I would like to thank Ben for sorting out a lovely holiday for us both - we had a fantastic time and we would recommend you to all our friends and family
The trip was excellent and all went to plan. Good communication from Des during the whole process. Will def use again.
Totally fantastic service, recommendations and flight times - will definitely be booking again.
Holiday destination was fantastic. Everything ran extremely well and DialAFlight did a amazing job for us. All bookings and changes we were kept informed of and all ran smoothly. I would have no hesitation in recommending them.
Always willing to assist and help with even the silliest of questions. Thank you for everything.
Stafford was brilliant, and kept us in the loop. He was really friendly and helpful, made our holiday process so easy and made sure we were happy with everything. Would definitely recommend DialAFlight.
Craig was brilliant from the initial enquiry to dealing with final requests and ensuring everything was OK a few days before departure.
Dylan is fantastic. Our operator changed the holiday twice due to Covid. Not only did he rebook but took the time to find best flight options and this was made 10x harder due to the final trip being in the Easter holidays. Always loved dealing with him but this time he really proved invaluable. Thanks so much!
Declan was brilliant. He was super patient and kind. He even called us just before the trip. We rebooked it 4 times due to lockdowns and illness and he wanted to make sure everything was in place and we were ok. Anyone else we spoke to was professional and helpful. There are not many companies you can say that about these days!
Sarah is absolutely fantastic. We will definitely be booking our next holiday with her
Excellent service as always and trip went according to plan. Maldives in particular was amazing
Stacey helped us book our holiday back in 2020. She was super helpful and then again when it all had to be changed due to Covid.
Les and Teddy, absolute stars!
Sean literally made our dream holiday come true. He’s amazing and we will hold the memory of this beautiful place in our hearts forever. Unforgettable holiday. We certainly found paradise in The Maldives.
Attention to detail, fast response and very polite and friendly staff - could not be any better.
Great service. Will definitely use you again.
Everything worked out perfectly.
Kylie was fantastic and a credit to your company
We had excellent advice from Marie and Tristan. They also made it stress free when we had to change our booking to new dates.
Dexter was excellent as always and made sure our first holiday with our baby went as smoothly as possible.
Superb support from Paul
Julie provided a first class holiday with no problems as usual.
Taylor helped us personally and professionally from start to finish. Happy to answer any questions however small. We felt comfortable that even if we needed support whilst we were away we had 24 hour help. We had the most amazing holiday of a lifetime! Thankyou. We have already recommended to friends
A superb efficient service as always and very reassuring when it came to making sure we had all the right paperwork for the trip
Fantastic communication throughout and excellent service - can’t fault it.
First class yet again from Neil and his team, excellent trip and excellent advice.
Kennedy is a star
Eric provided us with a first class service, always available and professional. Have no hesitation in recommending him and the company and will certainly use him again.
Holiday was perfect
I think it would be useful to provided specific information on what documents are required re: covid proofs by the airports, airlines and resorts visited on the holiday. A list and links to relevant sites would have been really helpful.
Rumour has it that when the architect was commissioned to shape One&Only Reethi Rah in the Maldives, he said he wanted each guest to 'feel like a king'. He failed spectacularly. Because from the moment we set foot on the island, we felt like a god and goddess instead - we were in heaven.
After leaving Male's international airport, we were greeted by a band of merry men who promptly ushered us on to a luxury private yacht to take us to the resort. Feeling like Jay Z and Beyoncé, my husband Julian and I kicked back and pressed the start button on our honeymoon.
If first impressions were anything to go by, our marriage had just got off to the perfect start.
At the resort there were more warm and welcoming faces, before we meandered down the tiny, sandy 'roads' towards our beach villa in a golf buggy - cars have no business on this island.
Along the way, our personal concierge Gizem told us that staff at Reethi Rah outnumber guests by more than three to one - although you would never know it, as the level of privacy made us feel as if we were on a deserted paradise. But every request was fulfilled with discreet precision.
Of the eight villa types available, we chose the thatched beach villa with high ceilings, beautiful Balinese-style decor and a pool. But no matter where you end up laying your head, rest assured you will be in a den of luxury.
Behind our wooden front gate, there was a distinct and blissful feeling of isolation. There was a secluded patch of beach to call our own, with two palm trees harbouring a hammock.
We were spoiled with an unpacking service, a choice of pillows, essential oils menu, a bathroom with two massive sinks complete with his-and-hers soaps, and wooden shutters everywhere (which stayed open during our stay, as I didn't want to miss a single second of that spectacular view).
There was also a shower outside should guests want to recreate that Timotei advert for fun.
You could be forgiven for never leaving your villa, but that would be foolish. The 24-hour golf buggy service will happily whisk you to any of the countless amenities.
For sporty guests there's a state-of-the-art gym - instructors put me through my paces on an outdoor circuit.
UPSIDE DOWN
In the yoga pavilion you can do aerial yoga (you are suspended in a low-hanging sling, so anyone who doesn't like being upside down should beware!) - there's also a full-size football pitch, and badminton and tennis courts.
There's also an art gallery, Taylor Taylor hair salon, Pedi:Mani:Cure Studio, barber shop and KidsOnly club. Meanwhile, the beach club was alive all day with a DJ playing the latest tunes.
Most afternoons, Julian and I loved grabbing an ice cream before working off the sugar rush on the massive water trampoline. Bouncing up and down on the giant inflatable, I felt like one of the contestants on Total Wipeout, the BBC series I used to co-present with Richard Hammond.
Sea excursions include luxury yacht big-game fishing, turtle adventures, sunrise fishing, reef snorkelling, sunset cruises and shark safaris.
There are four main restaurants. Reethi is beautifully constructed, with high ceilings and carved wooden pillars and doors, and serves contemporary Asian, French and Italian. This is also where the fabulous breakfast is served.
Another of our favourites was Tapasake, serving exquisite modern Japanese dishes with noodles and fish straight from the ocean outside your villa.
Fanditha, which means 'magical' in the Maldivian language Dhivehi, is aptly named - an Arabian Nights-inspired restaurant and bar with beautiful sunset views.
In keeping with the romantic setting, the spa has massive his-and-hers steam and sauna rooms, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking a courtyard. It's a haven of serenity, set in a beautiful expanse of manicured trees and grass leading to the ocean. During your time here, you can practically feel the stress in your shoulders dissipate and your mind let go.
Reethi Rah is a stand-out experience because of its vision to create paradise and the sheer determination to sustain it.
Before I left home I was looking at a website about the Maldives and came across this quote: 'We travel not to escape life but so that life doesn't escape us.' After our experience in this magical destination, those sentiments more than ring a bell.
What we discovered on the Maldives was an escape that took you away not just from your nine-to-five routine but offered an entrée into another world - a life-affirming boost that lasted much, much longer than a suntan.
We can't wait to return.
First published in the Daily Mail - February 2017
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