Review of Skai Lodge, Malé, Maldives
This review follows on from my previous page on saving money in the Maldives. In it, I talked about how you could possibly save thousands if you chose to spend some part of your stay in the local guesthouses instead of all your nights in the private resorts and using the local boats instead of the private speedboats or sea plane. We used Gunbaru Inn on Ukulhas island as our hub to achieve our cost savings. Read my review of Gunbaru.
Because we were not aware before we booked our flight, that the public ferry only travels on certain days to different islands, we had to spend two nights in Malé (the capital of the Maldives) before being able to leave for the other island that we wanted to stay at - Ukulhas. That suited us fine anyway and we had a great time in Malé. However, if you do not wish to spend time in Malé, you should check the public ferry schedule before booking your flight (look under "ferry schedules" under the right hand panel).
We stayed in Skai Lodge in Malé from 2 - 4 November 2014. We opted for their Standard Triple room. Our 'room' comprised a kind of living area in which was a single bed, TV (small LCD screen really) and fridge, and a separate bedroom with a double bed, desk and a large chest of drawers. The double bed is made up of 2 single beds pushed together. There is a door you can close between the two spaces. There was an ensuite bathroom with a shower and toilet. It was on the ground floor looking out on a slightly picturesque courtyard giving the hotel some privacy from the road. We paid USD69 per night for the room, but this did not include taxes of 12% plus 10.8% plus USD8 per person. Thus, though the base price was low, by the time you included all the taxes, the final rate was a whopping USD116.73. Per night. Without breakfast.
Because we were not aware before we booked our flight, that the public ferry only travels on certain days to different islands, we had to spend two nights in Malé (the capital of the Maldives) before being able to leave for the other island that we wanted to stay at - Ukulhas. That suited us fine anyway and we had a great time in Malé. However, if you do not wish to spend time in Malé, you should check the public ferry schedule before booking your flight (look under "ferry schedules" under the right hand panel).
We stayed in Skai Lodge in Malé from 2 - 4 November 2014. We opted for their Standard Triple room. Our 'room' comprised a kind of living area in which was a single bed, TV (small LCD screen really) and fridge, and a separate bedroom with a double bed, desk and a large chest of drawers. The double bed is made up of 2 single beds pushed together. There is a door you can close between the two spaces. There was an ensuite bathroom with a shower and toilet. It was on the ground floor looking out on a slightly picturesque courtyard giving the hotel some privacy from the road. We paid USD69 per night for the room, but this did not include taxes of 12% plus 10.8% plus USD8 per person. Thus, though the base price was low, by the time you included all the taxes, the final rate was a whopping USD116.73. Per night. Without breakfast.
Nice Things about Skai Lodge
Well, it would basically be the price. By that I mean, it was pricey for the kind of value you got out of such basic accommodation but it was the cheapest decent room that could accommodate the four of us I could find in Malé. It's an expensive place with high taxes.
$The other nice thing about it was that we changed our Euros with the reception and the rate we got was WAY better than the Bank of Maldives rate at the airport. They gave us the Google rate. I'm not kidding and it was so good a deal we changed all our Euros with them. (Eventually we regretted it because we didn't spend very much in Malé. We thought we would bring our Rufiyaa and pay off some of the Nika bills with it but Nika insisted on charging everything to our card.) Therefore, two points about this experience I'd like to share, which are that you should change only what you think you will spend in Malé (unless you're going onwards to a local island) and unless you are a big spender on tacky souvenirs imported from Thailand then you wouldn't spend much, and second that you should only change a couple of USD into Rufiyaa at the airport enough to get you and your crew onto the Dhoni from the airport to Malé.
Not-So-Nice Things
It's basic. Fairly clean but don't expect much. Other reviewers have already commented on the aged 1970s outfit of the place and they don't exaggerate.
$The other nice thing about it was that we changed our Euros with the reception and the rate we got was WAY better than the Bank of Maldives rate at the airport. They gave us the Google rate. I'm not kidding and it was so good a deal we changed all our Euros with them. (Eventually we regretted it because we didn't spend very much in Malé. We thought we would bring our Rufiyaa and pay off some of the Nika bills with it but Nika insisted on charging everything to our card.) Therefore, two points about this experience I'd like to share, which are that you should change only what you think you will spend in Malé (unless you're going onwards to a local island) and unless you are a big spender on tacky souvenirs imported from Thailand then you wouldn't spend much, and second that you should only change a couple of USD into Rufiyaa at the airport enough to get you and your crew onto the Dhoni from the airport to Malé.
Not-So-Nice Things
It's basic. Fairly clean but don't expect much. Other reviewers have already commented on the aged 1970s outfit of the place and they don't exaggerate.
The bedroom with a double bed had an aircon, but the living area with the single bed did not. That means you need to turn the aircon up all the way and blast it in order to get the outer room moderately cool. There is a wall-mounted fan in the living area which helps a little in cooling the place. However, the person sleeping in the single bed outside will not feel the aircon because the bed is tucked in a corner out of the way of the aircon blast. The aircon is positioned right above the double bed which means in the night the people sleeping there are freezing while the person outside is sweltering. As for the beds, they were fairly hard. Each bed was rationed one pillow and the four of us had to share 2 towels. We asked for additional pillows and towels and they sent - one pillow and one towel. That said, we didn't have problems falling asleep though I suspect it because of all that walking around Malé!
While the living area has a window looking out into the courtyard (which means you can hear some traffic noise though it wasn't so bad as to bother us), the bedroom and bathroom have internal windows looking into an air well. That means the bathroom gets very musty and indeed there was a mustiness when we first entered our room. It wasn't so bad and running the aircon through the day got rid of much of it. We were not sure if we should leave the bathroom window open. To close it meant the bathroom stayed damp but to open it would mean someone could possibly enter through the air well.
Small point on the out-of-reach shower head (for an Asian of my stature and the kids). The shower head holder was nailed so high up that standing on my tiptoes and leaning into the wall I could just reach the shower head. I guess if you just leave it and bathe like that it's fine but I just thought I'd mention it if you're looking to have the kids be independent and bathe themselves, they might have issues reaching it if they need to.
To and From Skai Lodge
The hotel is fairly close to the ferry terminal where the ferry from the airport docks. We had 3 luggages on wheels and 4 backpacks (1 child size one for the L.O.) and the kids had no issues walking all the way. Hannah also dragged one of the luggages on top of carrying her own backpack. But the kids have travelled with us since they were babies and tramped about pretty much all kinds of terrain. I'd hesitate to recommend that walking is possible for everyone, especially those with kids or other considerations. My nieces and nephews had to be carried by adults when they went on their holidays, even when they were older (I believe the nephew was 7). I'd say that walking with luggages and kids was somewhat challenging for us in some parts because the roads were uneven and there weren't always sidewalks which meant we walked very close to the vehicles passing us.
If you are going onwards to a local island and taking the public ferry, you might want to know that the ferry terminal for that is different from the terminal for the airport ferries. The airport ferries dock at the Hulhumale Ferry Terminal (north-east on the island) and the public ferry leaving for the islands docks at the Villingili Ferry Terminal diagonally across the island on the south-west. To get to the Villingili Terminal we took a cab (though if we had backpacks and it was just the two of us and it wasn't so early in the morning, we would have walked). It cost us 35 Rufiyaa and was a short 7 minute ride. I'd advise you not to cut it close though, because there is one ferry per day for the islands and you don't want to miss it! If you are interested in our local island experiences, I will be posting a review of Ukulhas and Gunbaru Inn shortly so look out for it.
Other Comments
Though breakfast isn't included in the price, it is reasonable. It costs US$1 for a pot of coffee (of the nasty instant Nescafe variety). And some bit more for food. I don't remember the prices because we didn't eat there. Instead, we walked out to a nice little local cafe and had some great chow there. I don't know the name but here's how to go:
Walk out of the hotel courtyard and turn right going westwards down Violet Magu. You will hit the main road Sosun Magu. Diagonally across from you will be Hithaffinivaa Magu. Cross the road and get onto Hithaffinivaa Magu. The local dig is on the corner of Abadhah Fehi Magu and Hithaffinivaa Magu, about a 5 minute walk away from the hotel. I have a picture of the interesting wooden criss-cross door which I will upload once ready. It was always crowded when we were there, but that never was a problem. The locals are mostly so nice and friendly, space was always made for us to sit and smiles and friendly conversation would pepper us. For about 35 Rufiyaa we had some nice Maldivian fried rice which was plentiful enough to be shared between two of us. 2 Rufiyaa gets you nice sweet black tea. Don't bother with the coffee. Again, it's that nasty Nescafe stuff. There are lovely Maldivian snacks you can get there too for between 2 - 3 Rufiyaa each. Some are spicy and some are sweet. Do not miss the Maldivian snacks! They are yummy and so cheap!
On the subject of local snacks, there is another great little place which sells Maldivian snacks between 1 - 3 Rufiyaa. It's a takeaway joint squeezed into a little place that's easy to miss. Again, it doesn't have a name. If you walk southwards down Sosun Magu from Skai Lodge, past the ADK Hospital and the mosque diagonally opposite it at the corner with Majeedhee Magu, past a Princess shop, you will see, on your right, a modern Western-style bakery. It's in a bright yellow building and also doesn't have a name. It looks like this:
The local snack shop is directly across from it. I have pictures, which I will also upload when they've been processed. When we first chanced upon it we had grave doubts as it looked dark and dingy and we were worried for our constitution. (We have issues eating out, even in Malaysia.) Perhaps we've been lucky in the Maldives but we never had any problems with local food there, though we scoffed down many of those little snacks. At the bakery, you can get very nice Macarons for some ridiculously cheap price, I forget how much, but so cheap we bought it all up and had a great fatty time. Don't bother about their bread. I didn't try their cakes or sandwiches so can't comment on those.
The nearest supermarket is on Sosun Magu. Just like the cafe, you will need to walk out of the hotel courtyard, turn right towards Sosun Magu. Once at the main road, look to your left and you can see the Knowledge Book Shop and beside it in a white building is the Agora. Not more than 2 minutes away. You can buy bottled water there. The largest is 5L. Though if it's bottled water availability you're worried about, you don't need to be, because there are tons of shops all around selling water. I don't know what your expectations are when you think of a supermarket. I was kind of expecting something of the Singapore or American variety - fairly large, even in the suburbs and stocking a wide variety of stuff. After all, this is the capital. But the supermarkets are fairly limited there, looking more like a largish neighbourhood grocery shop. There are some assortments of fresh vegetables and fruits but the few times we were there they looked limp and kind of past their prime. I'm a raw veg and fruit person and for me, and the Maldives was a great challenge. Do not buy the western style breads or buns also. They are hard and dry. (In general, stick with what the locals eat and you will have a good time, unless you prefer raw vegs and fruits.) You can also find the cheap type of western corn-flakes like Nestle Coco Pops, peanut butter, jams, soft drinks etc. If you need baby stuff like milk and diapers, I would recommend you bring from home if you insist on particular brands. I did not see a great variety of baby milk or diapers at Agora or other shops, even speciality baby shops (I didn't recognise the brands they stocked).
Small point on the out-of-reach shower head (for an Asian of my stature and the kids). The shower head holder was nailed so high up that standing on my tiptoes and leaning into the wall I could just reach the shower head. I guess if you just leave it and bathe like that it's fine but I just thought I'd mention it if you're looking to have the kids be independent and bathe themselves, they might have issues reaching it if they need to.
To and From Skai Lodge
The hotel is fairly close to the ferry terminal where the ferry from the airport docks. We had 3 luggages on wheels and 4 backpacks (1 child size one for the L.O.) and the kids had no issues walking all the way. Hannah also dragged one of the luggages on top of carrying her own backpack. But the kids have travelled with us since they were babies and tramped about pretty much all kinds of terrain. I'd hesitate to recommend that walking is possible for everyone, especially those with kids or other considerations. My nieces and nephews had to be carried by adults when they went on their holidays, even when they were older (I believe the nephew was 7). I'd say that walking with luggages and kids was somewhat challenging for us in some parts because the roads were uneven and there weren't always sidewalks which meant we walked very close to the vehicles passing us.
If you are going onwards to a local island and taking the public ferry, you might want to know that the ferry terminal for that is different from the terminal for the airport ferries. The airport ferries dock at the Hulhumale Ferry Terminal (north-east on the island) and the public ferry leaving for the islands docks at the Villingili Ferry Terminal diagonally across the island on the south-west. To get to the Villingili Terminal we took a cab (though if we had backpacks and it was just the two of us and it wasn't so early in the morning, we would have walked). It cost us 35 Rufiyaa and was a short 7 minute ride. I'd advise you not to cut it close though, because there is one ferry per day for the islands and you don't want to miss it! If you are interested in our local island experiences, I will be posting a review of Ukulhas and Gunbaru Inn shortly so look out for it.
Other Comments
Though breakfast isn't included in the price, it is reasonable. It costs US$1 for a pot of coffee (of the nasty instant Nescafe variety). And some bit more for food. I don't remember the prices because we didn't eat there. Instead, we walked out to a nice little local cafe and had some great chow there. I don't know the name but here's how to go:
Walk out of the hotel courtyard and turn right going westwards down Violet Magu. You will hit the main road Sosun Magu. Diagonally across from you will be Hithaffinivaa Magu. Cross the road and get onto Hithaffinivaa Magu. The local dig is on the corner of Abadhah Fehi Magu and Hithaffinivaa Magu, about a 5 minute walk away from the hotel. I have a picture of the interesting wooden criss-cross door which I will upload once ready. It was always crowded when we were there, but that never was a problem. The locals are mostly so nice and friendly, space was always made for us to sit and smiles and friendly conversation would pepper us. For about 35 Rufiyaa we had some nice Maldivian fried rice which was plentiful enough to be shared between two of us. 2 Rufiyaa gets you nice sweet black tea. Don't bother with the coffee. Again, it's that nasty Nescafe stuff. There are lovely Maldivian snacks you can get there too for between 2 - 3 Rufiyaa each. Some are spicy and some are sweet. Do not miss the Maldivian snacks! They are yummy and so cheap!
On the subject of local snacks, there is another great little place which sells Maldivian snacks between 1 - 3 Rufiyaa. It's a takeaway joint squeezed into a little place that's easy to miss. Again, it doesn't have a name. If you walk southwards down Sosun Magu from Skai Lodge, past the ADK Hospital and the mosque diagonally opposite it at the corner with Majeedhee Magu, past a Princess shop, you will see, on your right, a modern Western-style bakery. It's in a bright yellow building and also doesn't have a name. It looks like this:
The nearest supermarket is on Sosun Magu. Just like the cafe, you will need to walk out of the hotel courtyard, turn right towards Sosun Magu. Once at the main road, look to your left and you can see the Knowledge Book Shop and beside it in a white building is the Agora. Not more than 2 minutes away. You can buy bottled water there. The largest is 5L. Though if it's bottled water availability you're worried about, you don't need to be, because there are tons of shops all around selling water. I don't know what your expectations are when you think of a supermarket. I was kind of expecting something of the Singapore or American variety - fairly large, even in the suburbs and stocking a wide variety of stuff. After all, this is the capital. But the supermarkets are fairly limited there, looking more like a largish neighbourhood grocery shop. There are some assortments of fresh vegetables and fruits but the few times we were there they looked limp and kind of past their prime. I'm a raw veg and fruit person and for me, and the Maldives was a great challenge. Do not buy the western style breads or buns also. They are hard and dry. (In general, stick with what the locals eat and you will have a good time, unless you prefer raw vegs and fruits.) You can also find the cheap type of western corn-flakes like Nestle Coco Pops, peanut butter, jams, soft drinks etc. If you need baby stuff like milk and diapers, I would recommend you bring from home if you insist on particular brands. I did not see a great variety of baby milk or diapers at Agora or other shops, even speciality baby shops (I didn't recognise the brands they stocked).
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