May 30, 2013, 1:45 pm
Last edit by: Zorak
Best Weather
http://www.holiday-weather.com/maldives/
High season/low season
High season: December to April
Staying for free
From 25,000 to 35,000 Hyatt points per night (Cat 7)
This is a Suite Award Ineligible Property" and a free upgrade is unlikely unless you are a Globalist and the resort has low occupancy.
Paid Upgrades
These rates fluctuate depending on high/low season.
Globalist Benefits
Excursion and Diving Costs
January 2022: See https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/33815708-post4161.html
Also see https://www.experienceparkhyattmaldives.com/ under 'Experiences' and 'Diving'
Tip: Pre-book diving activities online before arrival for 10% discount (May not be applicable anymore).
Tip: Boat 2-tank day will have to be on day following Orientation Dive (required by law for all divers. Typically done the first full day at 10am; a short in-water abilities test followed by a tank dive on the house reef.)
Spa Menu and Costs
https://www.experienceparkhyattmaldi...un-luxury-spa/
Free Stuff
Snorkle gear for duration of your stay (masks, snorkel & fins)
Use of glass-bottomed kayaks
Back-of-the-house tour
Yoga several days a week
Dining Menu and Costs
Menus (click on specific restaurant, packages under "The Dining Room"): https://www.experienceparkhyattmaldi...t-in-maldives/
Breakfast (current as of Jan. 2022): for those who do not have status/do not have breakfast included in their rate, the options are a la carte items at ~$12-$20 apiece, and juices at ~$6-$8. Or you can order the buffet for $40, which includes two a-la-carte items, the buffet, and drinks.
Transfers and Costs
Domestic flights are operated by Maldivian Air and waiting times may vary from a minimum of 1 hour to a maximum of 4 hours.
The shortest flight from Male Domestic terminal to Kooddoo Domestic Airport is ~55 minutes and the longest flight takes ~1 hour 45 minutes due to a stop over in Kadhdhoo Domestic Airport.
A scenic and short speedboat journey of approximately 30-40 minutes (weather dependent) will follow as the final stretch of the journey to our island.
Any last minute name changes on domestic flight ticket are subject to a fee levied by the Maldivian Air. All such changes will be charged at the rate of USD 100 net per person.The exact flight timings are released two days before departure, but tend to be around these times:
Cost (October 2024): USD $599 round-trip/adult, $499/child, $199/infant - paid before you arrive via cc authorization form October 2024: at least for returning guests staying on points, no payment of any kind was requested prior to arrival, not even upon check-in (a card was on file, but no pre-authorization was made)
Luggage restriction
Transfer prices include the baggage allowance of 30 kg per passenger (20 kg is the domestic airline allowance and 10 kg will be covered by The Resort as a courtesy service) and hand luggage of 5 kg per passenger. Excess baggage will be charged and is subject to space availability and terms and conditions of the Air Carrier.
Map of the resort
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/20097457-post715.html
https://www.google.com/maps/@0.50595.../data=!3m1!1e3
Best Villas
Land: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/20345989-post813.html
Pool: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/20345989-post813.html
Water villas: Generally the higher number the better. #51 is the most private October 2024: #52 (the Kiaali residence) is the most private.
How to save money during stay
Have late breakfast (breakfast is free for all guests except if you are redeeming points), skip lunch, and only pay for dinner. Or bring a suitcase full of snacks like chips, nuts, cookies, beef jerky, noodle soups -- but no pork.
The Saturday free cocktail social (manager's reception) is at 6:30pm October 2024: there is no (or at least no regular manager's reception anymore)
Bring family?
Previous reports were that this resort was not for children. ("No kids club, pool is not suitable for young kids, and you will need to pay the transfers for each child, and plenty of PDA.") October 2024: The resort keeps ample beach toys for young children, it has plenty of high chairs available (and will bring them to Koi or to your villa as you wish), and keeps baby and child-sized life jackets. The main pool has a toddler-friendly one-foot-deep pool adjacent to the bar area, plus a long set of shallow steps that kids enjoy playing on. The spa pool also has two sets of steps, and the back wall of the spa pool has fun water jets. The previous reports likely meant that this resort is not for parents who want to abandon their children at some childcare desk. The staff will bend over backwards to make your kids' stay memorable, assuming you are also there spending time with your kid(s).
That said, some families have loved their experience here. http://travelsort.com/blog/park-hyat...hadahaa-review. If you bring children the Hyatt does provide sitting service for $20/hour.
Also note that the resort charges $250 per child age 3 and up per night (even if the child does not require an extra bed). Only kids 2 and under are free. http://travelsort.com/blog/park-hyat...a-bed-fee-ever
Wifi
As at January 2022, the resort's wifi speed is 10-12Mbps.
Tipping
The management views employees as each part of a team, with no one more important to the hotel's success. No one wants to order room service if the groundskeeper or housekeeper has not created an inviting place to enjoy it for instance. So employees share equally the 10% service charge added into everything, including the room charge. Tipping beyond that is not necessary, but at your discretion. Unlike the service charge which is shared with all employees on the entire property, if you choose to add additional gratuity to the bill for a meal or an activity, that money is shared amongst employees of the department responsible for that meal or service (e.g. additional gratuity on a dive center bill will be shared amongst those employees, while additional gratuity on a Dining Room bill will be shared amongst the food service employees). Employees are also allowed to keep cash tips that they receive directly. Employees are rewarded with trips and other gifts when their outstanding service is brought to management's attention. A great way to reward a good employee is by letter to management.
See this post which provides more details http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/22508516-post1525.html
Ipad App
There is an Ipad in each room that has an app with a lot of useful / interesting information. If you have an Ipad, you can search & download the app for: Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa. It doesn't work on an iPhone due to the page size. Some info may be out of date or missing, so check with the resort. October 2024: We had no iPad in our room this time, but there was a QR code with links to the menus.
Property Email
[email protected]
[email protected]
Reviews (NOTE: mix of FlyerTalk and external links)
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/20409958-post93.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/20409962-post94.html
http://boardingarea.com/blogs/viewfr...ahaa-maldives/
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/20345989-post813.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/20194512-post756.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/19700966-post16.html
http://milesabound.com/miles-to-the-...ty-facilities/
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/18400856-post354.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/18326860-post328.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/17994156-post275.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/17468055-post209.html
http://www.driven2travel.co.uk/park-...ter-villa.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/20437085-post853.html
Park Hyatt versus other Maldives resorts (NOTE: mix of FlyerTalk and external links)
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/20506309-post892.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/20511054-post896.html
http://milesabound.com/destination-g...staying-there/
http://www.holiday-weather.com/maldives/
High season/low season
High season: December to April
Staying for free
From 25,000 to 35,000 Hyatt points per night (Cat 7)
This is a Suite Award Ineligible Property" and a free upgrade is unlikely unless you are a Globalist and the resort has low occupancy.
Paid Upgrades
- Overwater Villa (Without Pool): Quoted $750 per night plus taxes in December 2024
- Each villa offers the sunny side of life with superb sunsets, panoramic views of the Open Ocean and individual access to the house reef below.
- Beach Pool Villa: Upgrade Supplement - October 2024 - USD 250 plus taxes of 27.6%, total USD 319 per night.
- Each villa features a private pool set in the middle of the lush private garden in addition to a private deck with lounge area and sunbeds as well as private beach access.
- Overwater Sunset Pool Villa: Upgrade Supplement - October 2024 - USD 350 plus taxes of 27.6%, total USD 446.6 per night.
- Enjoy the tranquil 115sqm water villas with ocean vistas featuring a king bed, indoor bathtub, private deck with plunge pool, semi-submerged sun beds, outdoor bale and individual access to the reef.
- Deluxe Beach Pool Villas: Upgrade Supplement - October 2024 - USD 550 plus taxes of 27.6%, total USD 701.8 per night.
- Each villa features a private bale/cabana with table and chairs, a tranquil 55sqm pool with two semi submerged sunbeds, with two beach sun loungers on privately accessed beach.
- Two Bedroom Beach Pool Villas: Upgrade Supplement - October 2024 - USD 1,200 plus taxes of 27.6%, total USD 1,531.2 per night.
- The 44sqm second bedroom is fitted with two single beds and has an attached bathroom with indoor shower. The villa offers a relaxing 55sqm pool and two semi submerged sunbeds with two beach sun loungers on privately accessed beach.
These rates fluctuate depending on high/low season.
Globalist Benefits
- Complimentary upgrade to Beach Pool Villa subject to availability.
- Late checkout at 1600 hrs.subject to availability.
- Breakfast: Order two main dishes off the menu along with water, juice and coffee. You also have access to the buffet which consists of breads, sweets, cheeses, cold cuts, cereals etc., and a do-it-yourself cocktail station with one rotating option per day. Breakfast is 7:30-10:30 a.m. only, but 24-hour room service is available.
- Sundowner- 1 free cocktail (from a limited cocktail menu) & canapes, daily between 5pm and 7pm (October 2024)
Complimentary Management cocktails on Saturdays from 06:30 pm to 07:30 pm15% off cocktails and wine (by the glass)
Excursion and Diving Costs
January 2022: See https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/33815708-post4161.html
Also see https://www.experienceparkhyattmaldives.com/ under 'Experiences' and 'Diving'
Tip: Pre-book diving activities online before arrival for 10% discount (May not be applicable anymore).
Tip: Boat 2-tank day will have to be on day following Orientation Dive (required by law for all divers. Typically done the first full day at 10am; a short in-water abilities test followed by a tank dive on the house reef.)
Spa Menu and Costs
https://www.experienceparkhyattmaldi...un-luxury-spa/
Free Stuff
Snorkle gear for duration of your stay (masks, snorkel & fins)
Use of glass-bottomed kayaks
Back-of-the-house tour
Yoga several days a week
Dining Menu and Costs
Menus (click on specific restaurant, packages under "The Dining Room"): https://www.experienceparkhyattmaldi...t-in-maldives/
Breakfast (current as of Jan. 2022): for those who do not have status/do not have breakfast included in their rate, the options are a la carte items at ~$12-$20 apiece, and juices at ~$6-$8. Or you can order the buffet for $40, which includes two a-la-carte items, the buffet, and drinks.
Transfers and Costs
Domestic flights are operated by Maldivian Air and waiting times may vary from a minimum of 1 hour to a maximum of 4 hours.
The shortest flight from Male Domestic terminal to Kooddoo Domestic Airport is ~55 minutes and the longest flight takes ~1 hour 45 minutes due to a stop over in Kadhdhoo Domestic Airport.
A scenic and short speedboat journey of approximately 30-40 minutes (weather dependent) will follow as the final stretch of the journey to our island.
Any last minute name changes on domestic flight ticket are subject to a fee levied by the Maldivian Air. All such changes will be charged at the rate of USD 100 net per person.The exact flight timings are released two days before departure, but tend to be around these times:
- Arrivals (Departure from MLE) : 10:30-11:00, 12:00, 13:40, 17:30hrs and last flight at 23:30 October 2024: these schedules are highly variable and are determined by Maldivian Airlines, check flights on Q2 from MLE to GKK on FlightAware
- Departures (Departure from Kooddoo) : 0545hrs, 0800hrs, 1130hrs, 1530hrs and last departure at 1830hrs
Cost (October 2024): USD $599 round-trip/adult, $499/child, $199/infant - paid before you arrive via cc authorization form October 2024: at least for returning guests staying on points, no payment of any kind was requested prior to arrival, not even upon check-in (a card was on file, but no pre-authorization was made)
Luggage restriction
Transfer prices include the baggage allowance of 30 kg per passenger (20 kg is the domestic airline allowance and 10 kg will be covered by The Resort as a courtesy service) and hand luggage of 5 kg per passenger. Excess baggage will be charged and is subject to space availability and terms and conditions of the Air Carrier.
Map of the resort
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/20097457-post715.html
https://www.google.com/maps/@0.50595.../data=!3m1!1e3
Best Villas
Land: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/20345989-post813.html
Pool: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/20345989-post813.html
Water villas: Generally the higher number the better. #51 is the most private October 2024: #52 (the Kiaali residence) is the most private.
How to save money during stay
Have late breakfast (breakfast is free for all guests except if you are redeeming points), skip lunch, and only pay for dinner. Or bring a suitcase full of snacks like chips, nuts, cookies, beef jerky, noodle soups -- but no pork.
The Saturday free cocktail social (manager's reception) is at 6:30pm October 2024: there is no (or at least no regular manager's reception anymore)
Bring family?
Previous reports were that this resort was not for children. ("No kids club, pool is not suitable for young kids, and you will need to pay the transfers for each child, and plenty of PDA.") October 2024: The resort keeps ample beach toys for young children, it has plenty of high chairs available (and will bring them to Koi or to your villa as you wish), and keeps baby and child-sized life jackets. The main pool has a toddler-friendly one-foot-deep pool adjacent to the bar area, plus a long set of shallow steps that kids enjoy playing on. The spa pool also has two sets of steps, and the back wall of the spa pool has fun water jets. The previous reports likely meant that this resort is not for parents who want to abandon their children at some childcare desk. The staff will bend over backwards to make your kids' stay memorable, assuming you are also there spending time with your kid(s).
That said, some families have loved their experience here. http://travelsort.com/blog/park-hyat...hadahaa-review. If you bring children the Hyatt does provide sitting service for $20/hour.
Also note that the resort charges $250 per child age 3 and up per night (even if the child does not require an extra bed). Only kids 2 and under are free. http://travelsort.com/blog/park-hyat...a-bed-fee-ever
Wifi
As at January 2022, the resort's wifi speed is 10-12Mbps.
Tipping
The management views employees as each part of a team, with no one more important to the hotel's success. No one wants to order room service if the groundskeeper or housekeeper has not created an inviting place to enjoy it for instance. So employees share equally the 10% service charge added into everything, including the room charge. Tipping beyond that is not necessary, but at your discretion. Unlike the service charge which is shared with all employees on the entire property, if you choose to add additional gratuity to the bill for a meal or an activity, that money is shared amongst employees of the department responsible for that meal or service (e.g. additional gratuity on a dive center bill will be shared amongst those employees, while additional gratuity on a Dining Room bill will be shared amongst the food service employees). Employees are also allowed to keep cash tips that they receive directly. Employees are rewarded with trips and other gifts when their outstanding service is brought to management's attention. A great way to reward a good employee is by letter to management.
See this post which provides more details http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/22508516-post1525.html
Ipad App
There is an Ipad in each room that has an app with a lot of useful / interesting information. If you have an Ipad, you can search & download the app for: Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa. It doesn't work on an iPhone due to the page size. Some info may be out of date or missing, so check with the resort. October 2024: We had no iPad in our room this time, but there was a QR code with links to the menus.
Property Email
[email protected]
[email protected]
Reviews (NOTE: mix of FlyerTalk and external links)
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/20409958-post93.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/20409962-post94.html
http://boardingarea.com/blogs/viewfr...ahaa-maldives/
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/20345989-post813.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/20194512-post756.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/19700966-post16.html
http://milesabound.com/miles-to-the-...ty-facilities/
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/18400856-post354.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/18326860-post328.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/17994156-post275.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/17468055-post209.html
http://www.driven2travel.co.uk/park-...ter-villa.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/20437085-post853.html
Park Hyatt versus other Maldives resorts (NOTE: mix of FlyerTalk and external links)
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/20506309-post892.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/20511054-post896.html
http://milesabound.com/destination-g...staying-there/
Park Hyatt Maldives REVIEW - MASTER THREAD
May 18, 2011 | 8:10 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 18
Park Hyatt Maldives REVIEW - MASTER THREAD
My wife and I spent our part of honeymoon at the Park Hyatt Maldives, Hadahaa last week and it was an awesome experience!. 5 days of pure luxury and bliss.
photos
Location
Getting in
We arrived at Male from SIN at around 1130am and was welcomed by an airport rep. who escorted us to the domestic terminal for our flight to Kaadedhdhoo (KDM). We were scheduled to depart at 1.30pm but the flight was delayed till 2.45pm. Resort guests have access the Moonimaa lounge which resort guests have access to. (light snacks, drinks, wifi). Flight time was an hour on a Maldivian Dash8-300 aircraft.
Upon Arrival at KDM, A resort staff greeted us and we were whisked into a waiting speedboat which was more like a luxury yacht. The ride took 75 minutes but we dreaded it as the waters were really rough.
The return transfer (domestic flight + speedboat) costs US$450 each before 10% tax. There are no other options to get to the resort and the domestic flight would cost US$400 alone if booked directly via Maldivian.
Seaplanes do not serve the Gaafu Alifu Atoll as there aren't many resorts in the area.
The Resort:
Designed by SCDA Architects, Opened in 2009 as Alila Villas Maldives. Still doesnt feel like a Park Hyatt yet. The resort occupies the entire Hadahaa island, boasts pristine white sand beaches and crystal clear waters and an untouched housed reef.
To maximize daylight, the resort operates island time, which is an hour ahead of Male Time (GMT+5)
The Villas:
50 Villas, 3 Villa Categories - Park villa, Park Pool Villa, Park Water Villa. All villas have a similar architecture other than a 1.2m deep plunge pool for the Pool Villa and built over the Indian Ocean. The villas range from 100 sq m to 120sq m.
This is possibly the smallest Hyatt property in terms of number of guestrooms, and has the largest mean room size.
We booked a passport escape award for 5 nights (145k) points and received an upgrade to the Pool Villa. Not too sure if its a standard diamond upgrade or due to low occupancy (less than 30% occupancy) when we were there. Some of the villas are under refurbishment as well.
In-Room amenities
Nespresso Machine with 6 capsules, replenished daily
a collection of Dilmah VSRT Tea (Dilmah's luxury line of teas)
an outdoor bath area with a rainshower and a large terrazzo bathtub.
Being an eco-friendly resort, shower amenities were stored in clay bottles instead of plastic bottles. The scents were not to my liking though, but these are temporary shower gels as the resort awaits their customized ones.
"His and Her" sinks and amenities
Dining:
There are 2 restaurants The Dining room and Battuta's, Bell's bar and 24 hour in-villa dining.
Breakfast is included for all guests at the dining room, and in-villa for a US$15 tray fee. Breakfast is served a-la-carte and you can choose any 3 dishes from the menu.
As part of the passport escape award, I received 3 dinners and they can be consumed at any of the resort's dining venues or in-villa. There were no spending caps (excludes alcohol).
each meal was valued at US$300 consisting of
an appetizer (average US$25)
a soup / salad (average US$20)
a main course (US$35 - US$55)
a dessert (US$11 - US$22)
1 litre of evian (US$11)
juice (US$8)
We tried out both restaurants and they were pretty good. Battuta's serves local gourmet cuisine and was outstanding (mainly curries, tagines, kebabs)
According to the GM and F&B Manager who was from the GH Muscat, the menus were from the Alila villas era and they are in the process of revamping it.
This is the first property i found making sense to spend the passport escape award at. The 3 meals were well worth the additional 35k points.
The resort arranged a complimentary honeymoon dinner for us and that was a nice touch.
Activities :
Snorkeling(free rental of mask and fins)
Kayaking
Diving (onsite 5* padi dive centre)
in total, we spent under US$150 at the resort, excluding the transfers.
i have photos of the in-room dining menu if anyone needs them.
photos
Location
Getting in
We arrived at Male from SIN at around 1130am and was welcomed by an airport rep. who escorted us to the domestic terminal for our flight to Kaadedhdhoo (KDM). We were scheduled to depart at 1.30pm but the flight was delayed till 2.45pm. Resort guests have access the Moonimaa lounge which resort guests have access to. (light snacks, drinks, wifi). Flight time was an hour on a Maldivian Dash8-300 aircraft.
Upon Arrival at KDM, A resort staff greeted us and we were whisked into a waiting speedboat which was more like a luxury yacht. The ride took 75 minutes but we dreaded it as the waters were really rough.
The return transfer (domestic flight + speedboat) costs US$450 each before 10% tax. There are no other options to get to the resort and the domestic flight would cost US$400 alone if booked directly via Maldivian.
Seaplanes do not serve the Gaafu Alifu Atoll as there aren't many resorts in the area.
The Resort:
Designed by SCDA Architects, Opened in 2009 as Alila Villas Maldives. Still doesnt feel like a Park Hyatt yet. The resort occupies the entire Hadahaa island, boasts pristine white sand beaches and crystal clear waters and an untouched housed reef.
To maximize daylight, the resort operates island time, which is an hour ahead of Male Time (GMT+5)
The Villas:
50 Villas, 3 Villa Categories - Park villa, Park Pool Villa, Park Water Villa. All villas have a similar architecture other than a 1.2m deep plunge pool for the Pool Villa and built over the Indian Ocean. The villas range from 100 sq m to 120sq m.
This is possibly the smallest Hyatt property in terms of number of guestrooms, and has the largest mean room size.
We booked a passport escape award for 5 nights (145k) points and received an upgrade to the Pool Villa. Not too sure if its a standard diamond upgrade or due to low occupancy (less than 30% occupancy) when we were there. Some of the villas are under refurbishment as well.
In-Room amenities
Nespresso Machine with 6 capsules, replenished daily
a collection of Dilmah VSRT Tea (Dilmah's luxury line of teas)
an outdoor bath area with a rainshower and a large terrazzo bathtub.
Being an eco-friendly resort, shower amenities were stored in clay bottles instead of plastic bottles. The scents were not to my liking though, but these are temporary shower gels as the resort awaits their customized ones.
"His and Her" sinks and amenities
Dining:
There are 2 restaurants The Dining room and Battuta's, Bell's bar and 24 hour in-villa dining.
Breakfast is included for all guests at the dining room, and in-villa for a US$15 tray fee. Breakfast is served a-la-carte and you can choose any 3 dishes from the menu.
As part of the passport escape award, I received 3 dinners and they can be consumed at any of the resort's dining venues or in-villa. There were no spending caps (excludes alcohol).
each meal was valued at US$300 consisting of
an appetizer (average US$25)
a soup / salad (average US$20)
a main course (US$35 - US$55)
a dessert (US$11 - US$22)
1 litre of evian (US$11)
juice (US$8)
We tried out both restaurants and they were pretty good. Battuta's serves local gourmet cuisine and was outstanding (mainly curries, tagines, kebabs)
According to the GM and F&B Manager who was from the GH Muscat, the menus were from the Alila villas era and they are in the process of revamping it.
This is the first property i found making sense to spend the passport escape award at. The 3 meals were well worth the additional 35k points.
The resort arranged a complimentary honeymoon dinner for us and that was a nice touch.
Activities :
Snorkeling(free rental of mask and fins)
Kayaking
Diving (onsite 5* padi dive centre)
in total, we spent under US$150 at the resort, excluding the transfers.
i have photos of the in-room dining menu if anyone needs them.
May 18, 2011 | 8:28 am
#2
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: DFW
Programs: AA EP/4MM, DL GM/1MM, HH ♦, Bonvoy LT PLT, Hyatt Globalist, AMEX Bus Plt
Posts: 624
Were you offered or did you get any hint you could pay for an upgrade to a Park Water Villa?
May 18, 2011 | 8:39 am
#3
No longer used by Hyatt; use World of Hyatt Concierge
Join Date: Jul 1999
Posts: 1,628
Those were some great pictures! Thanks for sharing!
-Nick B.
-Nick B.
My wife and I spent our part of honeymoon at the Park Hyatt Maldives, Hadahaa last week and it was an awesome experience!. 5 days of pure luxury and bliss.
photos
Location
Getting in
We arrived at Male from SIN at around 1130am and was welcomed by an airport rep. who escorted us to the domestic terminal for our flight to Kaadedhdhoo (KDM). We were scheduled to depart at 1.30pm but the flight was delayed till 2.45pm. Resort guests have access the Moonimaa lounge which resort guests have access to. (light snacks, drinks, wifi). Flight time was an hour on a Maldivian Dash8-300 aircraft.
Upon Arrival at KDM, A resort staff greeted us and we were whisked into a waiting speedboat which was more like a luxury yacht. The ride took 75 minutes but we dreaded it as the waters were really rough.
The return transfer (domestic flight + speedboat) costs US$450 each before 10% tax. There are no other options to get to the resort and the domestic flight would cost US$400 alone if booked directly via Maldivian.
Seaplanes do not serve the Gaafu Alifu Atoll as there aren't many resorts in the area.
The Resort:
Designed by SCDA Architects, Opened in 2009 as Alila Villas Maldives. Still doesnt feel like a Park Hyatt yet. The resort occupies the entire Hadahaa island, boasts pristine white sand beaches and crystal clear waters and an untouched housed reef.
To maximize daylight, the resort operates island time, which is an hour ahead of Male Time (GMT+5)
The Villas:
50 Villas, 3 Villa Categories - Park villa, Park Pool Villa, Park Water Villa. All villas have a similar architecture other than a 1.2m deep plunge pool for the Pool Villa and built over the Indian Ocean. The villas range from 100 sq m to 120sq m.
This is possibly the smallest Hyatt property in terms of number of guestrooms, and has the largest mean room size.
We booked a passport escape award for 5 nights (145k) points and received an upgrade to the Pool Villa. Not too sure if its a standard diamond upgrade or due to low occupancy (less than 30% occupancy) when we were there. Some of the villas are under refurbishment as well.
In-Room amenities
Nespresso Machine with 6 capsules, replenished daily
a collection of Dilmah VSRT Tea (Dilmah's luxury line of teas)
an outdoor bath area with a rainshower and a large terrazzo bathtub.
Being an eco-friendly resort, shower amenities were stored in clay bottles instead of plastic bottles. The scents were not to my liking though, but these are temporary shower gels as the resort awaits their customized ones.
"His and Her" sinks and amenities
Dining:
There are 2 restaurants The Dining room and Battuta's, Bell's bar and 24 hour in-villa dining.
Breakfast is included for all guests at the dining room, and in-villa for a US$15 tray fee. Breakfast is served a-la-carte and you can choose any 3 dishes from the menu.
As part of the passport escape award, I received 3 dinners and they can be consumed at any of the resort's dining venues or in-villa. There were no spending caps (excludes alcohol).
each meal was valued at US$300 consisting of
an appetizer (average US$25)
a soup / salad (average US$20)
a main course (US$35 - US$55)
a dessert (US$11 - US$22)
1 litre of evian (US$11)
juice (US$8)
We tried out both restaurants and they were pretty good. Battuta's serves local gourmet cuisine and was outstanding (mainly curries, tagines, kebabs)
According to the GM and F&B Manager who was from the GH Muscat, the menus were from the Alila villas era and they are in the process of revamping it.
This is the first property i found making sense to spend the passport escape award at. The 3 meals were well worth the additional 35k points.
The resort arranged a complimentary honeymoon dinner for us and that was a nice touch.
Activities :
Snorkeling(free rental of mask and fins)
Kayaking
Diving (onsite 5* padi dive centre)
in total, we spent under US$150 at the resort, excluding the transfers.
i have photos of the in-room dining menu if anyone needs them.
photos
Location
Getting in
We arrived at Male from SIN at around 1130am and was welcomed by an airport rep. who escorted us to the domestic terminal for our flight to Kaadedhdhoo (KDM). We were scheduled to depart at 1.30pm but the flight was delayed till 2.45pm. Resort guests have access the Moonimaa lounge which resort guests have access to. (light snacks, drinks, wifi). Flight time was an hour on a Maldivian Dash8-300 aircraft.
Upon Arrival at KDM, A resort staff greeted us and we were whisked into a waiting speedboat which was more like a luxury yacht. The ride took 75 minutes but we dreaded it as the waters were really rough.
The return transfer (domestic flight + speedboat) costs US$450 each before 10% tax. There are no other options to get to the resort and the domestic flight would cost US$400 alone if booked directly via Maldivian.
Seaplanes do not serve the Gaafu Alifu Atoll as there aren't many resorts in the area.
The Resort:
Designed by SCDA Architects, Opened in 2009 as Alila Villas Maldives. Still doesnt feel like a Park Hyatt yet. The resort occupies the entire Hadahaa island, boasts pristine white sand beaches and crystal clear waters and an untouched housed reef.
To maximize daylight, the resort operates island time, which is an hour ahead of Male Time (GMT+5)
The Villas:
50 Villas, 3 Villa Categories - Park villa, Park Pool Villa, Park Water Villa. All villas have a similar architecture other than a 1.2m deep plunge pool for the Pool Villa and built over the Indian Ocean. The villas range from 100 sq m to 120sq m.
This is possibly the smallest Hyatt property in terms of number of guestrooms, and has the largest mean room size.
We booked a passport escape award for 5 nights (145k) points and received an upgrade to the Pool Villa. Not too sure if its a standard diamond upgrade or due to low occupancy (less than 30% occupancy) when we were there. Some of the villas are under refurbishment as well.
In-Room amenities
Nespresso Machine with 6 capsules, replenished daily
a collection of Dilmah VSRT Tea (Dilmah's luxury line of teas)
an outdoor bath area with a rainshower and a large terrazzo bathtub.
Being an eco-friendly resort, shower amenities were stored in clay bottles instead of plastic bottles. The scents were not to my liking though, but these are temporary shower gels as the resort awaits their customized ones.
"His and Her" sinks and amenities
Dining:
There are 2 restaurants The Dining room and Battuta's, Bell's bar and 24 hour in-villa dining.
Breakfast is included for all guests at the dining room, and in-villa for a US$15 tray fee. Breakfast is served a-la-carte and you can choose any 3 dishes from the menu.
As part of the passport escape award, I received 3 dinners and they can be consumed at any of the resort's dining venues or in-villa. There were no spending caps (excludes alcohol).
each meal was valued at US$300 consisting of
an appetizer (average US$25)
a soup / salad (average US$20)
a main course (US$35 - US$55)
a dessert (US$11 - US$22)
1 litre of evian (US$11)
juice (US$8)
We tried out both restaurants and they were pretty good. Battuta's serves local gourmet cuisine and was outstanding (mainly curries, tagines, kebabs)
According to the GM and F&B Manager who was from the GH Muscat, the menus were from the Alila villas era and they are in the process of revamping it.
This is the first property i found making sense to spend the passport escape award at. The 3 meals were well worth the additional 35k points.
The resort arranged a complimentary honeymoon dinner for us and that was a nice touch.
Activities :
Snorkeling(free rental of mask and fins)
Kayaking
Diving (onsite 5* padi dive centre)
in total, we spent under US$150 at the resort, excluding the transfers.
i have photos of the in-room dining menu if anyone needs them.
May 18, 2011 | 8:44 am
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 18
Was not offered the Water villa and didnt ask about an upgrade as i wasnt keen.
The water villas have very bad heat insulation and i would not recommend staying in them till hyatt fixes them. There are about 3 full length glass windows with sunlight coming straight in. The a/c can only cool the room down to 28 deg.
Even in the beach villas, the temperature in the day remains at around 24 deg with the a/c at full blast and privacy screens drawn.
The water villas have very bad heat insulation and i would not recommend staying in them till hyatt fixes them. There are about 3 full length glass windows with sunlight coming straight in. The a/c can only cool the room down to 28 deg.
Even in the beach villas, the temperature in the day remains at around 24 deg with the a/c at full blast and privacy screens drawn.
May 18, 2011 | 8:50 am
#5
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: DFW
Programs: AA EP/4MM, DL GM/1MM, HH ♦, Bonvoy LT PLT, Hyatt Globalist, AMEX Bus Plt
Posts: 624
Was not offered the Water villa and didnt ask about an upgrade as i wasnt keen.
The water villas have very bad heat insulation and i would not recommend staying in them till hyatt fixes them. There are about 3 full length glass windows with sunlight coming straight in. The a/c can only cool the room down to 28 deg.
Even in the beach villas, the temperature in the day remains at around 24 deg with the a/c at full blast and privacy screens drawn.
The water villas have very bad heat insulation and i would not recommend staying in them till hyatt fixes them. There are about 3 full length glass windows with sunlight coming straight in. The a/c can only cool the room down to 28 deg.
Even in the beach villas, the temperature in the day remains at around 24 deg with the a/c at full blast and privacy screens drawn.
May 18, 2011 | 9:00 am
#6
Join Date: Jun 2010
Programs: Hyatt&Hilton&BW Diamond,GHA Black,Marriott Plat,SPG Gold,AB Platinum,TK Elite,AZ Alata Plus,EY Gold
Posts: 224
Great report, thanks a lot!
I have one big and important question:
At the time of your reservation, what did they charge to your credit card?
The full rack rate as a security for a point stay as i was told by GP?
Thanks for a quick answer, i really need this information!
I have one big and important question:
At the time of your reservation, what did they charge to your credit card?
The full rack rate as a security for a point stay as i was told by GP?
Thanks for a quick answer, i really need this information!
Last edited by nighthawkrs; May 18, 2011 at 9:07 am
May 18, 2011 | 9:08 am
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 18
nothing was charged to my credit card at point of reservation. I spoke to the customer service officer regarding this as well. i wast just informed that the booking can not be cancelled or amended or i will lose the points.
even the transfers were not charged at point of reservation.
even the transfers were not charged at point of reservation.
May 18, 2011 | 9:11 am
#8
Join Date: Jun 2010
Programs: Hyatt&Hilton&BW Diamond,GHA Black,Marriott Plat,SPG Gold,AB Platinum,TK Elite,AZ Alata Plus,EY Gold
Posts: 224
Well, that sounds pretty good. Did you book via GP or directly at the hotel?
I think i will have to go in discussion with GP.
Or is there anybody here from GP who can help me out with the rules for point stays at this property? It would be really helpfull!
I think i will have to go in discussion with GP.
Or is there anybody here from GP who can help me out with the rules for point stays at this property? It would be really helpfull!
May 18, 2011 | 9:24 am
#9
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 2,892
Thanks for the informative trip report. Others have pointed out that, even on redemption stays, Maldives is an expensive destination. I'm curious as to how you got away with spending so little over a 5-night stay. I see that you have 4 nights of dinners covered (including the free honeymoon dinner). What about the other dinner and lunches? Did you skip lunch because the breakfast was enough?
Last edited by sfvoyage; May 18, 2011 at 12:32 pm
May 18, 2011 | 10:34 am
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 18
Passport escape awards are bookable only via GP.
We have our breakfast at around 10.20am, a full hearty 3 course breakfast consisting of fruits, pastries, eggs, and a main (chicken noodle / soba noodles / Maldivian tuna curry with rice) and head out to the beach / kayak till about sunset. Its more like a brunch.
only activity we paid for was the guided snorkeling ($35/person)
No dinner on the first evening as we got so seasick from the boat ride
We have our breakfast at around 10.20am, a full hearty 3 course breakfast consisting of fruits, pastries, eggs, and a main (chicken noodle / soba noodles / Maldivian tuna curry with rice) and head out to the beach / kayak till about sunset. Its more like a brunch.
only activity we paid for was the guided snorkeling ($35/person)
No dinner on the first evening as we got so seasick from the boat ride
May 18, 2011 | 10:37 am
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: LAX
Posts: 11,532
Thanks for the report!
The place looks even more isolated than Bora Bora where one can wonder around the island with local life present.
Is there anything to do near PH without spending a fortune on boat related activities? Is the atoll populated?
The place looks even more isolated than Bora Bora where one can wonder around the island with local life present.
Is there anything to do near PH without spending a fortune on boat related activities? Is the atoll populated?
May 18, 2011 | 10:53 am
#13
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: RDU
Programs: A few
Posts: 5,506
The atoll is populated (at least some islands) but not a lot to visit. We spent some time visiting populated islands with our boat crew but it's not going to kill more than a couple of hours of your time
May 18, 2011 | 1:30 pm
#15
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 18
dive centre is still called blue journeys. not too sure about tom. I am rather inspired to learn to dive after this trip.
According to resort staff, Dhonis (a traditional boat) serve the nearby islands such as Kondey and Germanafushi. He uses it to return home on his off days, a 20-minute ride from the hotel for US$5 one way. However, the leisure concierge did not seem keen to have me booked on the Dhoni when i enquired about it. (they mentioned it does not exist). I was more keen to visit the islands the same way the locals did (and save US$250/pax)
I received a bottle of french sparkling wine valued at about US$13. 3 red apples each day except on the last day when we had some grapes instead.
Internet - Hotel has spotty wireless reception at common areas (Restaurants, Bars) and no wifi at the beach.
Every villa is equipped with a 4 port Planet Wireless G router that transmits an unencrypted signal without the usual authentication pages. This was useful as i was able to sign in from multiple wifi devices at the same time. However, internet was a tad slow. Speedtest to a server in Male was 0.2Mbps down, 0.7Mbps up. Youtube and other high bandwidth sites sites are blocked but you can get around it easily by connecting to a VPN. Internet is decent enough to make a skype call, light surfing and emails.
According to the GM, they are looking into ways to get better connectivity. I guess the island is located too far from any modern civilization.
The resort has an in-house water distillation facility for both still and sparkling water. Each villa gets 2 one liter glass bottles which are sterilized and reused. According to the description on the bottle, this helps the resort to save 100,000 plastic bottles each year.
According to resort staff, Dhonis (a traditional boat) serve the nearby islands such as Kondey and Germanafushi. He uses it to return home on his off days, a 20-minute ride from the hotel for US$5 one way. However, the leisure concierge did not seem keen to have me booked on the Dhoni when i enquired about it. (they mentioned it does not exist). I was more keen to visit the islands the same way the locals did (and save US$250/pax)
I received a bottle of french sparkling wine valued at about US$13. 3 red apples each day except on the last day when we had some grapes instead.
Internet - Hotel has spotty wireless reception at common areas (Restaurants, Bars) and no wifi at the beach.
Every villa is equipped with a 4 port Planet Wireless G router that transmits an unencrypted signal without the usual authentication pages. This was useful as i was able to sign in from multiple wifi devices at the same time. However, internet was a tad slow. Speedtest to a server in Male was 0.2Mbps down, 0.7Mbps up. Youtube and other high bandwidth sites sites are blocked but you can get around it easily by connecting to a VPN. Internet is decent enough to make a skype call, light surfing and emails.
According to the GM, they are looking into ways to get better connectivity. I guess the island is located too far from any modern civilization.
The resort has an in-house water distillation facility for both still and sparkling water. Each villa gets 2 one liter glass bottles which are sterilized and reused. According to the description on the bottle, this helps the resort to save 100,000 plastic bottles each year.
Last edited by w.sg; May 18, 2011 at 1:33 pm Reason: added more info