OBLU XPERIENCE Ailafushi, Maldives
"Aila" means family and "Fushi" means island, and that is exactly what this resort is - a family island, where the welcome is warm and the atmosphere laidback yet fun and, at times, lively too. Located a 15-minute speedboat ride north of the airport on Malé, the 4* OBLU XPERIENCE Ailafushi has one of the biggest pools in the Maldives as well as a pool at the kids' club too. Well-designed, the kids' club offers an area for older children and teens and a separate area for younger children. The family rooms are great as well, giving the children their own bunk room and bathroom, decorated in a fun style.
Though the resort only has 3 restaurants, each is very different - the main buffet has a good variety of food, then there's the Food Truck, which is a seafood grill right on the beach. And the start of the show? - the underwater Only BLU! This has a minimum age of 15 in the evenings, but younger children can enjoy it too, if you go for lunch.
While the children are making new friends at the kids' club, adults can enjoy the spa and the overwater gym - you won't find a gym with a better view as you join in with a yoga class! Of course there is also a watersports centre and a dive centre too, which offers PADI courses, including the Bubblemaker course for children from 8 years old.
Location
You can fly direct to Malé International Airport with British Airways or alternatively, there are also indirect flights which may be cheaper. If flying indirect, you could make your holiday a 2-centre holiday, stopping for a few days in Dubai, for example.
On arrival at Malé, the hotel's airport team will meet you and take you by speedboat to the hotel, approx. 15 minutes away.
What to expect
Childcare
The OBLU XPERIENCE Ailafushi has a large multi-level kids' club with its own pool and a buffet area. The upper level is a place for older kids and teens to hang out and has a selection of games consoles. The lower level is for younger kids (kids' club age ranges TBC).
Children have their own bunkbed room in the Family Villas.
Accommodation
Rooms and villas at the OBLU XPERIENCE Ailafushi are modern and comfortable, with some located right by the beach and Water Villas set along a boardwalk over the ocean. Options include:
- Ocean View Room 30m² - sleeps 3 with a kingsize bed and sofabed. Rooms have a balcony or veranda with daybed overlooking the gardens and beach.
- Ocean View Family 2-bedroom 50m² - sleeps 2 adults and 2 children with a bedroom with kingsize bed and balcony or veranda, a second bedroom with bunkbeds and 2 bathrooms. There is also direct access to the beach.
- Beach Villa 50m² - sleeps 3 with a kingsize bed and sofabed. Villas have a veranda and private garden with outdoor shower, and are a few steps from the beach.
- Water Villa 50m² - sleeps 3 with a kingsize bed and sofabed. These over-water villas have a veranda with daybed and steps down into the water below.
Accommodation is on an all-inclusive board basis - the Fushi Plan. This includes breakfast, lunch and evening meals in the buffet restaurant, unlimited regular spirits, beers and house wines, soft drinks, mineral water, tea and coffee as well as one signature cocktail and once signature mocktail. In-room/villa minibars are also replenished daily with beers, soft drinks and mineral water. The Fushi Plan ends at 11.00 on the day of departure.
Total: 268 rooms and villas.
Offer of the week
Choose an action-packed First Choice Holiday Village for your family's summer holiday and pick up a free child place when you BOOK NOW. Prices from £2,418 for a family of 3*.
Facilities
Facilities at the OBLU XPERIENCE Ailafushi include:
- 1000m² outdoor infinity pool with poolside DJ
- Waterslide into the ocean
- Complimentary non-motorised watersports - kayaks and stand-up paddleboards (15 mins per person per day with each item)
- Motorised watersports (extra charge)
- PADI dive centre (extra charge)
- Kids club with pool (see Childcare)
- Spa (extra charge for treatment)
- Over-water gym with daily organised group classes such as yoga and pilates
- 3 restaurants (buffet and 2 a la carte - 1 underwater* and 1 seafood grill "food truck")
- Patisserie with premium drinks, coffee and pastries (extra charge)
- Bar with daily live music
- Shop
*In the evenings, the underwater restaurant is for older teens and adults only (min. age 15 years), but families with younger children can eat here for lunch.
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