I would suggest looking at Anantara Dhigu and Veli, for overwater villas. They are four star options, and often come with full or half board included. If you get a good deal, could be approximately within budget. These resorts are not at the same level as the properties mostly discussed on this forum, but I think that for many people they would offer good value and a good introduction to the Maldives. And they still have good service as one would expect from Anantara. They are certainty much nicer than some of the mass market, low end properties that are out there.

One & Only Reethi Rah is absolutely not going to work by any means. It would end up costing several times as much.

Of those three Anantara properties, Naladhu is the one that is most relevant in terms of this fourm. And many here will say that Veli and Dhigu are not “luxury” relative to the truely high-end options available in the Maldives. Indeed the do cater to a different market segment, but I think that if you are looking for a good, four star experience at an affordable price they are really worth looking at. You’ll definitely want to take only the higher categories of villas there, and you should be aware that they are more “mass market” high density islands - and everything in the Maldives is relatively high density.

If you are looking for luxury among the Anantara properties, you should be looking at Kihavah and Naladhu. On the other hand, if you are looking for a simpler resort that provides good value and still has the Anantara flair for great service and genuine hospitality, I say that Veli and Dhigu stack up very well against their direct competitors, i.e. similarly priced resorts. Veli is adults only, Dhigu is for everyone including families.

Taj Exotica, located nearby, also has very affordable rates on its entry level accommodation.