If you’re on the lookout for a budget-friendly trip, look no further! We have curated a list of 5 affordable luxury guesthouses in Maldives that promise an unforgettable holiday experience. Set against the turquoise waters and the pristine beaches of the Maldives, you can finally vacation within a budget. From secluded hideaways to vibrant local communities, each guesthouse offers a unique blend of comfort, charm, and affordability. Join us as we explore these hidden gems and get insights from recent travellers to guide your decision-making process.
Zero Degree Residence – Fuvahmulah City
or a scenic stay, consider booking at Zero Degree Residence, Fuvahmulah. Located in the Southern region of the Maldives, Fuvahmulah is often described as one of the most beautiful islands in the Maldives. There is an abundance of nature and watersports to explore on the island. With lush vegetation consisting of beautiful taro fields, coconut palms and more, the island is truly unique from other Maldivian islands.
As of late, Fuvahmulah has become a tourist attraction due to its popularity as a shark diving destination. Travellers who are into scuba diving, historical sites, natural beaches and exploring the local culture must visit this island. Accessible through domestic flights by Maldivian Airlines, scuba diving, snorkelling and free diving are some of the must-do activities on the island. There is also quite a bit of nature to explore, with the island having two beautiful nature parks and the popular mud bath!
If you’re looking for a scenic stay, consider booking a stay at Zero Degree Residence, Fuvahmulah. This hotel is located just 3 minutes away from the ocean and 10 minutes away from the popular pebble sandy beach ‘Thoondu’. The guest house provides a resort-like feel with entertainment, beautiful rooms as well as an outdoor terrace. The best part is that all of the accommodation at this hotel comes with a complimentary breakfast buffet served at the in-house restaurant! The team at this hotel also offers guided tours and helps travellers book diving trips!
Great guesthouse, really friendly team and couldn’t do enough for you. Rooms were great, always clean and the team were always on time for drop offs to airport and island dive sites. Would highly recommend, if we returned we would gladly re book here without question. Close to a number of restaurants, some within walking distance but others need a very short taxi drive. The team were always more than happy to arrange taxis, which were always quick and we got to know the taxi driver quite well! Found the whole island to be really friendly and service was always with a smile. Great destination for diving and expect turism will increase over the coming years, in my view the island is an unspoilt gem at present, Writes TRACY C on Tripadvisor on February 2024, following a trip with friends.
Canopus Retreat – Thulusdhoo
If you’re looking for an island to visit near Male’ City, Thulusdhoo is a great option. This island features the best of the Maldives with its crystal clear waters and white sandy beaches. Although Thulusdhoo is a destination popular among surfers, the island is also quite enjoyable for a quiet retreat.
If you visit Thulusdhoo, however, look into booking a surf session at Cokes and Chickens – two of the Maldives’ best surf breaks. Additionally, you can also go diving and explore some of the beautiful house reefs to explore the colourful marine life of the island. With charming locals and friendly neighbourhood cats, Thulusdhoo is one of those unforgettable islands for a getaway. One of the unique aspects of Thulusdhoo is the vibrantly coloured homes, which add a touch of local island charm!
Canopus Retreat is one of the most beautiful guesthouses to stay on this island. In addition to being budget-friendly, the guest house also offers three different accommodation types. If you’re looking for a truly magnificent stay, book the ocean-view room, and wake up to the most breathtaking views every morning. During a stay at Canopus Retreat, Thulusdhoo you can also book a variety of excursions including surfing, morning and night fishing, big game fishing, snorkelling, dolphin safari, sandbank picnic, coca cola factory tour, and a resort day trip!
We stayed at Canopus retreat and it was absolytely wonderful. When you see the pictures of a tropical island resort, they do not come near enough to describing the beauty. Canopus is amazing. Our room was like a tree house, with a large tropical tree which provided shade and privacy. All the conveniences were there air con etc.. The room was large and the bed very comfortable. The lagoon is about 30 metres from the door. The real treasure here are the people. It’s a ‘locals’ island, so if you stay here, you will be lucky to meet the local people. The staff at Canopus were just brilliant! Giovanni and Barbara are people who know everybody, and can get things organised and help you. Their staff are brilliant too. I cannot recommend this retreat enough. We can’t wait to go back!! says Skelzer1970 on Tripadvisor after a stay at Canopus.
Kaani Beach Hotel – Maafushi
Maafushi is one of those local islands that is just as popular as the best Maldives resort! Loved by tourists and locals alike, Maafushi brings travellers to a vibrant island where travellers and locals come together to create a unique getaway. The island allows for both a resort-feel getaway as well as the vibe of a truly local island. Operating over 50 guest houses, Maafushi has turned into a local gem, which offers resort-level accommodations to excursions.
One side of the island has an extremely tropical resort feel. Here, you can explore some of the amazing restaurants as well as excursions and watersports. With lively music playing on the island at all times, the nights at Maafushi also add a touch of entertainment. In addition to hosting DJ nights, Maafushi also offers traditional Maldivian nights to its travellers. The charm of this island is truly the Maldivian culture which has seamlessly blended into a resort vibe for the perfect island getaway.
Your stay in Maafushi isn’t complete without experiencing the Kaani Beach Hotel. This hotel provides resort-class accommodation and dining options. With sea view rooms and private balconies, all the rooms at Kaani Beach Hotel are air-conditioned with hot water showers, a Mini Bar, a Hair Dyer and more! Kaani Beach Hotel also features its restaurant serving amazing buffet meals and a rooftop open-air terrace with lounges. You can directly book your excursion trips with the hotel, and get amazing experiences such as a floating bar on a private boat.
Hotel is clean and comfort – big rooms and it has good location on the island. The staff is kind. We really had a great time in Maafushi. NEar the hotel are a lot of food restaurants and other shops. And the prices are also very good. People are kind and helpfull. Marina is near and you can go to resorts everyday with speed boats. Very nice stay, says a guest from Slovenia following a stay in Kaani Beach Hotel.
KingsWay – Thoddoo
Thoddoo is arguably one of the most beautiful islands of the Nothern Ari Atoll, Maldives. Although the island is known to be an agricultural gem among locals, the island has also been discovered by fellow travellers as an amazing spot offering lush greenery and beautiful beaches. If you’re looking for a cottage-core feel mixed with tropical island vibes, Thoddoo is the unique island where you can find a blend of both!
The island features a desert-like beach, stretching for two kilometres. In addition to featuring a sandbank. Thoddoo also has beautiful snorkelling and diving spots with colourful coral reefs surrounding the island. Guests can easily reach Thoddoo via regular ferry transfers from Male’! In addition to its true beauty, another unique aspect is the tropical fruits growing virtually everywhere. If you’re a fruit lover, Thoddoo offers you a variety of fresh tropical fruits to explore.
For a unique stay in Thoddoo, book with KingsWay. Not only does it add a touch of luxury to your stay, but the guest house provides an amazing variety of food. Hosted by a friendly local, Kingsway also offers bicycles for guests to explore the island! The accommodation itself gives the feel of a resort, with amazing services by the team at Kingsway. At the terrace of this Maldives stay, you will find a truly unique and breathtaking view. As the island is popular for growing betel leaves, the view at Kingsway is like looking at fields of these leaves.
We had an amazing stay at Thoddoo KingsWay. very modern boutique hotel. very attentive and helpful manager Afeef and best chef of the island, food was very fresh, tasty, kids love it, eat even fish there though they hate it. Thanks to the team to make as feel home! Love that no plastic use in this hotel, they provide glass water in the room. Over all great value for this service and hospitality. They have different types of room, we stayed 10 days and 1/fl family room, was goodm later moved to 2nd floor and love it – brighter and quieter. Definitely going back to KingsWay! says Evgeniya M on tripadvisor.
SeaLaVie Inn – Ukulhas
If you’re looking to explore North Ari Atoll, do not miss the chance to visit Ukulhas. This tiny coral island is only 1km long, offering the most tropical island getaways. The island is well-known for its cleanliness – something travellers will come to appreciate during a stay in Ukulhas. The locals are friendly, embracing a simple style of living which is embraced by travellers as well. This beachy island is the perfect quiet beachy getaway, with the tourist beach extending over more than half the island! In addition to manta ray sightings, guests can also go on snorkelling safaris, sand bank trips as well as whale shark excursions.
SeaLaVie Inn stands out as one of the most popular guesthouses on the island, providing a serene environment for its guests. The guesthouse arranges everything imaginable, from airport transfers to excursions. In addition to a bikini beach, the island has a moving beach – the white sand on the beach moves to different areas throughout the year. So, it feels like a different experience every single time. With only 5 rooms, SeaLaVie offers a getaway where you can explore the simplicity of island living.
We travel a lot, visited 4 islands in the Maldives. This hotel always has hot water, freshly prepared varied breakfasts, delicious coffee, good Wi-Fi and everything for your comfort. An important value of this magical place is the attitude towards guests. SeaLaVie impressed us with his main dea – Fazeel’s team strives to make every person happier! you feel it every day and we fell in love with this place where you listen to the birds singing, enjoy the sea and see the smiles of friends. Therefore, we spent 14 days with them, althrough at first we planned to stay for 4 nights. Thank you from the bottom of my heart)) we’ll definitely meet again, says Leonora G on tripadvisor after a stay in SeaLaVie, ukulhas.
