Quick Facts

Class:

Location:

Transfer Type:
Transfer Duration:

Island Size:

Total no. Villas:

Highlights:

★★★★★

South Malé Atoll

Speedboat
40 minutes

Extra Large

119

• Villa size & design
• Easy access from Malé

• Spa Hydrotherapy pool
• 11 F&B outlets including world-famous Zuma

Reviewed by Florian

Getting There: A Smooth Arrival with a Scenic Transfer

One of the key attractions of Waldorf Astoria Ithaafushi Maldives is its location. Unlike many remote luxury resorts that require a long seaplane journey, Ithaafushi is easily reached with a 40-minute luxury yacht transfer from Malé International Airport. The transfer itself sets the tone, with comfortable seating, onboard refreshments, and friendly staff.

Once you arrive, the first thing that strikes you is the sheer size of the island. It’s stunning, with lush vegetation, crystal-clear waters, and picture-perfect beaches. But it’s also one of the largest resort islands in the Maldives. This means you’ll be getting around by buggy or biking around most of the time, as walking from one end of the resort to the other isn’t always practical. While some may love the variety and space, others might miss the intimacy of smaller islands.

For us, we prefer small and exclusive resorts with less than 30 villas when traveling to the Maldives. Therefore, the 122 villas at Waldorf Astoria feel a bit too much.

Our Stay: King Overwater Villa with Pool

Let’s continue our review of Waldorf Astoria Ithaafushi Maldives with our villa.

We stayed in Villa 726, a King Overwater Villa with Pool, and it was nothing short of spectacular.

The villa design is sleek, contemporary, and meticulously crafted, making it a dream come true for fans of modern architecture and design. High ceilings, clean lines, and light-filled spaces create a luxurious yet inviting atmosphere. The private infinity pool was massive by Maldives standards, and the expansive outdoor deck had multiple seating areas perfect for lounging, dining, or simply soaking up the sun.

Inside, the living space felt equally generous with a king-sized bed facing floor-to-ceiling windows, a spacious bathroom with a soaking tub, and indoor/outdoor showers. Every detail, from the lighting to the high-tech room controls, reflected thoughtful design.

If you appreciate modern, high-end villas, this one easily ranks among the best we’ve seen in the Maldives. You can learn more about our favorite overwater villas in the Maldives here.

During our stay, we were also given the opportunity to tour several of the resort’s stunning Beach Villas. These offer a different perspective of island living, combining lush garden surroundings with direct beach access and the same refined interiors Waldorf Astoria is known for.

Wellness and Spa: A Mixed Experience

The fitness center is well-equipped and has everything you need for a solid workout. However, compared to other top resorts in the Maldives, we found it a bit on the smaller side, which can be noticeable during peak hours.

The Waldorf Astoria Spa features beautiful treatment rooms and a serene environment, plus a hydrotherapy pool that looked promising. However, this is where we faced one of our major disappointments: access to the hydrotherapy pool comes at an additional cost. What’s more frustrating is that this information isn’t clearly communicated at check-in or even when you arrive at the spa. Many guests, like us, discover it only after being presented with a bill.

In a resort of this caliber, this felt out of place and detracted from the overall spa experience, a definite negative in this review of Waldorf Astoria Ithaafushi Maldives.

Dining: The Ultimate Culinary Playground with Some Caveats

Food is arguably the standout feature of Waldorf Astoria Ithaafushi Maldives and something we had to cover in this comprehensive review.

The resort boasts 11 dining venues, ranging from casual beachside spots to fine dining. Our culinary highlight was dining at Zuma Maldives, the internationally acclaimed Japanese restaurant. The ambiance, service, and dishes were superb, making it the perfect way to end our stay.

Another unique option is Terra, the resort’s tree-top dining experience. Each pod is designed for maximum privacy and offers a magical setting for a special dinner.

The breakfast buffet is nothing short of excellent, both in selection and quality. From exotic fruit stations to a wide array of international hot dishes, pastries, and freshly made juices, it sets a high standard for resort breakfasts.

However, it’s important to mention a less glamorous side of dining here. If you are on a half-board package, you’ll only have access to one specific restaurant for dinner (with a choice of starter, main, and dessert). Should you choose any other venue, you’re given a USD 100 credit per person per night. Unfortunately, considering the sky-high prices at Waldorf, this credit barely scratches the surface.

For example, a simple chicken shawarma cost USD 85. So realistically, using the credit towards dinner at another restaurant often means you’ll be paying a significant amount out of pocket. This is definitely something guests should be aware of before booking, a major factor to weigh when considering value for money.

Pools: Two Beautiful Options Beyond Your Villa

All villas at Waldorf Astoria Ithaafushi come with private pools, which is a huge plus.

In addition, the resort features two large public pools:
A family-friendly pool, ideal for those traveling with children.
An adults-only pool, which was our personal favorite, offering a peaceful vibe with comfortable loungers and attentive service.

Both pools are beautifully designed and some of the most impressive we’ve seen in the Maldives. Whether you want to swim laps or simply relax, they’re great alternatives to your villa’s private pool.

Also, all the sitting area around the pool is super secluded and intimate, offering the level of exclusivity and privacy people are looking for when going to this kind of luxury resorts in the Maldives.

Snorkeling: Better Than Expected

We approached snorkeling at Waldorf Astoria Ithaafushi Maldives with moderate expectations, knowing that many artificial or reclaimed islands have poor house reefs.

Surprisingly, snorkeling just off our Villa 726 was actually quite decent. While the coral health isn’t comparable to pristine reefs in other parts of the Maldives, we encountered plenty of fish and even a few larger species. It’s not a snorkeling destination per se, but for casual swims right from your villa, it exceeded our expectations and will be a positive point in this review of Waldorf Astoria Maldives.

Activities: Excursions and On-Island Options

During our stay, we did the nurse shark snorkeling excursion, which turned out to be a highlight of our trip. We spent about 45 minutes swimming among 50+ nurse sharks, an incredible experience we’d highly recommend.

On the island itself, there are plenty of complimentary activities, including:

• Padel courts

• Tennis courts

• Table tennis

• Football ground

• Non-motorized water sports like kayaking and paddleboarding
  

For those looking for more, the resort also offers private excursions, diving trips, and sunset cruises and more…

Service: Mostly Good, But Some Room for Improvement

Before concluding this review of Waldorf Astoria Ithaafushi Maldives, let’s talk about the service.

Overall, the service at Waldorf Astoria Ithaafushi was professional and friendly. The villa staff were attentive, housekeeping was efficient, and restaurant servers were consistently polite.

However, we did encounter some hiccups with communication and personalization. The most notable was with our villa host, who failed to clearly explain the half-board dining inclusions and restrictions. We only discovered key details, like the dining credit system and restaurant limitations, several days into our stay.

For a resort of this stature, we expected a more proactive and personalized approach. Small lapses like this, though minor, do add up in the overall experience.

Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Convenient location close to Malé with a smooth yacht transfer

• Stunning, modern villas with large private pools

• Exceptional dining variety with standout venues like Zuma and Terra

• Beautifully designed public pools for families and adults

• Decent snorkeling access directly from the villa

• Wide range of activities, including complimentary sports and excursions

• Professional and friendly overall service

Cons:

• Half-board dining inclusions are restrictive with low-value credit for other venues

• Spa hydrotherapy pool access comes at an extra charge and is poorly communicated

• Gym is smaller than expected for a resort of this scale

• Some service lapses, especially regarding communication of inclusions

• High food and beverage prices even for Maldivian luxury standards

Final Thoughts: Review of Waldorf Astoria Ithaafushi Maldives

Waldorf Astoria Ithaafushi Maldives offers a compelling package of modern luxury, exceptional dining variety, and convenient access from Malé. The villas are some of the most beautiful and design-forward in the Maldives, and the breadth of dining options is hard to beat.

However, some aspects, like the spa hydrotherapy access fees, half-board dining limitations, and occasional service oversights, hold it back from reaching the absolute top tier of Maldives resorts.

For travelers who love contemporary design, vibrant dining scenes, and a larger resort atmosphere with lots of amenities, this property will certainly impress. Just make sure to go in with clear expectations, especially regarding dining costs and inclusions.

If this Waldorf Astoria Ithaafushi Maldives review helps you make an informed decision, we’re happy to have shared our honest take. It’s a resort that offers plenty of luxury and memorable moments but also a few caveats to be aware of before booking.

Contact us for more information or to book with the most competitive rates.

Waldorf Astoria Ithaafushi Resort Tour