Velassaru Maldives

I needed a weekend get-away so I nagged J-Blogged if she can work her magic on some reservation friends and get us a discounted trip to a nearby resort in Male atoll.

We were supposed to go to Four Seasons Kuda Huraa but on such short notice we were not able to make proper plans, so off we went to Velassaru Maldives .

As a hotelier (albeit in a very quiet, off the guest area – department like Human Resources), I make it a point to go around different resorts not just in the Maldives but in other places that I travel to and get exposed to the different nuances of the hospitality industry, be able to distinguish the difference between a five star and a three-star hotel, especially in terms of guest service.

Airport Welcome
After my previous “posh” outings the past few months, I soon expected personalized guest service from all resorts that I visit. But alas this was not so when we went to Velassaru. I know we were paying discounted rates and complimentary transfers but that is not an excuse for extending poor service! When it was time to go to the jetty, the airport representative just clapped his hands at me to signal that we should go with him to the boat (as there was another guest couple he was handling). I was understandably horrified!
Before the boat left, the airport rep waved goodbye at us but again opened his mouth and said, “Enjoy your holiday, man!” in a slightly - trying hard to be - slangy twang. Another OMG! came out from me……hahaha

At the Resort
Velassaru Maldives is a Small Luxury Hotels property and is classified as a five-star hotel. The guest facilities are indeed nice, and the beach is truly spectacular! And the glorious sunset totally made me cool down a bit and almost made up for the earlier fiasco.

Unbelievably colorful sunset…..

Dining
Whenever I am in a resort unless I am totally out-of-budget, I try to go around all the dining facilities and sample what they have on offer. It was a bit late in the afternoon when we arrived so we decided to just call and dine In Villa. They have a very limited menu for In Villa dining so I opted for the more familiar Bangkok stir-fried noodles (I don’t know why I always end up with fried noodles for my first meal as if I don’t eat enough instant fried noodles in my room! Lol). I am generally a very “no-fuss” guest but really, the food they gave me was really horrible. It was salty and in no way, tastes like the fried noodles that I eat in the foodstreets in Bangkok every time I go there and it so happened I love Thai cuisine and visits the country almost every year!

I had to give it back and they sent a replacement but by then my mood has gone back to being cranky. Bad food can really give me a rise! Ha-ha

We then decided to go to the bar. I love it!!! The décor, the staff and the cocktails they served were great!
Don’t get me wrong here, my stay was not that bad. We had a perfect beach and got a fantastic tan! The transfer guys were nice and welcoming. The food & beverage service team (in villa & breakfast) were also wonderful. The front office team also extended our stay and did not charge us for the day use rate and we were able to soak up more sun from the main swimming pool in the afternoon!
One thing I realized though, service is what differentiates an exclusive hideaway from an average resort, and not the facilities or rooms that they have on offer.

Something for me to ponder and learn from, I have to make sure that wherever I’m going to work in the future I have to make sure that all our staffs will be ingrained with a personalized guest service attitude.