Komandoo Island Resort & Spa

A great island. It’s small but perfectly formed. Villas are nice. Food is great. Staff are wonderful. The snorkelling is mind-blowing. Can’t fault it.

My trip to Komandoo was fantastic. This is the best resort that I have been to in my long years of traversing the globe. After what were three gruelling flights we finally arrived at the island that was to be our home for two weeks. You are met at the jetty by the staff playing native drums and swiftly seated in the reception with a welcome arrival drink. After the formalities, which were very quick, we went for lunch as it was that time of day. After lunch we were shown to our room. The room is nice, a large bed, desk, cupboard and a lounger which was to be mine for the two weeks. The bathroom is outside, but was very welcome with a shower, twin sinks, a jacuzzi bath (which we didn’t use) and a very nice touch of a clothes line which had a lot of use. Showering outside took a little getting used to, but was rather pleasant and I’d do it at home if it wasn’t so cold and it might upset the neighbours. The real star of the room was the beach access, the sea is so close you can almost touch it and we made many trips into the sea to swim and cool off. You get your own sun loungers and parasol, but powder white sand to a beautiful warm sea is my idea of heaven. There is an excellent house reef to explore on the sunrise side which is where we were staying. It’s a short swim out to the reef which is marked by tethered rings and we snorkelled the reef most mornings which seemed to be the best time to go. The sea life on the reef is fantastic, I haven’t seen life like this since my scuba days when I used to dive in Egypt, it was that good. We saw turtles, sharks, rays and eels and of course many beautiful fish. The house reef is a real plus for the resort. We weren’t told this upon arrival but you seem to be allocated the same member of staff for your stay who looks after your needs and meals. They are called ‘champions’ and we had Jumaan who was second to none. He poured the wine when we needed it and saw to our needs. He’s an asset to the resort and looked after us well. We ate three times day in the house restaurant which is a buffet for all of the meals. The evening meal changes daily to a theme and we were never disappointed. Not all of the food was to our liking, but there was always something to eat even if we resorted to pasta occasionally. We were honoured with a visit to the kitchens courtesy of the executive chef Alex and this was a real eye opener. Komandoo isn’t a large resort, 65 rooms we were told, but the military style operation that is required to feed everyone is epic. We did eat once in the Aqua restaurant but sadly I didn’t like the food. It was too complicated and sloppy for me. We did talk to the chef and he showed real concern that I wasn’t happy with the meal and I think there will be changes made. We were cooked a Kobe steak dinner the next night as a way of compensation I think and I hope they introduce this meal to Aqua as it was superb. There is a bar which we sat at most evenings overlooking the water. There is ni

Just back from our fifth trip to Komandoo, previous visit 2019. Hadn't really intended to visit this year but being able to fly Emirates from our local airport, Stansted, clinched the deal. All flights went well & we arrived happy but tired to the usual lovely welcome. We were allocated Turtle 2, our first time on the Sunset side & it was absolutely fine although definitely not as nice a view as the Sunrise but not a deal breaker. Personally, I'm not a huge fan of buffet meals for breakfast, lunch & dinner but there was always a great & varied selection. Being able to eat at Aqua twice during our stay was a huge bonus. Drinks were OK but the inclusive wines were too acidic for me so gave them a miss. Staff as always were lovely, too difficult to single out anyone in particular. The geography of the Island has changed considerably in the 6 years since we last visited. The Sunset beach has increased in size & the lagoon has shrunk with the loss of seagrass & turtles. The opposite has occurred on the Sunrise side which is now the better side to snorkel which we did twice daily. Saw plenty of beautiful fish, turtles, largish sharks, rays, moray eel & there are some lovely corals slowly coming back that side too. Met some lovely people. My top tips would be: If it's your first visit stay on the Sunrise side for a better view. Bring loads of factor 50+ waterproof sun cream & apply it well - nothing spoils a holiday quicker than sunburn. If you're going to snorkel bring a rash vest, your own snorkel & fins - full size fins are much more effective than the stubby ones, the current varies & can at times be strong. Pack light, loose clothing made of natural fabrics & don't over pack. While it is a no shoes Island you will need flip flops for walking on any decking (gets baking hot) & also at night when walking to & from the restaurant/bar when you can't see sharp bits in the sand. Splurge & go to the 5.8 restaurant on Hurawali. Relax, enjoy & have fun.

This was a dream holiday; the perfect retreat from a manic life. The island is more beautiful than the pictures can ever tell. The staff and service are flawless. Particular mention to the wonder staff at the Spa who were kind and thoughtful and true experts at what they do. Do make sure you visit the Aqua restaurant as well, the food is second to none. I would recommend Komandoo Island to anyone as a solo retreat, or a romantic getaway (or anything in between). I can’t wait to go back.

A total holiday immersion is what Komandoo is all about. From the moment you step out of the speedboat to the final good bye.

All I can say is wow! We stayed in marlin 9 and will request this villa again as it gave us enough of a walk for meals to offset the amount of food we ate but close to Tundi bar for sunset refreshments. If you want a party island please don't come here. It was the epitome of The Maldives. I can understand people returning again and again. We want a plaque so another 3 times for us atleast......