I highly recommend Cinnamon Dhonveli and would definitely stay there again! Communication with the hotel about the boat transfer was very good. I rented a superior room, which was very sizeable, modern, and clean. It even had a balcony over the small beach.
The beach was lovely, and it was great to be able to snorkel and see all kinds of fish right off the main beach. The beach bar was excellently attended by Rafiqul.
The buffet was pretty good. I found the stir fry stations (Siri was great!), and the more local food (e.g. fish, dhal, curries, etc.) to consistently be the best options.
The Sunset Bar and Pasta Point Bars had gorgeous views of the sunset. All the servers were top notch, especially Geena, Dilshan, Dileepa, and a few others I am forgetting (Usi? at the Pasta Point Bar).
The entertainment was quite fun and a great way to meet other guests. The DJ was great!
Hussein and the lady who helped at reception (name started with "Dh," but I have sadly forgotten to write it down) were excellent at assisting in all of my questions.
The turtle scuba and spa (stress relief massage) were also excellent!
Tips: Bring you own snorkel gear. I found the best time to snorkel off the beach was right after breakfast.
Reserve beach/pool chairs early. People tended to leave towels and a personal item to show the chair was reserved.
