Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa

From the second we landed in Male, our experience was incredible and luxurious. We were taken to a lounge and checked in for our seamless transfer by domestic flight and then boat. We even stopped en route as the boat crew spotted some dolphins! We had the friendliest greeting and were helped to get settled in. Nothing was too much trouble at any point and the thoughtful touches from arrival onwards made us feel so special. The reef is beautiful and conservation is clearly at the heart of the island. There was so much opportunity to learn about the island and the marine life and everyone seemed to really care about its preservation. We took part in lots of talks and activities and because the island is so small, everything feels very personal and intimate and not at all like a built up commercial resort. We were able to borrow snorkelling equipment without any trouble and the dive centre were fantastic and very knowledgable. We took the turtle quest excursion which was life-changing. Our guide Gelda was so lovely and accommodating, especially as I’m not a hugely confident swimmer! We felt very safe and had so much fun on this excursion. The food is fantastic and the chefs are lovely. The cocktails are also great and Koi is worth a visit whilst on the island. Our feedback seemed to be really valued and resort management were very visible and chatty! What really sets this island apart in our opinion is the staff. From the moment we arrived, everyone was so helpful and friendly and it was an absolute joy to get to know some of the people that work here. Our room host Eid was great and nothing was too much trouble. Housekeeping were so thoughtful and thorough and we were left a Maldivian sweet treat every evening! Estii and Robin in the guest services centre were the kindest people with a great sense of humour and taught us so much about the island ( and the life cycle of coconuts!). And Karan the resort manager was a joy to talk to and thoughtfully arranged for some aloe to be sent to our room for my very sunburnt partner! We couldn’t have been more looked after and it was so personal and sincere. We can’t put in to words how special our time here was and we’re already planning our return trip. Anyone visiting the Maldives should make the trip to Hadahaa and we can’t wait to come back. Not only that, but we’ll be seeking out Park Hyatt Hotels in future based on this fantastic experience. The staff are a credit to the company and this resort is absolutely beautiful. Thank you so much for everything! Ellie and Euan

This was our 6th visit to our island paradise home, and we're already planning the 7th. The biggest reasons why we keep returning? -Unspoiled, picturesque "living" island with the best house reef you'll find in the Maldives -The most beautiful beach we've ever seen, with calm, crystal blue water and a secluded vibe -A staff that treats you like family -A genuine willingness on the part of the team to ensure guest satisfaction with any small or large request -Delicious food options -Hyatt Globalist recognition That being said, here are the highlights: While it's a long journey from Male to the island (domestic flight and speedboat), the team at the airport ensures everything is seamless and smooth. Hopefully things will be more luxurious once the new terminal opens, but for now, the basic lounge in the domestic terminal is acceptable. Imran, Tatty, and Hassan did a great job of taking care of us during transfers. We were met on the dock/jetty by several managers and our host who took us by buggy (golf cart) to our beach pool villa (other than the deluxe beach pool villas, this is our favorite option on the island--even better than the overwater villas, in my opinion), #3. The villa is gorgeous, with dark tone woods, sliding doors that open to ocean views and floor to ceiling windows, a great outdoor shower in the bathroom, and many more creature comforts. Room attendants Azeem and Ahmed took great care of of our room during our stay. They left yummy treats in the evenings, and kept all toiletries and towels restocked and neat. Heck, they even straighted up our messiness on the bathroom counters. Quite the personal service! Our host (who has been a part of our visits one way or another since we've been coming to Hadahaa), Shahum, is the best! He is so kind and humble, and he always wants to ensure his guests are happy and taken care of. He did a great job of doing that for us once again on this visit, and we're super thankful. Meals were expertly managed by Speedy Nabeel, another long time staff member who ensured we were happy with all of our meals. Speedy brought us several of our favorite drinks throughout our visit and the occasional app or dessert "on the house" which kept the "surprise and delight" experience fresh. We look forward to catching up with him every time we return to the island, and he is very good at what he does. Speaking of F&B, the island has two amazing head chefs right now: Chef Davide and Chef Manuel. These guys ROCK. We put meals in their hands several times during our weeklong stay, and everything they prepared or arranged was a notch above everything else. Manuel, we're still talking about your flautas, tacos, and Contramar inspired fish. Thanks for all the deliciousness! Another great meal was at Koi, served by the friendly Aisar (it was his recommendation that we try Koi, so we're glad we did!) and managed by Chef Kiki. Kiki knocked our sushi meal out of the park. His knife cuts were perfect, the fish was fresh and beautifuly presented, and his service was truly from the heart. We look forward to seeing him again on our next visit! At breakfast, the servers always remembered our drink preferences so that each meal was more efficient and more personalized than the one that preceded it. Special thanks to the friendly Sathi (Satheesan), Suneli, Saeed, and Frisca who not only kept our table managed expertly but also handled every single request with poise and professionalism. Note that the breakfast buffet here is quite good: lots of fresh fruit, Western options, Asian options, Maldivian favorites (these are my personal favorites), and there's an a la carte menu with tons of great options. We ordered 1 or 2 items each day from the menu (included with Globalist benefits), and everything was terrific. Bartender Sangita kept us hydrated while on the beach; we tend to spend our days on the main lagoon beach, and she always ensured we had water, ice, and whatever other drinks we wanted. She and Lokesh also brought over occasional shooters of granitas that were delicious and refreshing reprieves from the hot Maldivian sun. Globalist Sundowners (a few small bites and a complimentary drink each) at Happy Hour were a nightly treat we always enjoyed. The sunsets on Hadahaa are very special, and viewing them from the beach outside the pool bar is highly recommended. There are bean bag chairs and cabanas for your relaxation pleasure. We enjoyed chatting with Esthii and Robin at the Dhoni when it was raining. The resort has a few fun games under the Dhoni (it's an upside down big boat that serves as a lobby or hangout of sorts), and it was fun getting to know these two staff members while playing a few games. The Vidhun spa is one of my favorite places on the island. The spa pool is often empty, and it's so quiet and relaxing nestled in the greenery. Ask the managers to turn on the jacuzzi jets, and they will. I still wish they'd fix the waterfalls on either side of the pool, as it'd add a lot to the ambiance. I had an outstanding massage from Balinese masseuse Ni. She was so kind and had magic hands that melted away my tension. There is a small gym available 24/7 with treadmills, yoga mats, free weights, a couple of machines, etc. It's perfectly adequate to keep you energized and engaged during your vacation. Pro tip: there are apples and scented cold towels available in the gym. Great for a quick, healthy snack, and those towels are AWESOME. Snorkeling is free, and the Dive Center will provide you with the equipment after you sign a waiver. Go snorkeling. The underwater world around the island is incredible: so many fish, colorful corals, resident seaturtle "Ben," and much more. If you're feeling adventurous, there are lots of boat trips and scuba options, as well. Managers Asim, Lemon, and Karan stopped by throughout our visit (mealtimes, in particular) to see how we were doing and if there was anything at all that needed doing, they made sure it happened. You can see that the staff meets a few times a day in huddles; it makes the experience seamless for the guests. For example, something about the water tasted funny to me (it doesn't usually, for the record, but during this visit, it did for some reason), and when I brought it up, the entire team was somehow aware within minutes. Every water bottle in our villa was replaced and we were provided with alternate water at mealtimes. It's such a small thing, but this staff TRULY excels at providing exceptional hospitality. Had a few short chats with GM Ansul about the same thing--he has a great team of people working for him, and they are all working very, very hard. We'll be back next year, and until then, we keep dreaming of the beautiful lagoon, delicious cuisine, and relaxing spa. We look forward to seeing our Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa family again soon. -Mike & Lauren Arbucci

Beautiful place for scuba diving, plenty of activities regardless the weather. The staff from the dive centre are very helpful and professional, managed to do a lot of activities and getting the PADI certification done. Also good food and service, good room and nice vibe!

It was our first time in the Maldives and we did a lot of research before finally settling on a resort.. and Park Hyatt was a great choice and exceeded all expectations! From the moment you have your stay booked, a member of staff will start emailing you the details, and making sure to prepare any special accommodations or requests for your stay. My package had flights and speedboat included, which the staff booked it for us. As we land in Velana International airport on Malé, we were greeted by a Park Hyatt representative, who took our luggages and guided us to the domestic airport. This is the start of when my brain will not be needed this whole holiday (lol). The rep checked in for us, gave us our boarding passes and then brought us to the airport lounge where we enjoyed a light breakfast buffet and rested while waiting for our flight to board. There was no need for us to keep check on the flight times and the rep will come and pick us up and bring us to the boarding gate. When we landed in Kooddoo Domestic Airport, another Park Hyatt rep was there to greet us. He did our baggage claim and took us on a buggy to the speedboat. We were greeted with welcome drinks and the staff on the speedboat explained the safety rules and our expected arrival time. As we arrive to Park Hyatt, we could see a group of staff waving their welcomes to us. We left the boat and onto the Jetty, to be greeted with the warmest of welcomes by several staff members! From there, we were taken to our Villa, about 4 hours earlier than our expected check in time! This made us very happy because some hotels are very difficult about this, but Park Hyatt will happily welcome you into your "home" if it is available immediately. FOOD AND BEVERAGE: We booked a full board package and thought we would be left hungry as previous experiences we had hotels trying to upsell a lot of the meals and drinks. Not Park Hyatt, you will be spoiled with the variety of cuisines! The meals came in big portions (just the way we like it!), and we were always left feeling satisfied and full. We brought some snacks to the resort and didn't even eat it. We had an all inclusive beverage and enjoyed all the fresh juices, especially the fresh coconuts from the island! For breakfast, we had a full buffet and 2 items from the ala carte menu inclusive. My favourites were the chai spiced chia pudding, smoothie bowl, Mashuni, and their homemade coconut yogurt! Oh, and can talk about the AMAZING pastries? compliments to the pastry chef because those pain suisse, pain au choclat, croissants, cruffins, danish were all deciously flaky, warm, crispy, buttery!! For lunch - we particularly enjoyed the truffle burger!!!! We're usually not so basic and love going for different cuisines on holidays but one bite of that truffle burger and there's really no going back! The soft shell crab tempura also deserves a mention. We had dinners at the Island grill most nights because we love grilled seafood and saw that they have jumbo prawns on their menu (say less!). We often had the grilled scallops, jumbo prawns and some nights the wagyu ribeye steak! Our most memorable meal was a 3 course Mexican dinner prepared by Chef Manuel! When we learned of his roots and previous experience, we requested for him to make us Baja Fish tacos for lunch and I can confidently say they were the best Baja Fish Tacos I've had. They were made simple and authentic, with a sauce that was just so flavorful! Chef Manuel surprised us with a Mexican Dinner on our last day and the meal left us smiling until this day - shrimp empanadas, cheese and chorizo tacos (i forgot what's it called) Quesabirrias, Baja fish tacos, tres leches, churros!! It felt like we were transported to Mexico for a night. I'm hoping this will become a thing there because I'm afraid we will have to make a trip to Park Hyatt just to have those tacos again! OVERWATER SUNSET POOL VILLA: I loved how the overwater villas were just one row instead of two. Park Hyatt is not trying to cramp more people on the waters to preserve the corals and the comfort and privacy of guests. The villa itself was homey. Not too lux, not old. I recommend splurging a bit to get the pool villa because there is more privacy. Not to mention, sleeping with the sounds of the waves was truly a dream. The best thing about the overwater villas is the direct access to the ocean and beautiful corals!!! ACTIVITIES: I feel that there are ample things to do on Hadahaa island! Despite thinking we would get bored, we actually wished we stayed longer to do all the activities. We stayed 5 nights and 6 days and only managed to do Stand up paddle and some snorkelling. Not sure if it is considered an activity but the free 5 minute neck and shoulder massages during breakfast is such a great idea and what a way to start my day! Okta did the best ones and even gave me tips on how to relief my stiff muscles. WILD LIFE: The snorkelling, by the way, was magical!! It's no surprise with the beautiful reefs surrounding the island. On our first day of snorkelling we managed to spot Ben the resident turtle just nearby our villa!! We also saw black tip fin sharks (a group of 10 or so!!) which increased our heart rate a little but they are harmless. We also saw them near the shores when we were taking a walk around the island. They feed off small fishes near the shore during sunset hour. One day, we were enjoying the pool at our villa and to our surprise a group of dolphins passed by!! On land, we saw a few colourful iguanas and a couple fruitbats, amongst other birds. HADAHAA ISLAND: The island itself is in a great spot. You barely see any cargo boats or planes, if any, pass by, which is what we didn't fancy from the other islands. The island is relatively small and easy to walk around. STAFF: Last but not least, the staff are all well trained. Super friendly and quick on their feet! We loved the diversity in the staff and learned a lot about each and everyone who interacted with us, We would be greeted by Lemon in the mornings during our breakfast and she would ask us about our days and activities. She would share about the difference in life in Vietnam and Maldives which we enjoyed hearing. During lunch, we would always have Mully keeping us company. Mully is local and would happily an proudly teach us about Maldivian cuisine, and languages. He taught us how to say a few words in Dhivehi and shared with us the differences in languages between the Atolls and a little bit of Maldivian history. We loved this because it is really important for us as part of our travels to learn some local culture, despite being on a luxury resort. Speedy has been a force within the resort! He treats everyone like his family and I don't think this island will be the same without Speedy! He always takes the time to show us the beauty of the island, the way he captures them and sharing with us the Maldivian way of life around the island. He kept us laughing during breakfasts and dinner! Chef Manuel, as I've mentioned above, thank you for the beautiful food and great company. We enjoyed learning about mexican cuisine and your experiences! Chef Manuel always takes extra care in the food he prepare and you can see that everything he cooks, he cooks with passion, fire and love! Last but not least, thank you to Karan who always came by during our meals to check in on us and sharing his stories around his work in the Middle East (we live in Dubai) and the week he's had on the island as a newcomer. We wish you the best! The saddest part about this island was leaving. Getting picked up from your Villa and saying our goodbyes to the staff on the jetty, watching them wave in the distance as our speedboat takes off was truly heartbreaking. We are left with the best impression. If you're looking for somewhere to relax, where no one cares about what you wear, what bag or watch you carry and just live that remote island life, Park Hyatt is the spot!! We are looking forward to our next visit! :)

Easily one of the best resorts in the Maldives! The island is, as described, small and perfectly formed with a beautiful fringing beach and amazing house reef. I booked this trip for me and my girlfriend as a holiday for us to relax on and also to get her into diving (not an easy task for a south African with deep rooted fear of deep blue water and large sharks). We stayed in April for 10 nights in a Deluxe Pool Villa on a half board package. The Park Hyatt is almost perfect so I will start with and get our of the way the very few small negatives; Distance – as others have said the journey is just an extra bit longer due to the need to take a domestic flight from Male to the south. In practice this means your travel could be up to 4 hours more than if you had taken a sea plane to a resort near Male. In our view the extra distance is worth it because it gets you to a more remote location with fewer tourist islands nearby and fewer divers/boat traffic. Kids – it is a pretty small island and there is not too much on offer for kids. They do make an effort but if my kids were still young I would go to a bigger island with a large kids club. Bling – this is a place of understated luxury and not bling. Villas and the resort itself are old school rustic elegance etc and not modern glass new York apartment pods like in some places. We loved that most of the Park Hyatt guests didn’t bother to wear shoes or watches once on the island. So, the rest is all amazing! I feel well equipped to comment as I have both worked in and stayed at various Maldives resorts including, Kuredu, Anantara Kihava, Vakkaru, Fairmont, Constance…. In the past I worked as a diving instructor in the Maldives for a year so am well qualified to critique that aspect in particular. Travel: We arrived around 9am in Male and then got to the island by around 2pm. You are met in Male and the representative takes care of you and escorts you to a lounge where you await the onward transfer. Across the road from the lounge there is a fastfood mall with KFC etc. On the return to Male we had quite a wait time so the hotel organized a tour of Male with a guide which was quite entertaining. Accommodation: We stayed in the Deluxe Beach Pool villa which has a large pool and deck. We had a look at the smaller Beach pool version and would definitely recommend the upgrade if you can. We had number 4 which has just the right amount of vegetation around it to provide privacy and still allow a lovely view of the beach and the sea. In our opinion the best villas with best beach and sea in front of them are those from 1 to 20. We are not fans of the water villas so did not stay any nights in one of them. When we were on the island the most protected part of the island from wind and waves was that on the 1 – 20 villa numbers side, not the water villa/sunset side. The room was really big and fantastic with all the 5 Star appointments you need, very spacious, great bed, huge bathroom etc. It is true that there is a bit of wear and tear to the property over the years that can be seen - but it is minimal and not disturbing. Food: mostly excellent across the 3 restaurants. We ate alternate nights between the Dining Room and the Grill. Both have very good options, and the cooking and presentation were to a very high standard. The little Japanese restaurant was also very good although only sushi/sashimi to choose from. Breakfast at the Dining Room was also very good. Spa: we had one couples massage and it was extremely good. The spa facility is located in the middle of the island and is very large and comfortable. Quality of the massage was great. Reef / Diving: I have been to many Maldivian islands and can say without hesitation that this one has the best house reef I have seen yet. The condition of the corals, especially the hard corals, is very good and most of the reef is healthy. At dawn and dusk the reef is absolutely full of fish. We could walk into the water in front of our villa and after 2 minutes swimming would be over the house reef drop off. Perfection! In the shallow waters just near the beach you will see many juvenile black tip reef sharks which are harmless and run away from you. Their bigger family members can be seen further out on the reef. It is important to know that these reef sharks are not predators and there is no record of attacks on humans. Somebody commented before saying “Shark infested waters! Nobody told me!”….Well….doh! You are in the middle of the Indian Ocean so it shouldn’t be a surprise. The baby sharks stay by the beach nursery area and are fascinating to follow up and down the shoreline. On the reef there are also eagle rays and my very lucky girlfriend saw 5 dolphins on the last day of her Open Water Course. Blue Journey dive center is excellent and very well run. Particular mention for Jannet who is a truly inspirational diving instructor and managed to certify my very frightened girlfriend and to give her a new appreciation for the underwater world. Jannet was very good at juggling beginners needs with those of more advanced divers so everybody was happy. The local dive sites were excellent and I saw various sharks, manta ray, eagle rays and dozens of turtles. Dandhu Corner stands out as a great dive. I did not do the long day trip to Fuvamulah because I have been to the “tiger zoo” before. The dive center equipment was very good and the shop is owned and well-staffed by knowledgeable people. In summary – this is a truly beautiful island and one that is ideally suited to couples and keen snorkelers/divers. The atmosphere is very relaxed and unpretentious. If you need to see and be seen then don’t go to Park Hyatt. If you want genuinely warm staff and a very laid-back luxury aesthetic, then go ahead and book!