Last Updated on January 11, 2024 by Suzy McCullough
Sometimes as a family, all you want is relaxation, a beautiful beach, crystal clear waters, sun and great hotel facilities. The Maldives is a great family-friendly holiday destination for just that. Typically each hotel has its own island which may feature outdoor dining on the beach or over-the-water restaurants. Lily Beach and the Centara Grand Island Resort are some of the most popular choices with families with great pools and kid’s clubs.
Watersports are a fun daytime activity and many of these facilities are included in the package price. You can enjoy day trips to other islands with award-winning spa treatments and so much more. Read on for our top family-friendly hotel choices in the Maldives. To get to many of the hotels below you will take a scenic domestic flight followed by a speedboat transfer. If you click on a link in this piece, we may earn affiliate revenue.
Lily Beach Resort and Spa
Located on its own island in the South Ari Atoll friendly whale sharks often visit the waters here. As mentioned above the Lily Beach Resort is a great option for families. With white sands, a relaxing pool scene and coral reefs for snorkelling escapism is more than sorted here. There is a fantastic kids’ club and a family pool with a kid’s area. Plus adults have their own infinity pool. The floor of the buffet restaurant has white sand, perfect for going barefoot.
You can enjoy entertainment in the evening and watch sharks and rays hunt at the nightly feedings. Non-motorised watersports are included in your package or you can upgrade to have a go on a jet-ski or a glass-bottom canoe. The hotel even has a semi-submersible boat plus there are several sports activities. Families will love their beachfront villas that sleep up to 6 people and their lagoon waterfront villas that sleep up to 4. You can even upgrade to have your own private pool.
Why We Love Lily Beach Resort
- Great for Families
- Lots of Watersports Included
- Coral Reefs for Snorkeling
Riu Atoll
Located on the private island of Maafushi is the resort of Riu Atoll. It has a swimming pool with a swim-up bar and all their suites sit on stilts over the shallow lagoon. Plus there is a powdery beach right on your doorstep. Kids have their own pool and there is a hotel-run kid’s clubs and evening entertainment.
Food wise there is an excellent buffet restaurant, an Italian, Beek Steak House and a choice of bars. Other facilities include a playground, watersports and daytime activity programme and you can borrow snorkelling equipment. Adults will love the wellness centre and can work out in the hotel’s state-of-the-art gym. Families will love their beachfront double rooms that can sleep up to 4 or their overwater suites that can also sleep up to 4 people.
Why We Love Riu Atoll
- Hotel Run Kid’s Club
- Swim-up Bar
- Childrens’ Pool
Villa Park, Sun Island
The Villa Park is another great option for families. It boasts a restaurant that sits above a coral reef and there are lots of snorkelling hotspots. Families will love all the activities on offer such as canoeing, watersports, the dive centre, volleyball, tennis, football, boat hire and more. There is a huge pool with a swim-up bar and a tropical private beach. For foodies, there are four a la carte restaurants and two buffets.
Evening entertainment can often include a live band, cultural shows plus a DJ. Your children can be kept entertained at the kids’ club while you relax in the Arramu Spa with a steam bath and sauna. There are villas and bungalows on land including beachfront options. Why not upgrade to the height of luxury and book an over-water bungalow? You can even book a beachfront bungalow with a private pool.
Why We Love Villa Park, Sun Island
- Huge Pool
- Great for Families
- Perfect for Scuba Diving
Kureda Island Resort and Spa
If diving is your thing then the Kureda Island Resort and Spa with Maldives largest dive centre could be the hotel for you. It has beautiful white sand beaches and 50 dive sites on your doorstep. They even have movies screened after dark on the beach. There is a family pool plus a couple of other pools, one for adults and one for over 12s. Kids also have their own pool. With three a la carte restaurants you can choose from Italian or Thai. You will be spoilt for choice in the four buffet restaurants which can be accessed depending on the room type you’ve booked.
Evening entertainment is buzzing with live bands and party nights. One of the bars even has indoor and outdoor play areas for the kids. Children also have access to a kid’s club for ages 3-12. Other facilities include a 6-hole golf course, watersports, tennis, bike hire, sunset cruises and so much more. Their beach 1 bedroom villas sleep up to 4 people or you can upgrade to a water villa that sleeps up to 3 people.
Why We Love Kureda Island Resort
- Luxury Pool Villas
- Maldives’ Largest Dive Centre
- Kids’ Club
Centara Grand Island Resort
The Centara Grand Island Resort is a great family-friendly option. Children are taken care of in the hotel-run kids club plus there is nightly entertainment. There is a beautiful infinity pool and a pool for the kids. You also have three main restaurants to choose from and a couple of bars. Activities here revolve around the sea. There are watersports, a dive centre and snorkelling right on your doorstep. You can strap on your goggles and start exploring the reef from the balcony of your villa. Other things to do include a multi-sports court, playground for the kids, a games room with video games, pool table and billiards. The spa here is really special as it has been built over the sea. The majority of rooms here are overwater villas that can sleep up to 4 people.
Why We Love Centara Grand Island Resort
- Kids’ Club
- Great Dive Site
- Games Room
Sun Siyam Olhuveli Maldives
Located on an island in a tropical lagoon in the middle of the Indian Ocean is the Sun Siyam Olhuveli Maldives. It has two infinity views and several kilometres of soft sandy beaches. For children, there is a kid’s pool, play area and child-friendly activities. All the family can enjoy the evening entertainment including movie nights, cultural evenings and live bands. There are five restaurants and grills to choose from or you can dine in private on the beach for an additional cost. Watersports include jet skis, banana boat rides, water skis and parasailing. You can also have a go at canoeing or stand-up paddleboarding. The hotel also has scuba diving, tennis courts, football and badminton. Their over-water villas sleep up to 3 people or you can book a grand beachfront villa with a private pool and terrace.
Why We Love Sun Siyam Olhuveli Maldives
- Kids’ Pool
- Play Area
- Luxury Water Villas
Cinnamon Dhonvell Maldives
At the Cinnamon Dhonvell, there is a good-sized pool set among palm trees with a shallower section for the little ones. The place comes alive at night with beach parties, karaoke and movie nights. Water lovers can have a go at snorkelling in the reef or scuba diving for that true up-close experience. You will have a great range of watersports to choose from here including banana boats, SUPs, kayaks, jet skis, catamaran rides and more.
Other facilities include a playground, tennis court, badminton, beach volleyball and more. Food-wise there are three buffet restaurants plus a couple of bars with a la carte menus. Adults will love the spa with a range of treatments and facilities or they can work out in the gym. Beach bungalows can sleep up to 4 people or there are water bungalows that sleep up to 3 people. Why not upgrade to include a private pool?
Why We Love Cinnamon Dhonvell
- Sunset-view Pier
- Great Evening Entertainment
- Playground
Villa Nautica Paradise Island
Located on a private island in the North Male atoll is the Villa Nautica Paradise Island. This resort is one of the biggest on this list and has a great range of facilities. There is a dolphin-shaped pool overlooking the beach plus a kids’ pool and an infinity pool. Dining-wise there are lots of choices including a Japanese, a lagoon restaurant, a buffet, Italian and somewhere to enjoy some seafood. Children will be kept busy at the kids’ club and there is evening entertainment for all the family.
You can take your pick of watersports or book yourselves onto one of the varied excursions including seaplane trips, island hopping and submarine trips. On land, there is tennis, basketball, volleyball, a playground and more. There is also an award-winning spa plus an outdoor and indoor gym. Beachfront villas can sleep up to 3 people or you can upgrade to include a plunge pool or an over-water villa.
Why We Love Villa Nautica Paradise Island
- Reef for Snorkelling
- Lots of Activities
Kurumba Maldives
For an elegant and upmarket resort, you may want to consider the Kurumba. It is great for families and its location means it’s perfect for scuba diving and snorkelling. The hotel has two outdoor pools plus two for little ones. Foodies will be in heaven with seven restaurants to choose from including a Thai, buffet, Middle-eastern, Indian and in-villa dining. Kids can take part in cooking classes and there is a club for ages 4-13. There is a great range of watersports plus diving and a daytime activity programme. Other facilities include tennis, yoga, a multi-sports court, craft classes and more. You can book beachfront villas that sleep up to 4 people and feature a plunge pool. Or beachfront duplexes that sleep up to 5 people and have a private pool.
Why We Love Kurumba Maldives
- 7 Restaurants
- Kids’ Club
Meeru Island Resort Hotel
With beachfront pools and a private reef, the Meeru Island Resort Hotel is a stylish option. One pool is by the beach and has a kids’ pool and the other is just for adults. In the evening you can enjoy various types of entertainment such as live music, discos, karaoke and movie nights. Glass bottom boat trips are perfect for those wanting to explore the reef without getting wet. This hotel even has a golf driving range, putting green and a nine-hole pitch and putt course. You can also try out a range of watersports, go on a sunset cruise or challenge your family to a game of petanque or table tennis. Adults will love the on-site spa and gym. Villas are located on the beach and can sleep up to 4 people. Or there are two-bedroom options that sleep up to 5.
Why We Love Meeru Island Resort
- Beachfront Pools
- A Variety of Evening Entertainment
For further holiday inspiration, why not check out these posts?
Top 10 Bucket List Things To Do Maldives
Best Hard Rock Resort Hotels in the World For Families
40 Best Hotels Around the World for Families
