Radisson Blu Resort Maldives

Radisson Blu Resort Maldives sits in South Malé, a 45-minute speedboat from Malé.

The Radisson brand's Maldives property runs at a mid-luxury level with all-inclusive available. The villa lineup covers beach and over-water. The reef is accessible from shore. Three restaurants cover the kitchen reliably. Hardware is well-maintained for the price band. Best for Radisson Rewards loyalty travellers and couples wanting affordable all-inclusive with short transfer logistics.

The villas: space without the crowd

There are 128 villas split between beachfront and overwater categories. Each one has a private pool, so you can swim at sunrise without leaving your deck. The overwater villas sit on stilts above the lagoon, with glass floors so you can watch fish drift below. The beachfront villas are set back just enough to give privacy but still have direct sand access. All villas are the same size—around 150 square metres—so there’s no downgrade when you choose beach over water. The resort is compact, so you’re never more than a five-minute walk from the restaurants or the kids club.

Dining: global flavours, no fuss

The resort has three main restaurants and a beach bar. The all-day dining venue serves buffet breakfast and à la carte lunch and dinner with a mix of Maldivian and international dishes. The specialty restaurant focuses on seafood and grilled meats, with a wood-fired oven for pizzas. The third restaurant is a poolside café that does light lunches, salads, and sandwiches. The beach bar is open from morning until late, serving cocktails, mocktails, and fresh juices. There’s no dress code, so you can eat in swimwear if you want—something I always appreciate when I’m on holiday with kids.

The house reef: snorkelling from your doorstep

The house reef starts right at the shoreline, so you can snorkel straight from the beach. The reef is healthy and shallow in parts, making it safe for kids and beginners. Alifu Dhaalu Atoll is known for whale sharks and manta rays, and the resort’s dive centre runs daily excursions to nearby cleaning stations. If you’re not a diver, you can still see turtles and reef sharks from the surface. The resort provides snorkelling gear free of charge, so you don’t need to pack your own.

Signature experiences: whale sharks and champagne pools

The resort’s dive centre offers whale-shark snorkelling trips almost daily. These gentle giants are frequent visitors to the atoll, and the guides know the best spots to find them. Back on land, the overwater yoga pavilion is a quiet spot for sunrise sessions. The Blu Spa does treatments on a floating deck, so you can get a massage with the sound of the ocean beneath you. In the evenings, the resort arranges private champagne setups by your villa pool—something I always recommend for honeymooners.

The kids club: a win for parents

The kids club is open from 9 AM to 6 PM and takes children aged 4 to 12. The club has its own pool, indoor play area, and a schedule of activities like treasure hunts and Maldivian cooking classes. Parents get a break, and kids get to make friends with other resort guests. The club is supervised by trained staff, so you can relax knowing your children are safe and entertained. It’s one of the reasons I often suggest this resort to families—everyone gets what they need without compromise.

Transfer: quick and straightforward

Radisson Blu Resort Maldives is a 30-minute seaplane ride from Malé International Airport. If you prefer not to fly by seaplane, you can take a 20-minute domestic flight to Maamigili Airport followed by a 15-minute speedboat transfer. The resort arranges both options, so you don’t need to coordinate separately. The seaplane is the faster choice, but the domestic flight plus speedboat is a good alternative if you’re prone to motion sickness or travelling with very young children.

Who it suits

Fede guides families who want a hassle-free holiday with space and activities for everyone. The kids club, private pools, and shallow house reef make it well-suited to parents with young children. Honeymooners also do well here—the private pools and champagne setups are well suited to couples, and the resort is big enough that you won’t feel like you’re surrounded by kids. Divers and snorkellers will appreciate the whale-shark encounters and easy reef access. The quick transfer is a bonus for anyone who wants to maximise their time in the water.

The honest bit

The island is small, so if you’re looking for a sprawling resort with long beach walks, this isn’t it. The 128 villas mean it’s one of the larger resorts in the Maldives, but the layout keeps things feeling intimate. The house reef is good for snorkelling, but it’s not the most vibrant in the Maldives—you’ll see turtles and reef fish, but for serious divers, the boat trips to nearby sites are where the real action is. The resort opened in 2023, so everything is new, but that also means some of the landscaping is still maturing. It’s a trade-off: you get modern facilities, but the island doesn’t yet have the lush, established feel of older resorts.