Reviews of Barceló Whale Lagoon Maldives 5 stars
South Ari Atoll, 20209 Machchafushi, Maldives
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Reviewed: 17 June 2025 · Stayed in June 2025
Verified reviewWe recently stayed at this resort, and while the setting is undeniably beautiful, the overall experience fell far short of what one would expect from a 5-star hotel — especially when it comes to the food and service.The biggest letdown was the quality and variety of food. The selection was extremely limited, comparable to a 4-star hotel at best. The meals lacked diversity and creativity, and were absolutely not worthy of the price or the 5-star category. There is no cold room in the buffet area, meaning everything is left out at warm temperatures — sauces melted, desserts soft, and salads lukewarm. To make matters worse, the food was often undercooked. We were served half-raw chicken and hard, undercooked potatoes, which is unacceptable at any standard, let alone in a luxury resort.The service in the buffet restaurant was incredibly slow and unprofessional. After finishing a meal, it could take up to 30 minutes before anyone would clear the dirty dishes from the table. The restaurant staff seemed overwhelmed and poorly trained.While the hotel staff in general was kind and polite, especially when we raised concerns about the food, it was clear that the issues are due to poor management, not the fault of the staff themselves. Their hands were tied, and unfortunately, no real solution was offered.Another major disappointment was the lack of a butler, which is something we consider a basic standard in 5-star resorts. The overall service was weak, more in line with a 4-star property in every aspect — from kitchen to restaurant service.Additional downsides: the resort has no bicycles, and only one buggy available for guest transport. While the island is small and we personally didn’t mind (as we stayed in a villa close to the restaurant and bar), this could be inconvenient for many guests. A true 5-star resort should be better equipped.
Dear Veronika, Thank you for sharing your feedback regarding your recent stay at Barcelo Whale Lagoon Maldives. We appreciate your insights, as they are invaluable in helping us enhance our services and guest experience. We are pleased to hear that you enjoyed the stunning setting of our resort. However, we want to address your concerns regarding our dining options and service. We take pride in offering a diverse and creative culinary experience that aligns with our 5-star rating. We are sorry to hear that our food quality and variety did not meet your expectations. Your comments about food temperature and undercooked items are taken seriously, and we assure you that our kitchen team, who constantly strive to accommodate our guests' requests, is already addressing these issues to uphold our high standards of food safety and quality. Regarding the service in our buffet restaurant, we strive to provide prompt and attentive service to all our guests. We acknowledge that we didn't meet your expectations during your visit, and we will focus on enhancing our staff training to uphold the standards we aim for. Once again, thank you for your constructive feedback. We hope to have the opportunity to welcome you back for an improved experience in the future. Kind regards, Borja Sanchez Gil, Resident Hotel Manager
Dear Veronika, Thank you for sharing your feedback regarding your recent stay at Barcelo Whale Lagoon Maldives. We appreciate your insights, as they are invaluable in helping us enhance our services and guest experience. We are pleased… Show more
Reviewed: 11 June 2025 · Stayed in June 2025
Verified reviewEverything was just amazing.
Can't find anything.
Dear Klaudia, Your wonderful review deeply touches us. We’re glad that our beautiful location, excellent facilities, and attentive staff contributed to making your stay memorable. Thank you for the high ratings you have given us. This recognition shows the hard work and dedication of our team. We look forward to hosting you again at our paradise resort. Best wishes, Agustín Pérez Garrocho, General Manager
Dear Klaudia, Your wonderful review deeply touches us. We’re glad that our beautiful location, excellent facilities, and attentive staff contributed to making your stay memorable. Thank you for the high ratings you have given us. Th… Show more
Reviewed: 7 April 2025 · Stayed in April 2025
Verified reviewExcellent location, great food, absolutely terrific staff. I can't emphasize enough how important was the staff friendliness and effort for my stay. The dive center was super, they are true pros and the added benefit of having TWO divemasters only for you as it happend to me twice cannot be overstated ! In general, not many divers come to the property while they have world class dive operation.
The first villa we got was great, except that it was right next to the facility they were burning the garbage. We didn't realise it the first 3 days, probably the wind was favorable. But on the fourth day we woke 2am to an extremely bad smell, combination of waste dump, plastic burning and gasoline smells. And here comes the staff to the resque, the moment we asked they moved us to another villa without the problem. However villas from 119 up to 126 were probably affected. Another issue with the general area, the coral above 5m is all but dead, there was severe bleaching. I'm a diver and to see really healthy coral you need to either move to the other side of the atoll or dive below 8m.
Dear Vesselin, Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us. We are delighted to hear that you enjoyed the excellent location, great food, and the exceptional service from our friendly and dedicated staff. We also truly appreciate your kind words about the dive center team. We’re thrilled you had such a great experience with them, and we’ll be sure to pass on your compliments! We also sincerely apologize for the unpleasant experience with the garbage burning next to your villa. We’re glad to hear that our team was able to promptly assist by moving you to a new villa, and we will ensure that this matter is addressed with the relevant departments to prevent it from affecting future stays. We appreciate your insights on the coral reef, and we understand the importance of preserving these natural wonders. We will continue to monitor and maintain the health of the surrounding marine life to ensure that all our guests can experience the beauty of the island and its waters. Once again, thank you for sharing your feedback, and we hope to welcome you back for an even better experience in the future. Best regards, Agustín Pérez Garrocho, General Manager
Dear Vesselin, Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us. We are delighted to hear that you enjoyed the excellent location, great food, and the exceptional service from our friendly and dedicated staff. We also truly… Show more
Reviewed: 26 September 2024 · Stayed in September 2024
Verified reviewLovely place, helpful staff, wonderful views and crystal water
Dear Khaled, Thank you for your lovely feedback! We’re thrilled to hear you enjoyed the beautiful views, crystal-clear waters, and found our staff helpful. We hope to welcome you back to this wonderful place soon! Best regards, Santi Rodriguez-Bustelo, General Manager
Dear Khaled, Thank you for your lovely feedback! We’re thrilled to hear you enjoyed the beautiful views, crystal-clear waters, and found our staff helpful. We hope to welcome you back to this wonderful place soon! Best regards, S… Show more
Reviewed: 11 February 2024 · Stayed in February 2024
Verified review