Hotel Review: Villa Park Resort & Spa, Maldives (Formerly Sun Island)

[@druiz012]

Wow. Glad I found your channel! Excellent thorough HONEST reviews!

[@VoyagerGuru]

Thank you so much, David!! We appreciate your comment and feedback :) we’re happy to hear you are enjoying our videos!

[@GauravSehrawat-g7i]

You put your name Voyager Guru (Guru is also known as teacher in our india )....Well done for review.

[@VoyagerGuru]

Yes that was the inspiration for the name! Glad you liked the review! 😊

[@JamesandElliesAdventures]

💙 yay were have you been guys! We’ve missed these videos from you guys. Love how stunningly the island is with its natural beauty really can’t beat that in the Maldives 🇲🇻. Great hotel review as always guys. Hope your both keeping ok, great to see you back 🙌🏼

[@VoyagerGuru]

Hi guys!! Thanks so much for your message💕❤️!! We appreciate it :). We had a CRAZY summer with some major projects so we had to step away from video editing for a bit but so glad to be back!! Hope you’re having a great holiday season :)

[@Smudger_83.]

Thank you both. My wife and I are going here in Feb 2024..!

[@VoyagerGuru]

Amazing! I hope you have a wonderful time! Let us know if you have any questions or need anything!

[@hotskullkashtrinibad3170]

I'm due to go here in February & I'm on the All Inclusive Plan, but I'm in a Facebook group for the hotel & everyone keeps mentioning the additional cost for everything. I paid over £5000 for this holiday, why would I want to pay more? 😭 Any tips on how to avoid these extra cost?

[@VoyagerGuru]

Hi there! Thanks for your comment! So there are a few things that do cost more like bicycles that we think are worth it. You can avoid major expenses by not doing additional excursions like the spa or scuba. Their evening entertainment is included as well as some daytime activities. You can definitely take advantage of a lot of facilities on property, but the better dining is definitely the a la carte. If you need any help or have additional questions about this hotels or others, feel free to reach out directly to us - we’re happy to help! [e-mail]

[@therealcool1144]

@@VoyagerGuru how much is transfer by boat or plane?

[@VoyagerGuru]

@@therealcool1144 I believe the price is $300 per person to get to Villa Park from Male and return :)

[@damibar]

hi thanks for your review of this resort and congratulations for the channel, i went there 10 years ago and i will be back this february. i took the all inclusive package. I was wondering more or less what was the cost of snorkeling and excursions? (reading other reviews I saw that they exceed $ 100 per person)

[@VoyagerGuru]

Hi Damiano! That’s very exciting- safe travels to you!! The price of excursions is definitely on the higher side. I believe you are correct that the boat excursions like snorkeling etc are around $150 a person. I would highly recommend contacting them via email for an up to date price list as they do change over time

[@ajisai9]

Thank you for useful videos. Love how you explained the details. It’s really helpful information. Thank you so much. We have kid so I’m planning to book Siyam World Resort on next year. If you have any recommend resort for family, love to hear.

[@VoyagerGuru]

Hi there! thank you so much for your comment! we appreciate the feedback! Siyam World is one we have not yet stayed at so I can't comment specifically on it, however, it is in a nice atoll in the south of the country with really nice sea life. It does seem like a large resort and some reviews mention long wait times for buggies and dinner tables. The island itself does look beautiful. From our experience, we'd also recommend checking out Emerald Maldives and Hard Rock maldives for a family trip within that price point (both a bit closer than Dhigurah). Hope this helps!

[@tejaskeny2435]

Nice & complete review Can u tell me is there any surfing activity is available?

[@VoyagerGuru]

Hi there! thanks so much. They do not offer surfing on property, but they do have wind surfing and paddleboard available :) I hope this helps!

[@tejaskeny2435]

@@VoyagerGuru thanks

[@최축복-o4d]

I like the review because it is so objective and detailed. We are going to the Maldives in mid-May, but will we be able to see a variety of water animals if we just go to the house reef near the Italian restaurant instead of going on an excursion? Or, if I want to join a liveaboard, where should I find out and make a reservation?

[@VoyagerGuru]

That's so exciting, and we're so glad you liked the review! The snorkeling off Sun Island is pretty good on the house reef, but they also run excursions around South Ari Atoll, which has some of the best marine life in the Maldives. May is a little after the traditional Whale Shark season, but that's been shifting in recent years, and South Ari is one of the best places to see them, so you may have some luck! Kuda Rah Thila is one of our all time favorite dive sites in that area 😍 As for liveaboards, there's some amazing options, we did Scupa Spa last year and it was an incredible experience. Send us an email at [e-mail] or DM on instagram with your dates and we'd be happy to help!

[@Thebeastfromnorth75]

Beautiful review, very informative and entertaining, thank you guys. Planning to return to amazing Maldives sometime in the future and this video got me hooked on Sun Island. I visited Vilamendhoo in 2015. Have you been there and if that is the case, which of one of Sun Island and Vilamendhoo did you find was the better choice for you? Question number two: Is there any house reef outside this amazing island? Greetings from Sweden.

[@VoyagerGuru]

Hi there! Thanks for your comment! So the two properties are very similar in offerings- you essentially only get access to the buffet and 1 a la carte per 5 days. You can purchase food at the a la carte separately. Also, both have similar villa set ups, but Vilamendhoo has many more standalone villas. It's tough to say which is better since we have not done vilamendhoo yet, however, I can say the lagoon at sun island is spectacular. There is a house reef at Sun island that is very nice and they are close to the whale shark areas in south ari atoll :). Happy to answer any other questions you have! If you're looking for additional hotel options, feel free to send us an email at [e-mail] with your budget and we can send you our favorite hotels in a list :)

[@Thebeastfromnorth75]

@@VoyagerGuru Thank you for your answer and your help. I might take you up on that one :) Be well!

[@VoyagerGuru]

@@Thebeastfromnorth75 anytime!

[@asde5848]

Great review, could you guys also review Pullman Maldives

[@VoyagerGuru]

Hi there! We are actually heading there in may and can’t wait to share it with you! Stay tuned :)

[@xotebo]

Thanks for the detailed review! Are mojito and pina colada cocktails included in the all inclusive package? 🍸

[@VoyagerGuru]

Hey Tessa! Thanks for your comment! Yes, a mojito and pina colada were on the list for all inclusive beverages :). they aren't super fancy looking but they are not bad! let us know if we can help you with anything!

[@Nishi-ScalarSpaces]

This is a very very valuable video. we have already booked water villa here. I think you went in off season? When did you guys went? We are going Nov'23. Thank you very much for this detailed and dedicated video. Namaste 🙏

[@VoyagerGuru]

Hi Nishi! Thanks for your comment! We appreciate it. We were there in May 2022- it was pretty busy and the weather was fantastic most of the days at the property. November will be beautiful as well :). The water villas are old but have a gorgeous lagoon outside - be sure to stick with the lagoon villa only buffet as the food was better than the standard buffet and they serve coffee and beverages to your table :)

[@dlda4553]

Please tell when you're back how you liked it

[@robrobert2689]

Great video, very helpful!!👏🏼👏🏼 May I ask if this resort is full of kids or suitable also for couples? Thanks!🤗

[@VoyagerGuru]

Hi there! Thanks for commenting :). It’s a very family heavy resort, at least when we were there. We were in the beach pool villa and unfortunately shared a wall with a very very loud family with children. If you go as a couple, I’d recommend a deluxe villa to make sure you do not share a wall with anyone as that was quite a disruption as the walls are thin. Also, choose to have dinner later - all the families seemed to eat pretty early. I hope this helps!

[@robrobert2689]

@@VoyagerGuru that is exactly my fear, a family with kids jumping in the pool next door🤦🏼‍♂️😭 thanks for your detailed reply and advise!🙏🏼

[@VoyagerGuru]

Yea for sure - I can understand that 🤣. Anytime I’m happy to help. Also there are naturally less kids out in the water villas so even though they are outdated that could be an option

[@rhea3133]

Hi, question😁 Been to Sun Island twice on All Inclusive plan (2015 and 2018) and we could only eat in one selected restaurant for the whole of our stay, has that changed now? Can you also eat in the Italian restaurant or anywhere else on the island ? Thanks

[@VoyagerGuru]

Hey Rhea! It's pretty much the same now. You are allowed to access one restaurant that is a la carte once per stay if you stay over a certain amount of days. The cocktails are also not as "pretty" as the cocktails they serve if you are not on all inclusive so that is a bummer.

[@bpierzga]

Hello, I go to Maledives mostly to snorkering. Please do advise me about house reef. Thank you!

[@VoyagerGuru]

Hi there! The house reef is good near the italian restaurant jetty. This area of the maldives is very rich in sea life so you will see some great stuff! I would recommend walking to the jetty to get there :)

[@vince4871]

I wish you guys would have done a review of Royal Island Resort and Spa. I'm trying to decide between Royal Island and Villa Park. Any thoughts?

[@VoyagerGuru]

Hey Vince! Thanks for your comment! We would love to review Royal island. One of the main differences is that it does not have overwater villas. It’s also quite old so the facilities and spaces are certainly on the outdated side. I’m not sure when they plan to do renovations as they started with sun island and paradise

[@hariujwal5234]

So this means unlike other resorts they do not have an exclusive transfer from airport to their hotel. Any idea why this inconvenience? Was planning to book this one but only due to the hassle of transfer am very sceptical please help or suggest an equally priced resort (water villa) which has transfer facility sorted. Also any idea if water villas are renovated now? Please do let me know your views on 1) Reethi faru 2) Cinnamon Velifushi 3) Centara ras fushi. Please do help thanks in advance

[@VoyagerGuru]

Hi there! Thanks for your comment! So they are more of a charter style transfer with a lot of people. Since it’s one of the largest resorts in the Maldives, they shuttle a lot of people back and forth. The villas are not yet renovated from what it looks like on their website :( Centara and cinnamon are both good options as well with slightly newer rooms and smaller properties! I’m happy to help you if you would like some guidance :). Feel free to reach out on DM on Instagram or email me at [e-mail] :)

[@seonggeunsong2913]

The video is so Helpful!! We will visit on April 21st 2024. I heard other villas have been renovated, are they also renovating water villas too? and, they say an airplane + speed boat is USD 400 per person, is it a round-trip fare? Or should we pay USD 800 per person??

[@VoyagerGuru]

Thank you so much for your comment!! That's very exciting. So it appears the Lagoon beach villas have also now been renovated- great news. The transfers are round trip pricing so it will be 800++ total for 2 people :). Usually tax and service is on top of that by the way. hope this helps!

[@cathyv3051]

We are planning a trip to go scuba diving in March...definitely would love to see both whale sharks and mantas. Are considering this resort or Boutique Beach Diving resort. Any thoughts?

[@VoyagerGuru]

Hi Cathy! Thanks for reaching out. If the only intent of the trip is to scuba dive, I would actually recommend a live aboard! They have some amazing liveaboards in the Maldives (like ScubaSpa that we are doing in May) where you stop in multiple atolls over a week. If you want to stick with a hotel experience, you’d probably find a better deal at a boutique property that offers packages. If you want to send me your budget via email I’m happy to recommend some dive specific spots - [e-mail]

[@cathyv3051]

@@VoyagerGuru Thanks so much for your recommendation! I'm looking at the ScubaSpa for March now :)

[@VoyagerGuru]

My pleasure! that’s awesome! I am really excited about the experience as well because we’ve done a lot of amazing dives in the Maldives in different atolls and it seems like an incredible opportunity to see as many as possible in a short time! Let us know if you have any questions or need anything :)

[@Mindfulness20s]

Please do a review on Sun Siyam Iru veli dolphin suite in Maldives

[@VoyagerGuru]

Thank you so much for your comment! That is definitely on our list so stay tuned!

[@ankitdhyani9984]

Hi great vedio. How much time it take to reach from male airport to villa park once we land. What total timing hope my whole day dont waste Also is there kids clud in villa park.

[@VoyagerGuru]

Thank you so much, Ankit! The transfer time does depend on the flight times, but we waited several hours before the transfer. They don't have a lounge but we were able to access the shared lounge with our priority pass that comes with our credit cards. I would expect a minimum of 2 hours of waiting and then it takes about 1.5 hours, more or less, to get to the hotel. They do have a kids program at Sun Island!

[@ankitdhyani9984]

​@@VoyagerGuru hi if my flight land in male 11.30 , how much time i have to wait approx.. is waiting worth for villa park resort?? Also which one is better for familly villa park or nautica.

[@VoyagerGuru]

@@ankitdhyani9984 the easiest transfer is to nautica because it’s a quick boat. You’ll have the least amount of waiting time for villa nautica. Villa park is a better island overall, but it’s not better on all accounts. From a beach and lagoon standpoint, villa park is amazing. From hotel service and ease of getting there, nautica is great. Let me know any questions you have!

[@farhanshareef9332]

how much excursions prices in Villa park? please share details if you have

[@VoyagerGuru]

Hey Farhan! Thanks for your comment! The excursions range in price depending on the activity. Bikes are around 7 dollars per day, off property activities range from 200+ if you are looking for big tours and such. I believe the semi submarine is around 250? I can’t 100% recall but in that range

[@pascuioana18]

We are planning to go to the same all-inclusive resort at the beginning of December, and I’m wondering if we have access to drinks throughout the day without paying, specifically water. Do we receive as much water as we want daily? Additionally, are there restaurants that are not included in the all-inclusive package? Thank you.

[@pascuioana18]

And also, just to be 100% sure, did they change the name of the resort? I know that 2 years ago it was named just sun island

[@VoyagerGuru]

Hi @pascuioana! Thanks for reaching out. Yes, on the all-inclusive plan you do have access to water, soft drinks, alcoholic beverages and mocktails at any time throughout the day until midnight. In the room, you may need to ask a few times, but they will provide water in the room as well. And yes! They were Sun Island and recently rebranded to Villa Park - it's the same hotel :) Also, if you booked the standard all inclusive plan, it only includes the buffet restaurant and the a la cartes are only included a few times per stay depending on your number of nights. Let me know how many nights you are staying and I can let you know how many a la carte dinners you have access to :)

[@pascuioana18]

@@VoyagerGuru We will be staying for 7 nights 🤗 Thank you so much for your answer 🤗

[@VoyagerGuru]

@@pascuioana18 No worries!! So if you booked the standard "all inclusive plan" then you have access to the buffets only. If you booked the Allinclusive Infinity Plan then you do have access to the a la cartes. On your booking confirmation, check if it says "infinity" or not next to all inclusive

[@pascuioana18]

@@VoyagerGuru thank you so much 🥰

[@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

[@rhea3133]

Totally true,been twice and honestly the lagoon is the most beautiful among the maldives islands,the other one is at Gili Lankanfushi and Soneva Jani but those are about 10 times more expensive resorts. Anantara Dhigu is also fantastic

[@shokash]

For these domestic flights, do you need to book them yourself or does the hotel take care of it?

[@VoyagerGuru]

Hi there! The hotel will book everything on your behalf. Personally, I would try to arrive to male as early as possible to try and get on the first flight to the hotel as you could end up spending most of your day in the airport if you don’t arrive early enough. I’d recommend asking the hotel what flight times they have to try and align with that. You’ll need 2 hours minimum from landing in male to catching the next flight. Hope this helps!

[@shokash]

@@VoyagerGuru great! Thanks so much! The videos are awesome, still trying to decide which resort but watching them all one by one :) - I assume the flights/transfers for all hotels are arranged by them yeah? Not just this one? So no matter what resort we pick they will arrange it? Also wanted to ask do the costs normally include the transfer or do you pay for this at the hotel? We are planing to arrive at 6am!

[@VoyagerGuru]

@shokash anytime!! Happy to help :) yes- all transfers are handled by the hotel directly and you’ll don’t really have a choice in the matter. The price of transfers range from 200 a person round trip to 700 depending on the hotel :). I can’t recall for villa park exactly what it was but it’s like around 450 a person. 6am is perfect! If you’re looking for any guidance feel free to DM me on IG or email me at [e-mail]

[@NehaGupta-lf1sr]

Please let me know between oblu xperience and villa park which one is better?

[@VoyagerGuru]

Hi Neha, thanks for reaching out! So we have not stayed at Oblu yet, but the hotel does look very new. I will say villa park is in a much better location and if you book the updates rooms, they are pretty nice. Oblu is in north male atoll which doesn’t have the same sea life as south Ari. Otherwise, the meal plans look the exact same (quite restrictive on all inclusive) so it will be a similar property experience from the food and beverage side. I hope this helps!

[@NehaGupta-lf1sr]

@@VoyagerGuru thank you so much for responding!! There is one more option " villa Nautica" which is in my budget... I am more inclined towards it because it's only 20 mins away from male ... But still confused which one to book

[@VoyagerGuru]

Náutica is owned by the same company (was called paradise island- we have a review). Depending on how long you are going for, that’s a good option. It’s not as beautiful of a lagoon as sun island (villa park) but the hotel is quite nice and the service was good overall. For a shorter trip (3-4 nights), this would be a great option. Villa park is HUGE so the island is amazing to explore and on the best lagoon.

[@jayturakhia2261]

Are there enough (good) vegetarian options for dining ?

[@VoyagerGuru]

Hi Jay! The main restaurant is a buffet and they do have a number of vegetables and pastas and such. They don’t have items like Impossible Burgers or similar that you may be used to, but there seemed to be a decent selection for all three meals

[@anselmomendes1341]

Hi is this the most beautiful island you have been in Maldives?

[@VoyagerGuru]

Hi Anselmo! Thanks for your comment. The lagoon is definitely on the list of most beautiful lagoons we have seen in the Maldives due to it being so teal and shallow around the entire island. The island itself a bit industrial feeling at times as they have concrete pathways instead of sand like many other hotels and a lot of interior buildings to support their coconut business as well as the duck farm business. Overall, the beaches and lagoons are stunning

[@anselmomendes1341]

@@VoyagerGuru thank you so much for the information 🙌🏾 .. are there more options ? I’m looking for a nice white sand beaches ?

[@VoyagerGuru]

@@anselmomendes1341 great question! there are some amazing hotels - shoot us an email with your budget and dates and ill send you our favorites - [e-mail] :)

[@paulomoraes4091]

Dear friends, I want to get to know some islands in the Maldives in June, but I see that many sites say it's a very bad month, because of the rains. Have you ever been to this time? Is it really bad? I'm going to spend 15 days, of course I have no hope of catching 15 days of sunshine, but I'm afraid of catching every day of rain. What do you think? Abs, Paulo (from Brazil)

[@VoyagerGuru]

Hi Paulo! Thanks for your comment. So June can be rainy, but typically is better than May. I would say avoid the very far north of the Maldives as the weather is more impacted by mainland Indian than if you were in the center of the Maldives. You can certainly get many days of sun, or you could be unlucky, but it really depends on the year to be honest. We've had AMAZING luck with weather on every trip. However this past year in May, it rained every day in the north but was perfect in South Ari Atoll.

[@dianareardon7333]

Really good review but I feel like this is the Carnival Cruise of the Maldives. Not for me especially after some of the fabulous properties you have reviewed there .

[@VoyagerGuru]

It’s really a gorgeous island, and probably the best beach and lagoon we’ve seen in the Maldives, but yes it’s run a bit like a cruise line. They’re making lots of changes though, so we’re hoping to see a more bespoke service approach in the future!

[@saamsaeed4163]

So the food is top notch but the service is so so

[@VoyagerGuru]

Hey Saam! Thanks for your comment - yea the food was actually pretty good! The service the restaurants was good, but definitely a lot of room for improvement in the operations side with the front desk and housekeeping. Let us know any questions you have!