Hurawalhi Resort Maldives

We celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary at Hurawalhi Resort in the Maldives from March 19–25, and it was nothing short of unforgettable. The resort is absolutely beautiful, with breathtaking views at every turn. Staying in an overwater villa made it even more special—we saw small reef sharks swimming by every day. While we initially wanted an over-water villa with a pool or an over-water villa on the left/west side, we were completely happy with our over-water villa on the right/east side. From speaking with guests who had a left/west side villa, their deck was very hot all day and they didn’t get a break from the sun while our deck was cooler in the afternoons. Also, the pool/bar area at Coco was beautiful, incredibly relaxing and we spent most of our time there. The staff everywhere made us feel more like friends than guests. The team at Coco—Casmir, Tulsa, Tushar, and Barsha—treated us like royalty throughout our stay. A special thank you to Fazeel, who generously took us on a snorkeling trip on his own time, guiding us to turtles and even capturing the experience on his GoPro. When we accidentally fried my husband’s hair clippers, due to not having an adapter, we were amazed when Ruwan, the resort’s electrical engineer, repaired and cleaned them for us! One of our highlights was diving with Niko, who guided my husband through an intro to scuba while I completed a refresher. His calm, reassuring approach made for an incredible reef dive we’ll never forget. Mel, the house Marine Biologist, took us on an amazing manta search where we swam with a juvenile manta that was 6’ wide. Dining at the 5.8 Underwater Restaurant was a surreal experience, and even as a picky eater, I thoroughly enjoyed the 7-course meal. Another unforgettable moment was spending two peaceful hours alone on Dream Island, surrounded by the Indian Ocean and watching a stunning sunset while lounging in the private lagoon. Our island host, Afrah, went above and beyond to make sure we were comfortable—even arranging a pillow topper that made our bed feel like a cloud. We were also warmly welcomed by the resort manager, Bahauddeen, whose hands-on approach and genuine care stood out. Seeing him personally assisting with luggage before our departure spoke volumes about his leadership and the culture of hospitality at the resort. Hurawalhi is truly a gem, made even more special by the incredible people who bring it to life.

Hurawalhi is one of my favourite places in the whole world and I cannot fault anything about it. The service is exceptional, as is the food, accommodation and the whole resort. This was our second visit and it was even better than our first, which we didn’t think was possible. We cannot wait to go back. We did the all inclusive package which is so worth it and even includes Champagne. We were looked after so well by Noza, our island host who was knowledgeable, helpful and accommodating. AJ the DJ was fantastic and we even managed to get him to play an extra night for us as we loved his set so much. He is the nicest man and seemed so appreciative that we enjoyed his evenings so much. Special mentions to Fazeel in Canneli whose service was excellent and he even took us snorkelling on his afternoon off. Barsha in Coco Bar works so hard and nothing is too much trouble. Tulsa is the same. Other special mentions for: Harshal Kumar, who was exceptional. Pop who works in the spa. Suhail in Canelli

Our experience at Hurawhali was just amazing from start to finish. I’ve never been so sad to leave a holiday before. The food and service are outstanding and the wildlife is so cool. Saw multiple turtles and rays right outside our villa. The only thing I could think of to improve was to put the villa numbers on the water side of the water villas so it’s easier to find when snorkelling. Otherwise everything was perfect

Our 5day stay at the Hurawalhi Resort for our honeymoon was an unforgettable experience! All the staffs were very friendly and welcoming. The hospitality was wonderful. We were on an all inclusive plan, but it was a perfect choice. Every meal at the various restaurants were fabulous. We are sure to come back again!

After 50 years of waiting, and we have just got around to our first ever Maldivian experience, and WOW, what an experience it was. With so many islands and tours available, and all looking so gorgeous in the photographs, we presented Simply Maldives (Amit) with some criteria: relatively small and quiet; friendly; adult only; all-inclusive options; luxurious but not overly opulent. He came up with a number of selections, all of which fitted our criteria and each with its own take on “paradise”. We settled on the resort of Hurawalhi and haven’t been disappointed. The journey from Male to Hurawalhi involves a 40-minute transfer via seaplane— another first for us. It was great fun, and it gave us the opportunity to see so many beautiful islands on our flight. Be aware, though, the planes are hot, noisy, and a bit cramped and usually enjoy a reduced luggage allowance to your main carrier. The last five minutes of the journey from their sister resort to Hurawalhi was by speedboat. As we stepped off the boat, we were met by the resort manager (Bahau) along with some of his team, offering cold towels and even colder drinks. A local islander welcomed us with the beat of the local drum. Having completed much of the registration detail online prior to arrival and having downloaded the app, the time needed for registration, etc., was minimal, and before long, we were being driven by our host, Zayanppppii, on a buggy to our sunset beach villa. The villa was amazing. Zayan explained that he was our host for the duration of our stay, and anything and everything that we required could be requested through him. He checked that we had access to the resort Wi-Fi and set us up in a WhatsApp group that allowed us to contact him 24 /7. He was true to his word and an excellent island host throughout our entire stay. Throughout our stay, we ate at all three restaurants included within their “All Inclusive Plan”— The Canneli (primarily buffet style with some excellent additional cooking stations); the Kashibo and JFK. Although the AIP plan included lunch, we often found we didn’t need this as breakfast in the Canneli provided an excellent choice. We also ate at The Teppanyaki (excellent) and 5.8 the undersea restaurant, which for a lot of people, certainly us, is likely to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but be warned it is very expensive. By choice, our daily activities were limited to sleeping, eating, drinking, visiting the spa, the odd boat trip, and snorkelling the reef from the beach immediately in front of our villa. There is a really good house reef, and like so many other reviewers of this hotel we saw, turtles, pods of spinner dolphins, sharks, rays, and a variety of different fish. There is an excellent dive centre offering “reef safaris” and for those who are new to snorkelling or uncertain of their abilities or local currents/tides, they provided support, encouragement, and local knowledge. The spa was heavenly. For the more adventurous, there was Padel, kayaks, fishing, jet skis, yoga, etc., and indoors, a gym, table tennis, snooker, and a couple of games. We also took a tour of the “team village” which showcased many of the behind-the-scenes operations involved in keeping the island operational, including the impressive use of desalination techniques and the capture of solar energy. Ultimately, we found this resort provided everything we wanted. It was relaxed, friendly, but professionally run. At the time we visited, it was enjoyed by a collection of guests from around the world. Others might want more fine dining restaurant options, more or different entertainment options. Often, what makes a great holiday are the staff running the resort, and without exception, everyone we met, whatever their role, offered a smile and a greeting. Many we spoke to seemed to enjoy working there, and they spoke openly of being well looked after. The following lists those that we met or served us regularly, but I am sorry to say there are some names we have mislaid, misspelt or forgotten Bahaudden, Zayan, Ruwindi (a special thank you), Casmir, Tulsa & Farray (fabulous— enjoy your Thailand trip), Nano & Fredy (teppanyaki). Thank you for delivering the magic, What is for certain is that for every great customer-facing employee, there are still lots working hard behind the scenes. Well done to each and everyone of you all!