After almost thirty hours flying we finally arrived in MLÉ Airport, we were greeted by Representatives from the Mercure Maldives Kooddoo Resort, and were escorted to the lounge where we can relax till the boarding starts with refreshments and Wi-Fi. After about 20 minutes or so, the rep come and inform us that we’re ready to check-in, the rep handling all the checking process, but we have to be there with him at the local domestic checking in for verification.
We wait about an hour or so to board the plane for the resort. After leaving MLÉ airport onto Maldivians(local airline) about and hour and twenty five minutes we landed in Kooddoo airport(GKK). Kooddoo airport does not have traffic control, or any hi tech equipments. As soon as we landed there are three guys pulling 3 baggage carts, manually unloaded the baggage into a cart. Passengers walk into this small building, where we all waited for our luggages to be brought into the building.
We got our luggages,went outside and our resort’s reps and our transportation(buggy)were there to take us to the resort.The resort is about a stone throw away from the Koodoo airport(GKK)less than five minutes buggy ride. As we strolling thru the luscious greenery scenery, we comes to our destination. As we approached the resort, we were welcoming by numerous of staffs with smiles like they been waiting for the returning of a family member, welcoming us with necklace made of palm leave to put on our neck.
They sat us down for the checking in process, went through a couple of paper works,verifications,vouchers redeem. Explanation, cards,and resort program - weekly schedules for activities and food service were handout for our stays.
After the check in process was done,we hopped onto a buggy and they took us to our room, they will bring our suitcase later. As we left the front office(Reception)and approaching the villa we were enchanted with the crystal clear and over the water villas.
304 there it is our Over Water Sunset Villa ! We booked Over the Water Sunset Pool Villa, as the name suggests there’s our own private pool in our Villa. The Villa was spacious, clean and very immaculate, the bathroom is nice and unique, jacuzzi, a shower and a shower outside on deck. There is mini fridge, snacks, safe, and a welcome champagne in the room.
Hint:
No iron or iron board in the room, you have to call the housekeeping or front desk to get it. If your TV in the room doesn’t turn on, your remote batteries need to be changed, that what happened with our :)
Each Villa got a glass window on the floor where you can view thru to watch the fish,reef sharks and other swimming specially at night where the light turned onto the water beneath the Villa where the corals were placed there for that purpose.
Mercure Hotels & Resorts got 25 Beach Villas, 5 Beach Pool Villa. 1-4 bedroom Beach Pool Villa. 43 Over Water Villa, 15 Over Water Sunset Pool Villa,17 OverWaterSunset Villa, and 11 Over Water Villa.
Mercure got Boutique shop, BusinessCenter and Clinic,Tennis Court,FitnessCenter, Water sports, Dive Center, Pool bar and a Spa. There are two Restaurants: Alita- buffet , and Vista-A la Carte- serving lunch and dinner.
You can also do room service, but with a fee or you can walk down to the pool bar and order your foods.
Mercure Maldives KooDoo is an amazing resort, breathtaking views, crystal clear lagoon, friendly staffs, great foods, drinks and friendly smile. Each day there are activities that scheduled on your handout when you’ve arrived. There are non motorized activities that are complimented with your stay, such as Kayak,Stand up Paddle Board,and Windsurfing. Motorized activities, Jet Ski, Fun Tube Ride, Water Ski/ Wake Board- these are extra, check with the water sport center.
We did Jet Ski,Sunset Fishing trip, and Dolphins Cruise by using vouchers included in our packages when we booked with Travelzoo.
We like that it is an adult only resort, relax,serenity, and peaceful where you can indulging yourself and forget about the real world for a bit. We met awesome people from all over part of the world, very friendly staffs,people that understood the concept of hospitality, and guess service.
We enjoyed our Over WaterSunset Pool Villa a lot, we spent hours in the pool watching sunset,shark reefs,stingrays, turtles and many fishes that swim near and under our villa. We also enjoyed the outdoor shower to washes off the saltwater or chlorine from the pool.
The foods were different every nights, according to the Resort Program layout. The foods were so delicious at the buffet, we didn’t even take the opportunity to try the VISTA(Italian)restaurant.
We were a bit disappointed with some of the activities that the guests have to book to participated in, i.e Maldivian Art and Crafts,Maldivian Cooking Demo, and so on. We also a bit disappointed with one of the rude behavior of one of the food supervisor that we being giving a cold shoulder. He would walk by and not saying a word , but then start to say something to next table. We thought that kind of odd. At one occasion we ordered drink from the bar, because the waiter or waitress did not come and take our drink order, the bartender responded with attitude “You coulda order from them” them- the server.
Hint : After you sit down at table, you need to order a drink before you go get your food. If not,you gonna wait forever for your drink. But it’s not a big dot deal. Disregard the rude behaviors and a feel- like discrimination. We Enjoy the Maldivian Traditional Boduberu Show and Movie Under Stars at the pool deck.
Every evening the blue light lit up the walkway to the Over Water Villa contrast with the starry night that you can only experience at Mercure Maldives Kooddoo.
All in All we love Mercure Maldives Kooddoo, we’re glad we made the right choices, it worth every pennies. We appreciated all the welcoming staffs,people like Ella, Dwarma,Pradeep, Chathura,Bawantha, and to all the chefs,the waiters,waitresses,pool bar bartenders. When it’s time to checkout, Mercure handles all the checkout process, boarding pass, passport control, their rep even help you put your suitcase thru the x-ray machine. After all their guests pass thru the inspection then the rep would leave the site.
On the day that we left the resort, one of the bartender that is an employee of Mercure who was going home for vacation, took the time to help us and another elderly couple who was on the same flights with us back to the State, and he was not even on the clock. Thanks to the bartender you know who you are !
We checkin as guest and check out as a family member. Would we recommend Mercure Maldives KooDoo to friends and families? -Absolutely ! Would we like to return to Mercure Maldives Kooddoo Resort? - Definitely!
