Name: Gangehi Island Resort & Spa Maldive
Address: North Ari Atoll, N/A, North Ari Atoll, N/A, MV

8/10

Excellent

14 Dec 2024

Krzysztof Wieslaw

Nice private resort with limited guests.

10/10

Exceptional

04 Dec 2024

Jesse

Beautiful small island with shaded walkways. Accommodating staff. We had an amazing time.

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

19 Mar 2024

Adam

The resort was wonderful, the staff were great, food was good and healthy (aside from the desert bar, haha).

My only request to improve the stay is to limit the areas that people can smoke, it was very hard to find somewhere that was free of cigarette smoke.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

22 Mar 2023

Karen

A Lovely Holiday

We were at Gangehi Resort for 6 nights in March 2023. Our trip was moved from January after I broke my knee bone in December. I was worried the water would be too rough for me to swim in, but it was mostly calm and clear. There was swimming off the beach in back of our room and we swam there every morning. We saw reef sharks as well as several varieties of fish there, but not as many fish as were at the larger beach area near the dining room. In general the coral is hurting, but there were some beautiful and healthy soft corals to see. In the area behind our cabin they appear to be working with some success on building a new reef.
The entire resort can be walked around in only a few minutes. There are people working to maintain the grounds all the time. The cabins are cleaned 2 times a day. All the staff we interacted with were friendly and hard working. The two who did the most to make our trip a pleasure were Nafla at the front desk and Rasheed, our waiter. Staff members seemed to come from countries in the area, and those who interacted with guests spoke excellent English.
Guests seemed to come primarily from Europe, especially Italy. We appreciated that there were no noisy activities that disturbed the general peace of the island. It was a lovely place to relax!
The only thing I would change about Gangehi would be the use of so many plastic bottles. They charge for every bottle of water, even at dinner. Readily available water not in plastic bottles would be good.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

23 Nov 2022

Fernando

Very nice stay

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

16 Nov 2022

Alondra

It was beautiful. The staff was very professional and nice. The environment is very relaxing. The only downside is that the bed was uncomfortable and it is two smaller mattresses that make up the king size bed. Other than that we had a lovely time.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

27 Sep 2022

Arnold Augustus

It was a beautiful place, friendly, peaceful and secluded. Everything you needed for a peaceful break. Can't really think of anything negative to say about the resort. To us it was heaven, enough said 🌞😎🙃

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

25 Mar 2022

Amanda

This was the best honeymoon ever. We stayed in the over the water villa and we had the full board meal plan so only paid for drinks. The room was immaculate and comfortable. The wall AC worked well and kept the room cool as long as the curtains were pulled shut. The stairs to the water were the best thing about it all.
The staff were amazing and we got to know a few of them through the week. The food was top notch except for breakfast(and I'm a really picky eater FYI). Things didn't stay warm on the buffet for breakfast. And that's pretty much my only complaint of the whole trip. You can always have something fresh made by the omlet/pasta bar chef. All water is bottled and has to be purchased unless you have all inclusive.
The reef around the island is BOOMING with hundreds of different fish. Beautiful snorkeling. In the morning reef sharks hang out close to the beach by the bar. We did the manta ray excursion with the dive center staff. It is a MUST DO. And you don't have to be an olympian to do it. I'm of average activity level daily and did fine with the ocean currents during the snorkel with the mantas. We also did the sunset cruise. It was fun, but you don't really see the full sunset because of the wall of moisture.
We did a couples massage. It was more than fairly priced and she was really great, I almost fell asleep a couple times.
The sea plane transfers are arranged by the resort and is a nice little adventure. You get a sky view of the atolls.

Leisure Partner

2/10

Poor

25 May 2021

Verified traveler

This property is a scam. The staff lies and steals your money.

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

11 Feb 2020

Simon

Everything since we arrived at the resort by speedboat to our departure was amazing and surpassed our expectations based on other reviews and photos. The island is simply stunning and the perfect place to relax and unwind. Every single member of staff that we had any dealing with could not have been more helpful and professional in their service. We would certainly recommend this resort and will hopefully be returning there at some point in the future.

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

22 Jun 2019

Verified traveler

Nice place, pain to get to

Overall, the place is very lovely. The water is beautiful. There is a lot of effort into the gardening and the design of the Island. Room was very nice but could use a little bit of maintenance. The over the water lagoon room has a great view of the ocean and sunset, but be careful going down the stairs as they can be slippery. Water outside is shallow enough to swim in. Overall probably a 3.5 to 4 star hotel.

The restaurants all have a nice view of the ocean. I suggest you get the all inclusive package (or at least one meal beyond breakfast) as the buffet meals are super expensive (50 for lunch, 60 for dinner). The Thari restaurant was excellent, but the portions were small in most cases. Really good deserts.

Staff were nice. We were greated well and the restaurant staff and gardeners were generally friendly during our visit.

They do clean the rooms and treat for pests outside, but you might still see some ants and roaches in your room.

The only problem was when our departure to Male by seaplane got messed up. Not sure if this is the resort's fault or the airway's. For a flight leaving Male at 9pm, they booked the seaplane at 430pm. Since hotel check out is between 10:00 and 12:00pm (varies), I cannot understand why they did not book an earlier flight. Who wants to stay 5 hours after check out? Had I known this, I would have booked our trip differently.

Overall, it is worth staying but arriving and leaving can be difficult.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

25 May 2019

Diego

Excelente. Es el paraíso, súper recomendado. Cara la comida y bebidas

2/10

Poor

03 May 2019

Lily

island is beautiful, but staff were extremely unprofessional and unhelpful. Room was kind brokenly, ex.doorlocks and window locks half broken...hard to to lock them. Pretty old property with horrible service. Will not visit again!!!

Leisure Self

8/10

Excellent

12 Apr 2019

Verified traveler

Everyone was very nice. The resort was great.
Please consider putting umbrellas on private decks.

Leisure Self

2/10

Poor

06 Jan 2019

Owen

1)We were walking in the rain from boat to hotel. I complained, and stuff replyed me after 12 hr saying that wind will blow the away.

2) my bed collapsed when I was sitting on the end side trying to put on my socks. Funny thing was that the stuff was there cleaning the room

3) yoga class was terrible. I didn’t even know the instructors name because he never introduce himself nor done any safety briefing. I complain and the answer was: it is a complimentary class, it’s free

4) A picture frame fell from the reception counter and the broken glass was everywhere. The manager said sorry and that it because he said I wasn’t hurt

5) the deck was really old and the wooden steps are falling apart in the water

10/10

Exceptional

04 Nov 2018

Gitak

Loved! Nicely organized ! Neat hotel! Great staff!!

2/10

Poor

05 Oct 2018

roee

Search other hotel to go to him !

I real dont have the power to writen , all the very big list of bad things, that i have to say on this hotel , i dont recomend him .

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

14 Sep 2018

Verified traveler

Amazing service! Great stay

Friends

10/10

Exceptional

13 Sep 2018

Carlyle

Overall, it was a very good experience and truly enjoyed my stay. Everyone is politely and exceptional customer service. Clear water, truly a paradise.

Friends

4/10

Poor

13 Jun 2018

Winson

I stayed at overwater villa with my family for six days. Beach is very beautiful water is crystal clear.
Hotel service is needed to be improved, basic bath room facilities were not provided, like tooth brush, slippers etc...
There were lots of insects in the Bar Restaurant. Dinner buffer was only served with limited food. I had an unpleasant feeling about restaurant staffs. Breakfast time was not sufficient if you want to go diving in the morning. I had asked for 15 minutes more for breakfast before diving but I wasn’t allowed.
Lunch time and Dinner time were too short and I was asked to sign bill before finished.
WiFi is extremely slow and I could not use it most of the time, even in my room and in the diinner restaurant.
Room cleaning is good, twice a day.
For me, it was only a 3-stars hotel maximum.

10/10

Exceptional

04 May 2018

Paru

My husband and I had a great stay at Gangehi for 5 days. The resort is beautifully set up with stunning overwater villas as well as gorgeous bar and dining areas. All the staff such as Victor go above and beyond to make your stay an unforgettable experience. Big thanks to Chef Francesco, Chef Venkat and the rest of the chefs for the amazing lunch and dinner buffets. Our waiter Russel always had a smile on his face and always on the ball. Thank you all!
Our only feedback to other guests would be that the “all-inclusive” package is restricted to a certain selection of drinks and buffets within just one of the restaurants. So not really a true all-inclusive if you compare it to other resort stays such as Mexico. Otherwise, it’s definitely a slice of paradise!

10/10

Exceptional

03 Apr 2018

April

A wonderful retreat.

A gorgeous way to spend a week. Wonderful staff and service. Food excellent. Surroundings amazing. Highly recommend staying here if you want to get away from life in general.

10/10

Exceptional

18 Oct 2017

Verified traveler

Best honeymoon ever!!

This was the perfect paradise for our honeymoon. The island is tiny, 10 min to walk the entire circumference and 15 min to kayak around it. The staff was amazing, food was great and the views were unbelievable. Come here to do nothing but relax and scuba dive.

10/10

Exceptional

19 Sep 2017

Sime

Small quiet Maldivian resort

Seventh trip which should say it all.

I go for the diving and the peace and quiet.

For divers you will find expert tuition, instruction and or, guides depending on what you are after and (weather permitting) some absolutely superb dive sites many of which are new. This time EFR & Rescue Diver next time Divemaster.

Great resort, fantastic staff, superb food, great accommodation!

10/10

Exceptional

08 Aug 2017

Kris

Perfect getaway

Perfect small-yet-with-distractions island resort, delicious and huge selection of food and beverages, excellent staff and pristine waters for swimming

4/10

Poor

20 Jul 2017

Verified traveler

A lot of Gecko inside the room it is not clean

I have bad experience in that resort, the room have a lot of Gecko and there are Gecko stool in the bed. Also Cockroaches and mosquitoes. I don't recommend it.

8/10

Excellent

10 Jul 2017

Shaheer

A serene place to cherish our memories!

The place is well maintained and has beautiful and exciting views for the tourists to visit.

10/10

Exceptional

24 Jun 2017

Verified traveler

The place you need to be at!

I had so much fun, the resort was welcoming. The place was something out of a dream. I'm glad I chose this island out of all the other resorts. Being my first time in the Maldives, it was spectacular.

10/10

Exceptional

20 Mar 2017

Mark

Stunning resort

I was almost put off going to this resort by some reviews on tripadvisor stating that the staff weren't interested in anyone but Italians. This is an Italian owned resort. There are a lot of Italians there as a consequence. However, not for one moment did we feel any less treasured than any other guest at the hotel. The staff are all helpful and very friendly. Our waiter, Rasel (apologies for spelling) was brilliant. The island is tiny. The resort is beautiful, utterly idyllic. We had a beach villa, which was fabulous. The buffet restaurant produced superb fresh food every day with loads of options and variation. The fish was superb. The chefs were Bangladeshi and Italian. I didn't have much Italian food, but it was of a very high standard. We didn't feel the need to use the a la carte restaurant over a four night stay. The curries were excellent. The choice for breakfast was a little limited, but that is a very minor grumble overall. We'd decided to go all-inclusive which proved to be fantastic value for money with a reasonable choice of wines and an excellent choice of cocktails and liquors. The sea plane transfer from Male is expensive, but amazing and worth it as a special treat.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

21 Feb 2017

Verified traveler

Amazing stay, amazing location.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

13 Jan 2017

Thivagar

Amazing overwater bungalow!

Absolute paradise! You can snorkel in the clear blue water from anywhere. Spectacular views and the overwater bungalow was the best experience ever! There is even a bed outside over the water. Very small island that you can cover in 5min so you feel very safe and relaxed. I would say only downside is the food as there is only three places to eat with limited options and extremely expensive food if you don't get the all inclusive. Dinner costs at least $55US/person and that's for a buffet. Drinks are on top of that. We were disappointed with lack of traditional maldivian or even neighbouring sri lankan food. To end on a more positive note there is free yoga classes in the mornings and free group snorkelling with an instructor at 4:30pm. You will see beautiful fish of different kinds, sharks and maybe turtles. If you are willing to put up with the price and quality of food this island resort is absolutely amazing.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

29 Dec 2016

Michael

Beautiful!

On arrival we were upgraded to the deluxe overwater villa, which is absolutely stunning. Beautiful island, great staff. Absolutely recommended.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

28 Nov 2016

Prax

Excellent Resort

Amazing food, Amazing view from Water villa, snorkeling is the best here.

10/10

Exceptional

08 Oct 2016

Mahesh

Just superb

We stayed in Beach Villa for 2 nights. Everything about this resort is outstanding.

10/10

Exceptional

08 Oct 2016

Karolina

Super hotel

We got an upgrade to vila while on vacation for honeymooners

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

20 Sep 2016

Verified traveler

Vacation in Maldives

Spent 4 nights there.The view and the beach are gorgeous. Staff are great and very accommodating.
The hotel needs renovation.

4/10

Poor

03 Sep 2016

Steven

Poor value for money

This hotel is situated in a stunning environment, rooms are nice, food is good and most staff are very friendly and keen to help. Although this hotel was definitely not the most expensive to book a room, the real costs are generated from the moment you arrive. Although we have some experiencing in visiting this type of resorts, everything in this hotel is unjustifiable overpriced; 60 USD (excluding drinks) to have dinner buffet, 110 USD per dive (including equipment) to name a few. Nothing was for free and every step you took was definitely put on your account. We felt that the main purpose of guests was to generate as much money as possible for the hotel management. Although the hotel offers some trips, such as manta and whale shark watching, the management is very inflexible in organising this for you. A minimum amount of people has to be reached before they go. Because the hotel was not full during our stay, it was difficult to reach these numbers. We were therefore not able to do these potentially amazing trips. You can if you pay extra for the missing people...... When we wanted to discuss this with the manager, she refused to talk to us. Although they claim to have a gym, it contains one working running treadmill, one hometrainer and some weights of 1 - 3 kg. This is not what most people would call a gym. Although no water was available in the gym (as it would be in all other hotels), they suggested which post-workout drinks you could purchase in the bar.....

10/10

Exceptional

26 Jun 2016

BRUCE

Certainly the most wonderful stay we have ever had and we travel much...Thank You Gangehi

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

11 May 2016

Sally

Absolutely superb resort. One of the best holidays I have ever had.

8/10

Excellent

10 Apr 2016

Lincoln

Excellent except for the Wifi

Most relaxing location and the overwater villa was just nice, right in front of the ocean. The only thing not up to par was the Wifi which was very slow but still managed to connect despite the speed.

8/10

Excellent

08 Apr 2016

kenzo

Great island to enjoy your holiday for couples

1. Overwater villa, we stay near the sand bar (room 31) which is very great with just walking distance to their tail sand bar and right in front the sun set view..

2. Recommend for booking all inclusive as the food there would cost sum as they charge in USD.

3. The staffs all are very friendly when they know we are the only asian in the island during the stay.

4. Weather is great, the view and the sceneries is the same as shown in the pictures!!!

5. The only downside is the bed, is joined by 2 single beds to make it becomes super king size bed.

8/10

Excellent

17 Mar 2016

Andrew

Stunning Island but poor food and service

This is a very mixed experience. The island is stunning; the hotel really well developed. Snorkelling is simply amazing. However you are in the Maldives so perhaps that's all expected...
Downsides are three fold: Quality of food is poor and of course there's no alternatives. Its also very expensive so doubly insulting!; the staff are generally not well trained for Western guests and the Italian manager simply rude; the journey is very long as there's zero coordination between the sea plane ($500 per person!) and the international flight. Time from leaving resort to London Gatwick was 18 hours.
There are probably better hotel options in the Maldives but this is a stunning island.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

09 Mar 2016

Verified traveler

Excellent! Great hotel, island and staff!

We had a great stay! Service minded staff, great snorkling, clean and a impeccable hotel.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

08 Mar 2016

Verified traveler

Great Diving Destination

We came to Gangehi to celebrate our 20th anniversary. My husband and I are both divers, so we wanted to be able to do some diving. Gangehi was a great choice! The dive shop was well staffed - all of the dive masters were excellent. Our dive master for the majority of our dives was Anna - she was superb! She was so friendly and did a great job at making sure our needs were met. We chose to do some additional diving certification while we were there, I felt like they were well suited to take care of that for us. The diving was great! On the days where we did not do diving, we were able to enjoy the house reefs. I was amazed at what you could see while snorkeling. We loved the abundant fish life. We also saw several turtles (which are my favorite!). Our room was very comfortable. Very clean and beautifully situated! I have no idea how many people were staying on the island while we were there, but we never felt crowded. It was a very peaceful trip - it was the perfect getaway! The food was also quite nice. The staff all over the resort were very friendly and helpful. I would recommend this resort to friends and would stay here again!

10/10

Exceptional

05 Mar 2016

John and Nicola

Our little paradise

This was our second stay on this heavenly island and loved every minute of it.

We booked a beach villa which was very nice and then we were upgraded to an over the water villa for our last 3 nights. That was extremely nice too but suffers from lack of shade on the deck in the afternoon sun.

All the staff are extremely friendly and work hard to make you feel at home. This for us makes this resort so special.

Specifically we'd like to give thanks to Seelan who runs the Thari lounge, or as we called it the Sunset bar. He is a superb host and always made you feel special. Abhulla who took good care of us in the restaurant and Venga whose desserts were the highlight of every meal. Especially his home made ice creams and sorbets, we really miss them.

Although the island is small, you can walk right around it in about 5 minutes, it is very well layed out. It feels like you have the island pretty much to yourself.

There is abundant marine life all round the island. Snorkelling is great, there's so much to see.

If you're a party animal this island is not for you.

Would we go again? Most definitely.

2/10

Poor

02 Jan 2016

Verified traveler

Avoid this hotel

The garden villa is quiet and clean. However the bathroom is very old and damp. The rain shower was broken and had to be fixed. The toilet seat was filthy.

The food is very expensive and quite bad. We ate very little during the buffet even though the price was USD40 for lunch and USD50 for dinner.

On checkout they arranged my flight at 1545 but chased me out of the villa 1100. They expected me to spend 5 hours outside of the room. I had to call the Trans Maldivian airline to change my flight to noon. The receptionist did not help at all.

8/10

Excellent

01 Jan 2016

Nicolas N.

Enjoyed our stay but won't come back

We enjoyed a lot our stay at the Gangehi hotel.
The location is great, we saw little sharks from breakfast as well as dolphins, ray, colorful fishes etc. Doing snorkeling at Gangehi is perfect as the coral around is beautiful and the fishes incredible (we swam with a turtle and enjoyed the ray manta excursion).

The staff at the bar and restaurants is adorable, very helpful and nice.
The food was nice, european but varied everyday and 1 day it was maldivian food.

However, we found that everything was oriented to get you pay as much as possible which is very agressive (renting 6 dollars a day for snorkeling Equipment that you can buy for cheaper in Europe is exagerated: and if you borrow it at 4pm and bring it back at 10am they charge you two days ie the costs of 2 new Equipment set...).

We don't think we will come back to that hotel because of that.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

29 Dec 2015

Verified traveler

Paradise meets Paradise

We had an incredible time on our honeymoon to this isolated tropical paradise. The hotel staff were amazing, the food was great, and the over all experience was beyond our expectations. It is truly paradise, waking up to a grey heron perched on a sand bar, reef sharks herding fish against the shore, and crabs running about in the sand. So peaceful, so quiet, so serene. Truly amazing.

10/10

Exceptional

07 Oct 2015

David

Paradise Island!

Paradise, great staff, diving & food. We had an over water villa which was superb. We loved every minute of it!
If i was to say anything negative at all it would be some of the prices were excessive (And I am comparing to Dubai prices). Nevertheless we loved it and still think it was all soon worth it!

4/10

Poor

06 Oct 2015

Verified traveler

Island is amazing. But this is NOT a 5 star hotel.

The island itself is magic and pristine. However the hotel should definitely not give the rating of 5 stars. Here's why:

- No room service for actual meals. Only snacks AND only at weird times. Like only French fries to 2:30pm?!?
- The staff are NOT 5 star trained and always want your signature on the bill when you are in the middle of eating.
- There is a service charge to everything. Even snacks that I have to get from the beach to the restaurant.
- No wait staff on the beach which is what you expect at a 5 star resort.
- Food quality definitely not 5 star.
- Having to ask at least 3 times for the simplest things like soap, or a kettle for tea.

Overall, the island is amazing and the nature there is simply breathtaking, but the hotel should be a 3-4 star rating because we felt a bit ripped off by how much we paid and how little service there was offered at the resort. Also you feel a big out of pocket expense for all the service charges you have to pay, like simply having a bottle of water which really should be complementary.

10/10

Exceptional

14 Sep 2015

Amer

The perfect romantic vacation

By far, this is the best hotel I have visited. Extremely clean, staff were super friendly, everyone at the island must greet you if they see you. The food is good. Highly recommend this hotel.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

08 Sep 2015

Beijinggul

Paradise in paradise

The resort's boat picked us up from the seaplane meeting point and we were instantly greeted with a welcome drink. Laura gave us an intro to the resort and the room. Each member of the resort staff was very responsive and pleasant at all times. The food was amazing in its assortment, particularly at lunch and dinner. The onsite diving center, Albatros Top Diving, was staffed with people that care about your experience. Anna and Ali were our dive instructor and dive master and made sure we saw as much as possible while we were diving. The accommodations were lovely, comfortable, and clean. It really was paradise and I cannot wait to return.

8/10

Excellent

02 Sep 2015

Corinna

Quiet and peaceful hotel.

I was happy to stay here. I booked an overwater villa 3 nights, but they upgraded me to stay all nights in a deluxe overwater villa. They did twice room clearning each day, so the room was clearn. Staff were nice and always smile. Walked along the sandbar before sunset was romantic.Overall, I enjoyed to stay here so much with the quiet and peaceful environment.

10/10

Exceptional

24 Aug 2015

Mark

Perfect\n

The staff went above and beyond all my expectations.

10/10

Exceptional

10 Aug 2015

Abdulaziz

Very well location

Great location , for relax
Good privacy for all
Acceptaed food type
Very kind , cooprative crew
In general very well place To be visited again

Family

10/10

Exceptional

23 Jul 2015

Sarah

Friendly staff and amazing location

Food was amazing, service friendly and gracious, diving and snorkelling was spectacular. This island is a paraside on earth.

10/10

Exceptional

12 May 2015

Diane

Great getaway

My stay was great. The only dissafisfaction was there I didn't get to do any excusions before they never had the 6 people minium

10/10

Exceptional

03 Apr 2015

Max

Elysium

Our host Laura said we are very happy couple once we've landed in the smallest airport in the world GGH despite we had spent ourselves in a long flight. And she new what she say because we got the maximum room upgrade we've ever had. Overwater deluxe villa! Woo-hoo. Thank you guys. You made our vacation.

Meal plan. We stayed on breakfasts because it's good way to be more free in choosing the meals and time you prefer. Great room service on lunches, perfect overwater a la-carte restaurant for dinners made it's deal and we spent less than it could be on full-board plan. But lunches and dinners in the main restaurant were also flawless (we took it to try for the first day).

Excursions. Enough memories for the whole life. Dolfins, whale sharks, turtles, rays who you'll never forget.

Snorkeling. It's unforgettable there and reachable directly from the beach. Aboundance of sea species affects. I saw huge ray near the Villa (approx. 2m in diameter) who was peacefully relaxing on the ocean floor.

10/10

Exceptional

30 Nov 2014

jose

Great resort

The staff was so welcoming and it was a nice guesture of all that they remember your name, nationality, and your likes the staffs peaks English and really cater to make you feel at home

8/10

Excellent

19 Nov 2014

Verified traveler

Irá the perfect place to have a quiet and relaxing Vacations!!!

10/10

Exceptional

08 Nov 2014

K

A perfect place to relax and enjoy the silence.

I went by myself and found exactly what I was looking for - a quiet place to relax, swim, and look at beautiful underwater sights. I'd go back tomorrow and stay much longer if I could! Great food, though it (the food) was quite expensive.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

04 Nov 2014

Surekha

Beautiful resort, epic vacation

Maldives is an amazing location for a vacation, period. Gangehi resort was beautiful, with friendly staff, and such a peaceful environment to enjoy the astounding beauty of the beaches and marine life. You can walk out in the calm clear waters, so far that you can don't even have to swim to stick your face into the water and see coral (with a snorkel mask). We even saw little sharks and a mantaray swimming alongside the shore (about 1 ft deep water), in addition to all the colorful fish we saw. Definitely worth splurging on at least a beach view room, or if you can afford to stay in an over-water room (which is what we did). Expedia doesn't clearly explain the difference between \"full board\" and \"all inclusive\", which is that all inclusive includes all non-alcoholic drinks and select alcoholic beverages too. The selection of alcohol included I considered to be a decent amount of the menu. Full board was totally worth it for me and my husband, as we don't drink much. However, food was surprisingly not as expensive as I'd thought. Even at the a la carte restaurant, food was mostly priced in the $15-25 range, which I found very reasonable. Scuba diving was cheaper than in GBR, and I found it more enjoyable here. Snorkeling equipment was very affordable to rent, only $7 a day. Considering their the only business on the island, I thought they'd take advantage of that with their prices, and was pleasantly surprised that everything was so reasonable. Definitely hope to go back soon!

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

28 Oct 2014

Verified traveler

Just do it!

Paradise. Wonderful place. Stayed in a beach villa #14 which is perfectly located for optimum amount of sun, perfect amount of beach, yet only 5 steps from the ocean. Staff are so friendly, it was a joy to be there. If I had to make small criticism I would have liked the room mini-bar restocked on a daily basis (this was missed quite often, despite my reminding/ tipping staff). Also the $500 ($420+tax) cost of the transfer is something to take in mind before booking. However those are only two small issues.

10/10

Exceptional

27 Oct 2014

Elvira

A nice hotel to relax and keep busy enough.

We had a wonderful time. The staff was very friendly and we felt very welcome all the time. The chef and his team were fantastic, always with a big smile and happy to see us. The sport activities made sure we were busy enough and explore the beauty of the coral reefs with those colorful fish....we canoed around the isle and enjoyed the breathtaking sunsets with delicious cocktails.

10/10

Exceptional

09 Oct 2014

Ayesha Sultana

Paradise Island

The island is small but very beautiful. The staff especially at the buffet bistro are very friendly and courteous. Rooms are very comfortable and clean. Overall we had a great stay at Gangehi Island resort

Family

10/10

Exceptional

29 Sep 2014

Yang X

Fantastic trip to paradise

Our 4 days at Gangehi condensed into an unforgettable beautiful memory. We lived in a overwater villa and absolutely recommend it. The view was great, directly facing the sea. Every night we had good sleep listening to waves. We could directly view sunset from our patio and have taken numerous photos. The beach was very romantic for a couple like us. The food was very much a highlight: the menu changed every meal, and we totally enjoyed the Italian and Maldivian cooking. We snorkeled 5 times, including a night snorkeling, which were all great. The corals were well protected and we saw sea turtle in 2 snorkels. We saw a lot of baby sharks and quite a few times of sting rays in shallow water. I also went for 2 dives, during which I saw a few sharks (black tips, white tips, and a seabed resting unnamed one) and some manta ray far far away. All in all, that was a perfect trip to paradise.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

29 Sep 2014

PT

Excellent hotel

We missed the seaplane connection on the first day but hotel arranged the first flight for us in the next morning. We ended up to have 3D/2N in Gangehi. Very kind of the resort, we were upgraded to a beach bungalow which was perfect. We enjoyed every moment in the resort.

4/10

Poor

24 Sep 2014

Bojan

Paradise Island in the Indian Ocean

Great property in the middle of the Indian Ocean. My wife and I cam here for our honeymoon and we loved it. The ocean view rooms are great and have a great view. The food is good but could have been better. If you go here you will be better off getting the all inclusive package. It will pay off more for you. There are two restaurants on the island. One is a buffet style and is were almost everyone eats, the other is an a la carte restaurant and will cost you a few good pennies. The staff was wonderful and learned our room number and faces fast. This made our stay more enjoyable. BUYER BE AWARE. Everything on the island after the first day will be in Euros and will cost an extra 8% tax and 10% service fee (so a total 18% surplus). Since there is no place else to go you will be at the mercy of the resort and there prices. Also be aware that if you choose to check out late it will cost you 50 euros and the drinks at the bar will not be included in any all inclusive package. All in all the resort will try to take as much money from you the last day you are there because they know most of the flights are in the late afternoon and you will be stuck there. This is what happened to us and we felt used the last day and overcharged. We did complained to the receptions but no lick they really did not care. We will be back in Maldives soon but be going back to this island. We felt that this hotel charged us the last day and did not care to much about us on the day we left.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

24 Sep 2014

ash.mazen

perfect place for relaxation and honeymoon , i enjoyed it,
pros
1- excellent quality of services provided by the resort
2- a very delicious and tasty excellent with different varieties (vegetarian and non-vegetarian)
3- a beautiful beach for snorkeling and diving (with a huge number of different fish with beautiful colors and a belt of corals around the island )
4- some animation activities after dinner at the main bar ( candy bar)
5- facilities such as gym , cinema , library , diving center and spa for massage
cons
1- a hidden and additional fees i paid at the resort (hidden fees bed taxes and additional one of seaplane) and the resort didn't inform me about speed boats
2- wifi is limited at the resort , for free wifi i should go to certain location for that at the resort such as main bar, reception and the free wifi speed and quality bad ,if you need wifi access from your room you must pay additional fees
3- there's no animation activities at the beaches or for sports activities
4- i didn't found any Panel guidance on the beach for safety and precautions
great thanks for italian chefs and staff for there friendly attitude and excellent quality of food
and also great thanks for miss. monica and mr. ali from albatros diving center for cooperation and patience in my diving session

8/10

Excellent

05 Sep 2014

Abin

Quiet and comfortable stay

Went for our honeymoon and this was just the place for us. Island is very quiet and secluded away with breath taking views. The rooms were very clean and staff very nice and was always there to help us. Will recommend this place for first time honeymooners.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

08 Aug 2014

Maryjane

Fantastic little resort with rustic natural theme.

Breakfast menu is the same everyday, needs improvement. Other than that, everything's great! Will definitely return.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

05 Aug 2014

alan

Beautiful and relaxing

My son found and booked the resort, I'm glad he did as it was lovely, we've never been so relaxed and will defiantly go back again. The resort is small and intimate and everyone knows your name, staff are helpful and always polite.
I would recommend Gangehi to couples and family's alike!

6/10

Pleasant

26 Jul 2014

TED

Shanghai123456

Island Resort was Fantastic.
I would say the Resort is 3 Star.
Diving Excellent.
Marine Biologist Excellent.
Yoga a Excellent.
Food excellent at lunch / evening, breakfast / snacks poor.
Chefs Excellent.
A few issues which were sorted out in the end luggage / shower / toilet, changed room.
In general resort great but you can tell it's 4 year old island and needs updating, house keeper / waiter excellent, reception staff are pretty slow and don't care about your issues just blame someone else.
I think there are better islands.

Expedia, sent many emails to customer service raising question before my trip in total 11 emails with zero response, disappointed with Expedia.

10/10

Exceptional

25 Jul 2014

Luke

Absolutely beautiful resort

Stunning island and resort. All staff where super helpful and kind and nothing was beyond there help and hospitality.
Everywhere we looked was like a postcard.
Highly reccomend

10/10

Exceptional

09 Jul 2014

Verified traveler

Great vacation

We stayed in the deluxe water villa. Great view facing the ocean. It's a small resort and so very quiet and comfortable. Buffet meals at the restaurant were tasty with different varieties. There were a lot of fish dishes.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

25 Jun 2014

Tobi

Perfect location for relaxation and adventure

I spent an extended weekend at Gangehi, and it was amazing all-around. The resort offers super-nice multilingual staff, great rooms with all the privacy you could ask for on a tiny island in the middle of the Indian ocean, beautiful snorkeling/diving experiences, fantastic food (at both restaurants - great seafood at the à-la-carte Thari Restaurant, large buffets with all sorts of different dishes at the Veli Restaurant) all in a quiet, relaxing atmosphere.
The seaplane ride to get to Gangehi takes only around 25 Minutes and offers spectacular views of the Malé and Ari Atolls from above.
Via boat, the resort offers several excursions and guided tours each week. The diving school has a wide variety of courses to offer, from all-around beginner experiences to expert diving certifications, and the underwater sea-life around the island is all but breath-taking.
All in all, I can only recommend a stay here.

10/10

Exceptional

06 Jun 2014

Adrian

Beautiful amazing location

This location is stunningly beautiful, the food was good (we only used the buffet and not the restaurant as we heard from a number of people that it was no better and fairly expensive). We would recommend that you go on an all inclusive package which lets you have great food at the buffet and sit and drink in the comfortable bar whenever you want. The snorkelling was amazing, probably the best I have ever done. There were children there, but I wouldn't have taken mine as there was not really enough for them to entertain themselves.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

04 Jun 2014

Dan

Everything we expected, and more!

Can't say enough good things about Gangehi. The staff and service were all top notch, the water villa was incredible, the food was magnificent and the all inclusive package included pretty much everything I'd have wanted. We were so wow'd by the island that we didn't really do any excursions, but they're there if you're interested. Waking up to the sandbar every day was awesome, and lots of great snorkeling right there on the island. It's not (nor does it claim to be) a super modern looking place, it has a bit of a rustic feel, but we loved it and wouldn't hesistate to go back or recommend it to others!

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

19 May 2014

hamilton

Love the stay , hotel clean and beautiful

Not so many rooms that give you a personalized experience , good food and facilities , I will return for sure

8/10

Excellent

19 Apr 2014

shaun

Private island, great reef & cosy feel

Only complaints:
- Beds needing replacing as too soft and lacking support.
- Basic room amenities such as slippers and tooth brushes not available.
- Explanation of full board vs all inclusive not clear during booking. Would have booked all inclusive had it been clearer.
- Gym facilities very poor. The treadmills don't work and nor do the bicycles.

But apart from this all good.

10/10

Exceptional

06 Apr 2014

Verified traveler

you must come to see and stay

awesome hotel, awesome people, wonderful food. lots of activities and fun

2/10

Poor

29 Mar 2014

Eliran

big disappointment

I think I have not received the compensation money paid

8/10

Excellent

12 Mar 2014

Verified traveler

Good hotel, location great

The garden villa was good value. Very spacious and clean. No TV but there was a TV room and library of books (mainly Italian). Transfers to the resort, $420 return. Food was good. Snorkelling was great (in Feb alot of plankton so visibility was not as clear as usual) and you could use the kayaks to paddle round the island. There was only 2 small beach areas (with allocated sun loungers) but a lovely sandbar stretched out into the lagoon).

2/10

Poor

18 Feb 2014

Verified traveler

a broken dream of a dying man…

Last year I was diagnosed with Cancer (Leukemia). Since I realized I don’t have long time to live, I am trying to fulfill my dreams. One of my dreams was to have a vacation in an over water villa in the Maldives.

I booked (more then six month in advance) thru Expedia an Over Water Villa with Free Wireless Internet at Gangehi Island Resort for 6 nights on January 2014.

To my great disappointment when we arrived to the resort they gave us a cabin that is not over water (see pictures below) and there was no Wireless Internet in the cabin.

As to the Wireless Internet they said that there is no Internet connection in the cabin but we can have it at the reception or at the bar.

This is a broken dream of a dying man…

Food– if you are a real gourmet you will not like the food here. It a buffet. The food is overcooked and mushy, except for the occasional pasta dishes and the ice cream is usually good.

Activities and Entertainment – there are only few activities and almost no entertainment. So some people will get bored.

In conclusion- The Maldives is a beautiful place-God's gift to mankind. Too bad some people treat to this gift with greed and dishonesty. If you are looking for a place with better service, good food, activities and entertainment and better value for your money - go to another resort.

8/10

Excellent

12 Feb 2014

taz

Lovely lagoon and Mantas

Lovely location and excellent opportunity to swim from the beach with manta rays. All room types lovely, but deluxe overwater look out on the Mantas lagoon, so are special. Food is very good, but hot dishes not kept warm effectively. Several trips on offer but dependent on participation rates. We found most therefore cancelled, so this could be disappointing. All staff very pleasant. Limited beach on this island, so use of overwater outside space tends to be key and beach villas need priority.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

06 Jan 2014

benny

Review of over water room

The rooms don't have tv and the beds split, which makes it hard to sleep in the middle of the bed. The beds weren't comfortable.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

06 Jan 2014

Yavuz

Great honeymoon resort with minor flaws

My wife and I went to Gangehi for our honeymoon 2 weeks ago.

The island is beautiful of course and the overwater bungalow we stayed at was amazing. The room is simple but elegant, the overwater patio is great.

The reasons this review is not a 5-star one are as follows:

1) We arrived on the island without Euros, thinking if we needed to we could withdraw it. Well, that was wrong. And when we went to the reception to ask that we be given cash advance off our credit cards we were declined twice, for reasons nobody could explain. When we asked to speak to Rafaella, the manager there, she refused to even come out of her office to explain to us and simply had other people repeat to us that it's not possible. I've never stayed at a 5-star resort/hotel/whatever where this hasn't been possible. The sad thing is that we only wanted cash so that we could tip the waiters and the housecleaning guys. The Italian crew on the island refused knowing this and I couldn't help but feel that was a bit of disregard for the local folks that worked there. There are great, helpful guys there whom we couldn't tip.

2) Two Italian chefs cook decent food here but it can get a bit bland after a week. The lunch/dinner buffets mostly repeat the same thing and while it's decent, it's not world-class food. I expected more. (For what you get it's not cheap either) Also between lunch and dinner, there are no snacks available other than toast and tuna sandwich. That's it.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

26 Dec 2013

Sylwester O.

Beautiful Island but check out problems

A sea plane transfer is necessary to get to the resort which is arranged through the hotel. When we arrived at the property our room was not yet ready and were told that it would be about 20 minutes which in actuality took just over an hour. Our room was a deluxe over water villa. Big spacious bedroom and the bathroom had open walls with fresh air coming in a very nice experience. The food was buffet style and a large variety to choose from. The beach is white sand, the water is clear, the fish are abundant, and the sun is bright. It is a beautiful island where you really can relax. The snorkeling is amazing and you see A LOT of fish. There are some activities in the evening offered for free of charge. The island also offers snorkeling and diving excursions to see manta rays and dolphins. I took a manta ray and we ended up seeing mantas, a turtle and dolphins I was VERY satisfied with that trip. The down side to this resort is the check out. We received a letter stating that check out is from 10AM to 12PM but we were requested to leave the room at 10:30AM as another couple is arriving. The sea plane is arranged by the hotel and our sea plane was scheduled for 3:30PM. The hotel then offered a day use room for an additional charge. Food was no longer included and was charged as well. We ended up spending more on our last day because of the flight and no room then all 3 days on the island.

Partner

2/10

Poor

26 Dec 2013

Verified traveler

basic but clean beautiful rooms, awful service

this was part of our honeymoon in 3 different countries and several different hotels including another one in maldives and this was hands down the worst most awful service. if you are not italian they staff makes you feel it. we would be greated with a may i help you in a deadpan way but the person in front of us or behind us who were italian were greeted with a singsong welcome. the bar staff was aweful it took forever to get any service and they just had a bad attitude. most of hte staff are not even locals but are bangladeshi and indian. the italian staff would congregate at the main bar every day around 6pm and be loud and drink and that seems really unprofessional to me as was the entire operation. there is absolutely no reason to pay more for the deluxe water villa. if you go here pay for the cheaper rooms, the beach villa is probably best value b/c the rooms are all near each other and so there is no privacy or specialness to paying more for hte better rooms and the service sucks so it really makes you feel ripped off if you are paying a lot to stay in the overwater villas. the coral there sucks. we chose this place due to reviews on house coral, although we did see turtles and baby sharks one of hte days, the coral is mediocre and a lot of broken coral. the diving is also mediocre except for the fact taht you can see mantas in some fo the diving spots. if youre going all the way to maldives i would recommend staying at a resort htat hsa better service and attitude.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

26 Dec 2013

mansoor

excellent

very quiet and very comfortable..it is very cost effective..the rooms are big and all wood interior..so much of natural comfort..the water villas was the best and we could see more than 10 fish vereities passing by our room itself...could get out of the room right into turqoise waters for a long a distance..very rememberable and ejoyed very much..the room a/c was a bit noisy and the fan too..

Family

10/10

Exceptional

21 Dec 2013

alon and debo

A paradise on Earth! Best food ever!

Gangehi is a samll island with few activities which can be scary for some but don't be! You will be never bored! We stayed 9 days and I would be very happy to stay a month!
The food is just Incredible (Matteo & Matteo, the cook, are from Italy, use only fresh products and condiments from Italy) the prices are VERY REASONABLE which is rare in Maldives but I advice to go for all inclusive.
The beach is a paradise (and we met people there who went to 4 or 5 resorts before and said it was the most beautiful beach)

Water villas are worth it, just avoid the water villa 30 (on the beach not water since the Tsunami) and the beach villa 2 (next to the diving center which start the boat at 6am)
They clean your room perfectly twice a day and change beds and towels every time.
The staff is nice, some communications issues but nothing which can disturb your holidays.

When you compare all prices in real luxury resorts, this one is really the best in term of quality/price and the food is just INCREDIBLE!!!!!

Room Tip: Avoid water villa 30, beach villa 2

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

19 Dec 2013

jz

good friendly island with fun atmosphere

we came from a much 'higher end' island and were very pleasantly surprised by how much fun this place was. the beach front villa was good, albeit a little basic and the food first class, other than the maldivian buffet on friday night. the spa treatments were good, although all of them were not firm enough for our needs and it has a good boutique on the island offering a tailoring service.

all in all recommended and a lot of fun.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

18 Dec 2013

Harshad

Awsome experience

The stay at Gangehi was amazing. The staff was very responsive and extremely courteous. Despite being about 5 years old, the rooms and the resort looked like brand new. Great comfort, lovely beach, and hassle free transactions all throughout the resort.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

12 Dec 2013

Verified traveler

Fantastic honeymoon

A great little place. Fantastic service and spotless. The food was very good but not outstanding but that beats the point of going to the Maldives!

Partner

8/10

Excellent

11 Dec 2013

Jules Ng

Memorable time at Gangehi

Overwater villa was fantastic! We stayed at both overwater and beach villas. Beach villa was nice but you probably need insect repellents to prevent mossie attacks! =) This island resort is a small and relaxing one with not-a-lot of activities but lotsa privacy. Food-wise, is quite good except the Maldivian night where the Italian chefs are not around. We saw lotsa fish when snorkelling near the beach villa and overwater villa. Beach villa we saw baby shark while overwater had more fish everywhere.. Lovely and memorable holiday at Gangehi!

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

10 Dec 2013

Verified traveler

Paradise

I loved my stay there. We stayed in an overwater deluxe bungalow and we couldn't have asked for anything more. Every night at around 6 we would sit at the end of our deck and watch countless black tip reef sharks swim under our feet. It was an incredible experience to say the least. Food was incredible. The Italian chefs really do a great job and diversifying the menu and the pasta was amazing. The snorkeling was great and renting a canoe and circling the island was really cool, and exhausting, but well worth the while. I was proposed to on the beach at this resort and will never forget the experience. They even made up a table on the beach at night, all alone under the stars and lit but nothing but candles in lanterns. I would recommend this place to anyone looking for a romantic getaway.

8/10

Excellent

09 Dec 2013

TRAVELER N.E

ITS A SECLUDED ISLAND WITH NO MODERN DAY ATTRACTIONS.THE ISLAND IS BREATHTAKING. THE RESORT HOWEVER NEEDS TO IMPROVE ITS SERVICE AND CUSTOMER RELATIONS. ONE OF OUR BATHROOM SINKS HAD A LEAK AND THE SECOND SINK WAS BACKING UP, WHICH THEY TRIED TO FIX BUT IT BACKED UP AGAIN. THEIR SHOWERS HAVE ONLY BARS AS A FOURTH WALL THAT OPENS TOWARDS THE OCEAN( BEAUTIFUL) BUT IF YOUR SOAP SLIPS OUT OF YOUR HAND IT CAN SKID AND DROP INTO THE OCEAN. THAT HAPPENED TO US. WHEN WE ASKED FOR MORE SOAP THEY REFUSED TO GIVE IT TO US SAYING THAT WE HAD RECEIVED OUR SHARE OF SOAP ALREADY. THEY DO HAVE A WOOD FENCE OUTSIDE THE OF THE BARS IN THE SHOWER FOR PRIVACY AND COVERAGE. ON THE GOOD SIDE THE FOOD WAS GREAT , THE ROOMS ARE COMFORTABLE AND CLEAN AND THE VIEWS ARE HEAVENLY. YOU CAN FIND THAT ON ANY ISLAND IN THE MALDIVES...THEY ARE ALL HEAVENLY . SO IF YOU PLAN ON GOING, GO TO A DIFFERENT ISLAND WHERE THE MANAGEMENT IS MORE ACCOMODATING. AT THE PRICES THEY CHARGE, WHAT'S ANOTHER LITTLE BAR OF SOAP.....

Family

10/10

Exceptional

29 Nov 2013

Connie

Awesome!

Beautiful location, services and excellent food and staff. One could not ask for anything more!

10/10

Exceptional

24 Nov 2013

Marc

Had an amazing time on this beutiful island

Went to the maldives on my own for a bit of relaxation, snorkelling and scuba diving. This island was amazing, and ticked all the boxes. The staff in the scuba diving school are super friendly and made the whole experience so much fun! There was some light entertainment most evenings in the bar also, documentary, quizzes, which were good fun and well run. I stayed in one of the garden villa's purely because i went on my own, to keep cost down and because i didn't plan on spending time in my room when in the maldives, it worked perfect, but i think if i was there as a couple the water bungalows would have been beautiful and are on the sun set side of the island, which is beautiful!

10/10

Exceptional

23 Nov 2013

richard

True Paradise!!!

Gangehi is a true paradise for honeymoon, scuba diving and snorkeling. I have to thank the super friendly and dedicated staff to make magic happened.

Starting from the welcome drink I already fell in love with this cute little island. My room was always tidy and even the boardwalk was squeaky clean all the time! The entire resort is very well maintained with gorgeous view and surrounded by incredible marine lives! The restaurants serve Italian-based cuisine with passion and mixed with palatable local fresh fruit to enhance the dining experience.

I was so lucky and honored to have Domi as my scuba diving teacher! She was very patient with me and corrected my mistake whenever she spotted one. Particularly my buoyancy control was significantly improved under her guidance. Domi was also the one who introduced me to those fascinating hidden beauties in the deep water. In fact I became friends with all the diving teachers.

It is also a perfect place if you just want to read a book in a tranquil environment. Every room has a dedicated beach umbrella set up right in front of the water! One day I was sitting at my spot, enjoying the perfect view and the relaxing sound of waves. Did I just use the word PERFECT? I felt like I was dreaming and everything I saw was like from a postcard. I wish my dream could be extended a little bit…