation of duty and care. Although I did speak to the restaurant manager a couple of times, once when he came to find me after I left the restaurant after my wife had finised her lunch and my fish never appeared. The other time when we went to the food truck for dinner and left having not eaten much dinner. The starter was a no choice bland, pre prepared over chilled prawn salad starter with an unpleasant dressing, I ordered the steak for my main and asked for it rare. It came out medium, with cold chips, cold mash and cold green veg, I just left it and left without eating it or a desert. This is simply unprofessional, lack of any care or attention to any detail, shocking that a professional chef could send this and not good enough for any establishment never mind a supposed 5* resort. Again the restaurant manager came to find me after the event in the bar to apologise, but hey it was a day late and a dollar short. In the main restaurant for lunch they are trying to do way to much and the standard is poor. They clearly have vast amounts of waste.They have various 'LIVE' stations, which means to me that the chef is going to cook you something NOW, but for the most part it meant he is going to serve you something cooked 3-4 hours ago - I know this as I asked the chef when what he was serving up was cooked and he told me. Sometimes less is more. Even the live stations for desert at dinner, the desert is precooked and stacked up. Overall the food was variable, but on too many occasions we simply left the food. On one evening my wife ordered Chicken Picanta, a thin slice of chicken was served with a congealed tepid sauce on it, the chicken was like shoe leather. I suspect it had been sitting under a heat lamp for 20-30 minutes. On the plus side the Maldavian/ Indian station did generally have very tasty Dal of the day and various 'LIVE' stews that had been brewing for hours. The underwater restaurant Only Blu was very pleasant on the 1st occasion we went, but on the 2nd the food was pretty poor and they had run out of various of the house wines and attempted to server supermarket bargain basement wines. The folks running the boats for the reef snorkel trip and sunset fishing were very professional and caring. Another thing we noticed was that there was very little atmosphere at Lobigili, perhaps that was because a lot of folks seemed to come for 2-4 days and also there was a large % of Russian and Chinese cliental. The staff running the main Bar, Saolo and Maya, worked their socks off and were always trying to be helpful, professional and efficient. The main bar itself is sunken and an architectural disaster. The staff can't see the clients and are roasted with the heat of all the fridges and dishwasher and the punters can't stand at the bar. When I said there was an almost complete absence of management, when we were having lunch ( another plate of dal!) an assistant manageress to stop by and asked how were enjoying our stay. I told her that I could go into details, but the simple questions she might has asked me were 1. Would we be returning - the answer is an unequivocal - NO and 2. Would would recommend Lobigili to anyone - the answer is an unequivocal - NO. After 10 days I at Lobigili I actually lost weight. Read less

We were greeted with special attention from the moment we landed at the airport. We came to oblu select lobigili by speedboat. The welcome was magnificent. All the employees were attentive and friendly. I would also like to thank Ruchika who took care of us throughout our holiday. Ruchika was very friendly, helpful and polite. So were all the employees. Every employee who sees you always greets you with a smile and this makes you feel very good. We chose this place for our honeymoon holiday. And we are glad we came. They had a few special surprises for honeymoon couples, we liked them all very much. Although we were a little unlucky in choosing the food at the main restaurant, Ylang Ylang, the dinner we had at Gaadiya was magnificent. At the same time, the lunch we had at the Only Blu restaurant with fish under the sea was an indescribable experience. They also gave us a 45-minute massage as a gift and it really provided us with perfect comfort. Our room was a sunset villa with a pool over the water and we spent our days admiring every corner of it. Oblu select lobigili is definitely a preferable place. We would like to thank all the staff, especially Ruchika, and the Haydi Maldives team. Read less

We came with my husband for honeymoon and stayed 4 nights. The whole team was so responsive, respectful and radiating good vibes. Saai has always been reachable and welcoming throughout our stay. She was amazing at scheduling and also the application of Lobigili was so helpful. The only thing we’re not happy with is that the island is peaceful yet too much quiet. It may be boring for the young couples unless they want to stay in their own island. For more fun, they can visit Ailafushi Island with buggies. Dj performance was good and we had fun. The food was amazing yet not that various. Our honeymoon dinner at Ylang Ylang was perfect. Overall, it was a good experience for us as it was the first time we visit Maldives. Thank you for the hospitality. Read less

Where does one even begin when writing a review for OBLU SELECT Lobigili? We’ve taken many family holidays over the years, but as we were leaving Lobigili, my wife turned to me and said, “How will we ever top this one?” That says it all. Arrival & Transfers The transfer from Malé was quick and seamless. After clearing immigration and customs, we found the Oblu desk and, within 15 minutes, were on the speedboat headed for Lobigili. The boat ride takes around 15–20 minutes, so from stepping off the plane to arriving on the island took about an hour—give or take 15 minutes. Upon arrival, we were warmly greeted at the jetty by our hosts. Check-in took place at the laid-back Swing Bar, followed by a short buggy tour of the island before being escorted to our rooms. No formal lobby, no reception desk—just genuine, personal hospitality. Accommodation We were a group of six—my wife and I, our son and daughter, and their partners—so we booked three SunNest Beach Pool Villas, rooms 110, 111, and 112. These are perfectly located in the middle of the beach villas and equidistant to both the Swing Bar and the Ylang-Ylang restaurant. The rooms were beautifully relaxing, set right on the beach and facing the sunset. Why Lobigili? The Lobi Plan. A major reason we chose Lobigili was its truly all-inclusive Lobi Plan. Everything is included, with no confusing upgrade tiers. For every four nights, you also receive: • One dinner at the underwater Only BLU restaurant • One dinner at the Gaadiya 17 food truck • One spa treatment • One house reef snorkeling trip All were unforgettable experiences, and I won’t spoil the surprise—if you go, you’ll see for yourself. Extra Activities We opted for three excursions through the watersports centre: • Swimming with stingrays • Swimming with nurse sharks • Swimming with turtles (although we didn’t see any on that trip) Yes, these are expensive, but for once-in-a-lifetime experiences, they were absolutely worth it. Note: the watersports centre is independently operated, so prices are set by them. However, snorkelling equipment is provided free for the duration of your stay. Food & Dietary Needs The food was sublime as mentioned above. Among our group, we had dietary needs ranging from gluten and dairy, lactose intolerance to vegan and vegetarian. Every meal was handled with care and flexibility—nothing was too much trouble. They adjusted or even specially prepared dishes to suit our requirements. The all-day dining concept is excellent, with a blend of buffet and live stations. • Breakfast and lunch: Salads, soups, breads, and desserts are buffet-style. Hot items are made-to-order at live stations and delivered to your table. • Dinner: A menu is presented at the table, but the buffet remains open for self-serve options. • Menus change daily, and we never once grew tired of the food—even after 12 nights. • Tuesday nights feature extra live cooking stations. The best steak and lamb chops I have ever had — cooked to perfection. Service & People The island is gorgeous and the facilities exceptional — but what truly sets Lobigili apart is the people. Every member of the team contributed to making our stay unforgettable. A Few Special Thank Yous: • Rinki & Ruchika – Our fantastic hosts. Thank you for looking after all six of us and always being at the end of WhatsApp if we required anything. • Divya & Maya – Masterful cocktails and always keeping our glasses full at Swing Bar. • Elin, Jenny, Novita, Dechen, Alpi, Citra & Rada – You made every meal feel special with genuine service. • Zuhoor, Sachin & Amir – The Executive Chef and team. You made food a highlight of the trip and effortlessly catered to our diverse dietary needs. • Sumeda – Your leadership of the F&B operation was exceptional and thank you especially for making our wedding vow renewal such a wonderful, heartfelt event. • Nasrulla – What can we say? Thank you to you and your entire team. None of us wanted to leave. If we could’ve locked ourselves in our villas, we might have! And to the many behind-the-scenes staff—gardeners, security, housekeeping, and support teams—thank you for everything you do each day to make guests’ holidays so memorable. Final Thoughts This was our first time in the Maldives, and we genuinely could not have wished for a better experience. OBLU SELECT Lobigili exceeded all expectations, and we would return in a heartbeat. To the whole team—thank you. You should all be incredibly proud of what you create every single day for guests. For those of you wondering about the weather in June, which is what we did. When it rains it comes and goes within 10 minutes, we had one storm but that was in the late afternoon and evening but again lasted 30 minutes but was actually nice to see. our last few days was still and clear blue skies, was windy in the first week but not that stops you doing anything as the wind is warm. The UV is hight so whether clear or cloudy factor up. In the end the small concern we had about June wasn't an issue. Read less