Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi Review – The Ultimate Points Booking?

The Waldorf Astoria Maldives is often seen as the pinnacle of point redemptions in the Hilton Honors program. It’s not hard to see why when the most basic of rooms is a stunning large villa with its own pool with a large outdoor area including a day bed, seat swing, and hammocks! Combine this with the fact that cash rates can easily run surpass £2,000 a night 120,000 – 150,000 points a night is great value. We paid 720,000 points (one night with free with the Hilton 5th night free promo) for a 7-night stay and during our stay were lucky to try 3 different villas, The Reef Villa, Overwater Villa & the stunning Stella Maris Villa.

It’s worth noting that, unlike other locations where you can still have a cheap holiday staying in a luxury hotel, this isn’t possible in the Maldives. You will need to book your transfer to/from the hotel with the hotel and unless you are packing a suitcase of food you’ll need to eat at their restaurants. Combine this with a few activities and your bill will easily surpass £5K for a couple staying a week on a points booking.

The Transfer to the Waldorf Astoria Maldives

The private yacht transfer to the hotel cost us $1601.60 (£1,207.92) return including taxes for two people. If you thought that was expensive for 2022 it’s increasing to $1,798.72 (£1,356.39) return including taxes for two people. Whilst this might seem expensive it is a much more luxurious experience compared to other options (particularly if you need to take a seaplane.)

Within 10 minutes of exiting the baggage reclaim area into arrivals, we were on the yacht with a cool towel and drink. Fast forward another 50 minutes we were at the resort. So just over an hour after exiting the airport we were already at our hotel, incredibly rare in the Maldives where you often have to wait hours for a seaplane departure.

The other benefit is that… well… you are on a yacht! There is space to move around & you can soak up the sunshine! The yacht even has a couple of bedrooms and a shower if you needed a power nap or a freshen-up. There are snacks and drinks served by a butler (including champagne) and you can roam around the yacht as you please and perhaps enjoy some sunshine on one of the decks. Doesn’t that sound better than a noisy, smelly, cramped seaplane?

Check-in

As you approach the hotel you will see an array of smiling waving staff ready to welcome you as the yacht docks at the welcome bay. A small taste of what is to come of how genuinely friendly and helpful all the staff we met were! As you step off the boat and walk down the welcome dock a large dong is rung to signify your arrival (pretty cool!) From here you are then led inside Peacock Alley/reception. The first that happens when you arrive here is your temperature is taken (COVID measure.) Once that was completed we offered a drink before meeting our concierge Ammadey who would be looking after us during our stay.

We were then given a tour of the island on a buggy before being taken to our room and finishing the check-in formalities. This merely consisted of taking a picture of our passports and signing some paper that was already in our room. Ammadey then gave us his number which we could use to WhatsApp him anytime we needed anything. We were then left to explore/enjoy the room!

Waldorf Astoria Maldives Reef Villa

Our first Villa was a Reef Villa (number 502.) If you want to be centrally located with a short distance to the majority of the island’s facilities/restaurants and best snorkeling this is the villa type we’d recommend you stay in. These villas are part land/part overwater. Outside the doors to your villa is space to park your bikes. As you open the doors you’ll see a bench on your left, entrance to your villa beside this, and the pool/day bed, etc straight ahead.

As you enter the villa you can’t help but be impressed by the vast space in front of you. To your right are two chairs which overlook your pool and the sea. On the table in between was our welcome gift of fresh fruit and red wine. To the left is a TV and to the right the ‘mini bar’ which consists of a fridge, snacks and various tea/coffee making facilities.

On the other side of this space is your enormous and super comfy bed. On either side, you have large bedside tables with multiple USB sockets. On the left side, you’ll find an iPad that is used to control the lighting, curtains, and Air Conditioning. You can also view food menus/activities/spa offerings on the iPad too.

To the left of the bed ‘tucked away’ is the make-up area. This is well thought out because it allows you (so I’m told) to apply your make-up in a cool room rather than a hot steamy bathroom! Here you’ll also find some additional drawers for storage and this is normally where your ‘welcome’ letter is.

As you walk into the ‘dressing’ area of the villa on either side you’ll find wardrobes with ample space and draws for clothing. This area can be separated from the main bedroom by closing the two large sliding doors. Here you’ll also find things such as an iron/ironing board, gown, slippers, sandals, beach bag and safe, etc.

Past this is the bathroom space, you’ll find two doors on your left-hand side, the first is your shower, inside here you’ll find a hand-held shower and rainforest shower. To the left, you have Waldorf Astoria’s signature Salvatore Ferragamo toiletries in polished stone containers and to the right a bench. Straight ahead you’ll see another door that leads to your garden shower.

Behind the next door is your toilet with an auto-opening lid, handheld hose, and an extremely high-tech toilet panel with numerous different settings and features we didn’t dare to try!

Straight ahead are mirrors and sinks with his and her stone pots containing additional amenities like nail files, shower caps, and toothbrushes. In the centre of the space is an island where you can lay out towels and clothing for after your bath/shower. We used this space to pack our bags for whatever we wanted to take with us for our time out the villa.

The highlight of this space is, of course, the bathtub with glorious views over your pool and into the ocean.

Outdoor space

Whilst there is no doubt the interior is impressive the outdoor space takes it to a whole other level! To start with you have your very own pool which you can actually swim in (rather than just sit in.) Around this, you have a wide array of seating and lounging options including a day bed, table/chairs, swinging chair, pool loungers, and hammocks!

Unfortunately, you will notice some boat traffic/lighting, particularly at night, due to the proximity to Male (the capital) and other islands. This means you won’t quite get the castaway away feeling you do at other resorts here but… it still is pretty fantastic!

Turndown

Every evening our villa was left absolutely spotless with all our personal items folded and tidied for us. Slippers were laid out on either side of the bed ready for us and every evening a different turndown treat was left.

Waldorf Astoria Maldives Overwater Villa

Our second villa was an Overwater Villa located at the far end of the island (number 137.) Here you are much further away from the ‘action’ but the experience of walking/cycling/riding across the decking to/from the villa is magical with views over the lagoon. Whilst you’ll get less traffic going past you will have a longer wait for a buggy (if it’s hot the distance isn’t great to cycle.) The villa is identical to the Reef Villa except for three key differences. 1) The entire villa is overwater which means your entrance is more magical 2) As it’s overwater you have a glass ‘window’ on the floor where you can see directly into the water below the villa 3) The outside shower is accessed by a separate door near the bath. This is completely private but on decking rather than a garden (as the entire villa is overwater.)

As you open the doors you’ll see your bikes directly to the left a bench on your left, entrance to your villa beside this, and the pool/day bed, etc straight ahead.

The bedroom is identical to that of the Reef Villa. To your right are two chairs which overlook your pool and the sea. On the table in between was our welcome gift of fresh fruit and red wine. To the left is a TV and to the right the ‘mini bar’ which consists of a fridge, snacks and various tea/coffee making facilities.

On the other side of this space is your bed with large bedside tables on either side with multiple USB sockets. On the left side, you’ll find an iPad that is used to control the lighting, curtains, and Air Conditioning. You can also view food menus/activities/spa offerings on the iPad too.

Again to the left of the bed, you’ll find the make-up area. Here you’ll also find some additional drawers for storage and this is normally where your ‘welcome’ letter is.

As you walk into the ‘dressing’ area of the villa you’ll notice one big difference from the Reef Villa, the glass window on the floor! Other than this it is identical, on either side, you’ll find wardrobes with ample space and draws for clothing. This area can be separated from the main bedroom by closing the two large sliding doors. Here you’ll also find things such as an iron/ironing board, gown, slippers, sandals, beach bag and safe, etc.

Past this is the bathroom space, you’ll find two doors on your left-hand side, the first is your shower, inside here you’ll find a hand-held shower and rainforest shower. To the left, you have Waldorf Astoria’s signature Salvatore Ferragamo toiletries in polished stone containers and to the right a bench. (no door to the outdoor shower here like in the Reef Villa.)

Behind the next door is your toilet with an auto-opening lid, handheld hose, and an extremely high-tech toilet panel with numerous different settings and features.

Straight ahead are mirrors and sinks with his and her stone pots containing additional amenities like nail files, shower caps, and toothbrushes. To the right of this is a door from which you can access your outdoor shower (as opposed to through the main shower in the Reef Villa.) In the centre of the space is an island where you can lay out towels and clothing for after your bath/shower. We used this space to pack our bags for whatever we wanted to take with us for our time out of the villa.

Again you have a bathtub with glorious views over your pool and into the ocean.

Outdoor Space

Again the layout is pretty much identical, you have your very own pool which you can actually swim in (rather than just sit in.) Around this, you have a wide array of seating and lounging options including a day bed, table/chairs, swinging chair, pool loungers, and hammocks!

Unfortunately, you will notice some boat traffic/lighting, particularly at night, due to the proximity to Male (the capital) and other islands. This means you won’t quite get the castaway away feeling you do at other resorts here but… it still is pretty fantastic!

Turndown

Every evening our villa was left absolutely spotless with all our personal items folded and tidied for us. Slippers were laid out on either side of the bed ready for us and every evening a different turndown treat was left.

Waldorf Astoria Maldives Stella Maris Villa

Our final villa was one of the two Stella Maris Villas (number 801.) As you approach the villa by boat you can’t help but feel as if you are in for something special. There are only two Stella Maris villas on the entire island and they can only be reached by boat, being situated between the main island and the private island.

As soon as you walk in you can see the outdoor area/pool through the window directly in front of you. If you turn to the left you’ll enter the bedroom area. The layout is quite similar to that of the Overwater/Reef Villa here. To your right are two chairs which overlook your pool and the sea. On the table in between was our welcome gift of fresh fruit and red wine. To the left is a TV and, where the room differs slightly, to the right the make-up area.

On the other side of this space is your bed with small bedside tables on either side with multiple USB sockets. On the left side, you’ll find an iPad that is used to control the lighting, curtains, and Air Conditioning. You can also view food menus/activities/spa offerings on the iPad too.

As you walk into the ‘dressing’ area of the villa you’ll find wardrobes with ample space and draws for clothing. This area can be separated from the main bedroom by closing the two sliding doors. Here you’ll also find things such as an iron/ironing board, gown, slippers, sandals, beach bag and safe, etc (exactly the same as previous villas.)

Past this is the bathroom space, you’ll find two doors on your left-hand side, the first is your toilet with an auto-opening lid, handheld hose, and an extremely high-tech toilet panel with numerous different settings and features.

Behind the next door is your shower, inside here you’ll find a hand-held shower and rainforest shower. To the right, you have Waldorf Astoria’s signature Salvatore Ferragamo toiletries in polished stone containers (the shower is smaller with no bench compared to the Reef/Overwater Villa.) Straight ahead you’ll see another door that leads to your outdoor shower with Salvatore Ferragamo toiletries.

As you exit the shower straight ahead are mirrors and sinks with his and her stone pots containing additional amenities like nail files, shower caps, and toothbrushes. To the left of this is the bathtub (unfortunately this doesn’t have unrestricted sea views like the Reef/Overwater Villa) In the centre of the space is an island where you can lay out towels and clothing for after your bath/shower. We used this space to pack our bags for whatever we wanted to take with us for our time out of the villa.

If you exit the bathroom and walk through the bedroom back to the entrance (as if you are turning right as soon as you enter) you’ll enter the large living space. On the right is a small room with a toilet and washbasin with Salvatore Ferragamo toiletries. To the left is the ‘mini bar’ which consists of a fridge, snacks and various tea/coffee making facilities on the left.

Directly ahead are tables/chairs with an array of board games and books. Beyond this are tables and chairs followed by a corner sofa with views over the ocean. In the left corner is another TV.

Outdoor Space

The outdoor space is equally impressive! You have an even larger pool & around this, you have a wide array of seating and lounging options including a sofa, table/chairs, pool loungers, and hammocks! Disappointingly the Stella Maris villa has no day bed or swinging chair BUT the hammocks were a lot comfier!

Upstairs

A spiral staircase leads up to a smaller half-outdoor/half-indoor upstairs deck area. To the left (and around the corner slightly) is a hot tub. To the right, there is a barbecue grill (not for guests’ use) and a dining area. This is followed by a roof deck with additional seating including a corner sofa with wonderful ocean views and a day bed.

You also have a nice view of your lower deck too!

Stella Maris Breakfast

If you are staying in the Stella Maris villa breakfast is complimentary in your villa. We decided to opt for a floating breakfast (additional charge) and because the weather wasn’t great had this in our hot tub. This was fantastic and was as good as the food/drink we had at Tasting Table for breakfast.

Breakfast At Waldorf Astoria Maldives

As we are Hilton Diamond members breakfast is included for free, the same applies to Hilton Gold members too. If you don’t have Diamond/Gold status breakfast for two will set you back around $160 (£120) a day including tax. If you don’t have status (or breakfast included in your rate) I would consider obtaining a card such as the Amex Platinum (£575 annual fee) as it will give you Gold status with Hilton. Over a week breakfast for two would cost £840 – £575 annual fee of Amex Platinum would leave you ‘up’ by £265. You could of course take out the card, get the status and cancel after a month for a pro-rata refund of the annual fee. This would cost you around £48… an awful lot cheaper than £840!

Breakfast is served at Tasting Tables which has ample seating inside and outside on decking or on the beach itself. Wherever possible (when it wasn’t too hot!) we sat on the beach, it’s hard to beat breakfast on the beach with a view of the lagoon! If it’s a little too hot try and grab one of the two cabanas on either side of the beach.

Service here was fantastic we were always seated straight away, our order for any a la carte items was taken quickly and our drinks never had a chance to be empty. As well as the a la carte menu (with things such as omelets, eggs, crepes, and waffles (I had the gluten-free versions) you also have access to an extensive buffet.

Entering the buffet room is the only time that guests are asked to wear masks (which are provided for you.) Here there is a wide range of options including pastries, muffins, and bread. Behind this are some buffet options including bacon, hashbrowns, mushrooms, etc. To the right-hand side are fridge options such as yoghurts and fruit.

If you go through into the next space, located to the right of the current buffet room, you will find a juice bar where you can order various freshly made juices. Opposite the juice bar, you have a selection of cereals, milk, and fruit & nuts. To the right-hand side of this, you have a small selection of Gluten-Free muffins, rolls & bread. On the right-hand side, you have various healthy options such as salads and vegetables. On the left-hand side, you’ll find a vast array of antipasti, smoked fish and cheese.

If you go through into the final space you will find a vast array of hot Chinese, and Indian breakfast dishes as well as a honeycomb station.

If you exit the buffet here on the left you will see a small space for the children’s buffet which features an array of mini pastries/muffins, fruit, hard-boiled eggs with smiley faces, fruit, and yoghurt drinks.

Complimentary Daily Afternoon Delights (4pm-5pm) at Peacock Alley

If you are a Gold/Diamond member (which you should be coming here simply because you’ll save about £120 a day on breakfast for two). You are given a QR code to scan with a drinks menu BUT you can order whatever drink you like. The default offering here is a bowl of nuts BUT as we can’t eat nuts this was very kindly changed to chips for me & yogurt & honey for my partner. We found this very useful for a small snack to keep us going until Dinner on the days we weren’t hungry enough for lunch.

Drinks

There are only two places you can go for a drink in the evening (currently Nava Beach Club closes early) and they are Peacock Alley (which we mentioned above) and Amber. We only went to Peacock Alley for the Complimentary Daily Afternoon Delights but some evenings they had live music (which sounded good from afar) and 50% off drinks between 10 – 11.30pm for Gold/Diamond members. (This used to be at Nava but as mentioned above currently it closes early.)

Amber is the hotel’s Champagne bar with a sunset view, we tried to get here as often as we could for the sunset as you had a really great view from here. There is a wide range of seating including tables/chairs, cabanas (if you’re getting too hot), and ‘lounging sofas’ directly over the ocean which we loved!

Lunch/Dinner At Waldorf Astoria Maldives

If you are interested in seeing what sort of food is on offer you can view a lot of the menus on the hotel’s website here – https://waldorfastoriamaldives.com/dining/. There is no getting around the fact that the food is expensive here albeit all delicious.

Glow

We ate at Glow on our first night (located in the space just before Amber) and had the Gluten-Free pasta for our main and the Chocolate cake for dessert, whilst the food was delicious and very fresh the portions were very small compared to what you received at other restaurants (probably as it’s the resort’s ‘healthy’ restaurant.) My partner was particularly disappointed at the size of her chocolate cake…

Yasmeen

When you step ‘inside’ Yasmeen you feel like you’ve been transported to a Syrian village. The restaurant serves Levantine cuisine inside a scale replica of a village set with cobblestones, a fountain & houses. My partner didn’t like cuisine but wanted to experience the village and wanted me to experience the food. The staff and chefs were absolutely fantastic, catering not only to my Gluten-Free requirements but also bringing food from outside the restaurant so my partner could have something to eat that she liked. I went for the mixed grill and the food was delicious!

Tasting Table

With two different dietary requirements and different tastes, we enjoyed eating at Tasting Table for the range of different dishes it offered both of us from different cuisines. I particularly enjoyed the Butter Chicken Masala and my partner the club sandwich with halloumi rather than meat. They also did awesome large creme brulees which I must admit I polished off before remembering a picture each time! The fact that you can dine on the beach too of course isn’t bad…

The Ledge by Dave Pynt

My partner wanted to dine here mainly for the view over the main pool. I had the beef marmalade (on Gluten-Free bread) to start which was incredible. For mains I had piri-piri chicken tweaked to be Gluten Free and my partner had vegetarian pasta. Her favourite was the melt-in-the-middle chocolate pudding… I on the other hand was too full for dessert. They did give us some marshmallows to try, these were OK – I think I was too full to enjoy them!

In-Villa Dining

We originally booked the Blissful Beach Dinner for 150,000 Hilton Points through Hilton Experiences. Before arrival, you are sent different cuisine options (view the options here) and from here you can change elements to your likes/dislikes. As the name suggests it is meant to be a dinner on the beach but due to weather concerns, they asked if they could move the dinner to our Stella Maris Villa. Whilst we were out on the main island they set up our villa for dinner and whilst not quite on the beach it certainly was a magical experience! Every dish was delicious and was a magical experience looking over the ocean (especially as it got darker) eating dinner cooked by your private chef!

Nava Pizza Bar

We had pizza from Nava twice, once with Room Service and once at the actual Pizza Bar by the pool itself. Both were equally as good with fresh & tasty ingredients. Eating pizza on your private swing overlooking the ocean or eating pizza with the beautiful surroundings of the main pool are both fantastic experiences. If you like Italian pizza this is probably the best we’ve had outside of Italy itself. They even made Gluten-Free bases fresh to order rather than premade packet ones you get from a lot of restaurants in the UK. The only shame is that it closes too early for dinner! A word of warning… If you order room service after Nava closes your pizza will be cooked in a ‘regular’ oven… don’t do it!

Activities At Waldorf Astoria Maldives

There are a variety of activities you can take part in including free and paid activities which you can view here – https://waldorfastoriamaldives.com/experiences/ – below is our experience of the ones we took part in.

Snorkeling

Every villa is given snorkeling equipment to use for free (which was pristine and the mouthpiece wrapped in cling film.) If you haven’t provided your sizes in advance you can get some equipment delivered once you let your concierge know.

Snorkeling at the resort

Unfortunately, the snorkeling at the resort and the house reef isn’t up to the level of other resorts but we did see a variety of fish and even a baby nurse shark on the house reef. If you ask the staff the recommended snorkeling spots on the island are the house reef, swim right from the beach by the dive centre (or a small bit to the left) or alternatively by Yasmeen.

Snorkeling with nurse sharks

This was one of our favourite activities (and the most expensive at almost $1000 with tax for two) was a 50-minute boat ride away from the resort to have an hour of snorkeling with nurse sharks. This was fantastic and there were a LOT of nurse sharks, it’s a very weird sensation to have them swimming under and so close to you. We’d happily book this again!

Watersports Centre

Jet skis

We booked the Adventure Jet Ski for one hour for 2 people (so we each had our own Jet Ski) this was great fun speeding around the Ocean! Halfway through we stopped at a small sand island for some pictures before heading back to the resort. This cost us $862.4 (around £640) including tax.

Parasailing

Here you can take in great views of the Indian Ocean and the resort, we didn’t see much activity in the waters below but it was a great experience taking in some aerial views including that of the Private Island. This cost us $480.48 (around £356) including tax for two.

Glass-bottom boat

This was our biggest waste of money on the trip. Unfortunately, the weather wasn’t great and we didn’t get to see many fish at all, let alone other sea life. At $234.08 (about £173) including tax for 2 it was on the cheaper side to the other activities so at least that wasn’t so bad!

Stand-up Paddle Boarding

One of the free activities you can take part in is stand-up paddleboarding which you can book in one-hour slots. If you are unsure about the board size/weather conditions make sure you ask a member of staff before taking to the ocean! This was quite a relaxing way to enjoy the Maldivian sunshine! PS: If you fall off it’s harder than you think that get back on!

Spa

We took advantage of the 30 min extra free when booking a 1-hour massage, having just flown a long-haul red-eye flight to arrive. The spa has overwater 10 massage pavilions (so you can watch the fishes whilst having a massage) and all have changing rooms, showers, etc. The massage was fantastic with the lady really working the knots out of my back and tension in my neck. Afterward, you can relax with your choice of tea inside the main spa building. This cost us $591.36 (about £438) including tax for 2 people.

The Main Pools At Waldorf Astoria Maldives

The hotel has two pools, a family one and an adults-only one. These are situated in the middle of the island adjacent to the beach club, facing the lagoon. Given that every villa has its own pool we didn’t see many people here at all, the family one being the busier of the two (if you can describe it as that!) There are ample sunbeds and towels dotted all around both pools, again in our visits rarely used. There is fruit-infused water at the towel bar which you can help yourself to if you are thirsty.

Beach Bar

We stopped at the beach bar once or twice during our stay after taking part in Water Sports. Whilst you can sit inside we choose to sit outside in the glorious sunshine. The service here was very prompt and friendly.

Photo Shoot

Behind the beach area/watersports office to the side of the kids club is the photo studio. All guests are entitled to a complimentary one-hour photoshoot (you get one complimentary print-out included.) Make sure you book in advance with your concierge to get your preferred day/time. Our photos were all based around the beach/pool area with the photographer asking if we had any ideas we wanted to try as well as providing her own direction. You can bring different outfits to change into if you wish. We thoroughly enjoyed our time (it was our first ever photo shoot so wasn’t really sure what to expect) and would happily do it again. Once your photoshoot has finished you then book a day/time to come back to the studio to review your photos.

When you come back to the studio to review your photos they are put on the large screen by the sofa. You can review these at your leisure and mark the ones you like. You, as mentioned above, get one complimentary print of a photo of your choice. If you want any more you will need to purchase one of the packages on offer. We purchased 10 photos on a USB stick for $369.60 (around £274.) We actually choose 12 photos but as there wasn’t a package for this our photographer let us have the other 2 for free.

PCR Testing At Waldorf Astoria Maldives

Whilst we were out in the Maldives the rules regarding testing when returning to the UK changed and we’d need to take a pre-departure test. Our concierge arranged for us to have our test done 48 hours before departure in our Villa, this was quick and easy, the next day we were sent our results by PDF ready to upload to our Airline. This was charged at $70 per person… which in the grand scheme of things isn’t too bad! Our concierge filled in the Traveller Health Declaration for our departure for us and sent us the QR codes for the airport.

Departure

Checking out was quick and easy, we went to Peacock Alley and paid the balance of our bill before boarding the Yacht back to Male airport. Upon arrival at the Airport, you are helped through the QR code scan, luggage check, and checking in/dropping your luggage. After this, they point you in the direction of immigration/security and head off.

Waldorf Astoria Maldives Conclusion

We are already planning our return visit to the Waldorf Astoria Maldives… that’s how much of an impression it left! If you are booking on points it’s a complete no-brainer, no other points redemption comes remotely close! Of course, the cost of the transfer, food/drinks, and activities will add up but it’s hard to see how/where you could get a similar experience for the same amount of cash. If you are paying cash the pendulum I feel will swing in the other direction, 2K a night for a room is a lot considering when a 100% bonus on Hilton points runs you can pick up enough points for a night priced at 120,000 for £461.25. It definitely feels as if those who are paying cash are subsidizing those who don’t… Of course, there is the caveat that reward nights can be difficult to obtain here!