🏝️ Maldives: resort vs guesthouse – what to choose?

The turquoise ocean, snow-white beaches and bright schools of fish are the main attributes of a holiday in the Maldives. Every year, millions of tourists fly to these paradise islands to enjoy the amazing nature. And everyone faces the question of accommodation. In the Maldives you can find two interesting options – guesthouses (Guest House) and resort hotels (Resort Hotel). Let's figure out what their pros and cons are.

What is a guesthouse and resort hotel?

A guesthouse is a small hotel located on one of the local inhabited islands. Anyone can rent a room there for a day or several days. In most cases, this is a family business: the owners of the house themselves receive tourists and keep order. 

A resort hotel is a luxury resort, most often occupying a separate private island with extensive infrastructure. On its territory there are all the necessary recreational facilities – restaurants, sports and spa complexes, playgrounds for children, recreation areas, as well as clean beaches.

Now let ‘s talk in more detail about the differences between resort hotels and guesthouses.

Room level

Guesthouses, like other hotels, provide rooms of varying levels of comfort, but usually they correspond to 3*. You will definitely have a bed, Wi-Fi, air conditioning, TV, regular cleaning, clean bed linen and towels, but there is only one bathroom per floor.

Resort hotels have a higher level of quality. Most belong to the “luxury” class and have the mark 5 in the name, but there are also 4. Spacious apartments with a bathroom, modern renovation, a private terrace, and often also a private pool – in short, everything you could dream of and even more. The types of rooms are also varied – you can stay either in a regular complex or in villas on the shore or right on the water.

Number of neighbors

Most guesthouses rent out from 4 to 20 rooms at a time. In such conditions, it is unlikely that you will be able to avoid meeting other people and communicating with the owners of the house. 

But on the territory of resort hotels, several dozen tourists can easily get lost. Despite the fact that such hotels provide up to hundreds of available rooms and villas, there are rarely crowds and it is much easier to enjoy your holiday alone.

Services

Guesthouse owners provide tourists with all the necessary information about possible entertainment and can help them understand the infrastructure, but vacationers deal with the organization themselves. This applies to excursions, shopping, boat trips around the islands, diving and other activities. By the way, many guesthouses offer their residents free bicycle rental.

Living in a guesthouse, tourists are immersed in the daily life of the islanders. In such an environment you can find out how locals work and relax. There is a chance to get to know them better in numerous local cafes or, for example, visit fruit and vegetable plantations. This is possible if you stay at Serene Sky Guest House 2*. The guesthouse staff will help you negotiate with the locals.

But residents of resort hotels will find everything on the island itself. These are restaurants, fitness rooms, spas, swimming pools, playgrounds with animators for children and recreation areas for adults. A separate category includes water sports and activities such as snorkeling, diving and fishing. Both equipment and instructors are provided for these classes.

In addition, resort hotels provide tourists with a cultural program – excursions, concerts and theatrical performances, and even hobby classes are provided. The choice ranges from cooking classes to group yoga classes.

Beaches

Typically, resort hotels are located on the ocean shore, blending harmoniously into the natural landscape. The cleanliness of the beaches here is strictly monitored, they are cleared of coral fragments and fallen leaves. Some hotels, for example, Filitheyo Island Resort 4*, even have their own coral reef, which can be explored in detail underwater!

But residents of guesthouses will have to worry about finding a good beach themselves. Unfortunately, the shores of populated islands do not always look well-groomed and equipped for recreation. In addition, wearing a swimsuit is only allowed on separate bikini beaches, fenced off from the local population. For all others, it is strictly forbidden to remove their T-shirt and shorts.

Some guesthouses are thoughtfully built next to the bikini beach. So, from Kurumba Villa Maafushi Guest House to such a treasured sandy shore is less than a kilometer. However, the cost of living in such hotels is higher.

Food and alcohol

Guesthouses offer different types of food to their guests, but most often only breakfast is included in the price. And if the house is small, then there may not be a usual buffet – the owners will simply prepare something to suit your taste.

But you will need to take care of lunch and dinner yourself. There are many local cafes and shops at your disposal. And you have to do without alcohol! Its use is officially prohibited in the Maldives. In stores you will find a maximum of non-alcoholic beer.

Things are different in resort hotels. Firstly, the food here is organized to the highest standard. A varied buffet, full lunches and dinners, as well as numerous cafes and restaurants – you can not only satisfy your hunger, but also explore new tastes. On the territory of Hurawalhi Island Resort 5*, for example, there is a unique underwater restaurant “5.8 Undersea”.

And no bans on alcohol! Resort hotels buy a special license – permission for tourists to drink alcohol on their territory.

Price

Let's move on to the main thing – compare prices. The cost of a guesthouse room in the Maldives starts from $50 per day out of season, but in the most popular and comfortable houses the price is close to $100.

At the same time, one day in a resort hotel will cost several times more. On average – from $300 to $600. The maximum can reach $5000.

A little life hack!

If you have chosen a guesthouse, but dream of seeing a gorgeous beach or tasting your favorite alcohol, then do not rush to get upset. Anyone can spend one day at the resort hotel and enjoy all the available entertainment. To do this, you need to pay the entrance fee, read the rules and obtain a residence permit. It will cost you an average of $100 – depending on the level of the hotel and the season. 

And before choosing a place to live in the Maldives, think about what you want more. If you want a carefree holiday on the beach in complete comfort, then you should choose among resort hotels. And if you want to see the non-tourist side of the islands and immerse yourself in the life of the local population, then feel free to stay in a guesthouse.