Waldorf Astoria vs Raffles Meradhoo – which is the Maldives’ best resort? (2024)

Comprising 1,192 coral islands sprinkled along 822km of Indian Ocean, stretching from off the western flank of Sri Lanka to south of the equator, the Maldives has long captured the imagination of travellers. With Hong Kong Airlines having resumed direct flights to the capital, Malé, this month, travelling there will be easier than making the previous schlep through Singapore or the Middle East. Now: where to stay?

The country has 172 resorts to choose from, catering to just about every taste imaginable. To narrow the field, we have taken a closer look at two contrasting five-star properties, one within speedboat range of the international airport, the other reached by domestic air transfer.

Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi

The vibe

Cool and confident, rocking supersized pool villas and a seemingly endless array of facilities, all across a fish hook-shaped 3.7km of tropical gardens and white-gold beach. The clientele includes Insta-loving nouveaux riches from the United States, China, India and Russia, and celebrities such as Paris Hilton, Serena Williams and Shakira, who book The Private Island at a mere HK$600,000 a night.

The location

Guests are picked up from Velana International Airport, on Malé, on a swanky Majesty 70 Gulf Craft yacht and spirited – champagne in hand – to Ithaafushi, an artificial island set atop a reef in the South Malé Atoll. This is undoubtedly a beautiful spot, but man-made islands cause huge amounts of environmental damage and tend to have reduced marine life in the vicinity as a result.

The rooms

There are 122 villas, some on the beach, some on stilts over water and reef villas straddling both; two Stella Maris Ocean Villas, reached by speedboat because they’re set out at sea; and a nine-bedroom private island. A signature scent created by Ferragamo exclusively for the Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi wafts through seductive supersized spaces and around soaring vaulted ceilings, opulent woodwork, contemporary Maldivian furniture, free-standing bathtubs and enormous decks with swimming pools big enough to do lengths.

Eating and drinking

Among the 11 bars and restaurants are a chic beach club and the only Zuma Restaurant in the Indian Ocean – but it’s The Ledge that steals the show. An outpost of the Burnt Ends restaurant in Singapore, its menu is sophisticated barbecue: Maldivian lobster and avocado salad, tuna and caviar tacos and a memorable Wagyu steak sando (yes, that really does mean sandwich). The enormous buffet breakfast spread is one of the best in the Maldives (although, given its size, probably not the most sustainable).

Magic moment

Private dining on the beach, with table and seats cleaved from the sand, surrounded by a manta ray-shaped ring of candles as the Indian Ocean laps nearby.

Sustainability

There are small steps in the right direction, including generating 10 per cent of resort’s energy from solar panels, producing its own bottled water and implementing water-conservation measures. The Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi also has a marine biologist on staff and works with Parley Maldives, a charity that helps businesses reduce the use of plastic, recycle and conserve the environment.

Things to do

What the resort lacks in its house reef it makes up for with things to do, from tennis or padel tennis lessons to a range of daily, complimentary wellness classes, to every watersport you can think of (non-motorised equipment is free). Still not sure? Try a dolphin cruise, yacht charter or swimming with turtles.

Best bit

With its hydrotherapy stations providing a good pummelling and star therapists, the spa is worth the journey alone.

Worst bit

A couple of artificial islands are being constructed in the hotel’s eye line, serviced by unsightly sand-dredgers, which breaks the tropical-island-idyll spell.

Raffles Maldives Meradhoo

The vibe

Small is beautiful at Raffles Meradhoo, a magical little island that you can wander around in 10 minutes. There is an air of bonhomie among the staff and guests, who are drawn from across the globe in search of peace, serenity and a connection with nature. This is a place to switch off, go analogue, sleep late, read books, play games, eat well and drink co*cktails to an Indian Ocean soundtrack.

The location

So far south it skims the equator. With new resorts appearing at breakneck speed across the Maldives, there are fewer places where you can find a real sense of isolation. So while it takes a little effort to reach the Gaafu Alifu Atoll (it’s a one-hour flight from Malé, plus a 10-minute speedboat journey), it’s worth every moment to arrive at this all-natural patty cake of white coral sands with virtually nothing above the horizon and an abundance of marine life below.

The rooms

The island has 22 beach villas, including the four-bedroom, HK$130,000 a night Royal Residence, all spaced widely apart with private swimming pools and extensive outdoor space hidden behind bougainvillea-draped walls. Water villas are set in a ring out at sea and must be reached by speedboat; they also have large decks and private pools, as well as steps leading into an ocean dotted with spotted eagle rays and (friendly) blacktip reef sharks. It’s the details that stay with you here, be they in the spicy Maldivian Sling mixed on your arrival, or the soothing turn down, complete with aromatherapy, whale song and camomile tea.

Eating and drinking

Thari, spilling onto the beach, is the main restaurant, where breakfast includes English, Chinese, Middle Eastern options and “wellness sets”. Or you could have a floating breakfast delivered on a tray to your pool. Overwater Japanese restaurant Yuzu amazes with just-caught seafood: Maldivian yellowfin tuna nigiri, leche de tigre jobfish ceviche and lobster yakisoba. Mixing it up is a twice-weekly buffet on the beach.

Magic moment

Practising yoga on an overwater platform with an Indian guru as the sun sinks into a lilac Indian Ocean.

Sustainability

Raffles has eliminated single-use plastic, has its own water-bottling plant, turns organic waste into biofuel, composts paper waste, is introducing solar panels and has a resident marine biologist.

Things to do

This barely developed corner of the Maldives is a paradise for divers. The hotel has a sensational house reef; 26 hawksbill turtles live around the island; 200-strong pods of dolphins are a common sight; and there are more than two dozen dive sites within 30 minutes by boat. You can also try snorkelling around an enormous Nemo clownfish garden or play castaway on an uninhabited island.

Best bit

Few neighbours means wondrous night skies. Turn your sun lounger into a star lounger and bathe in the glow of the Milky Way while you connect the dots of Orion’s Belt, Ursa Major, Scorpius and, occasionally, the Southern Cross.

Worst bit

There aren’t enough complimentary activities available compared with what’s offered by other five-star resorts in Asia.

Beach villas from HK$9,800 per night, B&B. Half-board, full-board and drinks packages are also available (raffles.com).

Lee Cobaj was a guest of Waldorf Astoria Maldives and Raffles Meradhoo.