Maalifushi by COMO (Maldives): STUNNING resort! My trip report
Aug 9, 2017, 1:17 pm
#46
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Sweden
Posts: 216
(1) You mentioned that the air con was efficient. Care to elaborate? I am curious to learn how cool it kept your OW villa during the day and how cool it could go at night. If anyone else has any experience here, I'd also welcome your input. 
(2) I would have been far more put out about the pool light fiasco and the missed allergies. Wasting a whole day fixing a pool light would have made me head straight to the senior manager on duty. And missing allergies that could result in death would have sent me straight to the F/B director.
(3) Sounds like COMO still has some work to do on service and food. We have faith in COMO that they will get it right.
(2) I would have been far more put out about the pool light fiasco and the missed allergies. Wasting a whole day fixing a pool light would have made me head straight to the senior manager on duty. And missing allergies that could result in death would have sent me straight to the F/B director.
(3) Sounds like COMO still has some work to do on service and food. We have faith in COMO that they will get it right.
2. Yes, I was too lenient. I should have let them know how bad I thought it was, and I was planning on talking to the GM when we saw him, but I was somewhat put off by his demeanor, so I decided to just ignore it. Regarding the allergies, I was about to talk to the F&B manager a second time about it, but was talked out of it by other people in our party. I don't really regret anything, but if I had a second chance I would have made a bigger deal out of both the issues. As I said before, if we wouldn't have had access to the second villa, things would have been very different.
3. The service needs to improve, the food itself was excellent.
Aug 9, 2017, 1:29 pm
#47
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Southern California, USA
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1. I didn't do any measurements, but it was set to 68 degrees night and day, and it felt about right. Coming inside from being outside felt equally great each time. After having had the doors open for awhile, which of course disabled the A/C, it didn't take too long for it to get the temperature back down. The fans in each room helped A LOT to spread the cool air around. If the air conditioning was a bit loud, the fans were close to silent. Then again, if the A/C would have been more silent, maybe I would be able to hear the fans? Who knows.
2. Yes, I was too lenient. I should have let them know how bad I thought it was, and I was planning on talking to the GM when we saw him, but I was somewhat put off by his demeanor, so I decided to just ignore it. Regarding the allergies, I was about to talk to the F&B manager a second time about it, but was talked out of it by other people in our party. I don't really regret anything, but if I had a second chance I would have made a bigger deal out of both the issues. As I said before, if we wouldn't have had access to the second villa, things would have been very different.
3. The service needs to improve, the food itself was excellent.
2. Yes, I was too lenient. I should have let them know how bad I thought it was, and I was planning on talking to the GM when we saw him, but I was somewhat put off by his demeanor, so I decided to just ignore it. Regarding the allergies, I was about to talk to the F&B manager a second time about it, but was talked out of it by other people in our party. I don't really regret anything, but if I had a second chance I would have made a bigger deal out of both the issues. As I said before, if we wouldn't have had access to the second villa, things would have been very different.
3. The service needs to improve, the food itself was excellent.
I do understand about the rest. Especially since you were with a group. I'm just more demanding than most.
As I said, we've had great experiences with COMO at the Halkin in London. Even after a rough first stay (with air con fail). They really came through after that. So I trust that they can fix the service issues you experienced. Here's crossing fingers.
I also would be apoplectic if anyone wanted me to wear a tux in the tropics. I do believe I'd murder people. COMO sounds to strike the right balance, along with some other casual-luxe properties already named.
Last edited by bhrubin; Aug 9, 2017 at 2:41 pm
Aug 9, 2017, 2:08 pm
#48
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: IAD/DCA
Posts: 31,797
great report! id think/hope como would offer recovery re allergies
hmm
two rarer things - house reef and low room count
(jani is adding a bunch of 1BRs and 3BRs on beach)
and pretty consistent here over long period of time
location means published boat transfer, some prefer
hmm
two rarer things - house reef and low room count
(jani is adding a bunch of 1BRs and 3BRs on beach)
and pretty consistent here over long period of time
location means published boat transfer, some prefer
Last edited by Kagehitokiri; Aug 10, 2017 at 12:26 pm
Aug 10, 2017, 5:07 pm
#49
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: London
Programs: No program whatsoever
Posts: 284
I will be staying at Maalifushi in September for 10 nights.
I have previously stayed at the two Maldivian Four Seasons, which had generous buffets for breakfast.
Maalifushi's breakfast buffet looks modest in comparison - am I missing something here? Is it because it's primarily an a' la carte service?
I have previously stayed at the two Maldivian Four Seasons, which had generous buffets for breakfast.
Maalifushi's breakfast buffet looks modest in comparison - am I missing something here? Is it because it's primarily an a' la carte service?
Aug 11, 2017, 12:06 am
#50
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Sweden
Posts: 216
I will be staying at Maalifushi in September for 10 nights.
I have previously stayed at the two Maldivian Four Seasons, which had generous buffets for breakfast.
Maalifushi's breakfast buffet looks modest in comparison - am I missing something here? Is it because it's primarily an a' la carte service?
I have previously stayed at the two Maldivian Four Seasons, which had generous buffets for breakfast.
Maalifushi's breakfast buffet looks modest in comparison - am I missing something here? Is it because it's primarily an a' la carte service?
Coming from FS Jumeirah Beach, which has a massive buffet, sure makes the one at Maalifushi look tiny, but no one ever left the breakfast hungry.
Aug 11, 2017, 1:31 am
#51
formerly declinespecificinformatiom
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: USA
Posts: 1,140
Thanks for elaborating on the air con. Music to my ears, after hearing so many horror stories of poor air con in OW villas in the Maldives. I can deal with noise--I like white noise actually when trying to sleep--but I must have cold!
I do understand about the rest. Especially since you were with a group. I'm just more demanding than most.
As I said, we've had great experiences with COMO at the Halkin in London. Even after a rough first stay (with air con fail). They really came through after that. So I trust that they can fix the service issues you experienced. Here's crossing fingers.
I also would be apoplectic if anyone wanted me to wear a tux in the tropics. I do believe I'd murder people. COMO sounds to strike the right balance, along with some other casual-luxe properties already named.
I do understand about the rest. Especially since you were with a group. I'm just more demanding than most.
As I said, we've had great experiences with COMO at the Halkin in London. Even after a rough first stay (with air con fail). They really came through after that. So I trust that they can fix the service issues you experienced. Here's crossing fingers.
I also would be apoplectic if anyone wanted me to wear a tux in the tropics. I do believe I'd murder people. COMO sounds to strike the right balance, along with some other casual-luxe properties already named.
Aug 11, 2017, 6:53 am
#52
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: YYC
Programs: AC SE 1MM, Marriott Ambassador
Posts: 3,396
+1 for the app and the practice. Unless I am staying some place I know will be very quiet, and which has AC you can keep the fan on continually to generate the right amount of white noise, I do this too.
Aug 12, 2017, 11:29 am
#54
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: London
Programs: No program whatsoever
Posts: 284
It's definitely a smaller buffet as you can see from the pictures. The hot dishes you order from the menu are of a decent size, however.
Coming from FS Jumeirah Beach, which has a massive buffet, sure makes the one at Maalifushi look tiny, but no one ever left the breakfast hungry.
Coming from FS Jumeirah Beach, which has a massive buffet, sure makes the one at Maalifushi look tiny, but no one ever left the breakfast hungry.
Oct 23, 2018, 8:03 am
#56
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Sweden
Posts: 216
Oct 23, 2018, 8:38 am
#57
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Stockholm, Sweden
Programs: HH Gold, SPG/Marriott Plat
Posts: 72
They look really nice! How's the water there? And does it become a hassle to go to restaurants and so on? How's 404 and 402?
Oct 23, 2018, 8:42 am
#58
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Sweden
Posts: 216
Oh, forgot about the other rooms. I'd say they are not as private. One family in our party had 402 and even though it's private, it's not as private as 318-320.
Last edited by hannisen; Oct 23, 2018 at 8:49 am
Oct 23, 2018, 9:03 am
#59
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: NY
Posts: 226
We stayed in room 301. The rooms appear smaller that the ones across the way, but I think the others just have a larger living room. I spend a lot of time on our deck looking out at the outer atoll. We had a sunrise view.
For those who like me who don’t care to ride a bike, we would just call and a buggy would be sent to pick us up at the end of the pier.
Snorkeling is best in the house pool. The coral reef around our villa set was only open during high tide, and there was quite the strong current.
We didn’t hear any noise from the Japanese restaurant when it was open. It was fun to just walk over from our villa in the evening to see all the fish swarm for the feeding of scraps form the restaurant. Tai was not open every night, for those that only care to eat Japanese food.
For those that flyfish, Como Maalifushi has a guide Craig Richardson who took hubby out fishing two days. He didn’t get a GT, but had a great time. Unfortunately there were boat problems, as there always are with having a boat, but hubby did catch some new species, and got a new peg for his travel map.
For those who like me who don’t care to ride a bike, we would just call and a buggy would be sent to pick us up at the end of the pier.
Snorkeling is best in the house pool. The coral reef around our villa set was only open during high tide, and there was quite the strong current.
We didn’t hear any noise from the Japanese restaurant when it was open. It was fun to just walk over from our villa in the evening to see all the fish swarm for the feeding of scraps form the restaurant. Tai was not open every night, for those that only care to eat Japanese food.
For those that flyfish, Como Maalifushi has a guide Craig Richardson who took hubby out fishing two days. He didn’t get a GT, but had a great time. Unfortunately there were boat problems, as there always are with having a boat, but hubby did catch some new species, and got a new peg for his travel map.
Mar 23, 2019, 11:23 am
#60
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Stuttgart, Germany
Programs: Too many...and an Amanjunkie
Posts: 1,667
They are, however, building a new hotel just a few islands away which I'm sure will impact the hotel's feeling of isolation. Gran Meliá Huravee is scheduled to open this year, but looking at the state of construction from late July, I wouldn't bet on it.
Well, the supposed Gran Melia Huravee property (construction looks to be almost finished) near Maalifushi never materialized as the owner ran out of money. It is up for sale.
In other news, COMO Maalifushi GM Pietro Addis (ex-Aman Sri Lanka) left his post last week, alledgedly for COMO Miami. The place is run now by (Swiss) Executive Assistant Manager Rico Haus, at least for the interim.
Last edited by ngfan; Mar 23, 2019 at 10:27 pm Reason: rumors adjusted