We spent eight days at Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru and it truly felt like the tiniest slice of paradise. The island is intimate, peaceful and beautifully kept, with the kind of turquoise water that makes it very easy to switch off completely.
We upgraded to all inclusive on arrival and, for the price, were initially surprised by a few exclusions. After feeding this back, Aden and, from a distance, Elias, helped us make the very best of our stay, supported throughout by our wonderful concierge Allath. We felt listened to, which made a real difference.
The catamaran experience was a huge highlight. The crew were exceptional, the marine life was out of this world, and the lunch prepared in advance by Chef David was outstanding. We also booked a Balinese full body massage with Lin and Katrin, who were so skilled and sweet that we immediately booked another.
Food was consistently great across all three outlets, with Madi Hiyaa, the award winning Japanese restaurant, my personal favourite. The sashimi was incredibly fresh and the team, especially Uma, were so warm and attentive. At Saffron, Fipit and Nafiz greeted us daily with the biggest smiles, and Chef Pro Santa made our mornings with his delicious farm fresh eggs and sense of humour.
Not without small teething issues, but overall an incredibly beautiful and relaxing stay.