Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa

We are regular visitors to the Maldives. We usually go annually and visit at least two resorts each trip. Park Hyatt Hadahaa (PHH) was our 11th resort in the Maldives. I will not comment on the general beauty of the country. That is well covered in other reviews. My comments will be more directed at matters that I consider important to me as someone who is lucky enough to have visited this lovely country multiple times BUT is still value orientated (lets be honest, Maldives is not cheap). EXECUTIVE SUMMARY I would return to this island for its beauty, incredible deluxe beach villa and lovely house reef. However, I am firmly of the view the F&B offerings are not competitive with similarly priced resorts and need to improve. Of course this is a matter of opinion and there are a number of reviews that rave about the food. While I have given five stars the food did fall short of what I would expect for the price point. As the staff more than made up for this issue five stars seemed fair. TRANSFER PHH is a domestic flight. It takes significantly longer than a seaplane or speedboat. I would not do it for less than seven nights (but to be clear I have booked a domestic resort for next year). I recommend packing a fan in your carry on as if you have a stopover flight (as we did both ways) you’ll be on the plane for about 30 minutes with no air moving and it is not pleasant. PHH does a very good job of making the experience as painless as possible. We were met at the domestic terminal (having overnighted in Male) by PHH who assisted us with check in and lounge access all the way through to security. On the return PHH again excelled keeping us on the island as late as possible and assisting with check in through to security at the local airport. What they could control about the transfers they did, and they did it very well. REEF Our primary reason for visiting the resort was the reef. I have been lucky enough to snorkel some of the top reefs in the country including Kandolhu, Kagi, Mirihi etc. Over the course of our stay we snorkeled multiple times and completed multiple laps of the reef (in multiple sessions, we were too lazy to do complete laps in one session). I found that the fish on this reef in abundance at sunrise and sunset. If you want a lie in, this is not the best reef for you. If you are happy to get up early there are plenty of fish. We had our best snorkels at about 7am island time/6am Male time. There are not as many turtles as other resorts (although we did meet ‘Ben’ the resident hawksbill a few times and a juvenile green sea turtle). Nor did we find it as sharky as other reefs. The visibility on this reef was consistently excellent. Very clear, not once did we get silted out and there are some wonderful areas where the corals have regrown beautifully. Coral regrowth is quite good close to the Residence. I suggest jumping from the jetty and heading straight left. There is also a clown fish anemone at snorkeling height this way. There were lots of sea plankton in November 2024. This is not the resort’s fault, but even with a full length rash vest and leggings I was stung. I would recommend wearing full length rashies for sun protection and sea plankton protection at this resort. To be clear the stings were not enough to keep me out of the water. By moving into the reef rather than the drop off I minimised the stings as these creatures like the more open water. ROOMS Upon arrival there was a cold champagne and lovely snacks awaiting us. We stayed in two room types. The Beach Villa (BV) with Pool and Deluxe Beach Villa (DBV) with Pool. The interior of both was identical. If I returned I would pay the uplift to the DBV without hesitation. It is one of our favourite rooms ever. The outdoor living area was incredible and the huge private pool was incredibly luxurious, I am not exaggerating when I say I have stayed in rooms much smaller than this pool. There was more sheltered outdoor seating areas in the DBV (handy for both sun and rain). The pool in both room types is very warm. We like that as we hate a cold pool. We spent a lot of time in both pools. Both rooms had plenty of surfaces and storage and the outdoor bathroom was very well placed for my drying clothes! I did store my cosmetics in the wardrobe as the bathroom could get warm in the afternoon. Again this is not uncommon in the Maldives. We requested firm pillows in advance and they were present and were some of the best we’ve had in our travels. Had I had more room in my suitcase I might have considered taking one home. Do note the beach villas on the sunset side have suffered erosion. Many people would not be happy with this location as there is no sand in some parts just rock. We were grateful for our spots on the sunrise side with walkable beach. Some beach villas have a very narrow view of the ocean. On one hand, this gives you more privacy, on the other hand we did miss the open views of the ocean we have experienced on other resorts. If a clear view of the ocean is important to you I would consider a water villa at this resort. I would love to see a water hose and outdoor shower introduced at each BV. It was a bit of a pain having to go through the bedroom to rinse off chlorine or salt water after each swim and risked making the floor slippery. We loved the fact the nespresso machine was filled and loaded for us each night so we simply had to press a button for a fresh coffee in the morning. Bliss. Evening turndown included an array of delicious treats which were never needed, but almost always sampled. Be aware there are multiple amenities in the room, and more that can be provided (see attached photo) but you can request multiple personal items such as deodorant, repellant and face soap and even get a hair iron or curler, hand weights and a clothes steamer (these are clearly for people whose hair behaves better than mine in Maldives…) FOOD AND BEVERAGES I make it clear the food and beverage front of house staff are exceptional. I would not want any of them to be criticised for what I raise now but the food is the weak part of this resort in my view. PHH has introduced a buffet in the Dining Room several nights a week (despite our plan saying it would be ala carte). I assumed it would be a good show given the brand. I assumed wrong. While the food items present were fine, it was very small and felt like a cost saving measure. For example there were two or three Asian dishes, two or three western, a few salads and a bread bar (without butter…) as such nothing felt like it ‘went together’. I cannot recommend the buffet. I have seen much better at significantly cheaper resorts. Unfortunately we ended up with the buffet on both our first night and our last night. The times we ate ala carte in the Dining Room were some of the better meals we had on the island. We do believe PHH has some of the best beef we have had in the Maldives and the tenderloin in the Dining Room was excellent. Breakfast was good and as expected for the price point. My favourite touch was the walking tuna mas huni station (spiced tuna and coconut in roshi bread), some of the best mas huni I have had! Coffee and pastries were also excellent. We had some very decadent croissants over our stay. The eggs were perfectly poached. One cheeky little breakfast bonus was the create your own cocktail station. It always felt a little early for me, but it was a nice touch. Personally I’d have preferred a mimosa, but no one should complain about breakfast adult beverages! There was also a ‘flavour your cold brew’ coffee station. Lunch we took mainly at the bar or in our room. The poke bowl was one of the better dishes we had. The prawn bucket was also delicious. The pizzas were very well done although I would have loved to see some actual spice in the chicken tikka and chilli oil for all pizzas. Generally we found the dishes extremely mild and bland. While that might reflect our taste buds, a few days in I was (internally) screaming for some spice and zest. On a couple of occasions it was clear occupancy was very high and the front of house staff could have done with some extra hands. Unfortunately this did see our meals arrive quite slowly and at tepid temperature which is not ideal at this price point, BUT given the champagne was still cold, the location beautiful and the staff clearly working hard we would have been unreasonable to complain. We had one meal at the Island Grill. I think they must have had an off night as it took quite a long time for our meals to arrive and they were not cooked as well as I would have hoped. My scallops were still raw and the tuna was slightly overdone which was disappointing. Had I been paying the menu prices I would have been very upset. That said, when the feedback was given arrangements were made by Avnish for us to try another meal from Island Grill later in our trip which ended up being excellent. We were spoilt one night with a special Indian the ‘Four Corners of India’ – it was delicious and I was very grateful to have some spice. There are two beach BBQs a week. We went to the ‘Cuisine of the Region’ featuring various Maldivian, Indian and Sri Lankan dishes. I asked the chef on the BBQ to cook me his recommendations and make it spicy. The spicy was top notch, delicious. What I was not expecting was a full fish, multiple prawns, lobster, squid, tuna etc. I was full to bursting. There was also entertainment in the form of a wonderful bodu beru group from the nearby island – this was really good – they were excellent performers (as opposed to some resorts who rope in their clearly reluctant staff) and we had a lovely evening. One of our absolute favourite things to do was have pre-dinner drinks in the beanbags on the beach at the bar. It never felt overly busy here and we saw some wonderful sunsets. Signita took very good care of us in the bar, she always had a bottle of champagne cold and waiting for me. I am rather predictable with my drinks I fear. ‘ALL INCLUSIVE’ I must comment on the ‘All Inclusive’ offered. When we booked there was a very different package. That has now been pulled back to the extent it resembles a much cheaper resort. While our package was honoured, I would not recommend people book AI on the current package which is well over priced compared to comparable resorts. One frustration was the wine vintages provided were significantly different to the AI menu. As I had already raised the food on multiple occasions I chose not to complain as the taste was still good and given the change to the package this may not impact others. I also raise the tray charge for room service which feels very high at $50. I have previously been to places like Gili Lankanfushi where the charge is only about $10. While PHH did deliver our meals swiftly (and we knew of and accepted the charge), I do think it is a lot for what is offered. Note if you are on AI, while your food is included, they will not deliver AI drinks which again felt a bit cheap and cost cutting. SPA AND GYM The gym spans two rooms, cardio and weights. It was clean with the basic equipment but I have seen better equipped gyms in the country. It never seemed very busy. What is notable is the spa pool nearby by which I often had to myself to swim laps in. I think this pool was 30m long and was truly lovely to swim in. I was grateful to the spa staff who would bring water and towels to my lounge chair each time. I indulged in two massages. While the treatments were good and the massage table and linens very comfortable, the spa itself felt a little tired and there were less ‘niceties’ after the treatment than I’ve experienced elsewhere (for example room temperature water was offered instead of tea). It fell just slightly short of expectations for the price and the facilities feel they need a little refresh. SUGGESTIONS At this price point, to not include wine in the mini bar in the AI is poor and reeks of cost saving. I would refer the PHH to Ozen Maadhoo or Kandolhu. Both provide multiple full or half bottles of wine and operate at a similar price point. It can be done. FRUSTRATION I am rather annoyed that despite being advised my incidental spend would be credited to my WOH account that has still not occurred. I have made multiple requests to Hyatt and not received a response. SPECIAL MENTIONS We encountered very few tobacco smokers which is always a nice surprise in the Maldives. The foliage and wildlife on the island are wonderful. I do like the fact that PHH chose to keep many of the mangroves and other less pretty, but environmentally important plants. The island is lush and the interior is well protected and pleasant to walk around. We saw lots of wildlife including adorable bats and water dragons. We really liked that without exception every staff member said hello as we wandered. Their smiles were either genuine, or very well rehearsed. It feels you are a welcome guest. The delightful Hassan aka Zahid warrants a mention, I truly believe he is the best room attendant we have ever had in the Maldives. He did a wonderful job every morning and evening and was also a lovely person to have a brief chat with. He prepared us bed and sand art regularly and cleaned our room to absolute perfection. Shahum was our point of contact at the resort and he took incredible care of us over the eight nights we were there. He assisted us with our room change, managed some complaints I had to make about maintenance noise, and was kind enough to show us the overwater villas when the chance arose. We consider him an asset to PHH. Hamzan shows a lot of potential. I am sure once the PHH manages to harness his energy he will be absolutely brilliant as he is very personable and fun. The F&B managers were very visible at all meals and compliments in particular Avnish and Kartikeya who manage to make all guests feel like they are the most important person on the island and were of great assistance to us in obtaining wine and spicy food!

Overall, one of the best hotel experiences I've had as a traveler. The island itself is amazing, but what sets this apart from other hotels is the staff. Everyone was extremely nice and accommodating. You will definitely get treated like royalty here (especially if you're a Globalist)! If possible, definitely try to get an Overwater Villa!

We arrived late on Friday evening, around 6:30pm. We were greeted by various staff members. As we walked off the speed boat onto Dawn Jetty (the landing) they welcomed us with handmade necklaces from palm leaves, cold wash clothes infused with essential oils, and fresh coconut water from a coconut. This is where we met Shahum, our host for the duration of our stay. . He walked us onto the island while explaining tidbits about the island, his role, and next steps. Given how late we arrived, they had arranged for a room check in, which was very convenient and quick! We were driven to our room in a golf cart, and were provided a quick tour of the island during the ride. In the room, we were given a detailed tour of the room and switch functionality and we also completed the check in process. We also connected with our host via WhatsApp after completing the process. Our bags were delivered to us upon our arrival into our room. Our host, Shahum, was in constant communication with us throughout our stay. He always checked in by texting, but also made it a point to come see us a few times a day. He made our stay comfortable and personalized. Shahum always stayed on top of our needs, but also communicated news, or information, regarding the island or weather regularly. We were also impressed and surprised that the staff already knew our names even before meeting them. They knew our villa and our last name – that level of personalization really set the tone for rest of the trip. On our way to dinner the first night, we accidentally walked in the wrong direction, given it was dark by then. We walked into a hotel staff member who helped us find our way back. It turned out he was the Food and Beverage Manager, Avnish. He knew who we were but we didn’t know who he was. He seated us at our table and formally introduced himself. Avnish is an individual who enjoys his job and his actions demonstrated his passion. He was already aware of our dietary restrictions (vegetarian and gluten free) and offered to help customize menus based on our preferences. He also shared his WhatsApp contact information so that we can stay in touch with him, regarding any F&B ask. On day two we really learned what both Shahum and Avnish meant when they told us to message them/let them know if we need anything. For the remainder of our stay we were personally taken care of by these two individuals. They always stayed one step ahead of us and our needs. We appreciated that Shahum took genuine interest in general needs and ensured we had an enjoyable stay. While Avnish went out of his way, daily, to ensure our dietary needs were met. He provided recommendations to us as well as communicated directly with the chef(s) ensuring we had variety in our meal options. Avnish introduced us to the chefs: Head Chef Dipesh Rai, Chef Evanka, and Chef Arvind. They all personally curated dishes for us during our stay, each one insanely delicious and all various cuisines! It is a special art when chefs are able to curate a menu, or dishes, for a special diet on an island where 100% of its products are imported. Each chef took special interest in our likes/dislikes, as they thought about what to create for us. At each meal, they even came out to greet us and explain the dish. After the meal, they came back to ask us how everything was. Not that we had outrageous asks, but the staff never said no. One morning, we casually asked Chef Dipesh if we would be able to order traditional Indian chai (not on the menu), he chuckled, stated that the answer is always yes, and within minutes we were served chai. They always determined a way to make it happen. Shahum, Avnish, and the Chefs arranged a special meal, per our diet, for my wife’s birthday. Shahum also worked with housekeeping to decorate our room, as a surprise. Over the next few days, we got to spend time with each of these individuals throughout the day, and also got to meet other staff who work on the property. During these mini encounters we learned a lot about these individuals; their story, you can say. We were so impressed by each of their background, their journey, and mostly their passion for what they do and why they do it. We met Shubhankar, a mixologist at the bar, who has achieved top 5 ranking in international mixology competitions. He shared stories of his experiences as well has his path. We met Sangita, who also works in the bar. She had worked for the property for 13 years and such a kind person. Simply put, the staff take special interest in the guests and do everything they can to ensure a pleasant and comfortable stay. Nothing is an inconvenience. Park Hyatt Maldives Hadaha is an intimate property, offering only 52 villas, but has staff totaling +200. They take pride in catering your vacation to you. The property is well kept and clean. For a tropical location, you expect some level of water “wear and tear” in the rooms or in structures around the property. In all honesty, we didn’t notice any of this. On our orientation the first evening, we learned that Hadaha is 95% mosquito free…it was so refreshing to know that we didn’t have to be concerned with being bit. We also didn’t notice many bugs around the island. There are, however, geckos; they tend to appear on the exterior villa walls after heavy rain. We were able to tour “the back of the house” where Ishaan took us to the center of the island. This is a private area, where the staff live and many of the hotel sustaining processes exist. Absolutely impressive and heart warming. Not only from a sustainability aspect, but also from a community aspect. The staff have friendly competitions (sports, cooking, and even singing). We learned that: -up to 45% of the island’s electricity is solar powered -the island sources their own fresh water and creates drinking water from what they source -the island actively recycles glass and creates concrete from it -they compost waste and use it to fertilize the garden -they build their own furniture -they build their own decorations for the holidays These are just a few of the things we learned. Overall, we had an amazing trip, not because we were in Maldives but because the staff made it so. The intimate and personal care provided by the staff defined our experience and made for a very memorable trip. While the weather was not ideal during our stay, we never felt bummed or disappointed because we were able to relax on the swings at the bar and meet some of the amazing people that work here and are passionate about their job. The only ‘negative’ is that it is a hike to get to the hotel. After landing in Male, you must take a domestic flight to Koodoo airport. Depending on the timing of your flight into Male, you could have anywhere up to 4 hours wait (you are able to relax in a comfortable lounge during this time). After a one-hour flight to Koodoo, you then jump on a golf cart for a 5 min ride to the boat. From here, it is a 30-to-40-minute boat ride depending on the weather. On a calm day, the boat ride is enjoyable. On a rough weather day, the boat ride is extremely choppy, as was our case arriving in Maldives. The staff will give you a bracelet that helps with motion sickness but during rough, choppy waters, you may still want to consider taking a motion sickness pill. My wife and I both took it and were glad as neither one of us ended up throwing up. Another passenger threw up at the end of the boat ride due to the extreme choppiness of water. However, even with the long commute, we have been recommending this hotel to all our family and friends. If you are considering Maldives, Park Hyatt is the way to go.

Park Hyatt Maldives is a class above most resorts we’ve visited before. Although small and intimate (which we prefer) the island itself is incredibly picturesque, from the blend of turquoise waters blending into the deeper blue, the soft white powdered sand through to the the way the hotel blends perfectly within the palm trees. What really makes this place is the unrivalled service provided by the team of staff at Park Hyatt Maldives who make all their guests feel like royalty. I’ve purposely chosen not to mention any individuals by name as that would be unfair on the rest as their service is truly a team effort. If you like diving then Blue Journeys has one of the most laid back, relaxed and friendliest teams we’ve ever had the pleasure of diving with however don’t let that fool you into thinking that they’re not focused and thorough. Although the journey in getting to the resort is long than most, trust me you won’t regret. Thank you Park Hyatt Maldives for a memorable 5 nights. We hope to see you again soon.

Wow, this place was incredible! From the views, to the arrival, to the level of service received, the team here has perfectly executed the definition of what top-tier service is. From the moment of our arrival, we were greeted by our host (Thinn) who gave us a tour of the property and walked us to our room. As Globalists, she even said that for our anniversary celebration (purpose of trip), she'd do her best to give us a room upgrade during our stay. I'm NOT saying the room we had was bad because it certainly wasn't. We started off with a room that had private beach access, then to our surprise was moved to an overwater villa. What a perfect gift from Park Hyatt! Our host was on top of everything from beginning to end of our stay, we couldn't have asked for better. The food was amazing. The service was exceptional. The team was amazingly friendly, always addressing us by our names. It gave us the 'royalty' feeling. Not to mention the Spa...their massages were incredible! Collectively, this Park Hyatt Haadahaa tops any stay we've had in the past. We look forward to the day we get to go back! Big thank you to PH Haadahaa and especially Thinn who made our stay a very memorable one!