Introduction Of all the Marriott properties in the Maldives, this is the only one that will allow you to really potentially get by with very little expenditure while still enjoying luxury.The boat ride to and from the airport is free. We did not try it, but I think if you were to join an existing transfer they would let you go mid-stay.We decided to take the airport ferry to Male upon arrival. The hotel had confirmed this but did not note it correctly, We were met upon arrival. We discussed with then. They agreed to take our luggage and then pick us up around four hours later when other guests also arrived.I can recommend to everyone to take a stroll of Male to get an idea for "real" life on the island. The island is generally clean and safe, albeit sometimes crowded and rather hot. We took four hours and we felt that was more than enough to walk around the entire island, visit some cafes, see the sites (fish market, tsunami memorial, mosques, etc.) and return back to the airport. Originally we were planning on walking the bridge back to the airport, but two different people told us you can only walk to the end of the bridge's span but cannot go further as a pedestrian. Since the bridge is so long and it was quite hot, we did not attempt to confirm this statement. We took the ferry back to the airport. The ferry only costs 1 USD and runs after 15 or 30 minutes (depending upon he time of day). There is also a public bus that goes to the airport, We couldn't find the bus stop from which to take this bus, No idea about the cost of the bus.You will not legally find any alcohol on Male. I bet there will be a black market, but we were not looking. We did however buy some snacks in Male to take with us to the resort. Once you are at the resort, you are in for an inflationary treat. Sunset from the airport The boat ride leaving the airportSign near the launch point for the boat for some nice picturesThe boat ride was a bit rougher than expected. It lasted about 25 minutes. At the beginning one of the staff members handed our small bottles of cooled water to each guest. Be careful to not chip your teeth while drinking during the swells.I have not asked about tidal conditions. Generally speaking we have observed that the water is calmer all day until the afternoon and evening when it gets a lot rougher. This is potentially always like that or just coincidence. Check In Check in is done at a special hut from near the arrival pier. You are brought to seating areas, offered a selection of fruit juices and teas. Your documents are collected and they do the check in process from two desks nearby.I had to go to the desk for them to be able to swipe my card for the deposit. They wanted a $500 deposit for a three night stay. This later would seem like a low amount given the price levels.For whatever reason they did not want to use Apple Pay/Google Pay for some muttered reason, like "we need to see the credit card number". It took me a while to find many physical card, since I almost never use it these days.We booked using points. The first night we booked a standard room (50K) and got upgraded to an over water bungalow without a pool. For the second night we paid 130 K for the overwater bungalow with pool and for the third day 50 K for a standard room. We added an SNA to get the overwater bungalow with pool. The transfer after the first night between the two rooms was communicated by a letter and the staff moved our packed bags to the new room while we were out and about.Check in areaThere is also a separate full lobby located a bit further into the resort.Once the formalities have been handled, they will take you to your room with a larger golf cart. Room The two room types we enjoyed were essentially the same. The only difference was the addition of the pool for the second and third nights.We arrived at night to the first from type, allowing you to enjoy the external lighting at the property.We immediately got changed and went into the water. I did not notice the sign that said you should not swim after six. I am not sure if the motivation for this rule is to provide serenity/privacy to other guests or for swimming safety or a combination of both.In the second room type the pool also did not have any lights we managed to turn on, so it also was not inviting for night-time swimming. Service The island has a list of no-cost scheduled and unscheduled activities and chargeable activities (mostly water sports). Location This property has the pros and cons of being so close to Male and and the airport. You do not have unobstructed sea views. On the horizon you will always have some man-made developments in view. Also, you will be able to hear airplanes flying overhead.That said, this hotel does do a lot to make you feel secluded with barrier islands obstructing some things with trees, etc. We were happy enough. However, if you want absolute seclusion then you should look at another property.This property has the major advantage that it is close and does not require a seaplane to get to. This enables the property to get people cheaply to the property, making single nights stays reasonable for guests from both time and money perspective. Currently these boar transfers are free in both directions.