Hello, I’m SINAE, a travel writer who spends nearly 300 days each year living and working abroad.
Previously, I shared a detailed review of The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort, covering everything from the villas and restaurants to the pool, spa, and seaplane transfer experience.
This time, I would like to introduce Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort. Within the Maldives, this property is often considered one of the more accessible options in terms of overall cost.
For this trip, I followed a strategy that many honeymoon travelers consider: three nights at an ultra-luxury resort, and three nights at a more reasonably priced property. Many couples visiting the Maldives choose to experience two different resorts during their stay—spending part of the trip indulging in a truly luxurious property, and the rest enjoying a resort that offers excellent value.
In my case, I stayed three nights at The St. Regis and three nights at Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort.
Within the Marriott portfolio, the overall consistency is reassuring, and it is rare to feel that you have made the wrong choice.
With hundreds of resorts scattered across the Maldives, choosing where to stay can feel overwhelming. I hope this review helps provide some clarity.
Why This Is a Value-Focused Maldives Resort
One of the first things travelers discover when researching the Maldives is that each island typically contains only a single resort. For islands located closer to Malé International Airport, guests travel by speedboat. More distant islands require a seaplane transfer.
Seaplane transfers can cost approximately $700–$800 round trip for two people, and that is separate from the cost of accommodation. The price alone can be surprising—and beyond that, the journey itself also consumes valuable vacation time.
If your stay is only two or three nights, a considerable portion of your trip may be spent simply traveling to and from the resort. For this reason, choosing a resort reachable by speedboat can be a very practical decision.
Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort is located just 10 minutes from Malé Airport by speedboat, which immediately reduces both cost and travel time. Even more appealing is that when booking full board or all-inclusive packages, the round-trip speedboat transfer is often included in the rate.
Considering how expensive transportation can be in the Maldives, this inclusion alone represents meaningful savings. Because the transfer takes only ten minutes, you also gain flexibility on arrival and departure days—an advantage that should not be underestimated.
Some travelers worry that resorts closer to the airport may not offer the iconic emerald-colored water that the Maldives is famous for. In reality, the beauty of the Maldivian sea is remarkable almost everywhere. Even near the airport, the water still feels undeniably like paradise.
👉 Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort – Check rates on Agoda
👉 Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort – Check rates on Expedia
Full Board vs. All-Inclusive — Why It Matters
For this stay, I booked a Water Bungalow with Plunge Pool under the full board plan.
In the Maldives, meal plans matter more than in most destinations. Once you arrive at the resort island, leaving the property is generally not possible.
A full board plan includes three meals per day along with unlimited non-alcoholic beverages.
An all-inclusive plan extends this to include alcoholic beverages as well.
The difference in price between the two options is often around $50 per night. Given that a single cocktail can easily approach that amount, the upgrade can quickly justify itself.
For honeymoon travelers in particular, choosing the all-inclusive option can make the experience feel much more relaxed—simply enjoying the resort without constantly thinking about additional charges.
I will share a more detailed review of the restaurants separately.
Water Villas — A Classic Maldives Experience
The resort offers several different room categories.
For a honeymoon stay, however, a pool villa or water bungalow naturally feels like the most fitting choice.
There are also more traditional hotel-style rooms on the island, but the Maldives is often associated with a specific dream: stepping directly from your villa into the ocean. Some water bungalows here do not include private pools, but many travelers imagine experiencing the Maldives with an infinity-style private pool overlooking the sea.
For many visitors, it may be a once-in-a-lifetime journey. If there is ever a moment to enjoy that experience, this is likely it.
The classic formula still holds true: Maldives = Water Villa.
The color and clarity of the ocean are simply extraordinary.
A Well-Maintained Villa
Before arriving, I had read several online reviews suggesting that the rooms at Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort felt somewhat dated.
In practice, however, I found that the villas had been maintained extremely well. The bathroom had clearly been renovated and felt clean and modern.
One particularly memorable feature was the view from the bathtub—looking directly out over the ocean.
The bedding matched Sheraton’s global standards: soft, comfortable, and reliably high quality.
Inside the villa, there was a Nespresso machine, and stepping through the sliding doors led directly to the private pool area, complete with sunbeds and a small outdoor table. From there, a short staircase descended straight into the sea.
What surprised me most was just how convenient this layout felt. Swimming in the ocean, returning to the pool, then back to the sea again—these small, simple pleasures became some of the most enjoyable moments of the stay.
Turn-down service was also provided each evening, keeping the room tidy and comfortable throughout the stay.
Snorkeling Right Outside the Villa
One of the greatest advantages of staying in a water bungalow is the ability to step directly into the ocean for snorkeling.
Although the resort has designated snorkeling points, it is often more enjoyable to enter the water whenever you like, directly from your villa.
A small tip: the Maldives experiences two tidal cycles each day. Snorkeling during low tide can sometimes be even better than during high tide, as the shallower water allows you to see marine life more closely.
Even from the villa deck, schools of small blue fish frequently passed by. I also noticed baby blacktip reef sharks, which are common in shallow Maldivian waters. They are quite small and harmless, typically using shallow areas as a refuge from larger predators.
Another fascinating feature of the resort is its coral restoration project.
Within the lagoon, coral pyramids have been installed to encourage coral growth. Over time—one, two, three years—the coral structures gradually expand and begin attracting more marine life.
Seeing this process firsthand made the underwater environment feel even more special.
Why I Recommend This Resort
There are several reasons why Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort can be a very appealing option for travelers seeking good value in the Maldives.
The snorkeling environment is excellent. The round-trip speedboat transfer is included with certain packages. And full board meal plans can significantly reduce the overall cost of the trip.
Food in the Maldives can be surprisingly expensive. Even a simple meal may cost around $40–$50 per person, while a more substantial dinner can easily reach $80–$100 or more. When all three daily meals are included in a full board package, the numbers begin to make much more sense.
Compared with many other destinations, the Maldives is undeniably expensive. Yet there is a reason travelers continue to make the journey.
No matter how widely you travel around the world, it is difficult to find ocean water quite like this.
The luminous emerald tones, the calm lagoon, and the feeling of complete isolation make the Maldives one of the most extraordinary beach destinations on earth.
In many ways, it truly feels like the ultimate place for a tropical escape.
For a deeper comparison, you may find the following review helpful:
The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort Review: Seaplane Transfer Cost, Lounge & Beach Villa
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