Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru

I am visiting Banyan Tree, Vabbingaru for the third time. |Each time it’s an incredible and unforgettable experience. It’s not just the island and the atmosphere. It is to a big extent driven by the politeness, the friendliness and the openness of the charming employees caring for us. I travelled a lot in my life but the wonderful atmosphere created by all the people working here is just unique. |To mention some examples : the housekeeper, Shujau, is the most creative and caring person I ever met in this duty. He provided fresh flowers, flower bouquets and decorations which I never found before, our room became kind of paradise.||The people at the reception were taking care about us all around the clock. Especially Octa was extremely charming, helpful and friendly. ||I don’t know whom to mention from the restaurant servants. Beginning from Ahmed over Lynn, Pifit, Abdullah,Prosant, Zameer … they are all very open and extremely helpful. The conversations with them were interesting and they were serving us extremely well. ||I cannot mention everybody , but this might be an example of how welcome we felt during our stay here. Thank you to all of the people on this island for giving us wonderful vacations

We had a lovely stay in the resort. The service here is extraordinary . We enjoyed every moment in the dining area. The waiter and waitress are super friendly and considerate. Special thanks to Rajesh our cook at the grilled bar, he always has big smile and goes out of his way to help us get what we like. We enjoyed every meal there. We’d also like to mention Hassan who is taking care of our villa. We found our villa back to spotless every time we came back. He’s super friendly and made us feel like home. We’ll definitely come back again.

Wonderful stay from start to finish. ||A warm welcome awaits you at the end of the pier and in reception, a tour of the resort before being shown to your room, the encouragement to move around the resort in bare feet…..it’s just tremendous from the very beginning.||We had a beachfront villa with pool and hot tub, and it was stunning. You can hear the ocean at all times, which is so relaxing, and you have immediate access to the most perfect white sand you can imagine, and the ocean beyond that.||The food was amazing, not only in the two main restaurants, Madi Hiyaa and Saffron, but in the buffets too. On the all inclusive package, some nights are a la carte and some are buffet, and we enjoyed the mix. All, the drinks (soft and alcoholic) are all premium brands.||Snorkelling along the house reef is amazing, and you’re only a 5 minute boat ride to the sister island which is another level up again for the snorkelling. I had a guided snorkelling tour with one of the staff at the water sports centre and we saw sharks and even a turtle. It was incredible.||I’m awful with names - all the staff were so friendly, but there were some that definitely need a special mention. At the Saffron restaurant and at the buffet, the front of house duo of Lynn and Fipit (who was it wonderfully attentive and a constant source of smiles and happiness), Firaash who pretty much became our personal waiter throughout the trip - he looked after us so so well, and had some really funny chat at times. A special mention to Rajesh on the grill and barbecue, who was incredibly friendly and engaging, and cooked up some amazing fresh seafood and meats. And last but not least, Prosanta, who was so friendly at breakfast, making the eggs, waffles, pancakes etc. If the manager of the resort reads this review, please pass Mr William and Miss Sarah’s thanks for making our much needed holiday so special 🙏🏽||A bit of constructive criticism for the management to consider, as I’m sure as great as it is to read positive reviews, there’s always room for growth. We felt perhaps the service could have been a bit more attentive at the bar at the front of the resort - sitting down at a table wouldn’t initiate being offered a drink, and you’d end up having to go up to the bar yourself. The a la carte options were somewhat limited and much of the “good stuff” was an uocharge, and we weren’t always sure why it would be $15 or $25 for simple (albeit delicious) stir fried dishes. The entertainment on an evening perhaps could improve a little, albeit the quiet, relaxing ambience shouldn’t be compromised for that! And whilst the spa was incredible (I had THE best deep tissue massage I’ve ever had - thank you Asty), it was very very expensive.||That being said, these criticisms in no way take away from what was a perfect holiday, and we thank everyone at Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru for what was possibly the best holiday we’ve ever had.

Our family vacation here was perfect. The staff were very attentive to our needs. The villas were spacious, beautiful with our own pool and hot tub and the beach was right there. The food and drink were very good. Enjoyed snorkeling off the beach, jet skis, scuba diving, sunset cruise cocktail party on Friday night. Able to relax and enjoy our family time. It was the perfect place to enjoy Paradise!

This is our sixth visit and the first one after a few years. This is a truly special island for those who prefer quiet over glitz, friendliness over party, nature over cocktails. Don’t get me wrong, there are some amazing cocktails. And we have had a party here too. But why we come here is because it’s a little island of peace, built on a beautiful reef for amazing snorkeling and diving, with the kindest humans taking care of your every need with genuine smiles and small attentions. Some rooms needsa little touch up and the view on the man built islands all around - a new initiative since a few years - are a bit disconcerning. There are 2 new restaurants and while quite pricey, the cuisine is absolutely stellar. ||It’s hard to say goodbye. I wish i could stay and preserve the sunsets, the crabs on the beach, the morning walks to find some shelves, the bats, the morning birds who tok on the window, the snorkeling in an acquarium, the patient PADI instructors, the tropical flowers on the sand, the amazing cuisine, the best possible massage, Don, Rajesh, Waheed and Moussa who have been here for many years, but especially my pink skinned family and seeing them relax and take in the beauty of a magical place. I hope tourism won’t destroy it.

Our stay at the Banyan Tree Maldives was simply fantastic! From the first to the last minute, we were pampered with first-class service. The villas are luxurious, private and offer a breathtaking view of the turquoise blue sea. We were particularly impressed by the attention to detail - from the furnishings to the little attentions of the staff.||The food was delicious and we highly recommend the buffet and the traditional markets. The diving and snorkeling opportunities were phenomenal - we have never seen so much marine life!||Special praise goes to Liu and the whole team who were always friendly, courteous and professional. They made our stay unforgettable.||If you are looking for a place to get away from it all and feel like you are in paradise, Banyan Tree Maldives is the perfect choice. We can't wait to go back!

The island is beautiful, the villas are excellent with private pool and jacuzzi.|The staff on the whole are hardworking and provide excellent service.|Our room attendant Shujau was incredibly helpful and a genuinely lovely person.|In the restaurant Aimam looked after us well and was very professional. Fipit in the restaurant also did a great job.|This is the second time that we have visited the island and we were disappointed with the new restaurant set up. There is one Thai restaurant and one Japanese restaurant with a themed buffet 3 times per week isn’t aligned with the predominantly European clientele, in addition the volume of supplement charges make for a below par dining experience.|We love the island and genuinely would like to return but work needs to be done to improve the dining experience.|That said the management generally tried to make our stay a memorable one.

This was my fifth stay in Maldives, and my fifth stay at Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru.|Once you have experienced this resort, you tend to come back … because of the sheer beauty of the island, the architecture of the villas/restaurants and noble materials employed everywhere, but also because you are almost certain to meet again with some of the associates you appreciated during your previous stay(s).||As my main motivation for coming here is scuba diving, I shall start with a feedback on the Marine Center.|Safe AND enjoyable dive experiences, this is what you are looking for, and this is what you get. The dive guides and boat crew are extremely attentive to the divers’ safety and comfort at all times.||Yaabe, Viju and Ali, thank you for some unforgettable underwater immersions.|The incredible ballet of manta rays, the mating of octopus, the cleaner wrasses busy grooming a grouper’s mouth, the huge nurse sharks on the house reef, the encounter with Maldivian Haribo :-), will remain imprinted on my retina for quite some time.||Yaabe, we have known each other for 3 years now and I knew about your qualities as an accomplished dive professional. This time I was fortunate to spend some time with you discussing a variety of topics, from the development of the diving industry in Maldives, pioneering figures like Zoona Naseem, the development of tourism on local islands, Banyan Tree’s values and corporate culture, … to Maldivian cuisine and traditions. Thank you so much for your time and generosity in sharing this with me. And the scooter ride was big fun :-).||Thanks to Shujau my villa has been impeccably kept throughout my stay. Whereas Housekeeping staff in most hotels are among the invisible ones, here they are in full light and they deserve it so much. Special thanks for the beautiful flower composition on Valentine’s day !||I enjoyed chatting with Prosanta at breakfast every morning, thanks to him my days started in the most pleasant way. His eggs Benedict are a delight ! |Thank you Rajesh for the delicious lobster curry.||I experienced several meals at Saffron, the new Thai restaurant, and although I enjoyed most of them, I prefered the preexisting formula (menu and buffet).|Two minor issues here :|The rice master ritual is pleasant to acknowledge. The problem however is that once you are ready to start eating, the rice is almost cold.|Presenting a refreshing towel is a fine novelty. But the tissue should be presented as soon as the guest settles down at his/her table … and not after the starter, as happened to me on some occasions.||Fipit and your smiling radiant personality : what a pleasure to have you around.|Nafiz, thank you so much for your fine service, your permanent attention to detail, your extreme courtesy and warmth towards me as your guest. You are proud of what you are doing and you do it so well.|Aiman, to me you have embodied Maldivian hospitality ever since I came here for the first time. You seem to be able to connect with about all types of guest characters ! always attentive, eager to understand the guest’s state of mind and respond accordingly, you are so good at establishing a wonderful rapport at all times.||My final words of appreciation go to the lady therapists who took care of me at the Spa on four occasions. What a treat. You know the human body so well. Your massages are unequalled and moments of pure bliss.||What makes this place truly special is the commitment of its community of associates : their art of welcoming the Foreigner, and taking care of him in the most gracious of ways.||Thank you so much, merci infiniment.