OBLU NATURE Helengeli by SENTIDO — Hotel in Malé Atoll

BEST HOLIDAY EVER!

This was our delayed honeymoon and my 50th celebrations!

I’ll start at the greetings and work my way through.

We were greeted at reception off the speedboat by the local Boduberu Drums and a receptionist called Sammy He talked us through the island plan and helped us download The OBLU Nature App and set us up. The App had all the required info for what’s on, interactive map and your personal itinerary including the ability to book any additional experiences you wanted to do or chat with staff. Our over the sea apartment with infinity pool was perfect! We could snorkel just off our steps and enjoy a different sunset everyday. It was Heaven!

We soon got to know most of the staff and they honestly couldn’t do enough for us. They made our holiday so memorable, Amit and Ando made our drinks at the bar and they soon knew what we like to drink and sent them over to our table as soon as we sat down. Our bar waiters Uba, Eliza, Shaheed and Jumann really looked after us too! All of the bar staff were smiley and cheerful.

The Spice restaurant was just amazing and so well organised. The host takes you to a table of your choice, the waiters come take your drink order then you go to the wonderful food buffet which was extensive, diverse, very well executed and extremely tasty! We loved the live cooking stations making you fresh food to order too. The friendly Head Chefs were always there to make sure you were enjoying their food or to help you with recommendations. People we’d like to mention are:- Safa, Azumme, Deepak, Ranjith, Nal, Binod, Usham, Zinaan, Jaarulla and Mizfaal. Also our friends the restaurant manager and the chef on the end cooking station who made us fresh garlic naan in the evening and eggs for breakfast. Thank you all so much!

Then there was my Birthday surprise! We popped out for lunch and on return the staff greeted me with a drum and sang happy birthday, hung a fresh flower garland around my neck, decorated our room with balloons, and made a Happy Birthday message on the bed with leaves. They also left a bottle of Prosecco and a home made cake with Happy Birthday Shellie on! It was a lovely surprise and it did make me cry with joy. Thank you so, so much Deleepa, Nihan, Sammy, Hammeem, Autha, Ardulla and Mashid for making my 50th extra special!

We had dinner at Just Grill that night, my husband treated me to Lobster and it was cooked to perfection, I also got another Happy Birthday song from staff and another cake!

The massages at ELENA SPA we had were the best we’ve had yet! You fill in a pre massage form on your first arrival for any issues you may have then the massage team work on you. A very special shout out to Evi , Somham and Seni, you were absolutely fantastic at it! The pressure was good and they were so professional at focusing on your troubled areas to eradicate them before you leave! We wanted to bring them home with us!

The reason you actually go is the beautiful Natural Reef surrounding the Island. I promise you this will not let you down. We snorkelled off the island all around (apart from the strong current areas) we saw black-tip sharks, nurse sharks, an abundance of beautiful tropical reef fish, a turtle and a pod of dolphins! Honestly it really was the icing on the cake!

The whole holiday was filled with so many thoughtful little things even our daily room attendant Vajeeh left us more water as we drank a lot in the heat. He also sent us away with a small keepsake to remind us of him!

We were on a morning flight when we left so would have missed breakfast. Deleepa arranged a breakfast box of fruit, pastries and a drink to take with us on the speedboat, he also picked us up from our room to save us walking on leaving, so thoughtful. All the receptionist waved us off until we were out of sight!

We cannot fault the island at all and we are already saving to go back when we can!

Thank you all so much at OBLU Nature and if we have missed mentioning your name we apologise, you were...

Food and Drink. My preference is to experience a happy environment and I need to feel safe and comfortable whilst on holiday. This island has everything for me in abundance. The resort can house about 300 guests and is set up to accommodate them in all aspects. Probably just short of 200 during our visit and sun-beds and seats were never a problem.

Meals are buffet style eaten in dining areas that are cleverly positioned to give the appearance of not sitting in a large hall. On arrival for each meal you are very politely greeted and shown to a table of your choice. There are two outside deck areas which prove popular since they perch above the lapping sea and the ceiling is the star filled sky. Be prepared for smiley people who understand what service is. Yes, you collect your own food but if you require any assistance whatsoever it’s there because there is no shortage of helpful staff. On our first visit for food we were greeted by the charming Varuun. I told him it was our first day and he fully explained the format. Varuun spent time with us showing us the various seating areas and introduced us to the buffet. A considered choice of various foods to cater for all tastes. I counted fourteen choices on the centre aisle alone. And there are roaming chefs to explain ingredients and advise. There are also individual chef stations serving Indian, Italian, and, of course, Maldivian. Chefs Ryan and Ravi were outstanding. Evening meals are accompanied by drinks of your choice brought, and regularly topped up, to your table, and anything else you need, by the ever attentive Sam, Dele, Aafaag, Simpa, John, Ajay, Nash and Eloise, (pardon!). All will serve with a smile, conversation, and happiness. They’re all there at breakfast too! So, breakfast. Unbelievable choice yet again. I’m traditional on English breakfast and it’s all there. But no ready fried rubber eggs here! With the exception of scrambled and boiled, how do you like your eggs? Try the ever smiling Binod. Poached, omelette, and fried to perfection and just how you like them. Because Binod prepares them in front of you and you say how and when. Top man! After a hearty breakfast we skipped lunch each day but the buffet lunch is again an array of foods. At 4pm snacks are available in the bar.

There is the option of two on-site eateries which are waiter served. A stay of four nights allows a complimentary meal in one of your choice. A stay of more than nine nights allows two. You can also choose to eat at these on other evenings at a charge. Raga Route, is described as serving Indian Progressive food. There are three areas to sit. Three tables are outside, and then there are two decent sized rooms, one air conditioned and one open ended affected by outside temperature. The food is excellent and different to the Indian style food served in the UK. Service is excellent and very attentive. John and Simpa were on duty when we ate there and added to our enjoyment by explaining the dishes and wines and engaging in conversation, something that is the theme of this island. The second restaurant is named Just Grill. The roof is high and there is an overall feeling of space. It is far from just a grill! We were greeted by the always smiling Aye and shown to our table on the open side next to the beach. Ajay was our waiter for the night and made our visit special. The food is exceptional as is its presentation, accompanied by drinks of your choice. Chef Rohit takes the time to visit your table to enquire of your enjoyment. Nice touch.

The main bar is substantial and opens to the beach and pool on one side and a view over the sea on another. There is music each night. Sameer, Bagus, and Thiha give excellent service and engage in conversation at the bar. Wita and others offer table service with a smile. Friday is Maldivian Night. Drums (Aafaag again!) and voices are infectious and you are encouraged to join in the dancing, usually by Nash and Fira who will spot you in the crowd.

Best...

For our fourth visit to the Maldives,we chose Oblu Nature Helengeli and I'm pleased to say that it was the most amazing one yet! The cozy rooms, warm hospitality,yummy food in the overwater restaurant,awesome drinks and entertainment at Helen's bar and most importantly,the outstanding snorkeling are some of the best experiences we gathered. ROOM: We traveled with our teenage kids and opted for 2 adjoining Deluxe beach villas which were sunset facing and were glad to get the room numbers that we had requested for. The room was cozy and directly on the beach. The bathroom had an outdoor shower and also came equipped with twin vanities. Toileteries were also provided. The bed was really comfortable and we had the best sleep every night. FOOD: Oblu Nature has an all inclusive package which has 3 buffet meals at the gorgeous over water restaurant,Spice. The outdoor seating area was my favorite and the food was varied,tasty,plentiful and there was a dedicated vegan section as well. The package also had unlimited beverages included and they could also be ordered along with the meals. Hi-tea was also served at Helen's bar which had an assortment of small bites and the kids also enjoyed the milkshakes along with those. No request was too much for them and once,the head chef,Mr Lal got special burgers made for my son. Ain't that something? SNORKELING: We snorkeled daily in the house reef and were amazed by the variety of marine life there. They provide snorkeling equipment free of charge,but we prefer to carry our own full face snorkeling masks. We spotted turtles,sharks,all sorts of fish that you can imagine and the highlight was an encounter with the resident octopus which we found near the sunset jetty and it also put on a color changing show for us. What a glorious sight! EXCURSIONS:1) The dolphin cruise was exhilarating and we saw dozens of dolphins and enjoyed the cruise as well. 2)Sunset fishing is something that the kids enjoy and they did manage a decent catch,while my husband and I watched the spectacular sunset from the deck above. SPA: A complimentary spa treatment was also included in our package. My husband and I opted for the couple's massage which was a divine experience. The therapists were skilled and worked their magic kneading away the knots in the body and we emerged completely refreshed and rejuvenated. ENTERTAINMENT: There was a DJ every evening spinning out tracks at the Helen's bar. We also enjoyed the traditional maldivian night and had a great time dancing with the Bodhuberru performers. There was also singing of carols on Christmas and it was a soothing experience. Literally divine! ISLAND EXPERIENCE: It is a relatively small island and you can walk end-to-end in 15 minutes which we love. The island is completely natural and has a wide variety of vegetation. I also enjoyed chilling by the pool and sipping Mai-tai's while taking in the gorgeous surroundings. The sunset jetty is a great place to view the sun going down and we also parked ourselves there every night and watched sharks and fishes swimming by. Also,a turtle appeared there daily as if to bid us good night. The complimentary dinner experience at Just grill restaurant located right on the beach was Just perfect! HIGHLIGHTS: 1)The Christmas Eve gala dinner,straight out of a fairy tale with lovely christmas décor,counters bursting with tons of food and the most adorable dessert section. 2)Santa's arrival on a speedboat and the following festivities with lots of singing and dancing. 3)Unforgettable views from the spice restaurant. 4) WOW snorkeling! 5) Seeing the wonderful bioluminescence at night. 6)Warmth and love from each and every staff member. Special mentions- The resort manager,Ali Shakir for going above and beyond to ensure that everyone has the time of their life. The front office team leader,Deleepa for going out of his way to ensure that our requests are fulfilled. The restaurant...