Centara Grand Island Resort & Spa Maldives

After a scenic flight and speedboat ride, guests are welcomed to Centara Grand Island with check-in paperwork and glasses of champagne. The resort is roughly half a kilometer long, and guests can walk around the island using shady, palm tree-lined pathways. Nearly half of the resort is built over the lagoon on stilts, including the fitness center, lobby, lobby bar, an Italian restaurant, and most of the rooms.

Heavily renovated in 2014, Centara mixes colorful, modern decor and traditional Maldivian resort elements, like high ceilings and thatched palm roofs. With the exception of some dingy shower grout and a weathered-looking tennis court, the resort feels fresh and contemporary.

A Thai company owns Centara, and the vast majority of guests are from China and other parts of East Asia (so much so that the signage is subtitled in Mandarin). Most people spend their time snorkeling, taking advantage of their free daily massages, going on diving or boating excursions, or relaxing on the white-sand beaches or poolside. The island was relatively quiet during our November visit, with plenty of empty recliners up for grabs. In the evening we saw a musical trio meandering through one of the bars, serenading guests. Those who want an extra level of privacy can buy their way into a club area, which has its own pool, restaurant, beach, and better all-inclusive drinks.

Fun fact: Centara hosted the first underwater wedding in the Maldives on a shipwreck just off shore.

Centara is located on its own private island, about 65 miles
southwest of Male in South Ari Atoll. The island is about half a kilometer long
(if you count the rooms built over the lagoon), and guests can easily walk
anywhere in under 10 minutes. The cheapest way to reach the island is by taking
a 30-minute domestic flight from Male International Airport to the local island
of Maamigili, and then catching a 15-minute boat transfer. Those willing to pay
more can fly by seaplane (which offers a better view). The seaplane drops
guests at a floating pontoon, and a speedboat ferries guests the rest of the
way to the resort. A 270-person staff lives and works on the island year-round.

Centara has six room categories, including Beachfront Suites, the one- or two-bedroom Luxury Beachfront Pool Villas with private plunge pools, and overwater villas with steps leading into the lagoon.

The most basic room types are Beach Suites and Deluxe Water Villas, which offer plenty of space at 936 square feet (87 square meters). These units are bright are contemporary, with hardwood floors, blue and orange throw pillows, and large bathrooms with soaking tubs. Beach Suites are two stories and have a bedroom and additional bathroom on the second floor, making them feel more like beach houses than suites. All rooms include minibars (with free items), stereos, DVD players, flat-screen TVs, private patios, bathrobes, electric kettles, free bottled water, tea, instant coffee, and free Wi-Fi.

Centara is one of the few resorts in the Maldives that will accommodate families with children in overwater villas (many properties err on the side of caution and make overwater villas adult-only for safety reasons). Their Deluxe Family Water Villas sleep up to five guests and have kid-friendly perks like bunk beds, PlayStation game consoles, and locks to stop toddlers from crawling off the overwater patios. The largest two-bedroom Luxury Beachfront Pool Villa (1,711 square feet, or 159 square meters) comes with its own butler, called a “villa host,” who will arrange excursions and make restaurant reservations.

Centara has a solid range of amenities. Highlights include an attractive beachfront pool with a shallow kids’ section and an ocean-view fitness center built over the lagoon. Guests can snorkel right off the beach at a beautiful coral reef, and a sunken shipwreck right next to the island is a popular diving spot. A kids' club with a playground is available free of charge, and a game room offers snooker, billiards, foosball, table tennis, and air hockey. Other offerings include beach volleyball, a tennis court, gift shop, and emergency medical clinic.

A private club is available for those willing to pay for extra privacy and better drinks. It has its own swimming pool, restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating, cabana beds, board games, multilingual library, business center, and small beach. It was almost empty during our visit, and guests frequently have the place to themselves.

Like most resorts in the Maldives, Centara is surrounded by
lovely white-sand beaches and a clear, turquoise lagoon. Guests can take their
pick from numerous lounge chairs (some are a bit faded, and some have palapa
umbrellas), and beach towels are provided in rooms. An
impressive reef is located just offshore, and guests can easily wade out to
view colorful fish. Less-than-picturesque walls of sandbags are used to prevent
erosion in some areas, but for the most part the beaches are attractive. The
water temperature was perfect (warm but refreshing) during our visit. We
couldn’t find a speck of trash anywhere.

Centara technically has four restaurants, if you count the private restaurant in the club area, but most guests only have access to three. The main buffet restaurant, Reef, serves champagne breakfasts, lunch, and dinner. It’s the only restaurant that doesn’t require advance reservations -- but it also has disappointing food for a luxury resort. Most of the dishes we tried were mediocre and lukewarm. Instead, we recommend dining at the two a la carte restaurants: Azzuri Mare (Italian and seafood) and Suan Bua (Thai). There’s also a live-cooking teppanyaki table at Reef restaurant where guests can reserve seats.

What’s Covered by the All-Inclusive Package?

Meals, drinks, room service, excursions, daily massages, water sports rentals, and Wi-Fi are all free under the all-inclusive rate.

Centara’s all-inclusive plan, called Ultimate All-Inclusive, covers drinks and cocktails throughout the resort, snacks at the two bars, most minibar items, and food at all three restaurants. The only exceptions are premium alcoholic drinks and some higher-end menu items.

Few resorts offer as many free services as Centara. Guests get a $100 daily spa credit (equal to a 30-minute massage), non-motorized water sports rentals (snorkels, kayaks, and peddle boats), banana boat and tube rides, windsurfing lessons, property-wide Wi-Fi, and one free excursion (such as a sunset cruise, fishing trip, or snorkeling tour). Parents can also drop children at the kids' club, free of charge.

Those willing to pay extra can buy additional excursions, like private a picnic on a nearby deserted island or a diving lesson at a sunken shipwreck. Guests can also pay a premium to go parasailing or rent Jet Skis. Laundry, babysitting, and 24-hour room service are available on request.