Centara Grand Island Resort & Spa Maldives
by the TopOfHotel team
A 5-star Centara resort with an Ultimate All-Inclusive plan, a resort-only shipwreck dive and an E-Zone kids club — built for families.
A 5-star Centara resort with an Ultimate All-Inclusive plan, a resort-only shipwreck dive and an E-Zone kids club — built for families.
In-Depth Review
Rooms and decor
Centara Grand Island sits on the private island of Machchafushi in South Ari Atoll, and the villas are white-painted wood under thatched roofs — a blend of Maldivian style and Thailand's Centara brand. The resort has 112 rooms. The standouts are the Water Villas lined up in the lagoon, and some come with a glass floor you can watch fish through, which kids find a thrill. The property opened in 2009 and was renovated in 2012, so it's an older resort rather than a brand-new build.
Food and amenities
The headline here is the Ultimate All-Inclusive plan — every meal, drinks, activities, and transfers roll into one package, so you're not adding up a bill at every turn. There are several restaurants, including a Thai kitchen and an international buffet that runs to Chinese food. The Cenvaree Spa does Thai-style massage, and there's a gym and a yoga room. The PADI dive centre is a full operation with a resort-only shipwreck dive site, and the E-Zone kids club runs daily activities — unlike Centara Ras Fushi, which is adults-only, this one welcomes children. Guests score it 9.5 across 140 reviews.
Location and getting there
The resort is out in South Ari Atoll (Alif Dhaal), so the transfer is a 25-minute seaplane from Velana International Airport (MLE). You can also reach it by a domestic flight plus a 15-20 minute speedboat. Either way it's a fly-in resort, not a boat-up-from-Male one, so plan your arrival flight around daytime seaplane hours.
Things to know before booking
South Ari Atoll requires a seaplane transfer, which adds time and cost to the trip. The Ultimate package is pricey, though it covers a lot once you're on the island. And this is an older resort — it opened in 2009 and was last renovated in 2012, so don't expect 2020-era newness. Rates start around $233 a night and run to roughly $514.
Our take
Centara Grand Island Resort & Spa Maldives is the family pick to close the list. If you want a 5-star resort with Thai staff, a kids club, a shipwreck dive on the doorstep, and everything bundled into one all-inclusive package, this is a confident way to end the list.
Score Breakdown
Assessed by our editorial team from data and real guest reviews
The Honest Verdict — pros & what to know
- A 5-star resort run by Thailand's Centara group on the private island of Machchafushi in South Ari Atoll, with Thai staff who speak Thai.
- 112 rooms including Water Villas lined up in the lagoon, some with glass floors so you can watch fish from inside.
- The Ultimate All-Inclusive plan bundles every meal, drinks, activities and transfers into one package.
- Several restaurants, including a Thai kitchen and an international buffet with Chinese food, plus the Cenvaree Spa for Thai-style massage, a gym and a yoga room.
- A full PADI dive centre with a resort-only shipwreck dive site, and an E-Zone kids club with daily activities.
- South Ari Atoll requires a seaplane transfer, so you can't just drive up by boat.
- The Ultimate All-Inclusive package is pricey.
- An older resort that opened in 2009 and was last renovated in 2012.
Who It’s For
Match Score by travel style
Amenities
Location & Nearby Spots
Insider Tips
- Book the Ultimate All-Inclusive plan — it pays off best on stays of 4 nights or more.
- Dive the resort-only shipwreck site while you're here.
- There are Thai staff on hand, so it's easy to flag food requests or ask questions.