The InterContinental Maldives is one of those resorts that, after visiting it, leaves you struggling to find anything truly bad to say. After visiting more than 40 resorts across the Maldives, we are always particularly happy when we come across a property that, almost across the board, simply delivers.
In this in-depth review of Intercontinental Maldives, we will go through every aspect of our stay in detail, from arrival to villas, food, service, snorkeling, sports facilities and overall experience.
If you are looking for a resort that ticks pretty much every box, with beautiful villas, an absolutely stunning island, top-quality dining, exceptional snorkeling and one of the most generous value-add propositions in the Maldives, this review of Intercontinental Maldives will quickly show you why it deserves a top spot on your shortlist.
Class:
★★★★★
Location:
Raa Atoll
Transfer Type:
Transfer Duration:
Seaplane
35 minutes
Island Size:
Medium
Total no. Villas:
81
Highlights:
Reviewed by Florian– May 26
The InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort opened in 2019, and from day one it was designed as a full-service 5* property aimed at couples and families alike. Located in Raa Atoll, in the northern part of the Maldives, the resort is reached by a scenic 40-minute seaplane transfer from Malé, which is the perfect duration in our opinion. Long enough to enjoy the breathtaking aerial views of the atolls, but not too long that it becomes uncomfortable.
The resort spreads across a beautiful natural island, with a total of 81 villas, ranging from overwater pool villas to large lagoon and beach residences. The size is, in our view, the sweet spot for a Maldivian resort. Large enough to offer plenty of facilities, restaurants and activities, but small enough to keep an intimate and personal feel which we love so much in the Maldives.
InterContinental Maldives is particularly famous for three things.
First, its beautiful and iconic lighthouse, which has become one of the most recognisable features of the resort and a real symbol of the property.
Second, its truly stunning natural island, with some of the most beautiful beaches we have seen in the Maldives.
And third, its excellent house reef for snorkeling, which is genuinely one of the most beautiful house reefs in this part of the country.
The transfer to InterContinental Maldives is done by a 40-minute seaplane from Malé. The flight is smooth, the views are stunning and the duration is just right. You get plenty of time to enjoy those famous aerial views of the Maldives atolls without it ever feeling long.
On arrival at the resort jetty, the welcome was extremely warm. The team was visibly happy to see us, smiling and immediately making us feel at home. This is something we always pay attention to, as the first 5 minutes on the island really set the tone for the entire stay.
After a quick refreshment, we were escorted by our butler, Bob, to our villa where another lovely surprise was waiting. A perfectly chilled bottle of Moët & Chandon champagne, accompanied by a really nice selection of canapés. The canapés were not just decoration, they were genuinely delicious and quite generous, which honestly does not happen at every Maldivian resort.
It is exactly the kind of welcome that immediately tells you the property cares about the small details, and it sets a great tone for the rest of the stay.
For our stay, we were accommodated in the Sunrise Overwater Pool Villa number 414. To be transparent in this review of InterContinental Maldives, this is not the largest or most “wow” villa you will find in the Maldives.
It feels a bit smaller than many overwater villas in this category, and the interior design feels slightly older compared to some of the most recent properties we have visited. But, very importantly, it absolutely does the job.
The bed is comfortable, the bathroom is well laid out and the indoor space is functional, even though not particularly spacious.
The terrace is well sized, with a comfortable lounging area that you can really enjoy thanks to a constant breeze. This is one detail we did not expect but really appreciated. The natural wind ensures that the outdoor area never gets too hot during the day, which makes it actually usable, even at midday.
The private swimming pool is not very large, but it is perfectly fine for a refreshing dip, and the view onto the ocean is beautiful. It is the kind of pool you use to cool down between snorkeling sessions or while sipping a cocktail before dinner.
So, while the Sunrise Overwater Pool Villa is not going to leave you breathless with a massive “wow effect”, it is honestly an excellent value overwater pool villa in the Maldives within a solid 5* property.
Considering the price point of InterContinental Maldives, this villa offers a very strong combination of overwater experience and value. If you are torn between this kind of villa and a beach villa, our guide on choosing between a beach or overwater villa in the Maldives can really help you decide based on your priorities.
During our stay, we made sure to visit several other villa categories at InterContinental Maldives, as understanding the full accommodation offering is essential to give you a complete and useful review.
1 Bedroom Sunset Beach Pool Villa (n°113)
The 1 Bedroom Sunset Beach Pool Villa 113 was a really pleasant surprise. The villa is very spacious, with a large indoor area, and a generous outdoor space featuring a big private swimming pool. The setting is, in our opinion, one of the best at the resort, as the villa has direct access to one of the most beautiful stretches of beach on the island.
It is also a great choice for 4 people, which makes it really attractive for couples travelling together, or for small families. The space, the privacy and the beach setting make it one of the strongest villa options at InterContinental Maldives.
3 Bedroom Lagoon Pool Residence (n°313)
For larger families or groups, the 3 Bedroom Lagoon Pool Residence 313 is an absolute winner. It offers a huge amount of space, a very high level of privacy and a beautiful private swimming pool overlooking the lagoon.
This kind of villa is perfect for multi-generational holidays or for families travelling with several children. Having three full bedrooms, a large living area and a generous outdoor space genuinely makes it feel like your own private home in the Maldives. It is one of the best family villa options we have seen, and it is one of the reasons why we could recommend InterContinental Maldives among the best resorts for families in the Maldives.
Sunrise Lagoon Pool Villa (n°325)
The Sunrise Lagoon Pool Villa 325 was honestly one of our favorite villas to visit at the resort. It is a 2-storey villa, with the living area downstairs and the master bedroom upstairs, offering a really nice compromise between an overwater and a beach villa, since it sits over the lagoon while still being structurally connected to the island.
The layout works extremely well for 2 adults and 2 children, as the kids can sleep downstairs in a space that has its own shower and washroom. This level of privacy and autonomy is rare to find, especially at this price point.
The value for money on this villa is excellent. You get a 2-floor layout, plenty of space, a great location and a beautiful view, all at a fair price. We would strongly recommend it for small families or for couples who want something slightly different from a typical overwater villa.
The island at InterContinental Maldives is genuinely stunning, and one of the strongest assets of the property. The beaches are some of the most beautiful we have seen during our travels in the country, and they are completely natural, with no seawalls disrupting the landscape, which is sadly becoming more and more rare in the Maldives.
The area near the lighthouse is particularly spectacular. The sand is incredibly soft, the water is perfectly crystal clear and the iconic lighthouse adds that unique signature feature you will not find anywhere else. It is the kind of beach you remember years after your trip.
The area near the spa is also absolutely beautiful, with stunning shades of blue and a peaceful, secluded feel. It is the kind of place where you can spend hours doing absolutely nothing, just enjoying the view and the gentle sound of the waves.
The area in front of The Retreat is another highlight. The water here has some of the most beautiful colours on the entire island, and it gives that classic Maldivian postcard look.
The inside of the island is also pretty, with well-maintained tropical vegetation. The only small downside, to be fully honest in this review of InterContinental Maldives, is that the main staff building is quite visible from certain angles, which slightly takes away from the otherwise natural feel of the island. It is a minor visual point and not something that affects the overall experience, but it is worth mentioning.
Overall, this is a truly beautiful Maldivian island, with some of the best beaches in the country, no seawalls and stunning shades of blue throughout. It is one of those islands that genuinely lives up to every Maldives expectation you have before arriving.
When it comes to food and beverages, this review of InterContinental Maldives is overwhelmingly positive. The dining offering at the resort is genuinely excellent, with a very good variety, consistent quality and some really memorable meals.
Café Umi is the main restaurant, where breakfast and lunch are served. Breakfast is a buffet format, complemented by a small à la carte menu, and both the choice and the quality are very good. There is a wide variety of options to please all palates, from continental classics to Asian breakfast dishes, and the ingredients are fresh and well prepared. Lunch at Café Umi is also a great option, with a lighter menu perfectly suited to a relaxing day on the island.
The Fish Market was probably our absolute favorite restaurant at the resort. The atmosphere is fantastic, the seafood is fresh and beautifully prepared and the overall experience is just really memorable. If you stay at InterContinental Maldives, this is honestly a must-try, ideally more than once.
The Lighthouse is another standout restaurant, both for the food and for the atmosphere. Located in the iconic lighthouse structure, the setting alone is worth the dinner, and the cuisine fully matches the experience. The dishes are well executed, refined and absolutely delicious. It is one of those dinners that combines great food with a truly special location.
Now, we cannot continue this review of InterContinental Maldives without highlighting one of the most generous offerings we have seen in the Maldives in terms of value-add. Every single day, between 3pm and 5pm, the resort offers a complimentary afternoon tea, included even for guests on the half board package. This is already great value on its own.
But it gets even better. From 5pm to 7pm, guests can enjoy complimentary alcoholic drinks at The Retreat, which is the adult-only bar, as well as at the main pool. Yes, you read that correctly: 2 hours of free drinks every single day, including cocktails, wines and beers. As of writing this InterContinental Maldives review, there is also an additional 30-minute happy hour from 6:30pm to 7pm at the Sunset Bar.
This kind of complimentary offering adds so much value to the stay that it almost changes the equation when comparing different packages. We always recommend reading our guide on choosing between half-board and all-inclusive in the Maldives before booking, as resorts like InterContinental can completely change the math of what is actually worth it.
Honestly, having 2 hours of complimentary drinks every single day is simply exceptional, and we have not seen anything quite as generous in any other resort in the Maldives.
Service at InterContinental Maldives was excellent throughout our stay. What we particularly appreciated is the natural warmth of the team. The staff is genuinely friendly, smiling and clearly happy to take care of guests, which always makes a real difference.
A very special mention has to go to our butler, Bob, who was amazing from start to finish. Super friendly, very fast to respond to every request and always anticipating what we might need before we even asked. Honestly, Bob is one of the best butlers we have ever had in the Maldives, which is saying a lot considering how many resorts we have visited over the years.
Service in the restaurants was always friendly, professional and well-paced. The only small piece of feedback would be that, on a few occasions, the service could feel slightly slow, particularly during busy times. But this is really minor and never had any real impact on our experience.
Housekeeping deserves a special mention too. The timing was absolutely perfect throughout the entire stay. We literally did not see the housekeeping team a single time, as they always came to the villa while we were out enjoying the resort. This is exactly how good housekeeping should be: invisible but flawlessly efficient.
Overall, the service at InterContinental Maldives is one of the strongest aspects of the resort, and a big part of what makes the stay so enjoyable.
InterContinental Maldives has 2 pools, and they each have their own distinct atmosphere, which is something we always appreciate in a resort.
The first one is the adults-only pool at The Retreat, which is exactly the kind of spot you want for a quiet, relaxing afternoon. The atmosphere here is calm and chilled, and it is the perfect place to read a book, take a nap on a sunbed or sip a cocktail without the background noise of children playing. Combined with the complimentary 5pm to 7pm happy hour, The Retreat quickly becomes a favorite spot.
The second is the main pool, located right next to the beach. The vibe here is more lively and social, but still very pleasant. One feature we particularly loved is the swim-up bar, where you can order drinks directly from the pool, keeping your body in the water while enjoying a cocktail. It is one of those small details that really enhances the holiday feel.
Whether you are in the mood for something quiet or something more active, you will find a pool that fits your vibe at any moment of the day.
The gym at InterContinental Maldives is very nice, spacious and well equipped. The machines are Life Fitness, which is always a strong indicator of quality, and the equipment covers everything you need for a complete workout, from cardio to strength training and free weights.
The gym is also very bright, with large windows offering beautiful views over the ocean, which makes for a much more enjoyable workout experience.
The only small downside is the air conditioning. It is not the most powerful, and the gym can get a bit hot during the day, especially during a more intense session. This is a minor point but worth mentioning for guests who plan to train daily.
Overall, the gym is more than sufficient and clearly above average for a Maldivian resort. The only real gap in the sports offering is the absence of a tennis or padel court, which would have been a great addition. If padel is a priority for you, do check out our guide to the best resorts with padel courts in the Maldives before booking.
The spa at InterContinental Maldives is absolutely stunning. Located overwater, it offers a truly unique setting that we genuinely loved. We had the chance to enjoy a 60-minute massage, and the experience was excellent from start to finish.
What makes this spa really special is its location, right above the reef. When you are in the relaxation room, you can literally see plenty of colourful fish swimming below you, which adds an absolutely magical dimension to the whole experience. It is one of those small but powerful details that you only get in the Maldives, and that the spa at InterContinental has used brilliantly.
The treatment itself was excellent, with skilled therapists and a calm, professional atmosphere. If you love wellness experiences in stunning settings, the spa at InterContinental Maldives easily ranks among the best wellness and spa resorts in the Maldives.
Snorkeling at InterContinental Maldives is a real highlight, and one of the strongest reasons to consider booking this resort if marine life is important to you.
The house reef is super easy to access, with multiple entry points around the island. The current is generally mild, which makes it accessible for snorkelers of all levels, including children and beginners. This is honestly one of the easiest reefs to enjoy in the entire Maldives.
The fish life is excellent. During our snorkeling sessions, we saw plenty of reef sharks, several turtles, a few rays and a huge variety of colourful reef fish. You can almost guarantee that you will encounter sharks, turtles and rays on virtually every single snorkeling trip, which is rare even by Maldivian standards.
The corals are also in pretty healthy condition, which is genuinely refreshing to see, as many areas in the Maldives have suffered from bleaching in recent years.
The best snorkeling area is between the gym and the lighthouse, where the marine life is particularly active and varied. The area in front of the Sunrise Overwater Pool Villas is also very nice, although a bit less fishy than the area near the spa.
If snorkeling is one of your main priorities, we would strongly recommend going for a Sunrise Beach Pool Villa, as it gives you direct access to the best section of the house reef. For divers, the area around Raa Atoll also offers some great underwater experiences. We have covered the topic in detail in our guide to the best resorts for diving in the Maldives if you want to dig deeper.
It is also worth mentioning its proximity to a very popular manta cleaning station where we went for snorkeling, 100% worth it!
InterContinental Maldives is a really strong option for families, and one of the elements that makes it shine for kids is the Kids Club.
The Kids Club caters to children from 4 to 12 years old, and it is one of the nicest we have seen in the Maldives. The indoor space is well designed, with plenty of activities, but it is the outdoor area that really impressed us. Spacious, creative and genuinely fun, it is the kind of place where kids can spend hours and absolutely love every minute of it.
For parents, having such a well-equipped and well-run Kids Club is a huge advantage. It means you can enjoy a spa treatment, a quiet meal or simply some relaxing time at The Retreat, knowing your kids are in great hands and having a fantastic time of their own.
Combined with family-friendly villas like the 3 Bedroom Lagoon Pool Residence or the Sunrise Lagoon Pool Villa, InterContinental Maldives is genuinely one of the best resorts in the country for families travelling with children.
When it comes to value for money, the InterContinental Maldives delivers an excellent proposition. The pricing is fair, especially considering the quality of the villas, the beauty of the island, the food, the service and, of course, the absolutely exceptional complimentary offerings.
The free 2-hour happy hour every single day is honestly a game changer. When you add up the value of unlimited cocktails, wines and beers across 2 hours, the cost saving over a week is significant. Add to that the complimentary afternoon tea every day and the additional happy hour at the Sunset Bar, and you start to realise that the overall package is much more generous than the headline rate suggests.
We also really enjoyed the weekly cocktail management event, which is a great opportunity to meet the team, with free drinks and delicious canapés. It is the kind of complimentary touch that turns a simple stay into a real experience.
Overall, the value for money at InterContinental Maldives is genuinely excellent. You pay a fair price for a very good resort that delivers on every single dimension that matters.
Pros
Stunning natural island with some of the best beaches in the Maldives
Iconic lighthouse, both as a landmark and as a restaurant venue
Excellent house reef with almost guaranteed sightings of sharks, turtles and rays
Outstanding complimentary offerings: 2 hours of free drinks every day, daily afternoon tea, weekly cocktail event
Excellent food across all restaurants, with The Fish Market and The Lighthouse standing out
Manta spots nearby all year long
Stunning overwater spa above the reef
One of the best Kids Clubs in the Maldives
Cons
Sunrise Overwater Pool Villa feels a bit smaller and slightly older than competitors
Main staff building visible from certain parts of the island
Gym air conditioning could be more powerful
No tennis or padel court available
InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort is genuinely one of those rare resorts where it is hard to find anything truly bad to say. Sure, no resort is perfect, and we have highlighted the small areas where InterContinental could still improve. But the truth is, the property delivers a consistently excellent experience across every single dimension that really matters: a beautiful island, beautiful villas, great food, exceptional snorkeling, attentive service and one of the most generous value-add offerings in the Maldives.
Whether you are travelling as a couple looking for stunning beaches and great food, or as a family looking for a top Kids Club and spacious family villas, this review of InterContinental Maldives clearly shows why it deserves a spot at the top of your shortlist. The complimentary 2-hour happy hour every day, the daily afternoon tea and the consistently warm service genuinely make every stay here feel special.
For more information, comparisons with other resorts or to book InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort with the most competitive rates, feel free to contact us and we will be more than happy to help you plan your next Maldives holiday.
