LUX South Ari Atoll

We stayed at this beautiful hotel for 6 nights. It’s everything you imagine the Maldives to be, paradise! The hotel is beautiful and we had a beach pavilion with our own little private beach. The sands were white and the sea turquoise blue. The Staff were all so helpful and could not do enough for us. We really had the best time and would recommend to anyone. There are also tennis courts which were great for us, snorkelling, boat trips etc. I recommend to go all inclusive as drinks and meals are expensive. We’d recommend going to anyone.

Can’t really find words to describe how great this place is. We were speechless and mesmerised. The staff are fantastic, In particular, Zahir deserves a mention, who always knew what we needed and entertained us with conversation. The place is clean, the villas are exceptional (we stayed in both a water and beach villa - both just as impressive and both so different as well!), the food and drink is fantastic, so much variety and loads of different restaurants away from the superb buffet.

This place is pure magic. The most incredible beautiful island I have ever seen and the most welcoming and accommodating service I have ever experienced. It is difficult to sum up this holiday in a brief review but there are some things and people that stick out as those who made our time absolutely perfect. We had the honor of meeting Daminda, who is the food and beverage director. As a professional chef myself, it was a true honor to meet him. He welcomed us with so much love and took us on a tour of their herb and vegetable garden located behind the Mixe restaurant. The garden is beautiful and it was so nice to see first hand how they are growing their own vegetables and most of the foods that we were eating were all local. Daminda organized an incredibly special private dinner for us for our anniversary! He got every detail perfect, surrounded by candles and under the stars we were spoiled by all of the delights coming our way. Waiting on us with the utmost care was Zahir. Zahir was our server all of the times we ate at the Mixe restaurant. He was so good to us and made us laugh everyday. Most important to mention about Mixe was Chef Sandill (or Santill not 100% sure of the spelling) but I am 100% sure of his culinary skills! This man took such special personalized care of me in particular. I am vegan. The LUX is very vegan friendly but Sandill went above and beyond every single meal to make me special foods and make sure I had everything I desired. He was a very special part of this experience for me. As a vegan, I usually struggle to eat while traveling but he made sure I didn't have to worry about a single thing. This was everything for me. Next up from the East Market restaurant is Aiman, our amazing and hilarious server. Aiman took care of us every time we ate at the East Market and also at Umami. He was such a special guy and we felt very comfortable with him from the minute we met him. Also from the eat market is Mr. Pong. Wow what can you say about a guy like this. He is a wonderful chef who again, made sure i had clean vegan food to eat every time. But he is also a super funny and great person to talk to! I LOVED eating the "make your own soup" bar. I am already missing that right now! Driving our buggy between all of these delightful restaurants was Mafizol. This guy might very well be the nicest person we have ever met. He is just a genuine goodhearted man. I enjoyed every minute we spent talking with him about the island. If you have any interest at all in visiting the spa, please do yourself a favor and ask for Ayu. This woman has strong hands and she knows how to use them! I have not felt that kind of relaxed in years. I mean it. I have received many massages in my life but Ayu steals the show. Best massages I have ever had! No joke, no exaggeration. She has magic in her fingertips. She also has a very sweet and calming way about her. Her voice made me feel welcomed right from the start. A true gem. Lastly I need to mention Anfal. Anfal was the wonderful man who took care of our bungalow and every single thing we never knew we needed. This man was on top of it as if we were the only people staying there. Our room was spotless and smelled like fresh mint. He checked in with us each day to be sure we had everything we desired and if something seemed less than perfect, he went above and beyond to make sure it was perfect within minutes. He was so sweet and caring while continuing to be respectful of our privacy at all times. Anfal made our stay so comfortable, I am already thinking about when we can return! The LUX was everything we needed in this special anniversary vacation. We felt so relaxed and cared for, entertained, and overwhelmingly surrounded by beauty. I have been to many resorts in my time but none as special as the LUX. I am absolutely in love with this place and the Maldives. It just doesn't get more perfect than this. I plan to see you again one day! Thank you all!