OBLU SELECT Sangeli

We stayed at Sangeli in November and had a really wonderful holiday as a family of four. We had a 4 year old and 2 year old with us who absolutely loved it and the hotel was great for kids if you choose to take them. But don’t be put off if you don’t have kids, there are plenty of places to get away from them! The location is beautiful as expected and the hotel gorgeous. The staff were excellent, couldn’t have been more friendly or helpful, they’re a real asset to the hotel and made our stay as good as it was. They went over and above, with the breakfast staff even organising cupcake decorating for our daughter on our last morning as she was missing the activity that afternoon! We had a beach villa on the main island and were lucky to be very close to the main restaurant, pool and beach bar which made things very easy with small children. The rooms are lovely and kept clean and the outdoor bathroom was a real hit with the children! We spent most days by the pool on the main beach as enjoyed the snorkelling and waterslide! The kids spent hours either in the pool or playing on the beach. The snorkel trip that was included was really good and great to have an option to see a different part of the reef. I also went on the guided house reef daily tour as we always had to snorkel on our own because of the kids so it was great to have the option of going with others. The wildlife is amazing, it was so lovely to show the children things they have seen in books; sharks, tropical fish, crabs, fruit bats, parrots, stingrays etc. We went to the other island to attend the spa for the massages (incredible) and to go to the a la carte restaurants. Both were brilliant but our favourite was the Grill. We also enjoyed going to the sunset bar where we could watch the fish and saw baby sharks swim by. The cocktails at this hotel are brilliant! The main bar serves drinks round the pool and main beach which was great, and in the evening had singers who were always really good and added atmosphere without being too much. Our kids loved the swing seats and that the floor of the bar was just sand. The kids club deserves a special mention as I’ve not seen one so well run before and with so many different activities on offer. The staff are also wonderful; often there weren’t any other children there due to the time of year so our kids got plenty of attention! There is a weekly schedule with hourly activities which was great for us as we didn’t want to put the kids in all the time, but it meant our daughter (who was 4) could go for about 45 minutes to do specific activities that she would particularly enjoy such as bracelet making, cupcake decorating, nail art, sand art etc. We also loved that some of the activities, such as the marine biologist coming in, were educational about the Maldives and talked about the surroundings. We had to pay for our son to be left at kids club as he was only two, which we did a couple of times so we could go on the snorkel trip. He also enjoyed himself and we managed to tie it in with activities he would like such as coconut painting! My only comment is that the cost for an under 4 was particularly high at $25 per hour and we might have used it more had it been even a bit cheaper. The ladies made our kids feel very special and even asked us to come back to say goodbye and they had a cake ready for them and gifts. Very unexpected but it was really appreciated! My only slight negative about the hotel was the food in the main restaurant. It was of a high quality and very tasty so no complaints there, but there were just a limited number of western options which could make feeding the children tricky. I fully appreciate the food reflected the location of the hotel and I think that is a conscious decision, but we would have just preferred a little more choice. Our son also can’t eat dairy or gluten, so is always difficult to feed (!), but is fine with meat and chips but that wasn’t always available. There was always pizza and pasta though which was great and the staff were very accommodating with getting him gluten free pasta. I have no doubt that the staff would have sorted different food for him if we had asked, nothing seemed to be too much trouble, but we just thought it might perhaps be better to have plainer options available. Eggs benedict at breakfast time was excellent! My other small negative is that the wine could have been better. I don’t want to end with the negatives as it truly was a wonderful holiday in paradise, and I would love to return. Our daughter is always asking if we are going back this year! Island living was excellent with young children, but I would also say a great place for just adults due to the over water villas being separate and the adults only island. The staff at Sangeli make the hotel as good as it is. I would absolutely recommend Sangeli to others and hope to see you all again one day! Read less

This was our second visit to Oblu Sengali and it was even better than the first. The villas are comfortable, and always spotlessly clean. The food at breakfast, lunch and dinner was always great with something new to try. The pool and poolside entertainment was new and great fun for all the family. And the evening entertainment which was previously missing, was a great improvement. But what made our experience particularly special was the kindness of all of the staff. They were so lovely to our girls and made them feel so welcome . When our little girl fell ill, the care, and support the team provided we will never forget. I have to say a huge thank you to Frank and Kelly who were beyond supportive during that ordeal. But also a huge thank you to Sia & Moe who made our meal times so welcoming and were so lovely to our girls. To Kyra who never left us without a cocktail in hand and again made such a fuss over our little ones. The pasta chef and naan chef who fed the kids everyday, they were brilliant. So many wonderful people, I wish we could have stayed another 2 weeks. Thank you to you all and to Oblu Sengali for a fantastic holiday. I hope we get to see you all again soon Read less

This was our first time at Oblu Select Sangeli and we really had a holiday of a lifetime. The resort, the marine life and the sea was absolutely wonderful. I would also like to recognise and thank ALL the staff and management who made it very special for us. The resort is on a small island so it is well contained and made it easy to get from rooms to pool, beach, restaurant, bar etc and they also have a buggy service that you can call for or catch if needed. We felt there was lot of personal touch throughout our stay from a great welcome with drums and Sherif taking us to our room and showing us key areas on route to Frank who was managing the customer service came to say hello each day and speak to us and check on my parents. Carrying on the theme of personal touch, the bar staff worked tirelessly in the heat of the Maldives with a smile and nothing seemed too much effort; every now and again we got treated to special drinks from Lairiu, Isiru and Madhyh. The resort organised a pool party once a week which was hosted by Lairiu which was great fun and there was fun music by the DJ. Few of the evenings there was a Saxophonist playing and she was brilliant. The Snorkelling around the island was amazing and we really enjoyed our house reef snorkelling trips with Nazmee and Ali! The guys are great at spotting the sharks, turtles, Rays etc and are also very mindful of safety, ensuring the group stayed together and the corals/sea life was respected. Ali Moosa also shared with us some tips on areas to snorkel near the resort and the water villas. Samantha, Marine Biologist did a great talk at the resort about the Coral Mamas and their work on regenerating the coral with the coral garden (please can we have the underwater coral garden camera opened up as a public webcam ?) and also their upcycling of ghost nets and turning the material into bracelets is a fabulous idea. We came home feeling like we really learned a lot about the marine wildlife and how to identify turtles etc. Samantha taught my daughter how to free dive and (which was unplanned) and that has further developed a love and respect for the ocean with my daughter who then got a chance to practise her free diving with Nazmee on the house reef snorkelling. We booked several excursion trips with TGI (resort dive centre) and staff were super helpful with my parents & us – Thanks to JD, Jambe, Shahad, Amin. The experiences we had swimming with Manta rays and Nurse sharks were really incredible and were lucky enough to be very close to dolphins! The resort is making a lot of efforts on sustainability – no plastic bottles, water bottling on the island, using food waste to create energy – thanks to Sangeeta for taking us on a tour behind the scenes to see all this. We learnt about this when Oblu Select Sangeli got presented with their award from Green Globe which the management team celebrated with the guests. They do appear to be genuinely working on pioneering efforts. The main buffet restaurant “The Courtyard” had lots of options – the chefs (Rahul, Bhuwan) who always worked hard to ensure we were happy with the food, they always asked if they could do anything else for us. The staff at the restaurant was always very happy to help us. Special thanks to Simran for organising with management to let us have our dinner on our last evening on the beach. The Rock bar is a really cool spot for sundowners at the end of the day In summary, the staff at the resort are simply wonderful – they made it very special for us. Thanks to Miss Jenni for what you do to motivate your staff. Finally just to say that the Serenity plan is just brilliant, it makes everything so easy and it really is a premium all-inclusive, it just works ! Thank you from Will, Khilna & Aanya Read less

This was our eighth visit to the Maldives, and we were incredibly happy with our stay at this resort. The island is just a comfortable 50-minute boat ride from the airport, making it easily accessible while still feeling secluded and peaceful. The island itself is stunning — crystal-clear turquoise water, a breathtaking lagoon, and pristine beaches surround you everywhere you go. The house reef was a pleasant surprise, teeming with vibrant marine life: schools of fish, turtles, manta rays, and even small reef sharks. You don’t need to go on a separate boat trip to experience the beauty of the underwater world — it’s literally just a step away from your villa. The resort’s infrastructure and restaurants are modern and stylish, while the beach villas offer a more traditional Maldivian charm, which we really appreciated. The all-inclusive package is truly impressive — it covers breakfast, lunch, dinner, and access to the bar all day long, as well as a wide range of water activities. Depending on the length of your stay, you may also enjoy à la carte dinners, planned excursions, and multiple spa treatments, all included in the package. Speaking of the spa, it was absolutely wonderful — we received excellent service and felt truly relaxed. The food across the resort was freshly prepared and delicious, offering a mix of traditional Asian dishes and international favorites. We also noticed and appreciated the resort’s efforts to minimize food waste, which is a thoughtful and responsible touch. What really made this trip stand out, though, was the exceptional customer service. We’ve never experienced such genuine warmth and friendliness from an entire staff team. Every single person — from managers and receptionists to servers, chefs, bartenders, kids club staff, spa therapists, gardeners, and cleaners — was incredibly welcoming, generous, and attentive. Everyone went out of their way to ensure we had a memorable and comfortable stay. We especially appreciated seeing managers actively involved with both staff and guests — far more than we’ve seen at other resorts. The kids club was also a highlight, offering a variety of fun activities to keep the little ones engaged and entertained throughout the day. If we had to offer any critique, it would be about the workshops. While the Oblu Select app makes it easy to view the daily schedule of events, parties, and workshops (like coconut oil making, cocktail classes, spa demos, and cooking sessions), the workshops themselves felt more like presentations than hands-on experiences. We were hoping for more interactive participation, but even so, they were enjoyable and informative. Overall, we had a fantastic experience and would absolutely recommend this resort. We left feeling relaxed, happy, and very well taken care of — already looking forward to our next visit! Read less