Hotel Review: Lux South Ari Atoll, Maldives
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 16 มิ.ย. 2024
- Welcome to Lux South Ari Atoll in the Maldives! A Short 30 minute flight takes you to this stunning island at the edge of the Atoll.
From the expansive seaplane lounge to the incredible variety in facilities, this insta-worthy hotel is great option for those looking for a modern and hip experience in the Maldives.
Get excited- because we experienced two different room types at Lux, which will hopefully help you in your decision-making when you're booking your own rooms. We loved the fun, quirky elements that Lux offered to its guests, from funky bathrooms to interesting art placed around the property.
Our favorite amenity on the property was the daily game that staff played with guests. They would hide a secret bottle with a gift inside somewhere on property and guests spent hours searching to the hidden bottle. Guess what?? We won one on our last day! We loved the adventure and experience of seeking out different hiding places around the property.
The restaurants were another wonderful experience on property. The food was all so fresh, unique and delicious. Keep in mind, when booking, ensure you book the F&B package that works for your budget and style. Learn more in our video.
Here's what you'll learn:
00:00 - Intro
00:23 - Location
00:53 - Lobby & Check In
01:28 - Rooms
02:24 - Facilities
03:44 - Dining
05:19 - Service
06:35 - Style
Overall, we really enjoyed Lux South Ari Atoll in the Maldives. The instagram-worthy decor, amazing food experiences and facilities make this the perfect place for a Maldives vacation that won't completely break the bank.
Check out the full review on the blog: www.voyagerguru.com/hotel-rev...
So check it out and let us know what you think in the comments below! Have you been to the Maldives? What was your favorite hotel?
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I love your reviews. Pls keep doing more of Maldives. I’m going back for a 3rd time and you helped out with choosing where to stay.
Hey Chu! Nice to meet you- thanks so much for saying that :) so glad we were able to help. We have had to reschedule our trip a few times because of covid but we are heading back in September so stay tuned for more content from paradise!!! Have fun on your trip :)
Oh wow. I booked mine for April 1st. I’m hoping Covid doesn’t disrupt it. We were to go last year but it got canceled by the airlines. Isn’t September their rainy season?
April sounds perfect!!! Eh we haven’t had any trouble in the past during rainy season, ten minutes here and there and then it’s gone - beautiful for photos 🙌🏼
No way. Really? It’s cheaper during that time. Last time we went in may and it was horrible. Clouds all day no sun. Thanks very much for the info.
Ooo good to know!! Never been in May but sounds sooo unlucky. Anytime! Have a blast!
Crystal blue water all around, that alone is enough to get me going! What an amazing place 😊
Oh man, I know- that blue water is SO TEMPTING isn't it??? Hope you're doing well! thanks for the comment
Voyager Guru cheers!! 🤗
Heading there tomorrow! Lovely video and got me even more excited :)
Thanks so much!! have an AMAZING time- you will love it :)
One of the best reviews i have ever seen. Was really hoping you had reviewed more hotels. Continue the amazing work!
Thank you so much for your comment! We are slowly trying to cover the entire Maldives ;). If you’re looking for more info on the Maldives, check out our playlist in this channel - we have 5 hotels so far. Our destination page on voyagerguru.com also has some more info. Headed back in September so stay tuned!
This is so helpful! Thank you!!! X
Thank you so much!!
Wow, what an amazing place! I hope to go there some day!
thank you for your comment!! i hope you get to go soon too!!
Hello - have you both been to any other Maldives all-inclusive resorts and which are your favorites and why? Love the detailed breakdown of the reviews in this video! Very clear and easy to understand.
hey there!! Thanks so much for your kind words!! Yes, we actually did just stay at a hotel called Heritance Aarah. They recently opened - our review will be going live in the next month so be sure to stay tuned for that. We loved it- it was truly all-inclusive, unlike Lux where you did have to buy packages. Lux is great, but there are a lot of asterisks when it comes to what's included and what's not. Heritance was exceptional- the food was just out of this world and the location is amazing. You'll see in the video- the food is just...insane. Pullman Maldives is another all-inclusive that just opened and we have heard amazing things so far. It's completely all-inclusive, and a bit harder to get to. Varu by Atmosphere is another new one that just popped up and is all-inclusive. If you're looking for all-inclusive, I would highly recommend picking a hotel that only offers an all-inclusive package to avoid the "what's included and what's not" stress.
Amazing videos and very very useful information 🌻🌸🌼
Thank you so much!
I loved every moment of it myself
I'm so glad to hear that, Autumn!! It's a stunning hotel
Hello sister and brother very good video thank you for sharing
Thanks Vay! We really appreciate you watching!
As someone who has been I think this is a great review. Having said that I'll defo go again which says a lot.
Hey Lewis! Thanks so much for your comment :) I love that - I hope you get there soon!! Safe travels :)
Great review guys! I'm currently staying at Lux North Male and we're looking into visiting the south location. Thanks for the helpful tips! I'm surprised there's no butler in the South location for such a large resort, as we have one here at Lux North Male.
Hey! How is north male? Looks beautiful!! Yea, I think the north male property is their highest end and therefore offers a slightly different experience. The south Ari property is a lot larger and caters to more tourists and tends to be a bit cheaper in price. Let us know if you have any questions!
I went here 3 years ago this January, loved my stay here
That’s a great memory! We loved LUX!
What a place!
+Diana Reardon truly stunning! Where’s your favorite place?
Great! Nice Vlog!!
Thank you so much, friends!!
Voyager Guru I subscribed! Please refer to 😆
very well made covered every detail
Thank you so much! Are you planning a trip?
@@VoyagerGuru yes. Hopefully it all works out. Your review was really really helpful
We booked for mid August, can’t wait!!! Thanks for the amazing review. I’ve read lots of reviews on trip advisor and it looks like recently people have had all good things to say about the service, so I’m thinking maybe they made some improvements in the past couple of years?
Hey Ben! thanks for your comment!! You're going to have an amazing time- it's hard not to in paradise :). Definitely let us know how it is! I'm 100% sure they've made some improvements since our visit- the maldives is a very competitive hotel market now, so hotels have to stay on top to survive!
Ahh we celebrated our wedding anniversary here in 2018 and now going back for a week in spring💕 ahh can’t wait.
omg so amazing!! congratulations :). I hope you have a wonderful time!
Nice video keep it up watching from dubai
Thank you so much!! We really appreciate it
You guys deserve more subs and views tbh
You are so sweet!! Thank you!!
hello thanks for sharing i like:109
Thanks so much! We appreciate your comment!
Loved your review very informative. Need to know the rates for scuba diving as said it is economical when compared to rest of the resorts in Maldives!
Hi Vishal! Thank you so much for your comment! It’s been a few years so the pricing may have changed but at the time, which likely is still the case, it was about $95-100 per dive. However, if you dived more than once, the price went down. You could buy packages for 5 dives for example and pay a lot less. I recall their certification courses were also more reasonable than other hotels in the area. I’d recommend emailing the hotel for the full activity price list to get the up to date pricing :). Hope this helps!
Heyyy I love how comprehensive your reviews are thank you! I can’t decide between either Lux south atoll or The Residence Falhumaafushi - it will be our first time in the Maldives. Which do you think ?
Hi Charleane! Thanks so much for your comment! We would say LUX south Ari thanks to their incredible location and great food. They have a beautiful island with incredible water. We’d recommend the beach pool villa or the overwater villas with pools - I would avoid the overwater villas without pools because the location is not as good. Let us know any other questions!
Hi! I really enjoyed all the hotel reviews you posted on the Maldives. It's so hard to choose which one to go to for the first time. My Fiancee and I are planning to go to the Maldives for our honeymoon later on in the year so thank you for posting these videos. Would you have 1 particular hotel/island in the Maldives that you would recommended for a Honeymoon? It's so hard to decide which one to go to.
Hi Noelito! Thanks for reaching out and congratulations!! You're right- there are SO many great resorts that it's almost impossible to choose just one that is perfect. The best hotel really does depend on your budget because it can really help narrow it down. Let me know what your approx nightly budget is and if you want all inclusive or not and I'll recommend some faves! If you prefer to have this convo privately, feel free to email me at team@voyagerguru.com :) -maren
Recently discovered your awesome holiday reviews, they give just the right amount of detail which I find really helpful when deciding where to go. We have previously been to Maldives 3 times and are now looking to get married there, potentially at this hotel. We stayed at LUX Grand Gaube in Mauritius in 2019 and was blown away by it, since then we have been looking at the other LUX hotels and came across this one. We have a little boy who would be 18 months old at the time we wish to go, in your experience would you say they cater well for young children here? Keep up the great videos 👍
Hey Matthew! Thanks so much for your feedback- it’s so nice to hear :). Wow congratulations on your upcoming wedding!! I’d say it’s definitely a lively place. It borders on more honeymooners than families, but they do have a good kids club and also there’s a lot of activities and fun events. I do like that the rooms in general are quite spacious, just be advised that there are no railings or anything for pools and walkways so just be mindful lol. Let us know if you have any questions!!
@@VoyagerGuru thank you for the information, we have gone ahead and booked and are also going to have our wedding ceremony there 😀 we are now counting the days until we go 😀
That’s awesome!! I hope you have the best time! Let us know how it all goes!! Safe travels :)
Going in August soooo excited1!!!!!
Oh my gosh!! You will have so much fun! It’s beautiful :) let us know if you have any questions!
@@VoyagerGuru Please could I ask a question
What activities do you recommend?
We highly recommend scuba diving! It is super affordable through Euro divers onsite. Even if you’ve never dived before, they have a great instructor (Elodi). We also recommend if you don’t dive, so the paid snorkeling excursion which sounded better than the free one. The spa was also really beautiful (body wrap was amazing). Lastly, get up early one morning to find the message in a bottle. It’s so fun!!
@@VoyagerGuru Aww, thank you! When we stayed with lux in Mauritius, I did the bottle thing! I also ( when I went to Dubai ) did some scuba diving! Thank you so much for giving up your time to answer my questions! Stay Awsome!! Xx
I am planning to stay at the Lux Hotel aswell. I am interested in half board. Are beverages (water or coffee) during breakfast and dinner included or do you have to pay for that? Are there free water bottles in the room everyday?
Nice video!
+KiddeKaddy hey! Thanks so much! That’s a really good question. So at breakfast, coffee and water were included. However, at every other meal, water was not included so keep that in mind. You do have free water in your room that they restock every day, but you can’t bring that water with you, lol. They charge about ~$5 per large water bottle. I believe the only meal plan water is included on is all inclusive. I will say half board was a great deal because food can be quite expensive. We filled up at breakfast and never needed lunch. They do have a happy hour at one of the bars as well so you can save a few bucks there in the 2-for-1 deal. When are you going?? That’s so exciting!
Love the video! Can someone tell me how the heck the flights work? I can’t find any flights to male that aren’t 3 days long
Hey there! thanks so much!! yea- getting to the maldives is SUPER hard, particularly from the states. Qatar airways, Emirates and Singapore will have the best flight times in my opinion. one option a lot of people take is to fly to singapore, hong kong or another stopover city for a couple of nights before continuing onto the Maldives to break up the trip. we did this on our last trip, flew to Hong Kong and stayed there for 3 nights first and then went to the Maldives. The way back was brutal, but at least we were well rested!
Voyager Guru thanks so much! I’ll forsure be on the lookout for good flights!
Really great video. How do you think the hotel would be for a toddler? Thanks in advance
Hi Sean! Thanks for your comment and happy new year! We did see a number of children during our stay and we do feel it's a great, family friendly resort. The beach pool villas would be a great option if you are looking for privacy, space and a really comfortable room for the family. The private pools are in the back of the villa in the bathroom area so it's easy to lock the door so your child doesn't accidentally go into the pool without you. There are lots of fun areas on property to go with your kids as well, like a funky library, the endless beaches and the various water sports that you can do. I would contact the hotel to see if they offer similar amenities for families like the Hard Rock's kids beds, amenities like diapers etc if needed :). Let us know if you have any other questions!
Was there snorkeling outside of overwater villa without pool? Looking to get the Lux* Villa which is on the branch of non pool overwater. Was algae and sea grass a problem on this side? Thanks trying to decide between lux villa and temptation water villa. As they both are very close in price but one is bigger.
hey JK! that's a great question. So honestly, I would 100% get the temptation water villa. The water outside the villa is much more beautiful and there is great snorkeling there. The non-pool villa has very low water (not enough to swim, really) and its filled with algae. Also, the temptation villas are in a much better side of the island. The Temptation is a much better option all around. Let us know if you have any other questions!
Hey guys, nice videos. Congrats. I’m planning to go to Lux but I’m a little confusing if I get the all-inclusive or half pack. I mean, the difference now is 2k USD between the packs… I’d like to know if pay the half pack without restaurants meals and drinks during the staying does worth? I’m planning to stay 5 days, is it enough in your pov?
Hey Luis! Thanks for reaching out! So basically if you break down the add on of all inclusive, you are paying an extra 400 per day for 2 people for the three meals. Water alone at the restaurants and bars costs about 3-5 USD which is NOT included in half board (except breakfast). If you like to enjoy wine or cocktails with dinner, add about $20 per drink to your dinner credit. Lunch is not included with half board either so if you want a snack during the day, add at least $50. The prices were fairly high at Lux so I would say if you like to drink cocktails and enjoy without the stress, it’s worth doing all inclusive. If you do not drink alcohol, I would say it’s not worth the upcharge. By the way, All inclusive also includes non motorized water sports which is very nice
Nice to meet you 🎵I'm Japanese. I'm planning to travel to Maldives.
I would like to know which was better, Heritance Aara or Lux* North Maleerator? The cleanliness of the ocean, the food...the rooms, etc.
Please tell me.
Hello there! So we have not been to lux north male (which is now jumeirah acrually), but Heritance was a GREAT all inclusive when we were there. Lux south Ari was very nice, amazing food but service wasn’t as fantastic as it was at Heritance with the food and beverage. Heritance rooms are not sound proof at all and can be quite loud at night if you are close to the bars. The ocean at both are fabulous!
@@VoyagerGuru
Thank you 🎵
Thanks for the reference 🍀.
We are remarried to each other and also do wedding photos.
We are a middle aged couple 😅
Hi, could you try the Romantic Pool Water Villa? Is it worth the price?- since you said there is some confusion regarding that.
Going there for my honeymoon soon :D
Hey Krishaal! Congratulations on your wedding :) That's very exciting- you will love it! Did you book the romantic pool water villa? that's definitely the one I would recommend - it's got a great pool, it's on the nice side of the island with the bluest water and the views are spectacular. It's also closest to all the activity so you don't need to go very far to get to breakfast or other things. I didn't love the "water villas" because of their remote location, lack of swimmable water outside your villa/no pool and the fact that you have to bike past the staff quarters that are very loud much of the day and night. Regarding the price, personally, if you want the overwater experience, I would recommend spending the money for the romantic pool overwater. The experience is really unbeatable. The issue with the other water villas is that due to the location, the water is too shallow and there is a lot of seagrass, so I would rather be in a beach villa than the standard water villa, myself. The beach villas a beautiful and the sand is SO soft and extends as far as the eye can see. Let us know if you have any questions!
I watched the video and we are trying to organise our honeymoon next year, I was looking at the romantic pool villa, so based on what you said do you recoomend taking the beach pool villa? For what reason exactly? I am a bit confused what is best to choose between this options since the romantic pool overwater villa is not on the sunset side :( Any thougths?
Thanks so much for reaching out, Carlotta!! Sounds like a great honeymoon :). So the romantic pool villas are a much better location than the overwater villa without pools (our first room we had). They are on the prettier side with better water, closer to the restaurants and also a great happy hour bar. They are on the sunrise side of the island, but they are a great choice if you want to do the over water. The beach pool villas are much larger rooms and have very private pools so if you are looking for total privacy, that is the best choice. The sand is gorgeous and the beach outside the rooms are also gorgeous. Between those two rooms, I would say if you want the overwater experience, go with the romantic pool villa. I just don't recommend the overwater villas without pools due to the location. While the romantic pool villas may not be sunset facing, sunrises in the maldives are spectacular and you can often see dolphins outside the room outside the reef in the AM :). Let us know any other questions you have!
I’m at the Lux Maldives now!
I hope you’re having the best time!!!
@@VoyagerGuru thanks!
Would you recommend Lux South Ari Atoll or Niyama? We’re looking at booking for 5 nights in April.
Hey there! Thanks for your comment :) niyama is a higher quality hotel and brand overall so if they are in the same price point, I’d say go with niyama. At niyama you get the incredible water, great villas and the underwater restaurant :). If you want some help, feel free to shoot me an email - I may also be able to get you some perks added onto your booking depending on dates/etc. Our email is team@voyagerguru.com
How far an advance would you recommend booking reservations? And is the seaplane from the airport to the resort inclusive or how did you arrange that?
Hi Henry! Reservations for the hotel can be booked usually up to a year in advance but the rate changes based on occupancy and season so it really depends. In terms of the sea plane, once you book your reservation the hotel will contact you to book the seaplane :). It is a separate fee unless you secure a package or offer that explicitly lists it as an included amenity. Typically, it’s around $500 and not included in the room rate
@@VoyagerGuru thank you so much for your response! Great video and keep up the great work!
@@akalilchau thank you so much, Henry!! have a great day and safe travels
How deep is the water from the villa ? Can you just jump in from the over the water villa?
Great question! From the overwater bungalows that do NOT have pools, they are very shallow. You cannot jump in there and there is a bit of seaweed. However, on the other side of the island where the bungalows have pools, the water is much cleaner, bluer and a bit deeper. Most of the huts there are deep enough to jump in, but the further left you are (facing the bungalows), there is a sandbar that appears to be pretty shallow most of the day. I'd still recommend the pool overwater villas because its a nicer part of the island.
Is the seaplane transfer there throughout the day
Seaplanes operate only during day light hours and usually the last flight from a resort is around 3pm. The ideal departure flight home from the Maldives is around 8-10pm so you can wait the least amount of time in Malé:)
How to get this resort and how much cost for transportation from male airport to resort ?
Hi there! Thanks for your comment. To get to LUX, you'll need to connect with the hotel directly. They are in charge of scheduling all your transfers. There's essentially two options: you can book a domestic flight through the hotel and that will mean you will take a flight to a local island and then take a boat from the local island to the hotel, or you can book a seaplane transfer. Usually the domestic flight is a bit cheaper (a few hundred dollars). If you email or call the hotel, they can explain the differences between the two. I hope this helps!
We have booked for next year but we trying to figure out how to get there from the airport
Hey there! So lux is located in south Ari atoll. You will organize your transfers through the hotel directly. Their recommended transfers are seaplanes, and I believe they cost around $550 per person round trip. There may be an option to take a domestic flight plus a boat transfer but it’s typically not much cheaper and it will take three times as long.
@@VoyagerGuru thank u so much😊
@@agmik4767 anytime!!
can you record my friend Barbara bacause my big friend Rui is missing her a lot , thank you nice video
is very urgent thank you
esgacing
my friend meireles is esgacing his hand
haha I didn't run in to here! Thanks for your support, and liking our video!
Can i buy souvenirs at lux south?
They actually have an amazing shop with good prices. Some resorts are a bit outrageously expensive but we found it to be super reasonable. It depends what you’re looking for, but they have clothing, accessories, jewelry and that type of thing. They don’t have too much Maldivian culture related items though.
Great review, let’s support one another?
thanks so much!
Does it have a house reef ?
Hey Tejashree, they do not have a reef you can swim to, but they do offer a free snorkeling trip to a fabulous reef that often sees whale sharks!
Hello 🖐️ could you tell me, which resort is better "sun siyam iru veli" or "Lux south ari" because, I want to go there but only in one resort, and which month is best to go there, please reply as soon as possible, hayo I have text on you insta also but you people didn't replied, just because your trip is sponsored.
Hi there,
Thanks so much for your comment! Apologies for not responding on instagram- we receive hundreds of messages a day so it can be difficult to get to them all!
We have not yet stayed at sun siyam, but from my research, I do not believe their quality is as high as lux based on the reviews. Lux south Ari had amazing food and is a gorgeous property. I hope this helps!
@@VoyagerGuru I have one more question, I want to send you the price of sun siyam iru veli vs Lux south ari, could you please tell me which is more expensive in price on Instagram.
Also, if you are comfortable can you give me your what's app number, or any of your team member number, since on insta not everyone you could reply on time except your few people., Also if you will give me what's app number, I'll guarantee you
Your number I won't share with others, I'm sure you would have more than 2 to 3 phone.🙂🙂.
Is this a natural island or man made
Hi Amith, thanks for your comment. LUX* is on a natural island on the edge of South Ari Atoll, that is close (walkable at low tide) to a small local island. It’s a beautiful location!