Ellaidhoo Maldives by Cinnamon

flynn marioni

From the very first moment, we were welcomed with genuine warmth and kindness. The reception team and the Front Desk Manager did an outstanding job throughout our entire stay. They were always friendly, professional, and ready to help with anything we needed. A special thank you also goes to the bar staff, who were absolutely fantastic. Their service was exceptional, they were always in a great mood, and they made sure that no wish was left unfulfilled. We would also like to recognize our room attendant, Aiamin, who gave his very best every single day. He was always incredibly friendly, attentive, and kept our room spotless. His dedication truly made a difference. Thank you to the entire team for making our stay so memorable. We had a wonderful time and will definitely be back!

Messages EA

Normally, I almost never leave negative reviews, but in this case I have to be honest about my experience. My wife and I stayed at Ellaidhoo by Cinnamon for 12 days, 11 nights during our honeymoon. The service was generally good, and we really appreciated the complimentary villa upgrade. Our villa was directly on the beach, which made our stay even more special. The underwater world is absolutely stunning and, in my opinion, one of the best snorkeling experiences in the Maldives. Overall, we were satisfied with the food until the last week of our stay. One evening, a staff member was grilling chicken at the live cooking station. The chicken looked very undercooked, so I explicitly asked him to grill it thoroughly. Despite that, it was apparently still not cooked properly. I ate it, while my wife decided not to. What happened afterwards was by far the worst food poisoning I have ever experienced in my life. I had to be hospitalized for a long time, resulting in an additional medical bill of around USD 1,200. It then took me almost three weeks to recover and get back on my feet. Instead of enjoying the memories of our honeymoon, we spent weeks dealing with the consequences. Our vacation, which already cost over USD 4,000, ended up costing more than USD 5,000 because of the medical expenses and ended on a very disappointing note. It is unfortunate because the resort has many positive aspects, especially its beautiful reef and location. However, food safety is one of the most important responsibilities of any hotel. Based on my personal experience, I cannot give more than one star.

Hasna Ibrahim

A perfect escape at Elaidhoo by Cinnamon 🌊✨ From the moment we arrived, this beautiful resort wrapped us in calm and serenity. The sea is absolutely stunning—crystal clear, peaceful, and endlessly soothing. The hospitality here is truly top-notch. Every staff member goes above and beyond to make you feel welcome and cared for. One of the highlights is the nearby house reef—easily accessible and breathtakingly beautiful. Snorkeling here feels like entering another world 🐠 The environment is very safe and relaxing, making it ideal for a stress-free getaway. And the food? Delicious, with plenty of variety to enjoy every day. A special mention to the harmless reef sharks that visit daily—they add such a unique and thrilling touch to the whole experience! 🦈 Overall, an unforgettable stay filled with beauty, peace, and amazing memories. Highly recommended! 💙

Tadej Humar

Unforgettable 18-Day Family Stay: Incredible House Reef, Delicious Food, and Outstanding Staff! We recently spent 18 wonderful days at Ellaidhoo Maldives with our family of four, and from the moment we arrived, everything was seamless. Even though we landed on the island well before the official check-in time, we were warmly greeted and given our room very quickly. Here is why we loved our stay and would happily recommend it: Rooms & Housekeeping We stayed in a Superior Room. While the room is modest, it had plenty of space and everything needed for a family of four. The real standout was our housekeeper—the room was cleaned daily and kept absolutely spotless. He always timed the cleaning for when we were out, so we never felt rushed or in the way. Directly outside our room (5m away), sea access was via a few steps and we loved having dedicated sun-beds reserved just for us nearby. Island Vibe & Beaches The island is lush, green, and well-maintained. While sandy beaches are limited to the area between the diving center and the water villas, the island is compact and easy to walk around. Even with the resort practically full during our stay, the beach never felt crowded. Dining & Staff (The Highlight!) The buffet food was fantastic. Even on day 18, I was still discovering new dishes I hadn't tried before. In almost three weeks, we only had to wait for a table once (for just 5 minutes). The entire team works incredibly hard, but a few people made our trip extra special: Najah and Muaz: Our main waiters, who made every single mealtime pleasant, welcoming, and fun. The Salad Chef: Introduced us to new flavors, and the kids absolutely loved his creations. The Breakfast Chef: The star of the morning station with excellent eggs and pancakes. The Pizza Chef: Genuinely impressed us—we did not expect resort buffet pizza to be that delicious! Snorkeling & World-Class Diving If you love underwater life, this island is a dream: Snorkeling: Inside the protective sea walls, the water is calm and perfect for relaxing or helping young kids learn to swim. Just outside the walls, the drop-off goes down to 25–30 meters within a few steps. There we saw reef sharks, rays, a sea turtle, octopuses, crabs, and endless colorful fish right off the shore. The diversity of corals was also impressive. When there was a mild current we did a full swim around the island and it was a blast. Diving: My wife and I completed our Advanced Open Water course with the dive center. The operation is extremely well-organized with great equipment (free Nitrox, 10L to 15L cylinders, ...) and a fantastic boat crew. A huge plus is the house reef diving flexibility—you can pick up gear and dive directly around the island with your buddy (or easily pair up with someone at the center) using multiple entry/exit points whenever it suits your schedule. Evenings & Extras While we didn't use the pool or the spa (though the spa looked very inviting!), we spent several evenings at the bar listening to live music and DJs. Drinks were very reasonably priced for the Maldives ($8–$10 USD for cocktails/mocktails), and they had great promos like 4 drinks for $30 USD. Wi-Fi was available across the island and perfectly fine for standard use, though mobile service was spotty inside the room. Verdict Ellaidhoo offers an authentic, laid-back Maldivian experience with one of the best house reefs you can ask for, paired with genuine hospitality. We thoroughly enjoyed our time and wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to families, couples, and divers alike!

Em Sayonara

Went there for honeymoon last year. Everything was great, except that I got food poisoned on my first night there and I slept the whole day on our 2nd day. The buffet offered rice and soup so I got better eating those. I'm Japanese so I'm used to eating raw stuff, but if you have sensitive stomach or just worried, my suggestion is to stay away from everything raw. Price was reasonable and it was good.