Originally Posted by
Happy Traveling Consultant
Just back from a 3 week trip that included 5 nights at the Park Hyatt.
This was our second time there, and once again, we loved it. For us, what sets the PH apart from the other resorts in the Maldives is the complete and utter sense of isolation and the feeling of being on a desert island. Yes, it is harder to get to given that it is out of range of TMA seaplanes, but that separation is one of the big plusses as well. This trip also included 5 nights each at the Conrad and St. Regis, which were also very good in their own way, but neither has that same small island intimate feel that the PH has. Combine that with the fact that you do not see ships or planes when on your deck, and it just adds to the complete and utter sense that, yes, you are in the middle of nowhere!
We'd heard rumors of less than ideal weather, but all 3 weeks for us were perfect. A few days with high winds, but I was diving those days, and the snorkeling on the house reef was amazing as always. Sharks, rays, morays, more fish than I can name, even a leaf fish (my first time seeing one) all seen every trip to the house reef between dives.
As far as food, it continues to be at a very high level, though anyone looking here knows you do not have the same number of options as the Ritz, Waldorf, St. Regis, Conrad, etc. That said, we really loved the Globalist happy hour cocktails and canapes. Took advantage of that every night. One new thing for us was trying out The Treehouse - and WOW we are glad we did. Last trip, we couldn't get a table. This trip, our butler managed to talk them into opening it for us on a buffet night when it is normally closed. The Treehouse has a single table perched on a platform about 8 meters up in a tree, with beautiful, romantic lighting all around. Service was unintrusive but attentive. The menu consisted of 7 vegetarian courses. For context, when we travel domestically or globally, we tend to do a mix of local + fine dining/Michelin starred restaurants. The food here was as close to a one star as we've ever had in the Maldives, and the third course, a pumpkin based dish, was my wife's single favorite dish of the entire trip. The chef here (and Island Grill) is new to the PH Maldives, but has been with Hyatt for more than a decade, including GH Dubai, PH Zurich, and few other places where he opened the kitchen for new hotels. He is great. I actually think doing this on a buffet night allowed him to put all of his focus on preparing a single dinner for us. Big win.
Breakfast, of course, is still amazing. The Maldives are the only place in the world where I eat tuna for breakfast every day. When the guy comes around offering the tuna with chilis and lime wrapped in a roti, get it.
We walked around the island every day, and just love everything about being here!
If anyone has any questions, feel free to ask.
My spouse prefers beach villas, so we stayed in the Deluxe Beach Villa we stayed in last time. Still great. Endless views from our deck and while sitting in the pool. The deck has a roofed section with ceiling fan, but we never needed it.