Terra
7 bamboo nests among the treetops, each for a single table, and 7-course menus of seasonal produce (dining). It is the most requested restaurant for romantic dinners; the resort steers young children elsewhere.
Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi
Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi, in South Malé Atoll: 117 villas, each with an infinity pool, 40 minutes by yacht from the airport.
A week here, month by monthWaldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi suits travellers who want a big resort close to Malé, with dinner in the trees at Terra and a yacht at any hour: a night starts at $3,692 from 5 December 2026 for 2 adults, the lowest price any seller showed on Google. Anyone after a remote atoll with no lights on the horizon will be happier elsewhere.
Official siteDoes it suit you?
5 pairs of hotels, and the guide tells you whether this one suits you.Like a regular
The villa over the reef
For snorkelling I would ask for a King Reef Villa with Pool: from 279 m², suspended above the reef, with steps into the water, a private infinity pool, a hammock and a daybed over the water.
The weeks that cost less
Consider 18 to 24 May 2027: 7 nights at $3,756 for 2 adults on Google, read 12 October 2026. In the dearest week, 20 to 26 December 2026, nights ran from $3,805 to $8,656.
The yacht on top
The shared yacht from the airport is $960 per adult return and $480 for a child aged 6 to 12; under 6 travel free. The transfer carries a further 28.7% in tax and service charge.
Champagne at Amber
Amber, a beachfront lounge, is open from 6pm to 8pm, and the resort calls the sunset its specialty, with a champagne menu and small plates such as caviar with blinis.
What Waldorf Astoria Maldives is
Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi opened in July 2019 (Traveller Made) on 3 linked islands of South Malé Atoll (official site); apart from them lies Ithaafushi, the private island the resort calls the largest in the Maldives, for up to 18 guests (private island). There are 117 villas, on the beach, over the reef and over the water, and every one has an infinity pool (official site).
You arrive on the resort’s yacht, 40 minutes from the airport: $960 per adult return, plus 28.7% tax and service, and no seaplane timetable to meet (Hilton). The entry villas measure 234 m² on the beach, 279 over the reef and 283 over the water (villas).
There are 11 restaurants and bars (dining). Terra serves 7-course menus in 7 bamboo nests in the trees; The Ledge cooks over wood fire with the Michelin-starred chef Dave Pynt; Zuma brings Japanese cooking over the water, Li Long its Peking duck. The spa has treatment rooms over the water and Aqua Wellness, with its hydrotherapy pool (wellness).
The reef is close: from the reef villas the drop-off is a few metres away (One Mile at a Time). Malé is close, and it shows: boats pass constantly and, at night, the lights of nearby islands stay on the horizon (The Luxury Traveller). Guests praise the staff above all; in 2026 the resort won Connoisseur Circle’s Best Hideaway Worldwide (official site).
In the Lumina Guide
Lumina Guide 2027
Waldorf Astoria Ithaafushi is the big resort 40 minutes by yacht from Malé airport, with no seaplane needed: 3 linked islands, 117 villas each with an infinity pool, and 11 restaurants and bars.
Distinctions
Those who come back
Among the hotel’s regulars, 3 write of being remembered by the staff or given the same concierge again. One writing in March 2023, on a second stay, finds the service improved since the opening in 2019. A guest writing in April 2026, on an 8th or 9th visit, says that every time it feels like coming home. A guest writing in August 2025, back after a honeymoon trip in 2020, found that, against the common advice not to repeat a resort, going back proved the right call.
- 11 of the 350 reviews with text say it is not a first stay
- From a second stay to a 6th
- One guest is on an 8th or 9th visit
Counted among all 350 reviews with text, written between October 2017 and October 2026.
Our reading, point by point
What we found reading the hotel’s own pages, one thing at a time.
Location
South Malé Atoll, 40 minutes by yacht; Malé and its boat traffic on the horizon.
Character
A big branded resort since 2019, 3 islands and a private island; polished rather than intimate.
Rooms
117 villas from 234 to over 1,100 m², each with an infinity pool.
Food and social life
11 restaurants and bars, from Terra in the trees to Dave Pynt’s The Ledge.
Wellness
An overwater spa and Aqua Wellness with its hydrotherapy pool; prices are not published.
The stay as a whole
Nights from $3,805 to $9,160 for 2 on Google, plus the yacht at $960 per adult.
The 5 things that matter, as guests tell them
What do Waldorf Astoria Maldives’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.
Location
9 in 10 guests who mention it are happy with it. You arrive from the airport on the resort’s yacht, in about 40 minutes and with no seaplane: guests write of the crossing, the beaches and the reef in front of the ocean-facing villas.
Room
9 in 10 guests who mention it are happy with it. Every villa has a pool, on the beach, on the reef or over the water: guests write of the space, the privacy and the hammocks hung over the sea.
Staff and service
9 in 10 guests who mention it are happy with it. Guests thank by name the personal concierge who looks after them throughout the stay, from restaurant bookings to buggies, and the morning team at Tasting Table.
Breakfast
8 in 10 guests who mention it are happy with it. Breakfast is included and served at Tasting Table, with a buffet and à la carte dishes, or floating in the villa’s pool: guests write of the wide choice and of the team who welcome them each morning.
Price
Breakfast is included; restaurants and drinks are charged separately, with service and taxes. Guests who write about money mention dinner at Terra and the yacht, $960 return per adult plus taxes.
The numbers, and how we count them
| What | Score out of 10 | Guests who mention it | Happy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Location | 8.6 | 136 | 90% |
| Room | 8.3 | 136 | 88% |
| Staff and service | 8.7 | 314 | 88% |
| Breakfast | 7.9 | 70 | 83% |
| Price | – | 59 | 17% |
The scores come from 428 Google reviews with text, left from 17 May 2018 to 4 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 4 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:
- The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands
- One&Only Reethi Rah
- Soneva Jani
- Cheval Blanc Randheli
- JOALI Maldives
Price: for two on the night of 5 December 2026, from $3,692 (seen on Google Hotels on 12 October 2026).
What a night costs, season by season
Read on 12 October 2026, a night for 2 adults ran from $3,692 to $6,010 until 20 December 2026, with a few lone nights lower, from $7,711 to $9,160 from 21 December to 9 January and from $3,756 to $4,014 from 9 to 25 May 2027. I would choose 9 to 25 May 2027 over 10 January to 8 May 2027.
| Period | Dollars a night |
|---|---|
| 13 Oct. to 20 Dec. 2026 | 3,300–6,010 |
| 21 Dec. 2026 to 9 Jan. 2027 | 7,711–9,160 |
| 10 January to 8 May 2027 | 4,014–5,695 |
| 9 to 25 May 2027 | 3,756–4,014 |
The lowest price any seller showed on Google Hotels for one night searched alone, for 2 adults, read 12 October 2026; no room or meal plan is specified. The calendar stops on 25 May 2027; 26 to 30 October 2026 and 27 December 2026 to 7 January 2027 have no price. Booked as 7 nights from 16 November 2026, the lowest seller Google listed that day asked $3,884 a night; the resort’s own listing, $3,885.
Waldorf Astoria Maldives, One&Only Reethi Rah or JOALI Maldives
Choose Waldorf Astoria Maldives for a yacht at any hour and dinner in the trees at Terra. One&Only Reethi Rah suits a boat of 45 minutes with no seaplane; JOALI Maldives suits a seaplane of 45 minutes, sometimes with a stop.
| Hotel | A night, from | Shared transfer, return, per adult |
|---|---|---|
| Waldorf Astoria Maldives | $3,805 | $960 |
| Reethi Rah | $3,315 | $1,260 |
| JOALI | $3,172 | $1,420 |
A night: the lowest price in the week of 16 November 2026, in a search for 2 adults, read on Google on 12 October 2026; no room or meal plan is specified. Transfers are per adult, return: the Waldorf Astoria Maldives yacht fare is published by the resort, plus 28.7% tax and service; One&Only Reethi Rah’s speedboat and JOALI’s seaplane are Booking.com’s.
Terra, The Ledge and Li Long, the overwater spa, the Stars Club and the reef beneath the villas
Dinner in the trees, a hydrotherapy pool, a water park for children and the reef a few metres from the villas.
11 restaurants and bars
The Ledge cooks meat and fish over wood fire with Dave Pynt; Li Long has the Maldives’ first wood-fired oven for its duck; Zuma is Japanese, over the water; The Rock pairs food and wine in a stone cave (dining). Dress code Island Chic, no swimwear at dinner.
The overwater spa
Treatment rooms over the water and Aqua Wellness, with a zoned hydrotherapy pool, an ice fountain, a steam room and a sauna (wellness). The spa menu publishes no prices (spa menu).
The Stars Club
The children’s club for ages 4 to 11 is free, with some activities charged (Hilton), and has a small water park. In every villa up to 2 children under 12 stay free (families).
The reef beneath the villas
From the reef villas the drop-off is a few metres away (One Mile at a Time); a marked lane takes swimmers to the edge without touching the coral (Tripadvisor). The resort replants coral fragments with Ocean Group’s marine biologists.
Good to know before you book
From some sunrise-facing villas the construction site of the future Atlantis The Royal Maldives shows on the horizon, and at night the lights of nearby islands. Source: theluxurytravelexpert.com
Rates exclude 10% service and taxes; for the yacht the resort states 28.7% in all (Hilton). Breakfast is included for registered guests and children under 6 (villas).
No seaplane: the shared yacht leaves the airport for a 40-minute crossing, evenings included; a private yacht costs $3,600 each way plus tax, for up to 8 guests (Hilton).
From some sunrise-facing villas the construction site of the future Atlantis The Royal Maldives shows on the horizon (The Luxury Travel Expert), and at night the lights of nearby islands (The Luxury Traveller).
On the timber walkways to the overwater villas you hear the buggies go by (Flight Hacks). There is an adults-only pool next to the family pool (Johnny Africa).
In every villa up to 2 children under 12 stay free; in the 2- and 3-bedroom villas they also eat free (families). The yacht is free under 6 and costs $480 from 6 to 12 (Hilton).
Beach, reef and overwater villas, each with a pool, and a private island
Getting here
On the resort’s yacht from Malé airport, 40 minutes, at any hour: no seaplane.
| Shared yacht | $960 per adult return, $480 from 6 to 12, free under 6; plus 28.7% tax and service (Hilton). Booking.com shows it at $1,235.52 with taxes (Booking.com). |
|---|---|
| Private yacht | $3,600 each way plus tax, for up to 8 guests (Hilton). |
| Hours | The yacht does not depend on daylight: it runs with evening flights too. On the island clocks run one hour ahead of Malé (The Points Guy). |
| On arrival | At the jetty a buggy takes you along the walkways to the villa, where check-in happens (official site). |
Sources read on 4 October 2026.
From Ithaafushi to Malé
The resort, the airport and the capital, 40 minutes away by yacht. Tap a place for details.
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Recommended for you
A day at Waldorf Astoria Maldives
The morning
Breakfast at Tasting Table
Tasting Table, on a beachside terrace, serves a fresh breakfast spread by morning.
10am
The Stars Club opens
The Stars Club, the children’s club, runs from 10am to 7pm, and again from 7pm to 9pm on a schedule.
11.30am
Lunch at Nava
Nava, the beach club, is open from 10am to 7pm, with lunch from 11.30am to 4pm.
6.30pm
Dinner at Li Long
Li Long, the Chinese restaurant, serves dinner from 6.30pm to 10pm.
7pm
Dinner in the trees at Terra
Terra serves its treetop dinners from 7pm to 10.30pm.
Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi reviews
Platform scores and what guests write about the staff, the restaurants, families and prices.
Scores read on 4 October 2026
Guest voices
From the resort’s Google listing, May to October 2026: Terra, the yacht, returning guests, families and excursions.
GoogleDinner in the nests
A guest in July 2026 calls dinner at Terra the highlight of the trip: the bamboo nests in the trees, the ocean view, the service.
Google · July 2026Read the review
GoogleFrom the yacht to the jetty
A Russian guest writes that under 15 minutes passed between collecting the bags and the yacht leaving; at another resort they had waited more than 3 hours for a seaplane.
Google · September 2026Read the review
GoogleOn a seventh visit
A family on its seventh or eighth stay writes that the staff remember their habits and details, which matters with a child.
Google · September 2026Read the review
GoogleFamilies and children
A couple looking for a romantic resort found families and children everywhere, and meals and drinks very overpriced: 2 stars.
Google · May 2026Read the review
GoogleOutside excursions
A guest warns that the resort does not let fishing trips and excursions booked with outside operators leave from its jetty: one star.
Google · July 2026Read the review
Questions before you go
Sources read on 4 October 2026.
How much is a night at Waldorf Astoria Maldives?
On Google Hotels, read on 12 October 2026 for 2 adults, a night cost $3,805 on 16 November and $3,885 on 19 November 2026, $3,805 on 7 December, the lowest, and $7,711 on 21 December; $9,160 on 8 January and $4,161 on 11 January 2027, $4,120 on 2 February, $5,128 on 29 March and $3,756 on 9 May. From 27 December to 7 January and after 25 May 2027 Google showed no price; a calendar night does not name the villa.
For 3 nights from 16 November 2026 the resort’s own site showed $4,850 a night on Google for the King Grand Reef Villa. The price already includes 10% service and taxes (Google Hotels); breakfast is included (villas).
Is breakfast included? Is there an all-inclusive plan?
Breakfast is included, at Tasting Table or floating in the villa (dining). The resort has no all-inclusive plan; the Stay and Dine package adds dinner at a choice of Zuma, Li Long, Glow, Yasmeen and The Ledge (packages).
How do you get to Waldorf Astoria Maldives?
On the resort’s yacht, 40 minutes from Malé airport: $960 per adult return, $480 from 6 to 12, plus 28.7% tax and service; a private yacht costs $3,600 each way (Hilton). The yacht runs in the evening too.
Does Waldorf Astoria Maldives have a house reef?
Yes: from the reef villas the drop-off is a few metres away (One Mile at a Time), and a marked lane leads to the edge without touching the coral (Tripadvisor). The resort replants coral fragments with Ocean Group; masks, snorkels and fins come free to the villa (official site).
Which villa should you book?
For snorkelling, a reef villa, from 279 m² with steps into the water; for an open view, an overwater villa, from 283 m²; with children, a beach villa, from 234 m², or a 2-bedroom villa, where children eat free (villas, families). Every one has an infinity pool.
What are the villas like?
Villas from 234 m² to over 1,100, each with an infinity pool and an outdoor living area (official site); the overwater ones have a swing under the thatch and steps into the lagoon, the larger ones a hot tub on the deck too (villas). Beach villas look at the sea through palms; from the overwater villas you see the neighbouring islands and, at night, their lights.
Is the resort good for children?
Yes. The Stars Club is free from 4 to 11, with some activities charged (Hilton); in every villa up to 2 children under 12 stay free, and in the 2- and 3-bedroom villas they eat free (families). Children’s menus are served in all 11 venues (dining).
Is the spa included? Can non-residents use it?
No: treatments are paid, plus 10% service and taxes, and the online menu publishes no prices (spa menu); in 2022 One Mile at a Time paid $220 for a 60-minute massage (One Mile at a Time). No day pass for visitors is published.
What is the spa like?
Waldorf Astoria Spa has treatment rooms over the water and Aqua Wellness, with a zoned hydrotherapy pool, an ice fountain, a steam room and a sauna; wellness programmes last 2, 5 or 7 days (wellness). The signature ritual, Starlight Ocean Wave, lasts 90 minutes and takes place in the evening (spa menu).
What restaurants are there, and is there a dress code?
11 restaurants and bars: Terra in the trees, The Ledge with Dave Pynt, Japanese Zuma, Chinese Li Long, Mediterranean Glow, Tasting Table, The Rock for wine pairings, Nava on the beach, Amber and Peacock Alley for drinks (dining). Dress code Island Chic: no swimwear or gym clothes at dinner. Zuma closed for June 2026.
Is the resort open all year?
Almost: in 2026 it closed from 1 to 8 June for works and maintenance (Let’s Go Maldives). Google’s calendar, read on 4 October, showed no prices after 25 May 2027, and the resort has not published its 2027 dates.
What happens at Christmas and New Year?
The resort publishes neither the programme nor the price of its festive dinners; on 21 December a night cost $7,711 on Google, and from 27 December to 7 January the calendar showed no prices.
Can you get married at Waldorf Astoria Maldives?
Yes: the resort holds weddings on the beach, in the overwater pavilion or on the private island, from 15 to 40 guests on the smaller beaches up to 150 at Nava; the package includes an officiant, flowers, photographs and a 90-minute couples treatment. Prices are not published (weddings).
What are the check-in and check-out times?
Google’s listing gives check-in at 3pm and check-out at noon; with an evening flight, some guests have been given a day-use villa until the yacht left (Johnny Africa).
What do guests say?
Scores are high: 4.7 out of 5 on Google from 625 reviews, 4.9 on Tripadvisor from 1,360. The praise goes to the staff and the restaurants, Terra above all. Several guests between 2024 and 2026 write about food and drink prices, to which 10% service and taxes are added. Malé stays on the horizon. The resort welcomes families: in every villa up to 2 children under 12 stay free, and beside the family pool there is one for adults only.
Can you arrive by car or park?
No: the resort is reached by its own yacht from Malé airport, 40 minutes, at any hour, and third-party transfer providers, excursion boats and private yachts cannot reach the property, so there is no arriving by car.
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