Resort review: CROSSROADS, Maldives

Daily Mail​

04-07-2025

The Maldives is one of those destinations where people can't help but respond 'ooh' or 'oh my god!' when you tell them you're going there. However, the tropical paradise may be shunned by those who declare they couldn't possibly be 'stuck on an island with nothing to do' for a week. I'll admit, even I thought I might get bored.
But then I went to CROSSROADS, and realised there are resorts in the Maldives offering much more than pure romance, seclusion and beds covered in flower petals for honeymooners.
Just a 15 minute speedboat ride away from Malé airport, you'll find a large island made for activity and adventure, with so much to do that even the most active of guests would struggle to find time to twiddle their thumbs.
Rooms and facilities
First of all, as CROSSROADS is so close to the mainland, you don't have to deal with the faff of seaplane weight restrictions and timings to get there. The speedboats leave from just outside of the airport at least once an hour, but usually more often.
The difference with this destination is that there are three resorts on it: Hard Rock Hotel, SAii Lagoon and SO/ Maldives (which I didn't visit). That means you have a much bigger variety and choice of places to eat, stay and play.
On the whole resort, there are four pools, 14 restaurants, four bars and three spas, as well as the Maldives' first and only marina.
Let's start with the Hard Rock hotel. It's a fantastic option for young families travelling to the Maldives as there is plenty to do, it has a casual, relaxed atmosphere, children under 12 stay for free, and the hotel offers a babysitting service.
There are 178 spacious villas set out on the beach and over water, the latter of which I was lucky enough to stay in. Decor is as you would expect from the Hard Rock brand – casual but elevated and in this instance, with a tropical twist. The huge bathroom was able to accommodate three of us, despite the room technically being for two people, but an additional bed and body wasn't a bother at all.
The platinum overwater villa also features a plunge pool on the back deck and steps straight down into the sea should you fancy joining the occasional baby shark, ray and fish that swim by in the crystal clear water. Don't worry, they tend to disappear as soon as you get in.
I was unfortunate enough to experience a bout of bad weather during my trip, which is certainly not what I spent all those hours on the aeroplane dreaming of. The storm meant that I lost WiFi connection a couple of times, and the air conditioning also stopped working one night. Rainy it may have been, cold it was not. However after the issue was flagged with reception, it was quickly resolved by the heroic rain-poncho clad, torch-wielding maintenance men.
The villa was a good 10-15 minute walk to reception, although guests are allocated bikes to get around. For those who aren't up for the walk, a golf buggy can be ordered to collect you from your room, but be sure to leave plenty of time for it to arrive (especially if the weather is bad).
The second part of my trip was spent staying in SAii Lagoon Maldives, Curio Collection by Hilton – the more 'grown-up' option (although children are still welcome, there is a kids club). In contrast to Hard Rock, which can sometimes feel a tad gimmicky, SAii was much more of a boho chic, peaceful retreat.
It also offers villas on the beach and over water – 198 rooms in total – which are decorated with art and natural textures. This time the overwater villa didn't have a pool on the back deck, but it did have a bathtub, loungers and overwater hammock.
The bikes at SAii aren't complementary, but the hotel has its own app where you can book buggies, request amenities, see daily activities and message the team directly regarding any queries.
Food and drink
Now, I don't mean to brag, but this was my second trip to the Maldives. While it was heavenly the first time round, the limited food options on the much smaller resort became quite repetitive. So I was delighted to find that was not the case at CROSSROADS. There's a huge variety of cuisines and restaurant options spread out across Hard Rock, SAii Lagoon and the marina, and almost all of them are open to everyone.
We all know you'll end up paying a pretty penny to visit the Maldives, but rest assured you'll get bang for your buck at CROSSROADS, even with the food – the portions were generous everywhere I ate. I was on a Full Board Plus package, which meant that breakfast, lunch, dinner and non-alcoholic drinks were included in the price, but there are various tiers to choose from at a range of prices.
The Hard Rock Cafe stays true to the brand with an American menu and decor inspired by musical artists. I strongly recommend the live music performances in the evenings for a lively night.
The breakfast buffet, however, is served in the Sessions restaurant and includes traditional Maldivian cuisine as well as the usual cooked breakfast and continental bits. Plus, you can order omelettes and eggs cooked to your liking.
Over at SAii Lagoon, the breakfast is another generous spread, similar to Hard Rock.
Ms Olive Oyl is a must-visit. A dinner booking is romantic but I'd suggest going before the sun sets so you can enjoy the stunning view of the sea. The menu offers simple Mediterranean food done very well, and it also hosts sundowner drinks.
If there's one restaurant you can take off the must-visit list, it's Tom Yam in the pool area. Fine for a quick bite, but my least favourite meal from the whole trip.
Definitely visit the marina for meals too. I ate at the Jiao Wu Chinese restaurant and Kinkao Thai bistro which offered familiar dishes packed full of flavour. There's an Indian restaurant there, too.
The star of the Marina has to be the Ministry of Crab. Founded by Chef Dharshan Munidasa, it's sister restaurant in Colombo, Sri Lanka has been named in the top 60 of Asia's 100 Best Restaurants.
The menu celebrates the Sri Lankan mud crab, but there are meat and prawn options too. Major food lovers who are happy to splash the cash should book the surf and turf dining experience. It's so exclusive that they only take a few people in one night, where you're collected via buggy and driven to the first of three restaurants.
It starts in the Japanese restaurant Nihonbashi Blue, where you try small plates of sashimi and maki. Next, you're driven over to Ministry of Crab to tuck into the infamous mud crabs, which is then followed by a short drive to the steak restaurant Carne Diem.
Not only will you be stuffed with some of the Maldives' best food, but the whole experience is incredibly special. Dining outside in front of the marina, treated liked a VIP, eating innovative, delicious meals while sipping on top quality wine? A truly unforgettable experience.
What to do
As I mentioned earlier, I had a rare unlucky week with the weather, but that didn't make the trip a washout. Hard Rock have plenty of wet weather activities to keep people entertained, including Ju Jitsu, kickboxing, yoga, meditation, trapeze and aerial acrobatics classes.
The Hard Rock spa is also worth a visit. Just in case you're not relaxed enough already, a treatment is sure to do the trick. I even got to choose what soundtrack I wanted before my deluxe full body massage, based on the mood I wanted to create.
For outdoor activities, complimentary snorkelling gear and kayaks are provided. But even if you're not confident snorkelling, you can sign up to beginner classes before heading out on an expedition.
There's a whole host of water sports too, including jet skis, surf boards, parasailing, scuba diving and excursions. Both Hard Rock and SAii Lagoon also have 24 hour gyms.
Over at SAii, I really recommend a visit to the organic garden for green-fingered guests and those who love cooking. We were given a tour of the garden, where the chef explained what produce was growing and how it's used in the food they make. We then had a private cooking session in the garden, followed by lunch where we scoffed down the fruits of our labour from the kitchen.
The beach club area at SAii has a chic vibe – it's not too crowded but has a fun atmosphere. The pool is incredible spacious and there are 120 daybeds and 200 seats around it, so no chance of fighting for a lounger here.
Those brave enough to face the heat can take to the padel tennis courts too.
Resort highlights
The rain really could have ruined my trip – the Maldives is almost entirely about the weather and gorgeous views, after all – but thankfully CROSSROADS has so much to offer that I was still able to enjoy myself.
I'd recommend the dolphin cruise – it was such a special moment to have the dolphins swim right by our boat, as was snorkelling along the reef.
The cherry on top was that the staff across the resort were incredibly friendly and helpful.
Rooms at The Hard Rock Hotel Maldives start from around £300 (or $399 USD) per night including breakfast. Visit the website here to find out more.
Rooms at SAii Lagoon Maldives, Curio Collection by Hilton start from around £220 (or $299 USD) per night including breakfast. Visit the website here to find out more.
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