Feedback from a Repeat Visitor: Love for Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru

Having stayed at Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru thrice—initially in 2017， then in 2022， and now in 2025—we feel well-suited to share a thorough review of our time at this lovely Maldivian retreat. Positives:Outstanding Service: A defining feature of Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru is its exceptional service. The staff consistently go the extra mile to ensure guests feel at ease and valued. Their friendliness and attention greatly enhance the overall experience， making each visit memorable.Notable Improvement in Food: A significant enhancement since our earlier visits has been the noticeably better food options. While some reviews argue that variety is lacking， we respectfully disagree. The quality， taste， and range of choices have markedly improved， making dining a more delightful experience compared to past years.Infrastructure Enhancements: Over time， the resort has made noticeable strides in improving its infrastructure. New furniture in the villas， restaurant refurbishments， and general upkeep have ensured the resort maintains a fresh and well-cared-for vibe， unlike previous years when it felt a bit dated.Negatives:1. Reservation Issues & Downgrading: We reserved the Wellbeing Sanctuary Pool Villa， one of the resort’s premium room categories (Rooms 43 and 45)， primarily due to the spacious outdoor space as shown on their website. Upon arrival， we learned that these rooms were occupied. We were downgraded to a lower-tier category for the first night and later moved to Room 12 on the sunset side， which was an improvement. Considering our week-long stay， this unexpected change marred the start of our holiday and was disappointing. However， after expressing our concerns， the hotel worked hard to amend the issue. Mr. Hery， the manager， was understanding and generously upgraded our meal plan to all-inclusive， which helped ease the frustration. Still， financially， the compensation wasn't substantial considering the price difference between the room categories. This isn't the first reservation issue here， so we advise the hotel to resolve this problem to prevent guest disappointment. 2. Lack of Communication About Major Issues Before Arrival:Guests should be notified in advance about any major changes or disruptions that might impact their stay. In our situation， we faced several unreported issues: A Russian group had secured the whole island for the week after our departure， necessitating all guests to vacate by 10 AM on the last day. While we were offered a room at the neighboring island， Ihuru， it didn't match Banyan Tree's standards， making for a disappointing end to our trip. Additionally， severe sand erosion on the island's eastern side (photo attached) rendered many beaches nearly unusable， which wasn't disclosed before booking and should have been communicated by the hotel. Noise from construction: The hotel is building a new staff unit on the island， resulting in constant construction noise during the day. This disturbance can be heard from the main restaurant and parts of the beach， disrupting the tranquility guests expect.3. Issues with the All-Inclusive Plan:While we were compensated with an all-inclusive upgrade， we question its value for paying guests. A significant portion (around 75%) of the menu has additional charges， even for all-inclusive guests， ranging from $20 to $65 per dish. Unless you're content with a limited selection weekly， extra costs are inevitable. This pricing approach seems misleading and should be revised to offer genuine value to guests opting for the all-inclusive plan.Final Thoughts:Despite experiencing three days of nearly non-stop rain (rare for March)， we enjoyed our stay. The hotel made efforts to amend their mistakes， and the island's natural beauty and calm atmosphere remain captivating. Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru is one of the few Maldivian resorts that preserves its authentic charm， versus over-the-top luxury， which we appreciate. It's an ideal escape for those seeking peace， nature， and relaxation over energetic entertainment. We still find it a wonderful choice. Special thanks to the Marine Lab team， especially Henry Cliff， for providing knowledgeable insights into the reef， ocean， and surrounding nature.Recommendations for the Hotel:- Resolve reservation issues to ensure booked room categories are honored.- Increase transparency regarding significant changes (island buyouts， construction work， beach erosion).- Revise the all-inclusive plan to remove excessive surcharge fees.Room Selection Tips:- Avoid the eastern side of the island due to sand erosion (though it offers more privacy).- Rooms 39-48 are decent， but steer clear of 17-38.- Rooms by the Japanese restaurant (north side， e.g.， Room 29) offer no privacy and obstructed views.- Preferred rooms: 6-12， for great views and prime locations. With these enhancements， Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru could be one of the best-value， nature-centered resorts in the Maldives， especially for those who love scuba diving and snorkeling in a tranquil， authentic setting.

Post by _TI***r6 | Aug 21, 2025