This resort is a classic Maldivian beauty and our first impressions are immensely favourable. Its public spaces – designed by New York-based architect Yuji Yamazaki – are elegant, light and airy. We love the people here too, they are welcoming, discreet, and quick to help out when needed. Hurawalhi is blessed with an exceptional F&B department. Each day presents a heart-stopping spread at the main restaurant Canneli. And every meal boasts an excellent fresh fruit selection (berries, people! On a remote island!). It’s a property worth second, third and fourth visits if you can.
At the high-ceilinged lobby is a sculpture of a swarm of fish suspended over a weeping black-stone. A picture-perfect pairing of Maldivian and Japanese iconography, and a great introduction to the property.
The Canneli restaurant is a vast, striking space with a peaked wood-and-thatch roof, circular Japanese chandeliers, burnished bronze woks against slate grey tile. The buffets are fantastic – lunch ranges from vegan-friendly sushi, grilled meats and fish, home-made breads, curries and pasta, each holding its own.
The al-fresco Coco Bar, open throughout the day, offers beach and lagoon vistas and an all-day dining menu. It includes just-baked calzones, pizzas and more with plenty of vegan-friendly options. All-inclusive guests have access to premium alcohol and can choose from classic cocktails to the resort’s own quirky concoctions. And of course, there’s daily entertainment.
Hurawalhi’s a la carte restaurant Kashibo whisks you off to the sunny, humid climes of Asia with its Asian fusion fare. Meanwhile, Junk Food Kitchen (JFK) dishes up some fine gourmet fast food with much to appeal vegans.
At sunset, head over to the Champagne Pavilion at the end of the water villa jetty for a quiet, romantic bubbly with your beloved.
Though the small resort has 90 villas, Hurawalhi never feels crowded. And even at eighty per cent occupancy, the bars and restaurant seem like they have barely enough people. It’s an adults-only resort for guests 15 and over, so no raucous children by the poolside. Which suits us just fine.
The resort is eco-conscious, generating up to fifty percent of its daytime power requirements through solar energy. Hurawalhi doesn’t see solar panels as a blemish, in fact, they’re embellishments adorning the top of the walkway to the lobby, providing welcome shade.
Rooms are extremely private and comfy, as befitting a romantic honeymoon destination. They boast a minimal design with dark wood flooring and large glass sliding doors letting in the sun and leading you to the deck and pool. Definitely the place for some downtime.
Bathrooms have a clean, pale-grey décor, his-and-hers sinks, a rain-shower. Hurawalhi’s Healing Ocean amenities are a treat, they’re aromatic and leave you feeling squeaky clean and refreshed.
In-room entertainment is excellent – big wide-screen smart TV on which you can binge Netflix in the evenings and Bluetooth supporting soundbars for a night of music. You could spend the entire day in your room perusing in-villa dining, there’s really no need to venture out unless you feel an itch.
What will wow you, though, is obviously the 5.8 Undersea Restaurant, the resort’s pièce de résistance – a bewitching space set in a manicured coral landscape. Feast on marvellous culinary creations by the superb F&B team here and observe how the submarine world around you changes with the passage of the sun. It’s an experience you cannot possibly forget.
