Alila suits couples settling into a quiet week in Raa Atoll, with a villa host and nights from $781 from 11 May 2027, the lowest any seller showed on Google for one night for 2 adults. For a short break, weigh up the daylight seaplane journey and its possible waits and stops.

Official site All-inclusive: terms

Does it suit you?

5 pairs of hotels, and the guide tells you whether this one suits you.
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Our verdict

A treatment with a therapist at the spa.

Beach villas offer 97 m² indoors, overwater villas 72, with a private pool in either setting. On land, trees shelter the villas; out on the lagoon, the deck is open to the water. Dinner brings another choice, from Mediterranean and Maldivian cooking to Japanese grills and teppanyaki. Even with a meal plan, signature dishes and sides can carry a charge.

The resort opened on 16 May 2022 on 11.2-hectare Kothaifaru in Raa Atoll. Beach Pool Villas have open-air bathrooms; overwater villas put the pool deck above the lagoon or ocean. Seasalt ranges across Middle Eastern, Mediterranean and Maldivian cooking, Umami serves Japanese food and Pibati Sul Mare offers pizza and pasta until 6pm. For The Shack, take a boat to a table on the sandbank. Spa Alila has 4 double suites among the trees. Snorkelling equipment is provided, and guests describe turtles, rays and the occasional manta on the house reef.

In the Lumina Guide

Lumina Guide 2027

At Alila Kothaifaru, in Raa Atoll, every villa has its own private pool, on the beach among the trees or over the lagoon.

How we choose the hotels

Our reading, point by point

What we found reading the hotel’s own pages, one thing at a time.

  1. Location

    A Raa Atoll island with a reef and beach; around 45 minutes by seaplane, plus waiting time.

  2. Character

    Contemporary Alila villas among trees and lagoon, with villa-host service.

  3. Rooms

    7 categories, all with pools; separately stated interiors of 72–235 m² and three 2-bedroom villas.

  4. Food and social life

    5 outlets with distinct menus; signature dishes, sides and teppanyaki have specific meal-plan exclusions.

  5. Wellness

    4 double spa suites among the trees, with group sessions separate from private classes.

  6. The stay as a whole

    On Google, US$ 1,279 per night for 2, 16–19 November 2026; mandatory transfers separately charged.

What makes it rare

A badge is an experience travellers look for, that is really here and that few hotels in the guide have.

What the badges are

The 5 things that matter, as guests tell them

What do Alila Kothaifaru’s guests say? They write it in their reviews, even those who only came for a drink or dinner: we read every one and tell the 5 things that matter, from the location to the bill.

  1. Location

    9 in 10 guests who mention it are happy with it. Guests write about a small, green island, the lagoon and the house reef, where they describe turtles, rays, sharks and the odd manta.

  2. Room

    9 in 10 guests who mention it are happy with it. Guests remember the villas for their space, contemporary design and private pool; the beach villas, tucked among the trees, are the most secluded.

  3. Staff and service

    9 in 10 guests who mention it are happy with it. Guests thank by name the villa hosts, one assigned to each villa, and the staff at Seasalt, Umami and the bars.

  4. Breakfast

    9 in 10 guests who mention it are happy with it. Breakfast is at Seasalt: guests write about a buffet with plenty of choice and à la carte dishes cooked to order.

  5. Price

    The bill adds up the villa, the seaplane and meals; guests who write about it mostly mention the prices of dishes, drinks and activities, and recommend the all-inclusive plan.

The numbers, and how we count them
Alila Kothaifaru in numbers
WhatScore out of 10Guests who mention itHappy
Location8.48085%
Room8.57987%
Staff and service8.515485%
Breakfast8.23394%
Price–1932%

The scores come from 167 Google reviews with text, left from 16 May 2022 to 29 September 2026. The other hotels are the ones weighed for a stay in Raa and the northern atolls: for each we read its latest 500 Google reviews with text, or all of them where there are fewer, as of 5 October 2026. The score is the average of what they say, from 0 if they speak of it very badly to 10 if they speak of it very well. Where only a few mention something, the score stays close to the guide’s average: a handful of voices does not make a reputation.

The hotels we weigh it against in Raa and the northern atolls:

  • Amilla Maldives
  • JOALI Maldives
  • Patina Maldives, Fari Islands
  • The Nautilus Maldives

Price: for two on the night of 12 May 2027, from $781 (seen on Google Hotels on 12 October 2026).

What a night costs, season by season

The calendar read on 12 October 2026 reaches $781 from 11 May 2027, with isolated highs of $1,936 on 9 December 2026 and $5,947 on 1 January 2027. For a flexible stay I would look first at June and price the whole stay together before booking.

PeriodDollars a night
13 October to 19 December 2026831–1,682
20 Dec 2026–8 Jan 20271,682–2,546
9 January to 5 April 20271,239–2,091
6 April to 6 September 2027781–1,582

Lowest price any seller showed on Google for each single night, searched separately for 2 adults; read 12 October 2026. No room or meal plan is named; the calendar ends on 6 September 2027. Booked as 7 nights from 16 November 2026, the lowest seller Google listed that day asked $1,162 a night; the resort’s own listing, $1,306.

Alila, COMO Maalifushi or Niyama

COMO Maalifushi suits a quiet holiday among palms, exploring the island by bicycle. Niyama suits a stay around a sandy lagoon, with a guided outer-reef trip 10 minutes away by boat, free from age 5.

HotelA night, from
Alila Kothaifaru$963
COMO Maalifushi$961
Niyama$966

For 16–22 November 2026: the lowest seller’s price for a single night in that week, searched separately for 2 adults on Google on 12 October 2026.

Water villas, jetty and beach

Five scenes from films and tours published between 2023 and 2026. MAMa Travel and The Wanderlust Jetsetter are travel operators; the footage does not establish prices or included meals and transfers.

YouTube
13:37
Along the jetty between the overwater villas.from 13:37 · Luxury Travel Expert · 15 July 2023Watch on YouTube
YouTube
3:49
The bed and glass doors towards the overwater deck.from 3:49 · Luxury Travel Experiences · 26 December 2024Watch on YouTube
YouTube
8:32
Arrival at the jetty, with the seaplane alongside.from 8:32 · Momo Travel · 15 June 2024Watch on YouTube
YouTube
1:15
On the overwater villa jetty.from 1:15 · The Wanderlust Jetsetter · 18 March 2024Watch on YouTube
YouTube
68:49
The beach and lagoon, with overwater villas in the distance.from 68:49 · МАМа Travel · 24 June 2026Watch on YouTube

What to expect

Wooden tables on the beach.Photo: Alila Kothaifaru Maldives

Dining by the beach

Try Seasalt for Mediterranean and Maldivian cooking, Umami for Japanese dishes, Pibati for pizza, Yakitori for grills and Mirus for a drink. Seasalt charges separately for signature dishes and sides, including on meal plans.

2 people working with coconut and leaves under a shaded shelter.Photo: Alila Kothaifaru Maldives

Between trees and lagoon

Beach villas sit among trees; overwater villas take their pools out onto the lagoon. Borrow snorkelling equipment from the resort to explore the house reef.

The gym with windows onto the garden.Photo: Alila Kothaifaru Maldives

Time away from the villa

The gym is open 24 hours a day. Group wellness sessions follow the resort programme; private yoga and personal training are booked and paid for separately.

Good to know before you book

  • The shared seaplane costs $710 per adult and $440 per child, return, until 9 January 2027; then $745 and $445. The flight takes about 45 minutes, with possible stops. Source: hyatt.com

  • Beach villas have 97 m² indoors, overwater villas 72, each with a private pool. Source: hyatt.com

  • The seaplane flies in daylight only: your international flight has to land before 3.30pm and leave after 9am, local time. Source: hyatt.com

  • Even on a meal plan, signature dishes, teppanyaki and side dishes can be left out; menu prices add 17% GST and a 10% service charge. Source: hyatt.com

  • Official shared fares read on 5 October 2026, including applicable taxes; child ages and baggage terms are not specified in the sources read. Flight time excludes waiting and possible stops. The aim of a wait below 2 hours is not a guarantee; fuel-related increases remain possible.

  • The floor plans make the differences clear: 97 m² indoors in the beach villas and 72 in the overwater villas, each with a private pool. The beach and tree canopy offer an alternative to the lagoon walkways. Arrival is part of the choice: a daylight seaplane, possible stops and waiting, plus a separate transfer bill. Read the chosen meal plan through to its exclusions; signature dishes, teppanyaki and sides are not all treated alike.

Getting there

The final approach is over water, by seaplane from Velana. Match your international flight to the daylight transfer window before buying the ticket.

Shared flightAround 45 minutes; possible stops
International flightArrival before 3.30 pm; departure after 9 am, local time
Return through 9 January 2027US$ 710 adult; US$ 440 child, NET
10 January 2027–9 January 2028US$ 745 adult; US$ 445 child, NET

Shared fares read on 5 October 2026 include applicable taxes; fuel surcharges may increase them. The operator aims to keep waits below 2 hours, and flights may stop at other resorts. Confirm the child fare’s age band and baggage allowance when booking.

The island on the map

Kothaifaru · Raa Atoll

Loading map…

A day at Alila Kothaifaru

7am

Start breakfast at Seasalt

Begin with the buffet and dishes cooked to order at Seasalt.

Late morning

Pause in the library

Leave a little time between breakfast and lunch for the resort’s library.

12pm

Order pizza at Pibati

Pibati Sul Mare opens for pizza and pasta, a change from the other restaurant menus.

Sunset

Watch sunset at Yakitori

A returning guest who wrote in July 2026 describes drinks and yakitori at the water’s edge while watching the sunset.

6.30pm

Try Japanese at Umami

Sit down to Japanese cooking as Umami opens for dinner.

Alila Kothaifaru Maldives reviews

167 Google text reviews, read in full.

On 5 October 2026, Google reported 4.6/5 from 217 overall ratings. Our separate reading covers 167 written reviews published between opening on 16 May 2022 and 29 September 2026. The location comes up in 80 reviews, the rooms in 79, breakfast in 33, the bill in 19 and the services in 154. Space, contemporary design, the villa hosts, often thanked by name, and breakfast at Seasalt recur. The seaplane involves waits and the meal plans carry supplements; some guests describe their beach villa as more private, while others report exposed overwater pools. The older reviews predate the new 2-bedroom villas and Boduge Residence, and do not describe them.

Guest voices

Summaries by subject; each count covers texts discussing that aspect.

Google

Location

Of the 80 reviews that mention the location, 85% speak well of it. The small, green island, the lagoon and the house reef recur: guests describe rays, reef sharks and the odd manta, a swim from the beach or the villa.

80 reviews · read 5 October 2026Read the review
Google

Rooms

Of the 79 reviews that mention the villas, 87% speak well of them. Space, contemporary design, the private pool and the beach villas’ outdoor bathroom recur; set among the trees, the beach villas are the ones described as most secluded.

79 reviews · read 5 October 2026Read the review
Google

Breakfast

Of the 33 reviews that mention breakfast, 94% speak well of it. It is served at Seasalt: the choice at the buffet and the dishes cooked to order recur.

33 reviews · read 5 October 2026Read the review
Google

Value

19 reviews mention the bill. They mention the prices of meals, drinks and activities, which come on top of the villa rate and the seaplane; guests who took the all-inclusive plan recommend it.

19 reviews · read 5 October 2026Read the review
Google

Services

Of the 154 reviews that mention the services, 85% speak well of them. The villa hosts, one assigned to each villa and often thanked by name, and the staff at Seasalt, Umami and the bars recur. The older reviews predate the new multi-bedroom villas.

154 reviews · read 5 October 2026Read the review

Questions before you go

Seaplane, villa and dining arrangements, read on 5 October 2026.

What kind of resort is it?

Alila Kothaifaru Maldives opened on 16 May 2022 as an Alila resort in Raa Atoll. Hyatt’s current English rooms introduction lists 41 one-bedroom beachfront villas, 36 overwater villas, three 2-bedroom beach villas and one Boduge Residence: 81 in total. The opening release listed 80 (44 beach, 36 water). The homepage marine section still gives 80; the 2026 tourism directory gives 81 in its descriptive text and 80 in its table. The figures agree once the residence is counted: 80 villas, 41 + 36 + 3, plus the Boduge Residence make 81, according to Hyatt’s rooms page, read on 15 October 2026.

Source 1 · Source 2 · Source 3

Which rooms and villas can you choose?

There are 7 marketed categories. Lagoon, Ocean and Sunset Overwater Pool Villas share 125 m² total (72 inside, 53 outside) and a king bed; their combined inventory is 36, with no published count by orientation. Beach and Sunset Beach Pool Villas share 202 m² (97 inside, 105 outside), a king bed and open-air bathrooms; their combined inventory is 41. 3 Two-Bedroom Beach Pool Villas have one king and 2 twins, 265 m² (168 inside, 97 outside). The single Boduge Residence has the same sleeping arrangement plus a service room, 395 m² (235 inside, 160 outside), kitchenette and BBQ area. Connecting a neighbouring villa creates a 3-bedroom configuration and does not add a separate residence to the inventory. Maximum occupancy is not published on the current room pages.

Source

Where is it and what is the setting like?

Kothaifaru is an 11.2-hectare island in Raa Atoll. From Velana, Malé’s international airport, the journey continues by seaplane.

Source 1 · Source 2 · Source 3

How do you get there and what does the transfer cost?

The owner quotes about 45 minutes by shared seaplane, with possible intermediate resort stops and a longer journey. Its published international-flight windows are arrival before 3.30 pm and departure after 9 am Maldives time. The operator aims for a wait below 2 hours; this is not a guarantee. Shared return transfers are US$ 710 NET/adult and US$ 440 NET/child for stays through 9 January 2027; US$ 745/445 NET from 10 January 2027 through 9 January 2028. Applicable taxes are included and fuel-related rises remain possible. Before booking, confirm the child fare’s age bands and baggage allowance; both remain unverified. Private one-way flights are a separate paid option.

Source

Can you arrive by car or park there?

The final journey to the resort is by seaplane. Ask the transfer operator about any parking arrangements at Velana.

Source 1 · Source 2

How do you reach the beach and sea?

Beach villas face the shore; overwater villas have pool decks above the lagoon or ocean. Before swimming from your villa, ask where to enter and how the depth and currents are that day. The Shack is a private table on a sandbank, reached by boat.

Source 1 · Source 2

What should you know about the reef and snorkelling?

There is a house reef, with snorkelling equipment available from the resort. Ask the activity centre where to enter the water for your villa and that day’s conditions. Ask the activity centre about arrangements and conditions for a trip to Hanifaru Bay.

Source 1 · Source 2 · Source 3

Which pools are there?

Every villa has a private pool, and there is an outdoor communal infinity pool. Ask the resort about dimensions, depths and lifeguard cover.

Source 1 · Source 2 · Source 3

Are the pools heated and when are they open?

Ask the resort about pool heating, temperatures and communal-pool hours; the pages consulted do not publish them.

Source 1 · Source 2 · Source 3

Where can you eat and which meals cost extra?

Seasalt offers Middle Eastern, Mediterranean and Maldivian-influenced food: breakfast 7–10.30 am, lunch noon–5 pm and dinner 6.30–10 pm. Umami serves Japanese food and teppanyaki 6.30–10 pm. Pibati Sul Mare serves pizza and pasta noon–6 pm. Yakitori offers robata-style food noon–5 pm and 6.30–10 pm; Mirus serves drinks and snacks 11 am–midnight. The Shack offers booked sandbank dining. For the current menus, Hyatt’s dining page links to the resort’s guest directory on Staytus. Menus distinguish dishes included in meal packages from charged signature items. Vegetarian/vegan labels and kids’ dishes are published; these are not an allergy-safe preparation guarantee. The original Seasalt dinner menu also excludes signature dishes, luxury indulgences and every side dish from meal packages; menu prices add 17% GST and a 10% service charge.

Source

What does all-inclusive include?

Half Board Special uses code HBSPL: Seasalt breakfast and a 3-course dinner at Seasalt, Pibati, Yakitori or Umami, with teppanyaki excluded and premium/signature dishes extra. The US$75 food credit for alternative venues depends on availability and cannot pay for alcohol. Book at least a day ahead between 17 October 2025 and 30 December 2028 for stays 5 November 2025–31 December 2028. Code ALLIN requires 3 nights or more and one-day advance booking: bookings 23 January 2026–30 December 2027, stays 1 February 2026–31 December 2027. It provides Seasalt breakfast; 3-course lunch at Seasalt, Yakitori or Pibati Sul Mare; and 3-course or theme-buffet dinner at Seasalt, Yakitori or Umami. Teppanyaki, premium and signature dishes cost extra. Alternative dinner venues receive US$75 per adult in food credit, subject to availability and excluding alcohol. Selected drinks at Seasalt, Mirus and Yakitori run 11 am–11 pm; specified minibar beverages are restocked once daily, while other items and all minibar food are charged. One selected 60-minute spa treatment per adult per stay is available 10 am–1 pm, subject to availability. Both offers quote a room-night rate based on double occupancy, excluding service, taxes, mandatory resort fees and incidentals; extra guests and upgrades may cost more. Rooms and benefits are limited and must coincide with the stay; groups, conventions, other promotions, tour packages and special rates cannot be combined. Blackouts and arrival/departure restrictions may apply. Unused benefits receive no refund or substitute; offers may change or be withdrawn without notice. Some included components may not earn World of Hyatt points. Seasalt’s original menu also excludes signature dishes, luxury indulgences and every side dish from meal packages; menu prices add 17% GST and 10% service.

Source 1 · Source 2

What does the spa offer?

Spa Alila sits among the trees. Its 4 double suites offer massages and face and body treatments, with a private bathroom, shower and floor-to-ceiling windows in each. Ask the spa about any sauna, steam room or thermal facilities.

Source 1 · Source 2

Is the spa included and who can use it?

Spa facilities are for guests aged 16 and over; some treatments can welcome younger guests under parental supervision. Scheduled group wellness sessions are complimentary, while private yoga and training cost extra. ALLIN includes a selected treatment; ask the spa about day passes or access for outside guests.

Source 1 · Source 2

What timings and conditions apply to treatments?

Spa Alila opens 10am–8pm and the gym is open 24 hours. Treatments outside spa hours need advance arrangements and cost an extra US$ 95 per person, plus tax and service. Arrive 15 minutes early: lateness shortens the session without reducing the price. Give at least 8 hours’ notice to cancel without the 50% fee; no-shows pay in full. Requests for a particular therapist depend on availability.

Source 1 · Source 2

Which treatments and prices are published?

The current Spa Alila menu prices Alila Kothaifaru Massage at US$ 185/215/245 for 60/75/90 minutes; Balinese, Ayurvedic Rejuvenation and Jet Lag massage at US$ 175/205/235 for the same durations. Taksu and Mother to Be massage are also listed. Targeted back/neck, head/scalp or leg/foot sessions are 60-minutes at US$ 160; body renewal 45 minutes at US$ 115 and facials 60-minutes at US$ 185. The visible menu adds 17% GST and 10% service charge and reserves tax changes. Private restorative yoga is US$ 120/60-minutes for up to 2 guests; personal training and Tai Chi breathing are US$ 120/60-minutes for one.

Source

Is it a suitable choice with children?

Play Alila, children’s menus at Seasalt and Umami, and larger villas give families room to spend time together. Beach accommodation avoids the overwater walkway, although pools and sea access still need supervision. Before booking, confirm club ages and supervised hours, babysitting, meals and the villa’s maximum occupancy.

Source 1 · Source 2

What other facilities does the resort offer?

An outdoor infinity pool, Spa Alila, Play Alila, a 24-hour gym, library, villa hosts, Wi-Fi and snorkelling equipment are available. Scheduled group wellness activities are complimentary; private classes carry charges. The hotel prohibits drones and pets, including service animals, and asks guests to bring disposable daily essentials that it does not routinely supply.

Source 1 · Source 2 · Source 3

Which offers have verifiable terms?

The site presents 5 offers: Half Board Special, ALLIN, Couple Celebration, Stay Longer Save More and Summer Escape. LONG normally requires 7 nights, but its terms vary the minimum from 7 to 10 between 23 December and 15 April. It includes specified breakfast/dinner and restricted food credit, selected 20% spa/F&B/laundry savings; up to 20% shared return seaplane reduction is adult-only for arrivals 15 April–20 December. Complimentary shared return transfers cover only 2 adults after at least 14 consecutive nights, not every guest. It is bookable by 30 December 2027 with stays through that date. SUMR27’s header starts 10 April 2027 but its binding text starts 11 April 2027, ending 31 October 2027, booked 5 October 2026–31 October 2027. It lists breakfast, restricted 3-course dinner/US$ 75 food credit, selected 15% spa and 20% F&B/return-seaplane savings. Both have limited availability, extra service charges/taxes/resort fees/incidentals, extra guest/upgrades costs, no group or other-promotion combination, possible blackout/arrival restrictions, no unused benefit refund or substitution and alteration/withdrawal clauses. These are the published terms, with their dates; a specific stay still needs a quote. LONG uses code LONG, with its published stay window starting 29 August 2022; Summer Escape uses code SUMR27. Rates are per room and night on double occupancy, benefits must coincide with the stay, food credits exclude alcohol, and ordinary dinners exclude premium/signature items and teppanyaki. Conventions, tour packages and special rate programmes are also excluded; some SUMR27 components may not earn World of Hyatt points. The reviewed SUMR27 page does not publish a specific minimum-night requirement.

Source 1 · Source 2

Can you celebrate a wedding or honeymoon?

The Couple Celebration package, code COUPLE, requires at least 4 nights and one-day advance booking between 23 January 2026 and 30 December 2027 for stays 1 February 2026–31 December 2027. It covers return shared airport/seaplane transfers for 2 people, arrival champagne, daily breakfast and specified dinner, one floating breakfast, one Twilight Beach Dinner with selected house wine subject to weather and one selected 60 minute couples’ spa treatment. Alternative dinners receiveUS$ 75/adult food credit excluding alcohol, subject to availability; premium/signature items, taxes, service charges, resort fees, incidentals and extra guests/upgrades cost extra. Shared transport is third-party; limited rooms, no group/other-promotion combination, possible blackouts/arrival restrictions and no unused refund/substitution apply. For a ceremony, ask the resort about capacity, prices and formalities; Couple Celebration is an accommodation package. The room-night rate is based on double occupancy; conventions, tour packages and special rate programmes are also excluded. Benefits must coincide with the stay. The offer may be changed or withdrawn without notice, and some included components may not earn World of Hyatt points. Daily dinner is a 3-course meal or theme buffet at Seasalt, Yakitori or Umami, excluding teppanyaki.

Source

What is planned for New Year?

Ask for the menu, programme, any compulsory supplement and child price for 31 December 2026; these are not specified in the 5 offers consulted. Under LONG, the seasonal minimum can rise to 7–10 nights between 23 December and 15 April.

Source 1 · Source 2 · Source 3

Is there golf or a green-fee package?

Ask the resort for a named course, transfers and green fees before planning a golf stay; the pages consulted do not publish a package.

Source 1 · Source 2 · Source 3

When did it open and are closures announced?

The resort opened on 16 May 2022 and sells stays for 2026–28. Its new multi-bedroom villas feature in the tourism corporation’s announcement of 29 March 2026, quoting the general manager; ask the resort for their exact opening date. A night without a calendar price calls for an availability search.

Source 1 · Source 2 · Source 3

Which price was read for 2 adults?

Google Hotels, read on 5 October 2026, showed US$ 1,279 per night for 2 adults staying 16–19 November 2026, including taxes and fees. The calendar held 195 prices and 185 unpriced nights; the lowest was US$ 781 for 12 May 2027, the highest US$ 2,546. These were quotes on that day: check the room, meal plan, seaplane, additional guests and festive charges before booking. Direct packages add taxes and service.

Source 1 · Source 2

What do reviews say and how many texts are used?

On 5 October 2026, Google reported 4.6/5 from 217 overall ratings. Our separate reading covers 167 written reviews published between opening on 16 May 2022 and 29 September 2026. The location comes up in 80 reviews, the rooms in 79, breakfast in 33, the bill in 19 and the services in 154. Space, contemporary design, the villa hosts, often thanked by name, and breakfast at Seasalt recur. The seaplane involves waits and the meal plans carry supplements; some guests describe their beach villa as more private, while others report exposed overwater pools. The older reviews predate the new 2-bedroom villas and Boduge Residence, and do not describe them.

Source

Which taxes and supplements remain separate?

Current restaurant menus and the visible spa menu add 17% GST and 10% service charge to their listed US-dollar rates. Current package terms exclude applicable taxes, service charges and mandatory resort fees. Shared seaplane return tariffs explicitly say NET including applicable taxes. For 2 adults, 16–19 November 2026, Google explicitly defines a nightly price including taxes and fees, separate from the transfer.

Source 1 · Source 2 · Source 3

Other hotels in the guide

An illuminated pavilion and overwater walkways at dusk.

Nova Maldives

A compact island, between reef and shared activities

Two people with paddleboards near the shore.

Summer Island Maldives

A speedboat beach holiday with different ways to reach the sea

Fesdu from above, with its beach, greenery and overwater villa boardwalks

W Maldives

A reef within reach of the villa, with a livelier evening.

Tables on White Orchid’s overwater terrace at dusk.

JA Manafaru

The far north, a private pool and 7 dining venues.

The beach, trees and Meeru pool seen from above.

Hideaway Beach Resort & Spa

Space and greenery in the northern Maldives, with a journey to allow for.

SO/ Maldives from above, with villas, beach and lagoon.

SO/ Maldives

A pool villa close to the airport, with outlook and meals to choose.

The Fari Islands and curved Ritz-Carlton villa jetties

Ritz-Carlton Maldives

Ritz-Carlton Maldives suits couples and families who want a contemporary villa, a private pool and days divided between the spa and restaurants. Budget for meals, treatments and the speedboat when the chosen rate excludes them; reef snorkelling also involves guided boat trips.

Aerial view of the island, beaches and overwater villa jetties

NOOE Maldives

Couples and groups choosing between beach and overwater duplex. Transfer prices unspecified; minibar and spa have separate costs

Aerial view of the island, beaches and overwater villa jetties

Heritance Aarah

Couples and families wanting meals and activities with explicit terms. Category-specific access; transfers and supplements separate from room quote

Aerial island and long sand spit in evening light.

Villa Park

Beach, garden or overwater: choose the room first, then the board and transfer.

The overwater terrace at sunset.

The Nautilus Maldives

The Nautilus Maldives suits guests seeking a spacious house, a butler and meals that follow their own rhythm on a small Baa island. Privacy comes at a substantial cost, and transfers, spa and experiences need separate reading from the house rate.

The pink tower on the beach.

Ifuru Island Maldives

Ifuru Island Maldives suits families and groups seeking a beach, varied restaurants and a pool with music, with arrivals also using the island’s airstrip. Suites and villas have distinct formats, while supplements, transfers and activities do not all become part of Premium All Inclusive.

Gentle giantsHeld by a resort for which a source says where and when manta rays or whale sharks are met: a named site, a season or the time it takes to reach them.16 hotels of 335 hold it.

This guide is written with Lumina, the marketing system for hotels.