Niyama Private Islands Maldives

Deema SR1/5 · 2026-08

Maldives Resort Experience With Young Children First thing today, I arrived at one of the biggest and most well-known resort names in the Maldives. Unfortunately, my first experience was extremely disappointing. The issue was not the seaplane itself. The issue was that I was traveling with my 2-year-old and 3-year-old, and we were seated separately because the other passengers—who were adults and mostly not traveling as couples—did not want to change seats. No one from the resort or seaplane team stepped in to help or even asked anyone to move so that two very young children could sit with their parents. It was their first experience on a seaplane, and they were scared. I ended up holding my 2-year-old on my lap while physically reaching behind me with my other arm to hold my 3-year-old, who was seated behind me. My husband was sitting in front of me on the opposite side. Imagine spending the entire flight trying to physically hold and reassure two frightened toddlers from two different seats. I honestly expected better from a resort of this level. When you’re traveling with children under 4, I believe the resort should recognize that parents and very young children need to be seated together—not simply leave it to passengers to decide whether they want to move. And this is definitely not my first time in the Maldives. I’ve stayed at many different resorts over the years with my nieces, my sisters, and my son, so I’m very familiar with the experience here. For families traveling with very young children, I would seriously rethink this and consider resorts where the transfer arrangements are more family-friendly. For example, JOALI, Four Seasons, and Hard Rock offer different transfer experiences that may be much easier with toddlers. For me, this was a very disappointing first impression—especially when traveling with two little children who were experiencing this for the first time.

Aram5/5 · 2026-06

Our trip to the Maldives was truly unforgettable. We had an amazing stay at Niyama and enjoyed every activity the resort had to offer. Even though we visited during the cloudy/rainy season, the weather was still beautiful and perfect for enjoying outdoor activities and relaxing under the sun. The resort is exceptionally clean, well-maintained, and luxurious. The hospitality was outstanding from start to finish. A special thank you to Abdulhadi, whose Tukru made our trip smoother, easier, and even more enjoyable. We tried all the restaurants at the resort, and every meal was delicious. The warm welcome, generous hospitality, and attention to detail exceeded our expectations. The airport arrival service and transfer to the domestic airport were very organized, efficient, and seamless. Since we didn’t take the seaplane, we really appreciated how smoothly everything was arranged. What stood out the most was the friendliness of the staff !! Everyone was smiling and welcoming—even the gardeners maintaining the island were incredibly kind. We also experienced the spa and massage while listening to the sound of the ocean waves, and it was absolutely perfect. We went Snorkeling , saw beautiful marine life, and had an incredible time underwater. The dolphin cruise at sunset was magical and one of the highlights of our trip. We stayed in both a Beach Villa and an Overwater Villa. Both were fantastic. Many people warned us about insects in the Beach Villas, but ours was spotless and much cleaner than we expected. In fact, I wish we had stayed there even longer. I also joined a yoga session, which was an amazing experience and helped me completely disconnect from the outside world. Another highlight of our stay was the professional photography session. We decided to book a photoshoot with the resort’s photographer, and it was absolutely worth it. The photos turned out stunning and gave us memories that we will cherish for a lifetime. If you’ve never been to the Maldives before, I highly recommend making Niyama your first resort🥇👏🏻

B B. Alo2/5 · 2026-06

Our experience at the resort was quite different from what we expected. We chose Niyama based on the high recommendations and praise from many friends and family members. However, upon arrival, we encountered several issues. The first problem was with our luggage. Due to the seaplane being overcrowded, the staff refused to load our bags on the same flight and insisted on sending them an hour later. Upon arrival, the welcome from our personal host was not as warm or professional as expected, although the rest of the resort team provided an excellent welcome. The villa had a significant insect problem, and the bathrooms were open-air. The outdoor temperatures were extremely hot, especially in the evenings, making the bathroom experience uncomfortable. The bathrooms and the villa entrance were also full of geckos. Most concerning was that the bed appeared to have bed bugs. We experienced skin irritation, redness, and bites during our stay. This issue was reported twice, but unfortunately no effective action was taken to resolve it. On the positive side, the resort offers a wide variety of activities, and the staff are truly outstanding. The food was excellent in almost all restaurants, with the exception of Nest Restaurant, where both the food quality and overall atmosphere were disappointing due to the large number of insects. I would especially like to thank Chef Saeed for his exceptional cooking and memorable dining experiences. I would also like to express my sincere appreciation to the breakfast and lunch team for their outstanding service: * Mr. Ahmed * Ms. Netisha * Mr. Abdullah * Mr. Sulaiman * Mr. Nishan * Ms. Bonnie * Mr. Kofi A special thank you goes to Mr. Shamu and Mr. Kareem for their personal assistance and for taking great care of our villa throughout the stay. Overall, the resort offers beautiful activities and has many excellent staff members. However, the level of cleanliness and pest control was far below what we expected from a luxury resort, especially considering the reputation that led us to choose it. Additionally, pesticides were sprayed during the afternoon and evening while guests were present around the resort, which caused breathing discomfort for us. I would still recommend this resort to travelers who do not mind insects and open-air facilities. However, we have stayed at several resorts across the Maldives, and this was the first time we encountered such a noticeable insect problem. This came as a genuine surprise and disappointment, especially given the resort’s reputation and pricing. While there were many positive aspects to our stay—including the activities, dining options, and exceptional service from many team members—we did not feel that the overall experience met the luxury standards we had anticipated. Unfortunately, the cleanliness issues, pest-related concerns, and the lack of effective resolution to reported problems prevented this from being the truly luxurious experience we had been promised and expected.

Emma Morgan5/5 · 2026-05

The Niyama resort is absolute paradise. The villas and the amenities combined with the friendliness and attention to detail from the staff are what make it truly 5 stars. We had an absolutely fabulous four nights here and enjoyed every moment. I especially loved the personalized bicycles that came with our villa, the private plunge pool, the tennis courts and of course, the amazing surf shack. We loved dining at Nest and sipping cocktails at the Dune bar on the beach. Salta (our thakuru) took good care of us and Sigi at the surf shack greeted us every day when we went to watch the sunset. I hope to go back again because this is one of my favorite hotels I’ve ever stayed in! ❤️

Victoria Dib5/5 · 2026-05

Niyama was absolutely magical. If you are able to visit, I definitely recommend. The water is the bluest blue I have ever seen, the sand is the softest white powder, everyday felt like a dream. It leaves you speechless, I never knew a place could be so beautiful. With that being said, the staff is what really makes this resort so magical. They are so kind, attentive, friendly, helpful. Everything is so well orchestrated and perfectly handled. The food, the drinks, everything is 15/10. Special shout out to Pasha, Imran (the best coconut man), Martin, and more. They made our trip so special.

Ervin Steffko5/5 · 2026-04

We had the opportunity to spend our vacation in this beautiful resort. We were very pleasantly surprised by the resort's beautiful nature. A well-groomed and clean island. We had villa number 21. For us, it was on the most beautiful part of the island. I highly recommend lunch at the underwater restaurant Subsix. Great food, perfect space. Very nice staff: Takura Sam. Staff at Epicur Dewa, Fathik, Putu and many others. Every day, a man nicknamed Kokosman spread good mood and coconuts around the island 😀. We were extremely satisfied with the services on the island. The villa was perfectly cleaned twice every day. Very tasty and high-quality food.