Hotel Review: Villa Nautica Resort & Spa, Maldives (Formerly Paradise Island)

[@dudeofchicken]

Max looks like a samurai in this, Maren lovely as usual. Another great review.

[@VoyagerGuru]

😂😂😂 right?? His hair is so long now!! Aww thanks so much :) appreciate you!!

[@shopalian]

Always rock! again added this review on our website.

[@VoyagerGuru]

Thanks so much, we really appreciate it!

[@where_next_]

❤ this. You inspired me to travel more and I hope this year will be a year full of traveling for me.

[@VoyagerGuru]

Thanks so much!! Safe travels to you and let us know if you need any help!!

[@SandyMakesSense]

Thank you so much for this useful video! We are going! :)

[@VoyagerGuru]

Amazing!! We hope you have a great time ❤️

[@joannevickers3410]

Great video, have you been to Kurumba? Can't decide on Villa Nautica or Kurumba

[@VoyagerGuru]

Hey Joanne! We have not yet been to Kurumba. if you're looking for some help on choosing a resort, there are some good ones in that price point if you want to shoot me an email [e-mail] xx, Maren

[@concho22]

Hi, another great review. Can't see your review of Sun island though?

[@VoyagerGuru]

Hey there! Thanks for your comment! It will be live Sunday morning at 7am EST!

[@tahermaazoun8762]

Could you please include in house reef snorkeling quality or footage as it's important for some of us ? Thank you

[@VoyagerGuru]

Hi Taher, thanks for your comment. We unfortunately don’t have any footage as since we did not snorkel the house reef. However, as we mentioned in the video, there is a decent amount of fish life but mostly dead coral. The quality is really dependent on where you’ve snorkeled before, but we were personally not enthusiastic about the house reef. They do have some great trips off property though and we really enjoyed the turtle snorkel! 🐢

[@bentennet3113]

​@@VoyagerGuru how much were the extra excursions like the turtle snorkeling?

[@VoyagerGuru]

@@bentennet3113 Hey! I can't 100% remember, but I do remember most of the prices were around $150-250

[@kusumithac-ww4ly]

Hi guys, Thank you for detailed review. I am planning to visit villa nautica in October. After booking I am getting a doubt if I did a wrong choice. What is the overall rating you give?

[@VoyagerGuru]

Hi there! Thank you so much for your comment :). Honestly it really depends on how long you’re going for, what you paid and what you’re looking for out of a vacation. Feel free to DM me on instagram (@voyagerguru) or email me at [e-mail] and I’m happy to help!

[@MarHru]

Love ❤your videos. Please I still can not decide which resort… Which resort Did you like the most? Villa nautica or Villa Park Sun? If case you should return… Thanks🎉

[@VoyagerGuru]

Hi Marek! thank you for your comment! Of the two, Nautica has better service and is better for a short trip like 3 days. Park has poor service and facilities, but the lagoon is unbelievably beautiful! If you're looking for comparisons to other resorts, let me know or send me an email at [e-mail] with your budget and I'll send some of my favorites :)

[@guptavipul15s]

Hi guys, I find your reviews to be perfect spending time on all categories we can judge a resort on. Just one request, pls also review more of some affordable 5 star resorts like Taj Coral Reef, Coco Bodu Hithi, Lily Beach Resort.. Thanks

[@VoyagerGuru]

Hi Vipul! Thank you so much for your comment! Don't worry- we are working our way through the Maldives as quick as we can, haha! Our goal is to cover every 4 and 5 star hotel in the Maldives :). Taj, Coco Bodu Hithi and Lily are all great 4 star options that we hope to visit in the next year! Next month we will be heading to a handful of new properties so stay tuned!

[@guptavipul15s]

@VoyagerGuru Great, always looking forward to your reviews. Also, in Marriott Bonvoy Maldives properties, I've seen mostly that Ritz Carlton pampers their guests the most with respect to free upgrades and surprises. As a frequent traveler, do you feel Ritz Carlton & St Regis are both at same level in Maldives or one is better than the other? I'm planning a stay in RC Maldives, hence the curiosity. Im not much of a diver, just like to enjoy classic luxury with personalized experiences with great view.

[@VoyagerGuru]

Thank you so much :). Re Marriott Bonvoy, so far we have only stayed at Ritz-Carlton Fari and not St. Regis yet. However, we had a friend recently stay at St. Regis and W and said the W was a much better value and better service overall so personally, I'd say go with RC if you are looking for a higher level of service. The architecture is also just absolutely insane. Their snorkeling and diving is not great, but the hotel itself is amazing. Points bookings will likely be the best value there but worth it none the less.

[@guptavipul15s]

@VoyagerGuru hey, thanks guys. Yes I heard the same that's why thought will consult with you once. I heard St Regis isn't great and lacks little of extra mile service that you expect in this category of resort.

[@VoyagerGuru]

Yea 100% and if there’s anything you notice when spending that kind of money for a 5 star experience, it’s the service. Of course we can speak to our own experience at st Regis but that’s just what we’ve heard from fellow travelers.

[@BruhBruh0512]

Hi, I love your video as I am also going there! Could you please tell me how much the transfer costed?? Thanks!

[@BruhBruh0512]

Also, I probably will book the Water Villa - All Inclusive off Makemytrip, just to let you know.

[@VoyagerGuru]

Hey there! Thanks so much for your comment :). The transfer is about $185 per person the last time I checked! it's approximately a 15 minute boat ride to the hotel. Let me know any other questions you have!

[@Raw_video]

Hey guys 1st of all love your content, my question to you is about all inclusive bar menu is it worth it. also if in any case I could know about all inclusive bar menu

[@VoyagerGuru]

Hey there! thanks so much for your comment!! The all inclusive is worth it if you plan to drink at least 4-6 cocktails per day- or if the price is less than $200 to upgrade. They do also include water and soft drinks, coffee etc so that is positive. My favorite cocktail is the Thyme to Unwine. So good!! I hope this helps :)

[@goppohoyejaak]

I am my honeymoon planned for next year Feb, though your videos helped me a lot to see through properties but need a few advise if you can connect with me ?

[@VoyagerGuru]

Thanks @goppohoyejaak! We’re so glad to hear you found them helpful 😊 Yes, of course we’d be happy to help, just email us at [e-mail] or dm us on Instagram, whatever is easier ❤

[@natalianeycheva1294]

how did it go

[@bollampallyrekha9594]

Hi lovely video 😊 can you please suggest which island is better for couple with 1 year old baby and visiting for first time:)

[@VoyagerGuru]

Hi there! Thank you so much for your comment :). Are you looking for other alternatives in the same price range or are you looking at paradise versus sun island for example? Let me know and I'll recommend something :)

[@bollampallyrekha9594]

@Voyager Guru yeah other alternatives are also fine..basically as it's our first trip, wanted a nice resort in medium budget range

[@eva_ronda]

Hi may I ask how much is your boat transfer going to Paradise Island? And where to purchase it?

[@VoyagerGuru]

Hi Eva! Thanks for reaching out :). I believe the transfer is $130 USD per person to get to paradise! It will be booked through the hotel so after you book, the hotel will get your flight details and organize it :)

[@parhamhemmati6057]

Hi guys thanks for the video, I am planning to go to this resort with my wife, how many kinds of water villas are there? I want to have the one with the pool and privacy and also is there any local shops on the island?

[@VoyagerGuru]

Hey there! Thanks for your comment! Villa Nautica has 40 semi-detached water villas. Most of the villas share a wall, with the exception of the suites that have the small plunge pools. They have a few different options and they are still not renovated. We were in the water villa with a tub which was nice, though the walls are quite thin. The last room we were in was a suite and that was very nice and spacious and had a small plunge pool that is not heated. The suites are more private since they do not share a wall with the neighbors. There are a few souvenir shops on the island- they're not quite local but they do have some sunscreens and things like that. If you're looking for more shopping, I'd recommend taking a look at the Hard Rock / SAii lagoon due to their amazing marina concept :).

[@parhamhemmati6057]

@@VoyagerGuru How far is hard rock from the resort? And is it worth it to travel to Male from the resort to see the city , Is there any tours that we can get to go to Male? I do want the all inclusive and since Villa Nautica is the closest to Male we are booking the resort, the reason I am asking for the tours to the city is that We do want to spend a day exploring other areas and Male city aside from staying on the island the whole time, Thanks in advance

[@VoyagerGuru]

Hey there! So hard rock may be a better option for that as they run shuttles from the marina for a lot less than the round trip transfer from Villa nautica. Hard rock is a 15/20 minute boat ride from male. I don’t know of any tours specifically on male but there are lots of coffee shops and perhaps check viator.com for tour options

[@parhamhemmati6057]

@@VoyagerGuru I have one last question because it is hard for me to contact the resort so, sorry for asking you here, for the Saii Lagoon and Paradise Island resorts does the all inclusive offer 24 hr drinks and how many restaurants can we use? Are they buffet style? Thanks again!

[@Raosankalp1]

Hello Sir, please let me know which one is better between Villa Nautica or Adaaran Club Ranaalhi?

[@VoyagerGuru]

Hi Sankalp! Thanks for your comment- I just replied to your email so hopefully that will help! Looking forward to connecting :)

[@jorged4763]

Very useful video !!. Thanks 🙏

[@VoyagerGuru]

Thank you for your comment!!

[@wanadib1016]

Hi guys, love your video. May I ask how much is your boat transfer from male airport going to Paradise Island per person and the price is one way or return price?

[@VoyagerGuru]

Hi there! Thanks so much for your comment. I believe the cost is $185 per person (with tax included) and I know for certain that is the rountrip fare. The ride is only about 15 minutes from Malé so it's quite pricey. I hope this helps!

[@wanadib1016]

@@VoyagerGuru thank you for your respond. $185 per person for roundtrip? Is there we have any other option like other boat go to this place?

[@VoyagerGuru]

That's correct- it's per person round trip. Unfortunately, there is no other way to get to the resort so that's how they get you lol. We actually had some friends go to their sister resort but they arrived from a dive liveaboard vessel and the property still charged them a fee for arriving, even without their transfer so I would not waste time trying to find a way around it, to be honest. It's fairly standard to charge this fee. There are a few exceptions- Ozen Life Maadhoo for example includes it in their packages, but that is a rare exception

[@wanadib1016]

@@VoyagerGuru Thank you so much for this comment. It really help me a lot!

[@VoyagerGuru]

My pleasure- anytime! safe travels!

[@ilabhat13]

Hey guys, nice video! So my husband and I are staying here later this month for our babymoon. We picked this place because of proximity to Male and therefore shorter connecting time. After watching your video I'm a bit concerned about you mentioning the speedboat transfer being uncomfortable (given that I'm pregnant) Was the ride too bumpy? Also, someone prone to motion sickness is better off taking precautions? I guess the waters being choppy on a certain day is unpredictable but overall, I hope that it wasn't too bad? I'm wondering if we could request the resort to arrange for a bigger boat..Thanks in advance!

[@VoyagerGuru]

Hey Ila! Thanks for reaching out- first of all, congratulations :). so we did take two different ways to get to the airport. The way to the hotel was pretty rough and terrible, but the way back was actually MUCH smoother and was a totally different route. I would recommend letting the hotel know you are pregnant and to advise on the best way forward. If they know, they will make sure to take the least bumpy route at the right speed! It's a pretty short ride thank goodness!

[@ilabhat13]

@Voyager Guru really appreciate your swift response! :) thank you so much. This really helps a lot!! Will specifically put in a request to the staff before we arrive..Watching your other videos now! 😀 great job, guys!

[@VoyagerGuru]

Aww thank you!!! We hope you have safe and excellent travels!! Xx, maren

[@gokyuzugokturk4946]

i read a comment at tripadvisor. we have to pay extra fee for alcolhs even if we pay all inclusive. is it true ?

[@VoyagerGuru]

Hello! Thanks for your comment - if you are on the all inclusive plan, you can drink anything off the all inclusive menu for free :). If you want something off the regular menu you have to pay but there is not extra fee on all inclusive

[@dianareardon7333]

Gorgeous pool !

[@VoyagerGuru]

The pool was incredible!! I can’t wait until the whole renovation is done

[@gokyuzugokturk4946]

should we buy sim card to get internet at this hotel ? or is there wifi in the rooms ?

[@VoyagerGuru]

There is wifi is all the rooms :) it is not amazing so it is hard to make video calls during busy hours but it does work pretty well

[@lambel2291]

hello pleause more information for the transfer price times

[@VoyagerGuru]

Hi there! thanks for your comment. The transfer times are based mostly on incoming flights. They do have multiple transfers throughout the day so I would expect to wait anywhere from 30 minutes to 1.5 hours depending on how many people are coming and going that day. The price is around $200 per person round trip and it takes about 20 minutes to get to the hotel :)

[@mayursastry1992]

Do they charge extra for speedboat tranfer?

[@VoyagerGuru]

Hello there! Yes, they do charge for the transfer. It’s around 200 USD per person round trip

[@AnneMuscat]

hi i have just booked flights to mali and i have to book 7 nights in an resort and i cannot decide on one.Can i email you my budget and what i am looking for to help me decide?

[@VoyagerGuru]

Hey there! Absolutely! Send us an email at [e-mail] :)

[@Ishan0906]

Hi guys, could you please suggest some good resorts for honeymoon ?

[@VoyagerGuru]

Hey Ishan! There are a lot of amazing resorts in the Maldives at any budget depending on what you’re looking to do! Are you looking for all inclusive properties? Happy to recommend some

[@Ishan0906]

Yes, I am looking for all inclusive properties. Thanks@@VoyagerGuru

[@VoyagerGuru]

Awesome! So depending on the time of year, the prices fluctuate a lot so I would recommend sending me an email with your dates so I can provide you with some comparable options :). Feel free to email me at [e-mail]

[@anselmomendes1341]

Hi how much is a speedboat from male to this place ?

[@VoyagerGuru]

Hey Anselmo! The transfer I believe is $180 per person for the quick 15 minute ride and the return. I hope this helps!

[@ankitkadian1485]

Sun island or paradise? Which is better?

[@VoyagerGuru]

Hi ankit! Thanks for your comment. The service was better at paradise, but the lagoon at sun island is remarkable. Also you can see whale sharks! If you’re going to the Maldives for the first time, it’s worth the effort to go to sun island if only for the beautiful lagoon

[@MargheritaTexeira]

Hello, what month you went to the maldives? I am planning my honeymoon for June 2024

[@VoyagerGuru]

We’ve been there in May, June, September and December/jan - anytime is a good time to go to the Maldives honestly :) if you need any help planning feel free to DM me

[@MargheritaTexeira]

@@VoyagerGuru Thank you! Where can I DM you?

[@VoyagerGuru]

Feel free to message me on instagram at @voyagerguru or shoot me an email at [e-mail] :) xx maren

[@mohamedluqman6187]

Whats the cost for boat transfer ?

[@VoyagerGuru]

hey there! Last time we checked with was $187/person for the round trip boat transfer from Malé, but you'll want to make sure to check with the hotel for the most updated pricing. Are you booking a trip soon? If you want to compare rates for this and other hotels, DM us on instagram or email us at [e-mail], and we'd be happy to help 🤗

[@Sanrio123abc]

Ive been there before with my family

[@VoyagerGuru]

Wonderful! We hope you had the best time!

[@dangrova101]

How annoying was the plane noise flying over? It’s putting me off a bit

[@VoyagerGuru]

It's certainly closer to the airport than a lot of hotels, but there's a give and take since that makes the transfer much easier from Malé. Properties to the west of Malé, like the crossroads complex seem to get less air traffic than this side does. It didn't bother us a huge amount, but it's certainly something that happens on occasion. The boat traffic is also heavier in this area.

[@dangrova101]

@@VoyagerGuru I really appreciate you getting back to me with a detailed answer. I think I will avoid it, as great as it looks, I feel it may spoil the beauty of it for me if boats and planes are constantly zipping around.

[@moawn1051]

Paradise Island is a rip off, last yr spent my honeymoon there at their best water villa and its a huge ripp off, food is only Indian & disgusting, weather was good 70% of time and that is their best season and everything is overpriced. Think Maldives as a whole is for ignorant tourist esp guilable honeymooners. Just go to an amazing resort at the Mediterranean, US or Mexico and u will save thousands of dollars

[@VoyagerGuru]

Hey there! Thanks for your comment. I can certainly understand your frustrations with Paradise. That being said, there are some AMAZING properties in the Maldives that are nothing like Paradise. The nice thing about the maldives in general is that every hotel is a completely different vibe. That's why we do what we do :). We try to uncover the best resorts so you can make a confident choice. There are certainly bad hotels in the maldives, just like there are bad hotels in the US, mexico and Mediterranean as well. It has everything to do with the hotel management and nothing to do with the location itself. If you're looking for some better properties, don't hesitate to reach out anytime!