Hurawalhi Island Resort, in the Maldives’ Lhaviyani Atoll: 90 adults-only villas and a restaurant under the sea, 40 minutes by seaplane.
A week here, month by monthHurawalhi suits couples who want a private pool and time on the house reef, with the lowest seller on Google showing one night for 2 adults from $778 in late August 2027. For a holiday with children under 15, choose a different island.
An underwater restaurant in the Maldives: 5.8, its prices, menus and booking Official siteDoes it suit you?
5 pairs of hotels, and the guide tells you whether this one suits you.
I would ask for an Ocean Pool Villa for its 132 m² and private infinity pool of 27 m²: the sundeck also has a staircase down to the lagoon.
For 31 August to 6 September 2027, individual nights range from $778 to $810 on Google, read on 13 October 2026; the dearest night shown is 29 December 2026, at $2,272.
Allow $480 per adult for the return seaplane, for travel from 17 August 2026. If you book through an agency without the transfer, the resort asks you to settle it at check-in.
For the undersea restaurant, reserve through the resort’s app: lunch is at noon or 2pm, dinner at 6pm. Guests must remove their shoes at the entrance, with smart casual dress.
Hurawalhi opened on 1 December 2016 (official site) on an island about 400 by 165 metres, 6.5 hectares, in the north of Lhaviyani Atoll, the only resort on its island (resort factsheet). It takes guests aged 15 and over (getting here) and in 2026 was rated Five-Star by the Forbes Travel Guide (official site). There are 90 villas: 30 Ocean Pool Villas, 15 Romantic Ocean Villas and 15 Ocean Villas over the water, 21 Beach Sunset Pool Villas and 9 Beach Pool Villas on the beach (resort factsheet).
What brings many travellers here is 5.8, described by the resort as the world’s largest all-glass undersea restaurant, 5.8 metres down: 10 tables, lunch at noon and 2pm, dinner at 6pm, barefoot (5.8). It is always extra: the resort’s gift shop sells the meal at $250 to $315 a person (resort gift shop). The other restaurants are Canneli, the buffet; Kashibo, Asian over the water with teppanyaki; JFK, vegan; and the Coco Bar with its infinity pool (resort factsheet).
The house reef is sheltered and shallow, a few fin kicks off the beach, with a small resident population of hawksbill turtles; snorkelling gear is free for the whole stay (resort blog). The marine biology centre works with Prodivers and the Manta Trust and runs manta-search trips (getting here). Sulha Spa, part of the Duniye group, has its treatment rooms over the water (Sulha Spa, getting here).
Guests give it 4.9 out of 5 on Google from 927 reviews, 4.9 on Tripadvisor from 4,664 and 9.4 on Booking.com from 226, read on 5 October 2026. They praise the staff, the personal island host and the food, and come back often, some 5 times (Google).
Lumina Guide 2027
Gives more than the other hotels of its place and price range.
Hurawalhi is a small, adults-only island in Lhaviyani Atoll, with 90 villas, a reef a few strokes off the beach and 5.8, the all-glass restaurant under the sea.
How Lumi are awardedGuests (exceptional)
500 reviews read: the location pleases more than 9 guests in 10 who mention it, the room more than 9 in 10.
Critics
Ours
We found a pool at 60 of the villas, hawksbill turtles living on the house reef, free snorkelling gear, a marine biology centre that works with the Manta Trust and a spa with its treatment rooms over the water.
What we found reading the hotel’s own pages, one thing at a time.
Lhaviyani, 40 minutes by seaplane; the reef a few strokes off the beach.
A small adults-only island, Forbes Five-Star in 2026; very romantic, less lively.
From 105 to 132 m², a pool in 60 of the 90 villas; the villas opened in 2016.
5.8 under the sea, Kashibo over the water, a cellar of more than 336 wines.
Sulha Spa over the water, a 2-storey gym, yoga and meditation.
Google showed a single night at $535 on 12 May 2027, read on 5 October 2026, but 5.8, the seaplane and drinks weigh on the bill.
A badge is an experience travellers look for, that is really here and that few hotels in the guide have.
Here: guests from the age of 15: no kids’ club, and no small children in the pool or the restaurant.
Minimum age 15, from hurawalhi.com. 8 hotels of 335 hold it.
Every hotel with this badgeHere: on Google Hotels on 5 October 2026 a night for 2 ran from $535 in mid-May 2027 to $1,649 in February.
39 of the 64 guests who write about the price are happy with it. 19 hotels of 335 hold it.
Every hotel with this badgeHere: a Romantic Ocean Villa with its deck bathtub, sunset at the Champagne Pavilion and dinner 5.8 metres under the sea.
71 of the 128 reviews that say who was travelling are honeymoons. 19 hotels of 335 hold it.
Every hotel with this badgeWhat do Hurawalhi’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.
Nearly every guest who mentions it is happy with it. The house reef is a short swim from the beach and guests meet turtles and reef sharks there; many also write of Dream Island, the resort’s sandbank, and of dolphins at sunset.
Nearly every guest who mentions it is happy with it. Clean, well-kept villas, serviced twice a day; guests write of the Beach Sunset Pool Villas, facing the sunset, and of the water villas, where the sea is reached straight from the deck.
9 in 10 guests who mention it are happy with it. Guests tell of the island host who arranges dinners, excursions and snorkelling, the chefs and waiters at Canneli, the dive centre, and the surprises for anniversaries and honeymoons.
9 in 10 guests who mention it are happy with it. Breakfast is the buffet at Canneli, indoors or in the open air, where dolphins sometimes pass offshore; guests remember the wide choice.
6 in 10 guests who mention the price find it fair. All-Inclusive Plus covers meals at Canneli, dinners at Kashibo and JFK and drinks at the Coco Bar; dinner under the sea at 5.8 and treatments at the Sulha Spa are charged on top.
On the room it comes ahead of the 5 other hotels it is compared with in the Maldives.
| What | Score out of 10 | Guests who mention it | Happy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Location | 9.1 | 168 | 95% |
| Room | 8.6 | 115 | 95% |
| Staff and service | 9.1 | 325 | 93% |
| Breakfast | 8.2 | 37 | 92% |
| Price | – | 64 | 61% |
The scores come from 500 Google reviews with text, left from 20 September 2018 to 5 October 2026. The other hotels are the ones weighed for a stay in the Maldives: 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 the Maldives:
Price: for two on the night of 21 August 2027, from $778 (seen on Google Hotels on 13 October 2026).
For a night for 2 adults, Google showed $778–$887 between May and early September 2027, against $1,509–$2,272 from 26 December 2026 to 5 January 2027. I would start with the late-August dates, then price the whole stay together.
| Period | Dollars a night |
|---|---|
| 15 October to 30 October 2026 | 778–1,016 |
| 31 October to 25 December 2026 | 789–1,268 |
| 26 December 2026 to 5 January 2027 | 1,509–2,272 |
| 6 January to 18 March 2027 | 1,099–1,502 |
| 19 March to 30 April 2027 | 1,027–1,121 |
| 1 May to 7 September 2027 | 778–887 |
Lowest price any seller showed on Google Hotels for one night searched alone for 2 adults, read on 13 October 2026; no room or meal plan is named. The calendar stops on 7 September 2027; there is no price from 22 May to 15 July. Separately, 28 November 2026 shows $789 and 18 January 2027 shows $2,206. Booked as 7 nights from 16 November 2026, the lowest seller Google listed that day asked $1,113 a night.
Atmosphere Kanifushi suits a stay of 4 nights or more when having the return seaplane included matters. You & Me is an option for an evening arrival via a domestic flight and speedboat, with its reef reached by boat.
Lowest individual night for 2 adults in 16–22 November 2026: Hurawalhi read on Google on 13 October 2026; both alternatives on 12 October 2026. Room and meal plan are not named.
Dinner among the fish, Asia over the water, sunset with Champagne, the infinity pool, treatments and the house reef’s turtles.
5.8 metres under the lagoon, 10 tables beneath a glass vault: a 5-course lunch at noon or 2pm, a 7-course dinner at 6pm, and a private Champagne breakfast on request (5.8). You go in barefoot, smart casual; guests of other resorts can book too.
The Asian restaurant over the water: China, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, teppanyaki and shochu cocktails (Kashibo). At night lights shine into the water and sharks and rays swim past; next door is the cellar, with more than 336 wines (resort factsheet).
The island’s westernmost point, for sunset with Champagne and canapés, facing Dream Island, the resort’s sandbank; dolphins sometimes pass (Champagne Pavilion). On All-Inclusive Plus a bottle of Taittinger with canapés costs $120 (resort factsheet).
Designed by the architect Yuji Yamazaki, on the beach beside the infinity pool: cocktails, wines, shisha and a DJ at night (Coco Bar). It opens from 10am to 1am (resort factsheet).
Part of the Duniye group, with Asian massage traditions and natural products (Sulha Spa); the treatment rooms stand over the water (getting here). The 2-storey gym has a personal trainer, yoga, aqua fitness and meditation (resort factsheet).
The house reef is sheltered and shallow, a few fin kicks off the beach, with resident hawksbill turtles; mask and fins are free for the whole stay (resort blog). With the biologist of the marine biology centre, linked to the Manta Trust, you go out looking for manta rays (getting here).
Hurawalhi takes guests aged 15 and over only: no kids’ club, and no small children in the pool or the restaurants. Source: 500 Google reviews read, 20 September 2018 to 5 October 2026
Sulha Spa treatments are charged separately, even on All-Inclusive Plus: the Sulha Signature massage costs $165 for 60 minutes. Source: hurawalhi.com
Hurawalhi takes guests aged 15 and over only (getting here): no kids’ club, and no small children in the pool or the restaurants.
5.8 is always paid on top, even on All-Inclusive Plus, as are teppanyaki, in-villa dining and the Champagne Pavilion (5.8, all-inclusive). The resort says its rates include the 10% service charge and the tourism GST; the green tax is shown separately (villas, MIRA).
The 40-minute seaplane flies in daylight only: the international flight must land between 6am and 3pm (transfer policy). Booking.com gives $480 per adult return from 17 August 2026 (Booking.com); guests who book through an agency pay it on arrival (villas).
The villas opened in 2016 (official site).
The resort’s map marks some stretches of reef for strong currents or no swimming; the resort asks you to learn the entry and exit points before you go (snorkelling, resort factsheet).
There is a resident doctor on the island; the nearest decompression chamber is on Kuredu (resort factsheet).
By seaplane from Malé, 40 minutes, in daylight only.
| Seaplane | 40 minutes with Trans Maldivian Airways to the resort’s jetty (getting here); $480 per adult return from 17 August 2026 according to Booking.com (Booking.com). |
|---|---|
| Times | The international flight must land between 6am and 3pm (transfer policy); later arrivals spend a night near the airport. |
| On arrival | Staff take you to the TMA desk and then to Hurawalhi’s lounge at the terminal, with drinks, snacks and Wi-Fi; on departure the lounge stays open into the evening (resort factsheet). |
| Booked elsewhere | Through Expedia or Agoda the seaplane is not included: you write to the resort’s reservations and pay at check-in (villas). |
Sources read on 5 October 2026.
The resort, the airport and Kuredu, the neighbouring island with the decompression chamber. Tap a place for details.
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Recommended for you
Take breakfast outdoors at Canneli, with the lagoon in front of you.
Join a workshop at the Marine Biology Centre to learn about reef manta rays.
Set aside the afternoon for a massage at Sulha Spa.
At the Champagne Pavilion, face Dream Island with a glass of Champagne and canapés.
Sit on Coco Bar’s terrace for a last drink beside the lagoon.
Platform scores and what guests write about the staff, the reef, the food and the villas.
Scores read on 5 October 2026
From the resort’s Google listing, March to September 2026: a fifth stay, a 40th birthday, a honeymoon, the reef and the water villas.
GoogleA couple in September 2026 are on their fifth visit to Hurawalhi and have already decided to return next year: the island, they write, surprises them every time.
GoogleA guest in August 2026 chose Hurawalhi for a 40th birthday: everything flawless, with the island host arranging dinners, excursions and snorkelling.
GoogleNewlyweds in March 2026 describe staff who looked after them from the bags to the seaplane, and the lounge with food and drinks included.
GoogleA couple in June 2026 give 4 stars: a lively reef and high-end food, but little flexibility and an adults-only atmosphere that felt somewhat artificial.
GoogleA German guest in June 2026 praises the à la carte food but found worn water villas, noisy works, single glazing that let the wind in and many insects.
On the Google Hotels calendar, read on 5 October 2026 for 2 adults, a night cost $932 on 16 November 2026, $698 on 7 December, $1,205 on 26 December, $698 on 11 January 2027, $1,649 on 8 February, $780 on 8 March and $535 on 12 May. Google names neither villa nor meal plan.
For 16–19 November 2026 Hotels.com offered the Romantic Ocean Villa at $1,162 a night and Booking.com at $1,166 (Google Hotels). The price includes service and GST, as the resort says (villas), and the green tax too: Booking.com’s link carries $835.88 of tax for the 3 nights. The seaplane comes on top.
You choose between half board, full board and All-Inclusive Plus (dining). All-Inclusive Plus covers meals at Canneli, 3-course lunches and dinners at Kashibo and JFK, unlimited drinks at the Coco Bar from 10am to 1am and at the Kashibo bar from noon to 10pm, the minibar, a half-bottle of Champagne on arrival and a dolphin cruise (resort factsheet). It leaves out 5.8, teppanyaki, in-villa dining and the Champagne Pavilion (all-inclusive).
No meal plan includes it (5.8). The 5-course lunch costs $250 a person and the 7-course dinner $315, the same sums the resort charges for a cancellation inside 24 hours (5.8 dinner); the wine pairing adds $95 at lunch and $145 at dinner, taxes and service included (dinner menu). Lunch is at noon or 2pm, dinner at 6pm, by reservation only.
Yes: guests of other resorts can book through a form on the site, but the transfer has to be arranged by their own resort (5.8). Without a booking you cannot even see the room.
By seaplane, 40 minutes, in daylight only: the international flight must land between 6am and 3pm (getting here, transfer policy). Booking.com gives $480 per adult return (Booking.com).
Yes: sheltered and shallow, a few fin kicks off the beach, with resident hawksbill turtles; the gear is free for the whole stay (resort blog). There is also a free snorkelling introduction covering the entry and exit points (snorkelling).
Yes: it takes guests aged 15 and over (getting here, resort factsheet).
For a pool, an Ocean Pool Villa, 132 m² over the water with a 27 m² pool, facing sunrise (Ocean Pool Villa); for sunsets, a Beach Sunset Pool Villa (Beach Sunset Pool Villa). The Romantic Ocean Villa, 105 m², has a deck bathtub and a catamaran net (Romantic Ocean Villa).
Sulha Spa, part of the Duniye group, is a 2-storey building with its treatment rooms over the water (getting here, Sulha Spa). It uses organic Healing Earth products; the Sulha Signature massage costs $165 for 60 minutes and $225 for 90, the Him & Her couples’ ritual $340 for 75 minutes, the Romantic Retreat $520 for 105 minutes, and there are 3- and 5-day retreats at $800 and $1,100 (spa menu). Neither the resort’s pages nor the menu mention a sauna or steam room (read on 5 October 2026).
Sulha Spa treatments cost extra (Sulha Spa); All-Inclusive Plus includes the gym, yoga, aqua fitness and group meditation (resort factsheet). No day pass for outside guests is published.
The shared pool is a freshwater infinity pool beside the Coco Bar and the beach (resort factsheet, Coco Bar). 60 of the 90 villas have their own 27 m² infinity pool (resort factsheet).
Yes, with symbolic ceremonies, not legally binding, in 5 settings: among them the beach, Dream Island, the Champagne Pavilion and 5.8 under the sea (weddings, resort factsheet). Prices are not published.
The Google Hotels calendar had prices for every month from November 2026 to July 2027. The resort publishes 30% off until 26 December 2026, 25% for 2027 and 30% for summer 2027 (offers). These dated prices and offers do not establish an annual operating calendar.
The festive programme runs from 24 December to 6 January, with dinners, excursions and treatments, and is published in the resort’s app (festive programme). The Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve gala dinners are supplements no discount applies to (resort factsheet); their price was not published on the pages read on 13 October 2026. On Google Hotels the night of 26 December 2026 cost $1,961.
At 5.8 it is smart casual and barefoot: shoes stay at the entrance (5.8).
Yes, in the villas and in some public areas (resort factsheet).
4.9 out of 5 on Google from 927 reviews, 4.9 on Tripadvisor from 4,664 and 9.4 on Booking.com from 226, read on 5 October 2026. They praise the staff, the food and the reef, and many return. Extras are charged on top, from 5.8 to the spa and diving; between December 2025 and June 2026 some guests write that the villas, opened in 2016, are beginning to show their age (Google, Tripadvisor).
Plan the seaplane connection with the resort: it arranges the 40-minute flight around your international arrival and departure details, with arrivals into Malé between 6am and 3pm.
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This guide is written with Lumina, the marketing system for hotels.
