Name: Sandies Bathala
Address: ., Ari Atoll, MV

10/10

Exceptional

12 May 2025

Marianna

Simply fantastic and amazing concept of running this amazing resorts, the manager and whole staff are extremely polite, friendly, respectful and welcoming!
Great little paradise!
Thank you guys for everything what you did for us to make sure that we are happy!!
Goran and Marianna Zadro

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

04 Nov 2024

Scott

The staff all the way from the receptionist David to our waiter haris to our housekeeper Didi was exceptional. They make you feel welcome and at home. The snorkeling around the reef was so much fun as well as the excursions. Me and my wife went for our honeymoon and are already talking about going back.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

17 Sep 2024

Carlos

The service was great! The staff friendly. The place was like paradise.

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

01 Sep 2024

Shaun

It was a great Island, nice back to nature feel.

Only minor area for complaint was safety and privacy:

Need an internal rail around the water bungalow walkways, dangerous for kids and drunks.
Another screen down the side of water bungalows, so your neighbours can not look in would be nice.
Our great whaleshark boat tour was overloaded and breached boat safety, 1 of the non paying hotel staff should have stepped down, rather than overload a boat safety guidelines.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

30 Jul 2024

Jean-Michel

Little piece of Paradise!

My stay at this stunning Maldives resort was truly exceptional. From the moment we arrived, the fantastic team made us feel welcome and ensured our experience was unforgettable. The resort offers great activities and affordable excursions, with highlights including incredible snorkeling right off the island. We encountered a vibrant array of marine life including turtles, sharks, angel rays, and beautifully reconstructed coral reefs.

Dining at the resort was a delightful experience, with high-quality food that catered to various tastes. Each meal was a culinary adventure, showcasing the best of local and international cuisines.

if I had to mention a couple of areas for improvement. I would suggest adding fans at the pool table area to enhance comfort. Additionally, while the food was outstanding, the desserts tended to be overly sweet. A bit more balance in the sweetness would elevate the dining experience to perfection.

Despite these minor points, our stay was magical. The natural beauty, attentive staff, and variety of activities made it a perfect getaway.

Thank you for an amazing time in this little piece of paradise!

Partner

8/10

Excellent

29 Jul 2024

Yves-Yvette

Amazing tropical paradise! We enjoyed our honeymoon on this little island.

Leisure Partner

4/10

Poor

13 Jul 2024

Abdelkader

* I paid full price with Expedia but when got to the resorts they charged me extra green tax fees.
* in their page they said have tv in public area but they don't
* there is no hotel in the world rated 4 stars and has no tv in the room
* they said laundry included in their page but they charged for laundry in the hotel

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

20 Jun 2024

M I K

Honeymoon trip

We arrived during a storm in the off season and that was a difficult journey. Upon learning this the team at Sandies Bathala then did everything they possibly could to make sure the remainder of our stay was incredible and it was! We'll have memories to cherish for a lifetime. The food is delicious and varied. The staff are kind, warm and attentive. The island's features really well thought out, eco friendly and well maintained. The coral reef is awesome and the ability to go snorkeling directly from your villa is a highlight. We stayed on the beachfront and in an overwater villa and they were both great! We'd go again on a heartbeat. Highly recommend staying at Sandies Bathala!

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

22 May 2024

Hope

Amazing Overwater Villa

The stay was nothing short of amazing, I loved my experience and didnt want to leave. The scenery was to die for and worth every penny.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

17 Apr 2024

Rodney

My little hut out on the water was pure heaven. I came home yesterday so relaxed and chill. It was the best holiday I've had in a while.

Leisure Friends

10/10

Exceptional

17 Apr 2024

Rodney

It was a wonderful relaxing holiday and the staff were all so happy all the time. It was the closest thing to a ZEN holiday I have ever had. Cant recommend it any higher!

Leisure Friends

10/10

Exceptional

03 Jan 2024

Graeme

A little bit of paradise

All the staff went the extra mile to ensure our stay was perfect. Food was excellent and the over the water bungalows stunning.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

05 Dec 2023

Marino

Our stay at Sandies Bathala was nothing short of a dreamy escape to paradise! From the moment I set foot on the pristine sands to the last breathtaking sunset, every moment was sheer bliss. The resort's tranquil atmosphere and stunning surroundings provided the perfect backdrop for relaxation. The peaceful ambiance and gentle ocean breeze instantly melted away any stress. Exploring the vibrant underwater world was an absolute highlight. The snorkeling was incredible, and the crystal-clear waters allowed me to witness an array of tropical fish and marine life, creating unforgettable memories. I cannot commend the staff enough for their warmth, hospitality, and attentiveness throughout our stay. Special thanks to Chef Mahinda, Sous Chef Amith, Zahuraan, Ibrahim Rasheed, Gassey, Chanaka, Ibrahim Mohamed, Rakesh, Jotheeswaran, Maduranga, Jagath, Shree, Thunaj, Hassan, our housekeeper Ahmed and our lovely animation crew Vincenzo and Michela were outstanding. The staff here really played a part at making our stay exceptionally memorable. The resort's amenities were exceptional, catering to every need. My heartfelt thanks to the entire team at Sandies Bathala for creating an unforgettable getaway filled with relaxation, adventure, and exceptional service. The three amigos are already planning our return and eagerly anticipating our next visit to this slice of paradise!

Leisure Friends

6/10

Pleasant

20 Sep 2023

Alessandro

Not enough swimming space. The island is covered with corral reefs so if you like snorkeling well your in heaven. If you want to spend your time in the water well very limited. The resort is do for a face-lift and the food was ok. The staff incredible, thank you Ibrahim.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

19 Sep 2023

Mehran

I liked everything.

10/10

Exceptional

20 Aug 2023

Joshua

The resort is large enough to have all your needs met, but small enough that you can enjoy time and activities without anyone else around. The staff are friendly and accommodating. As the resort is owned by an Italian company, all but a handful of guests were Italian and demonstrations are spoken in Italian and English. We really loved our four night stay here and have had an amazing honeymoon.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

31 Jul 2023

Mohammad Abul

It was an amazing stay; it’s a quite little island, perfect for relaxing.

8/10

Excellent

16 Dec 2022

Richard

Beautiful location, friendly staff.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

22 Oct 2022

Ali

The staff were amazing!

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

01 Sep 2022

Rodrigo

This is a great property. Period. It is an island-hotel with 70 rooms only.

When I think about all-inclusives, I generally categorize them in 3 big groups:

1. Party all day. Adults only, fun and drinks happening all day long. Plenty of eating options.

2. Family oriented. Games, a lot of kids around. Many pools, eating options.

3. Quiet. Can be family or adults, but it means relaxing at the beach, food served at fixed ours, nobody really partying, most guests in bed well before midnight.

This is clearly a (3). It is a great place for relaxing at the pool and/or beach, swimming, snorkeling around the property (you can walk around the island in 10-12min), and scuba diving. If you want this, it is hard to beat.

The island favors sustainability, so all guests have meals in a single restaurant (local supplies favored), paper products (such as napkins) are minimized or non-existent, and water is used quite efficiently (the island has its own water desalinization plant).

There is one house beer, white, and red wine as part of the all-inclusive, unless you want to step up and consume other drinks at an additional cost.

There is a bar open till midnight, where you can hang out and have a drink or two while there, snacks are available (small sandwiches, popcorn).

Staff is great, always helpful. Great store to buy some sarongs and get them tailored to your taste - right there!

Communication was clear mostly at the front desk or through email. Great stay overall!

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

02 Aug 2022

Rachael

Beautiful

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

10 Jan 2022

Verified traveler

Nice Overall

The place is a few miles from Male. We had to travel to Sandies via a seaplane (cost about 325 USD per person - round trip). The seaplane however did not drop us till the destination, the hotel sent a boat to a common point at the sea. It is a very beautiful island. The hotel is the only thing on this island so it is better to opt for an all-inclusive package.

We stayed here for 4 days. It is indeed beautiful. There are water villas and beach villas. It's a very nice location for people who like to snorkel or dive. The place is clean and eco friendly. If you are planning any water activity or avail spa facilities, you have to book a day in advance to get a slot. To snorkel or dive, they also want a minimum number of people to participate.

The hotel provides dental kits only on request. Other amenities found commonly in all hotels are available. We were told that laundry would be done at additional charges.
There is an in-house doctor who can provide a valid PCR certificate in 24 hours.

Positives -

Location
Crowd - Decent
Cleanliness - rooms are cleaned twice in a day
Logistics - hotel timed the seaplane and boat rides perfectly.
Food - widespread buffet

Negatives -
Phone helpdesk - Wasted international calls to get hardly any info. The tone was bad and sarcastic. Better to write them an email and wait a day to hear.

Waiters - although most hotel staff were pleasant, some waiters in this place could put you in a bad mood, can learn a thing or two about hospitality

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

30 Dec 2021

Verified traveler

Tiny little paradise

At first the island seems tiny, simple resort, one bar and one buffet restaurant for daily meals. The buffet is nice with something for everyone, the pizza station is amazing! But what made our stay so amazing and special was the staff, the island has very unique vibe.

The house reef is amazing!

We had individual beach bungalow (some were detached), the room is very basic but you’ll spend most of the time outside anyway. Everything was clean and well kept.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

01 Oct 2021

Nadia

Do not think twice, just book, you wouldn’t regret

My stay @ Sandies Bathala was amazing. At first I was skepticle about having to pay extra for the seaplane, but I am glad that I did, it just made the experience even more exciting to be flown to a private Island. Can’t say enough good things about the staff, from the host to the cooks to the reception, everyone went over and beyond to make sure you were enjoying your stay. I stayed in the water villa for 2 nights. The villas are huge and in perfect spot to see the sunrise, different species and colors of fishes, corals, snorkeling etc. There is also an infinity swimming pool with a huge deck for parties. On Fridays there is a cocktail gathering to watch the Sunset. You can walk the entire Island in 5mins. Not to mention the food is amazing. Let me start with breakfast. There is a dedicated cook assigned to make your omelette or eggs and he is really good. The assortment of dishes for lunch and dinner is really good. From soups, to appetizers to the main course and dessert. I love fish and there was always 2-3 different recipes. I have to mention that I had a problem that required me to book additional nights just for security in case I couldn’t make my flight, but thank God I got my problem resolved and was able to make my flight. But I didn’t realize that the reservation I paid for through Hotels.com was unrefundable. Sandies reservation person together with the agent at Hotels.com got me my refund and I really appreciate that. Thanks to Didi, Iyaas and everyone.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

05 Jan 2025

Adam

Vi hade helt magiska dagar på Sandies Bathala. Fantastisk snorkling, god mat och väldigt fint mottagande.

Friends_and_family Family

8/10

Excellent

27 Jul 2024

Federico

Tutto è ben curato, la gentilezza del personale il punto forte. Isola molto bella, piccola e girabile a piedi

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

27 Jun 2024

Tibor

Small ressort with only 70 rooms
Perfect service
Ideal for snorkeling

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

13 May 2024

Stefan

Juste magnifique, un petit bout de paradis sur terre.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

09 Jan 2024

Andrea

Tutto perfetto

Isola incantevole circondata completamente dalla barriera corallina. Cibo, pulizia e cortesia impeccabile. Abbiamo alloggiato in un water villa ed è stata un esperienza incredibile. Le escursioni (a pagamento) sono ben organizzate e ci hanno permesso di nuotare tra: squali balena, mante, tartarughe...qualcosa di veramente incredibile!. Ringraziamo Alice, Alessia, Silvia e Noemi per la loro cortesia e disponibilità. Avere delle biologhe nello staff è veramente un plus. Il reef attorno all'isola è pieno di vita, tra squali, razze ed un infinità di pesci tropicali. Vacanze super!!!

Partner

8/10

Excellent

08 Jan 2024

claudia

Mi aspettavo una struttura un pochino più curata nei particolari, eccellente la pulizia e tutto lo staff, ha una splendida barriera corallina per fare snorkeling e immersioni .

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

27 Dec 2023

Andrea

5 giorni che sono volati, super piacevoli. Mai visto così tanti pesci, compresi squali (assolutamente inofensivi) intorno ad un'isola e spesso visibili dalla stanza. Non siamo grandi fan della animazione ma era piacevole e non invasiva (ti lasciano partecipare quando sei interessato, altrimenti non sei disturbato). Molto interessante lo snorkeling con il team di biologhe. Siamo stati molto bene

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

23 Dec 2023

Sabrina

Wonderful!!!

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

22 Dec 2023

Marit

We hadden een waterbungalow en dat was heel fijn want we konden vanaf een trap zo het water in om te snorkelen.
Het eten is goed, veel Italiaans en vers.
De bungalows staan wel dicht bij elkaar en er is geen afscherming van je buren.
Klein eiland met eigen huisrif. Koraal is niet meer zo mooi maar er zwemmen heel, heel veel verschillende vissen wat echt prachtig is.
Helaas hadden wij veel regen en veel wind, ongebruikelijk eind december dus dat was een beetje pech.
Watervliegtuig was geweldig.
Dank aan al het vriendelijke personeel.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

16 Dec 2023

Flavio

Mare bellissimo

Bella struttura, ottima barriera, cibo buono ma caffè terribile, il bagno (wc) non era perfettamente pulito all'arrivo, nessun rappresentante ci ha accolto in aeroporto e non ha risposto su WhatsApp (potete provare a chiamarlo dal box informazioni, c'è un telefono), la doccia si allaga un po' ma la camera è molto bella

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

27 Nov 2023

Joachim Rüdiger

Ein tolles Hotel in einer noch tolleren Umgebung. Das Konzept des Hotels ist Nachhaltigkeit und es wird in beinahe allen Belangen umgesetzt. Es wird konsequent auf Müllvermeidung geachtet, vieles ist aus nachhaltigen Rohstoffen gefertigt, z.B. Möbel, es wird repariert statt weggeworfen und neu gekauft und vieles andere recycelt. Selten ein Hotel erlebt wo ein Konzept so durchgängig und konsequent umgesetzt wurde. Weiter so!!!

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

05 Nov 2023

Nicole

Great stay, with great staff, amazing location and lots of options to relax.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

26 Sep 2023

Benedikt

It was absolutely great. We enjoyed our stay so much. The Staff was great, the food was very good and round about everything was fantastic. :) thank you so much. :)

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

14 Aug 2023

TADASHI

コロナ禍が明け、5年ぶりのモルディブ旅行をバタラで過ごしました。

スタッフはとてもフレンドリーで、とくにレストランスタッフは、数日経つと日本語で挨拶してくれる等好感がもてます。

水上コテージに宿泊しましたが、部屋は広く、クローゼットは必要十分に確保されている。テーブル等も良い具合に配置されており荷物置場に困る事はありません。
ドロップオフに近く、魚も多い、シュノーケリング三昧の日々を過ごせます。

料理は、日替わりで料理のテーマが変わっているようで、飽きさせないようにしているのがわかります。料理の種類がすごく多いわけではないので、同じ料理もあります。イタリア人の訪問が多いためか、ピザとパスタは定番で用意されています。ピザはその場で焼いているため、焼きたては美味しい。パスタは、シェフに注文して作ってもらう方式で、日ごとに部分的に種類が変わり、いろいろと試すのも面白い所。
デザートは、チョコレートに力を入れているような感じでチョコレートを使用したデザートはとても美味しい。

バタラで残念なところは、珊瑚がほとんど壊れていることです。クマノミを探す事が困難な程でした。バタラが悪いわけではありませんが、珊瑚が復活し、多くのクマノミが見れるようになることを願っています

Leisure Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

15 Apr 2023

Andrea

Bella la struttura nel complesso. I bungalow, che sono disposti fronte mare lungo tutto il perimetro dell'isola, sono comodi e spaziosi ma dovrebbero essere curati un po' più nei dettagli. Mare fantastico, reef con una verità di specie tra le più ampie delle Maldive.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

31 Oct 2022

Angelo

Animazione soft ma gradevole, piatti al ristorante discreti bellissima la spiaggia. E la posizione delle camere

10/10

Exceptional

06 Jun 2022

Carlo

Posto stupendo per una settimana di relax e snorkeling, eccellente il buffet!

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

19 Jan 2022

Tiago

Amazing place! We stayed in a overwater villa for 7 nights and can't say any better than it's perfect! The island is small, which is amazing for relaxing, without the rush of big hotels. The snorkeling around the island is so beautiful, you can see turtles, sharks, rays and many many different kinds of fish. The staff is super nice and is always looking forward to make your experience the greatest possible. Thank you for this unforgettable vacations!

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

15 Dec 2021

Marion

L’hydravion a été réservé par l’hôtel, les horaires étaient parfaits. Chambre dispo avant l’heure d’arrivée et après l’heure de départ pour profiter plus longtemps. Nous y avons bien mangé. La chambre était propre, le ménage fait 2x dans la journée (sympa pour le sable). Hôtel très calme, une bulle hors du temps, parfait pour se reposer

Leisure Friends

10/10

Exceptional

13 Dec 2021

DANA

Recomendable

ATENCIÓN: leerlo atento. NO HAY TELEVISIÓN, en ninguna parte. El resto es PERFECTO.
Todo ha sido muy bien gracias a personal y a la dirección a la gerencia las playas son limpísimo solamente hay botellas rotas que espero que van a limpiar. Un buen sitio para bucear tiene mucha vida marina.

Friends_and_family Family

8/10

Excellent

11 Nov 2021

Arnaud

Île à échelle humaine , les beach villas plus s’il vous plaît d’aménagement à l’intérieur. Un canapé ou 2 fauteuils et une table basse , des tiroirs de rangement . Il n’y a pas de télévision aussi .Un mini réfrigérateur est en place mais ne refroidi pas , les bouteilles en verres rentrent à peine dedans , des bouteilles d’eau en verre de format plus petit seraient utiles.Il y a un siège qui ne sert à rien si ce n’est en décoration. Vraiment la chambre n’est pas fonctionnelle. Il y a une très mauvaise connexion internet. De plus il faut constamment rentrer son identifiant pour devoir l’utiliser. On peut avoir une meilleure connexion mais elle est payante (!) jamais vu ça sur les maldives .. si ce n’est il y a 16 ans (!) Pour ce qui concerne la plage , il y a des chaises longues pour chaque villa . Les chaises ne sont pas remises à leur place par le personnel quand vous les laissez sur la plage , ou qu’il pleut . Les autres touristes vous embarquent vos chaises et votre table à l’occasion … on est bien dans un 4 étoiles .Les water villas sont beaucoup plus spacieuses, nous avons bien aimé l’espace de cette chambre . Dans la salle de bain , un séparateur à été mis en place entre la douche et le toilette . Celui ci est beaucoup trop court , il y a de l’eau partout. un rail aurait été bien plus judicieux. Deux points négatifs : le plancher extérieur vous noircit les pieds. Attention au drap blancs! Accès océan peu pratique et douloureux à la plante des pieds.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

02 Nov 2021

Arnaud

Très belle villa sur eau. Très spacieuse . Pas de télévision.
Toute fois le lit aurait du être placé face à l’océan afin d’admirer la vue . Salle de bain correcte. Une douche à ciel ouvert aurait était mieux . La vitre n’est pas assez longue quand vous vous douchez , il y a de l’eau partout … un rail aurait été préférable. Sinon tout est beau .

Les villas plage sont très très simple , peu de rangement , pas très fonctionnel a vrai dire . Pas de canapé, et pas de télévision comme sur les water villa ,

Repas très bons mais rien de fou .

Équipe de plongée j’en sympathique.

L’arrivée d’un Tour opérateur sur l’île afin de proposer des activités n’est pas envisageable à notre goût. Se faire racoler pour tel ou tel chose est vraiment désagréable.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

30 Aug 2021

mahmoud

Le cadre et le personnel ont été au petit soin... La villa sur piloti était juste magnifique propre un vrai Havre de paix

Leisure Partner