About to book a 7 night stay in mid September. I'm finding plenty of comparisons of CBR to other properties (One & Only, Velaa, etc) - minus the newer St Regis Vommuli. There aren't many real critiques of CBR, other than two things:

- Lack of a house reef and good snorkeling. I read that a 15 minute boat ride takes you to amazing snorkeling and reefs, is that true? Does this cost an arm and a leg, or is it included? It would be a shame to pay $500 every time we want to get a couple hours of snorkeling in just because there is no house reef. But maybe I am misinformed.


- Lack of casual dining. While I enjoy a fine dining experience like Le 1947 and Diptyque, it gets tiring. I can eat somewhere like this every night in Manhattan. I can't enjoy a casual beer and dinner overlooking the Indian Ocean, however. I know there are better suited resorts (Six Senses Laamu comes to mind) for this, but I'm looking for a balance, not completely barefoot or black tie. Is this the case at CBR?


I've read too many negative reviews about the One & Only and Velaa, and Soneva Jani is fully booked for my dates. Is there a better option, like the St Regis? Or is CBR the way to go? Thanks in advance, any opinions appreciated!