A dream island for families at Sheraton Full Moon Maldives

Last February, I left the cold of Brussels and escaped for a few days to the Maldives.

I was lucky enough to stay at the Sheraton Full Moon. What is very convenient about this resort is that it is only 10 minutes away by boat from the Male International Airport. When travelling with children, after long hours of flight, this geographical proximity is very appreciable! Very often, in the Maldives, you have to wait a long time before being able to take the seaplane which will take you to your island hotel after a more or less long flight.

The transfer was so fast that when I arrived at the Sheraton, I could hardly imagine that I had arrived on a luxurious island in the middle of the turquoise ocean.

The multiple idyllic villas on stilts with private pools overlooking the sea that I then saw reminded me that the Maldives are truly unique in the world.

However, I did not stay in this type of room. I opted for a bungalow with a private pool and direct access to the beach. It is an ideal choice when travelling with young children. The pool in my room was 90cm deep, perfect for toddlers. My room was very large, very comfortable and had a beautiful open-air bathroom. What a delight! The bungalow offers direct access to the beach dedicated to families, commonly called « kids’ lagoon ». This fine-sand beach is practical for children because the water depth is low and there is no current. Children can therefore have fun here in complete safety, under the watchful eye of the lifeguard. There are also games on this beach, such as beautiful wooden swings, a petanque court, a beach volleyball net and even beach toys for the little ones. 

I thus strongly recommend families to stay in accommodation on the beach, although some of the villas on stilts are suitable for children and even offer two separate bedrooms. Also, the rooms on the beach are in the centre of the resort. Everything is flat and easily accessible with a pushchair. In fact, I have come across many young parents wandering around the hotel’s alleys with their pushchairs. Another idea is to split your stay: stay a few nights on water and then move on to a beach bungalow.

Not far from my room is the spa. To get there, you need to cross a small wooden bridge that leads you to an island solely dedicated to relaxation and care. This place offers a unique view of the ocean. What a joy to be pampered by the sound of the waves. I highly recommend the Signature Hot Stone Massage (190USD/110 minutes). The spa also offers treatments dedicated to children: from babies to teenagers and small children. To try: the chocolate mask that children have fun making and then applying to their face. Probably the only opportunity to cover their face with chocolate spread without being scolded 🙂

In front of the spa is the kids club. This place is secured and animated by two charming and very creative young ladies. The outside infrastructure is magical: tree house, monkey bridge, water games etc. Inside, the children are involved in educational and fun activities such as decorating corals or making a palm leaf garland. The activities are organised according to age groups and are always varied.

Parents are not forgotten as, every day, a programme of activities is organized from them: snorkelling, tennis, aquagym, zumba, aerobics, yoga, etc. Many of these activities are free but some of them are chargeable (such as the dolphin cruise or diving with tanks).

I particularly enjoyed the quality of the food (fresh and local products sublimated by the inventiveness of the Chefs), the feeling of tranquillity that reigns within the resort but, above all, the benevolence of the staff. Everything is done so that you can savour every moment on this dream island. Here, no ostentatious luxury, but a true combination of small details and authenticity that makes the difference. This has an immediate positive effect on your mind and the general atmosphere carries you away in a feeling of sincerity and serenity.

This human-sized resort looks like a small lost paradise. I still have in mind the memories of the Maldivian Friday night when the hotel staff set up a fantastic barbecue buffet on the beach. I recommend the full board option. The buffet restaurant is very qualitative and worthy of a 5-star establishment. Special mention for the kid’s-buffet especially prepared for children. In fact, I must confess that I have never experienced such a good quality-price ratio. This 5-star resort is very affordable and believe me, you won’t be disappointed!

This kind of exceptional journey enriches you. If you love the fauna and flora, you will have the opportunity to contemplate it closely. I particularly enjoyed my snorkelling trip. Supervised by Manon, a young marine biologist from France, I had the chance to discover the corals reimplanted in the waters of the resort by her association. We also observed multicoloured fish, small blacktip sharks and even a ray! I was so captivated by this ocean preservation initiative that I decided to interview Manon through a podcast that you can discover here :

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST

Oh yes, I forgot: a negative PCR test is compulsory to enter the Maldives. And for the little ones, the hotel even has its own little clinic. So it’s a very safe destination!

Have a nice trip !

Jérôme