INDOEX Logistic Bulletin: Lodging and Restaurants

Hotels in Malé

There are a few hotels in Malé and most cost an average of USD60.00 to USD85.00 per night (which includes breakfast). These hotels provide clean, a bit spartan, air conditioned rooms (be sure to request AC when booking) with twin beds and most provide enough space to do some work. They all have a restaurant on the premises or nearby. Fax and phone (very expensive) are available. Phone calls to the U.S. from hotel cost from USD7.00 to USD10.00 per minute.

Our experience in this part of the world is that a hotel "confirmation" does not mean what it does in most of the rest of the world. Although we did have confirmations, we found ourselves being moved to another, related hotel, or even pushed into rooms without AC, etc. Be prepared to argue and there may not be ready alternatives.

The most obvious problem with securing rooms for INDOEX participants is competing for rooms in an area where tourism is the primary business. Local Maldivian tour agencies purchase large blocks of rooms a year or more in advance in order to provide their clients with lodging while transiting to various resort islands. The hotels prefer to give their rooms to the agencies which represent continued and repeat business.

JOSS has been able to obtain special room rates in Male for INDOEX participants; rooms are available on a first-come, first-serve basis (see below). All individuals are responsible to make their own lodging arrangements. If you believe your funding will be approved, do not wait until you receive funding confirmation to arrange your lodging. It is very important that you make your room reservations now because of the scarcity of rooms.

Contact hotels/inns directly regarding arrival and departure dates and room preferences; to obtain the negotiated room rates, mention that you are a participant of the INDOEX Project. All vendors accepted Master Card, Visa, and some accepted American Express. You can guarantee your lodging on a credit card, but be aware that you must cancel the reservation if you do not use it. All rates are subject to a 10% service charge and 3% Government tax.

Place	Address/phone/fax/e-mail	Rates - Singles w/breakfast unless otherwise noted (USD)	Comments
Central Hotel (21 Dec. 98)	M. Shareef, Rahdhebai Magu phone: (960) 31-7766 fax: (960) 31-5383 e-mail: central@dhivehinet.net.mv	$60	AC, attached toilet with hot/cold shower, (satellite) color TV, IDD
City Palace Hotel	Filigas Hingun, Henveiru; phone: (960) 31-2152; fax: (960) 31-2154	$57	restaurant, AC, IDD telephone
Kai Lodge	Violet Magu; phone: (960) 32-8742; fax: (960) 32-8738	$55	breakfast room on site, satellite TV, AC, IDD telephone
Kam Hotel	H. Roanuge; phone: (960) 32-0611; fax: (960) 32-0614; e-mail: Kamhotel@dhivehinet.net.mv	$55	larger rooms available: double ($75), AC, restaurant, pool
Relax Inn Hotel	Ameer Ahmed Magu; phone: (960) 31-4531/32; fax: (960) 31-4533; e-mail: relaxinn@dhivehinet.net.mv	$60	larger rooms available: double ($75), triple ($96), superior ($86); AC; satellite TV; restaurants; billiard; jacuzzi; sauna; aerobics
Nasandhura Palace	Boduthakurufaanu Magu; phone: (960) 32-3380/90; fax: (960) 32-0822	$66	larger rooms available: double ($79), triple ($95); AC; garden restaurant; satellite TV
Maagiri Inn	Boduthakurufaanu Magu, phone: (960) 32-2576	$45	most rooms with AC, breakfast room on site
Maadhuni Inn	Ameer Ahmed Magu; phone: (960) 32-2824; fax (960) 32-2597	$55	larger rooms available: double ($65), triple ($85); AC; IDD telephone; Kings Corner Restaurant will provide breakfast
Buruneege Residence (Guest House)	Henveiru, No. 5, Hithaffiniva Magu; phone: (960) 31-8289; fax: (960) 31-8278	$29	larger rooms available: double ($38), IDD phone available on premises, be sure to specify AC rooms. Attached bath available. Operated by Frontline Maldives Ltd, phone: (960) 32-0306
Villingili View Inn	Majeedhee Magu, phone: (960) 32-1135	$45	most rooms with AC, IDD telephone, breakfast room on site

JOSS has also made arrangements with Bandos Island Resort, phone: (960) 44-0088, fax: (960) 44-443877, e-mail: bandos@dhivehinet.net.mv. Again, the rooms are available on a first-come, first-serve basis and a limited number of rooms are available. A single room (no breakfast) is available at USD116.00/day - bed and breakfast is USD131.00/day (tax and service charge included in the prices). Europeans can get good rates from European travel companies which can be found on the Bandos web site . Transportation between the resort and the Ops Center on Hulule can be expensive: the resort has a free dhonie that makes a trip to Malé four times a day. Participants staying at Bandos could expect to pay an additional USD10.00-15.00/day for transportation. Details regarding Bandos can be found on their web site. Contact the resort directly to make reservations; Master Card and Visa are accepted.

At this time, JOSS staff were able to locate a recently-built apartment building available for short-term rentals, fully furnished with full service. The Manaam Apartments are located at 2/1 Neeloafarumagu, Galolhu, phone: (960) 32-5226/32, fax: (960) 31-0549, e-mail: imdidi@dhivehinet.net.mv. You can also contact Mr. Yassiv at (960) 32-3378. The montly rental was in a range from USD1,900.00 to USD2,220.00, depending upon the number of bedrooms (one or two) and location (floor). Each apartment included a lounge, dining room, kitchenette, one or two en suite bathrooms, satelitte TV. Other facilities included AC, gym, common lounge, billiard room, sauna, jacuzzi and swimming pool. There were 4 two-bedroom apartments and 2 one-bedroom apartments available at this time. The owner will be unwilling to make a commitment at this time unless he knows that the February/March 1998 period will be open for a given apartment. He will be more willing to commitment to a rental as we get closer to the actual experiment date on a space available basis. Visa and Master Card will be accepted and expect to pay a deposit to be determined by the owner.

Below is a list of hotels, inns, and guest houses in Malé:

Resorts in the Maldives

There are more than 74 islands resorts (ranging from 0 [I'm not exactly sure what that means - tents?] to more than 250 rooms) in the Maldives. They range in style from the spartan-adventurous diving resort to almost plush resorts. The resorts are designed for tourists to fly into the Maldives, take boat transportation to their resort, spend 10 days on the beach, fish, dive, and then return home. Transportation between outlying islands and Male is expensive. Although most resorts have several restaurants, most have one main kitchen with auxiliary kitchens in each restaurant location: therefore, most of the food comes out of the same kitchen and is pretty much the same. The rooms are a bit nicer than those found at hotels in Malé, but the cost can be about USD260.00 or more per day (for full board).

A few of the resorts are listed below and some published costs, for general information. A full listing can be obtained from the JOSS office. Most of the resorts are fully booked for the next two years or more. However, a small number of rooms may be picked up from time to time.

Bandos Island Resort (221 Rooms)

Baros Holiday Resort (USD265.00 full board) (71 Rooms)

Biyadoo Island Resort (96 Rooms)

Club Med/Farukolhu Fushi (152 Rooms)

Embudhu Village (116 Rooms)

Full Moon Beach Resort (Furana Fushi) (USD265.00 full board) (156 Rooms)

Fun Island Resort (Bodu Finolhu) (100 Rooms)

Holiday Island (Dhiffushi) (125 Rooms)

Kanifinolhu Resort (150 Rooms)

Kuramathi Tourist Resort (USD190.00 full board) (202 Rooms)

Kuredhdhoo Island Resort (250 Rooms)

Kurumba Village (Vihamanaa Fushi) USD265.00 full board) (187 Rooms)
(note that a boat transfer from the airport to Kurumba is USD85.00, one-way)

Laguna Beach Resort (Velassaru) (115 Rooms)

Lhohifushi Tourist Resort (130 Rooms)

Meeru Island Resort (214 Rooms)

Vilamendhu Resort (100 Rooms)

Ziyaaraiyfushi Tourist Resort (93 Rooms)

Restaurants

Restaurants are generally good, clean, and serve good food with quite a bit of variety. There are Italian, Chinese, Thai, Continental, and other restaurants, all of which provide a variety of foods (the most common one is Indian). Bottled water is standard almost everywhere. Restaurants anywhere (except on the resort islands) do not offer any alcohol.

If you have questions or need clarification regarding information contained in these Bulletins, contact Ms. Diane Lask, JOSS, at (+1) 303-497-8684, lask@ucar.edu.

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Last modified: 21 December 1998