MALDIVES : “Cinnamon Dhonveli” An Experience Of A Life Time

This is by far my favorite post on one of my dreams destinations “Maldives”. Maldives was a name I was pretty acquainted with, saw pictures on Internet, read about in the travel magazines, yet when I actually witnessed, it was far beyond any of what I ever saw. It was in real sense a “Slice of Heaven”, a traveler’s paradise but the only downside is that it’s impossible to do Maldives on a budget. So all I would say is, save some money and just go for it. OK without any further ado lets just jump into the post. I also have a disclaimer that none of the pictures below can ever do justice to the actual beauty that this place beholds, but it will always be safe in my memories forever.

There are some experiences that will truly leave you breathless and mesmerized and some memories to hang on with for ever. Such was our trip to this beautiful Island turned into resort “Cinnamon Dhonveli” A luxury property located no more than a 25-minute speedboat ride from Male International Airport, Cinnamon Dhonveli’s proximity and diversity combine to make it one of the most popular destinations in the Maldives.I was totally blown away by the spectacular views, incredible amenities and unparalleled  hospitality that they provided and would definitely recommend to anyone who wants to have a luxurious getaway from the everyday hustle of life.

The majestic view

Also very quickly I just wanted to share my travel experience so that it gives you an insight of how we planned the trip.

Flight: We planned our trip from India as Maldives is relatively closer from there. It was a Delhi(India) to Colombo(Sri Lanka) flight via Srilankan airways and took us 3.5 hours. Then we had a connecting flight from Colombo(Sri Lanka) to Male(Maldives) which was 1.5 hours. I was absolutely impressed by the Sri Lankan airways. The services, the food and everything was amazing and above all, they had the weight limit of a check in bag as 30 KGs(~66 lbs). Can you believe that? I mean I packed almost everything I could think of and before we came to Maldives I was unleashed at the local streets of Bangkok for 4 days and I still had enough space. This has to be marked by golden letters in the history of my travel indeed.

Visa: It’s on arrival. Just takes a couple of minutes and you are done.

So now coming on to our stay at Cinnamon Dhonveli. The only thing I have to say about them is “AMAZING”. They have the best service, the most warm welcome, the best food and the coziest stay ever. Right from the moment we stepped out of the airport till we were dropped back, they took care of our each and every need.

We received such a warm welcome with some fresh coconut water. Check in was quick and the staff made sure to share the activities we could do around the resort including the water sports. They also gave a short tour of the property and made us feel acquainted.

Stay at the Cinnamon Dhonveli water bunglaw – Of the various Bungalows they had to offer we never had a second thought in choosing “The Water Bungalows”. It was like we were living in a beautiful cottage in the middle of the vast spread ocean. So majestic, so serene and so close to nature… Just the way I like it.

A closer look at our beautiful room..

Where we would sit and gaze at infinity

The view from our patio… Just Majestic

ROOM TOUR – Once we were reached our room, I took some time to soak in the beauty and the majesty of the amazing water bungalow. Right in the middle of the water stood our beautiful bungalow. The interior was so beautifully designed with a huge kind sized bed and a beautiful sofa set right next to the window where we would sit for hours and hours and gaze outside. It also included a comfortable king-size bed, plenty of closets for storage, a well-stocked fridge and mini-bar, flat screen TV.

ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL – My husband and I were celebrating our 5th Wedding Anniversary during the trip and the entire team at Cinnamon Dhonveli did everything to make this trip special. They surprised us with this beautiful bed decorated with flowers and a complimentary cake.

Messy hair, tanned skin, happy me 🙂

CHAAVANA SPA Experience – BALINESE BLISS ON A MALDIVIAN ISLAND 

We also had the chance to experience the legendary Chaavana Spa. Aptly named, the Chavana Spa at Dhonveli comes with many treatments and a range of spa products to revitalize, rejuvenate and reawaken featuring specialized Balinese therapists, invigorating treatments and the internationally renowned Elemis brand of products. My husband and I got the couple’s special spa that included a manicure, pedicure, facial massage and 40 mins full body massage followed by a hot tub bath soaked in with their special salt .This was literally the best and most therapeutic experience of my life. Since we were celebrating our 5th anniversary it couldn’t have been more special.

The Chavana Spa at Cinnamon Dhonveli also features the following:

• Welcome Lounge & Reception
• A Double Villa with Steam Room, Shower and Bath
• A Double Villa with Shower and Bath
• Three Double Rooms with Attached Showers
• Special Manicure and Pedicure Area
• Extensive Range of Balinese Spa Treatments, including Traditional Balinese Massages, Warm Stone Massages, Spa Pedicures and the Elemis Exotic Lime & Ginger Dew Bath among many others.

All dolled up for the destination dinner…

Gourmet Breakfast

This is how a typical evening looked like

DINE IN – RAIYVILAA SUNSET TERRACE BAR

Dining at this place for three days and it surely did not disappoint. We were surprised with the scrumptious buffet offerings and the wide range of menu that they had to offer every single day. Yes, they would have a different menu every single day! And with its beautiful panoramic view every single meal that we had here was a memory to cherish forever.

INCREDIBLE STAFF AND SERVICE

Apart from everything that Cinnamon Dhonveli had to offer us,  what made our stay most comfortable and unforgettable were the staff. The warm treatment of all the staff was so heart warming. It’s rare to find such gesture. The day we were leaving we had to go back to the airport 5 a.m in the morning, they gave us such a warm and polite wake up call and were all set to take our luggage to the ferry. The unparalleled hospitality and service was an added key that made our stay and our 5th wedding anniversary so special  and memorable. All thanks to their wonderful team.