About this hotel
General information
The resort occupies two private islets in the far south of the Maldives — one lined with beach villas, the other carrying villas above the lagoon. Its mood draws on the romance of nineteenth-century travel: port cities, sea voyages and slow days between passages. Two house reefs with coral gardens and resident sea turtles ring the island, and a garden hidden in its centre grows herbs, fruit and organic produce for the kitchen, the bar and the spa.
There are 38 villas, each with its own pool. Every guest has a personal butler, joined at sea by a marine butler, and children have a butler of their own. Many experiences run free of any timetable — a wine tasting at breakfast, a floating breakfast at sunset or a spa ritual in the villa are arranged whenever guests choose. The resort belongs to the Autograph Collection and holds Green Globe certification.
Location
The resort sits on Meradhoo island in Gaafu Alifu Atoll, in the south of the Maldives, about 387 km from Velana International Airport in Malé; guests arrive by seaplane. The equator lies roughly 90 minutes away by boat.
Spa
Halcyon Spa stands over the water, its name standing for Spiritual Organic Lifestyle. Treatments pair certified organic face and body products with Asian health principles and are built around four elements — sea, breeze, sun and earth. The menu covers massages with warm candle oil, herbal compresses and hot stones, Thai Lanna massage, Ayurvedic treatments, scrubs and wraps with mineral clay, white sand, coconut and banana, honey and mango or tamarind with oats, plus peels, oxygen and charcoal facials, manicures and pedicures. Couples can book a ritual of scrub, massage, facial and bath, and massages are also given in the villa. Sunrise yoga takes place over the water each morning, sunset meditation in the evening.
Sports & leisure
Two house reefs begin right off the villas: snorkelling is complimentary, marine butlers accompany guests in the water, and the resident marine biologist leads turtle-watching outings and explains the reef conservation work. The PADI dive centre visits Huvadhoo sites such as Meradhoo Thila, Coral City and Dheeva Giri, trains beginners and runs trips to Fuvahmulah to dive with tiger sharks. The watersports centre offers jet skis, flyboarding, Seabob scooters, kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, glass-bottomed canoes, catamarans, surfing, water-skiing, wakeboarding and kneeboarding, and a speedboat can be hired. Outings include a complimentary dhoni trip to see nurse sharks, whale shark searches and manta snorkelling, big-game fishing for marlin, sailfish and yellowfin tuna (the catch is cooked by the resort’s kitchen), sunset fishing, a dolphin cruise at dusk, an equator crossing with stops on uninhabited islands, island hopping and a visit to the local island of Thinadhoo. The overwater gym is open around the clock with cardio and strength equipment, personal training is available, and there is a pickleball court.
For children
Faru Kids Club takes its name from the Maldivian word for reef. Its supervised indoor space has an arts and crafts studio, a storytelling corner and a games area, with a shaded playground outside. Children paint coconuts, cook, make sand art and, with the resident marine biologist, become junior researchers of corals and marine life. There is a dedicated activity calendar for young guests, babysitting on request, and a kids’ butler for each family.
Restaurants & bars
The kitchen builds on fresh island produce, and live music plays at the beachfront restaurants in the evening.
- Thari — beachfront all-day restaurant with Asian and Mediterranean cooking, indoor and outdoor seating
- Yuzu — overwater pan-Asian restaurant blending Peruvian and Japanese flavours, for breakfast and dinner with ocean views
- The Firepit — torch-lit beach dinners cooked over open flames in an Asian and Mediterranean vein
- Yapa — overwater sunset bar for sake, pisco, mezcal and inventive cocktails with sushi and small plates
- Bell Bar — a bar in the spirit of the age of exploration, with signature cocktails, rare spirits and afternoon tea
The Connoisseur’s Table, a private dining room for up to twelve, pairs menus cooked to order with wines from a list of more than 300 labels. Dinners can also be set at a table sunk into the sand, on a sandbank, on the beach or in the villa, with the menu shaped together with the guest. In-villa dining runs around the clock, a floating breakfast is served in the villa pool, and cooking classes teach Maldivian dishes made with produce from the island garden.
Swimming
The beach villas open straight onto white sand, while the overwater villas have decks opening straight onto the lagoon and the house reef. Besides the private pool in every villa, the resort has two shared infinity pools — Main Island Pool and Ocean Pearl Pool. Picnics are arranged on a nearby sandbank.
Rooms
The two islets hold 38 one-, two- and three-bedroom villas — 20 on the beach and 18 over the lagoon, facing sunrise or sunset. Each has a private pool and direct access to the house reef.
Villas have a private pool, individually controlled air conditioning, a widescreen TV and BOSE sound system, complimentary bottled water, a minibar, a coffee and tea maker, a kettle, a safe, and a marble bathroom with an oversized bathtub, separate shower, double vanities, robes and slippers; the island villas add an outdoor shower, with evening turndown, round-the-clock in-villa dining and butler service throughout.
Oceanfront Pool Villa
A one-bedroom villa on the front line of the beach with a king bed, a sofa bed, a living area, a whirlpool bath, a veranda and a private pool. Sleeps three.
Overwater Pool Villa
A one-bedroom villa above the lagoon with a king bed and sofa bed, a balcony, a deck with direct access to the water, and an infinity pool. Sleeps three.
Beach Pool Villa
A one-bedroom beach villa with a king bed, a sofa bed, a living area, a veranda and a private pool looking onto the beach. Sleeps three.
Sunset Overwater Pool Villa
A west-facing overwater villa with a king bedroom, a sofa bed, a whirlpool bath, a balcony and a private pool facing the sunset. Sleeps three.
Sunset Beach Pool Villa
A one-bedroom villa on the western shore with a king bed, a sofa bed, a whirlpool bath, a veranda and a private pool. Sleeps three.
2-Bedroom Oceanfront Pool Villa
A two-bedroom, two-bathroom villa on the front line of the beach with a separate living room, a veranda, a garden and a private pool. Sleeps five.
2-Bedroom Beach Pool Villa
A two-bedroom beach villa with an en-suite bathroom to each bedroom, a separate living room, a veranda and a pool. Sleeps five.
Horizon Overwater Retreat
A two-bedroom, two-bathroom villa above the lagoon with a separate living room, a wide deck with a cabana and an infinity pool. Sleeps five.
Sunset Overwater Retreat
A two-bedroom overwater villa on the sunset side with a separate living room, two bathrooms, a deck opening onto the lagoon and an infinity pool. Sleeps five.
The Grand Estate
The resort’s largest villa, with three bedrooms, a children’s playroom that converts into a fourth bedroom, a rooftop terrace, a full-width infinity pool, a ten-seat dining table, a bar and a butler’s kitchen. Sleeps six, with a connecting villa available.
Photos are for illustrative purposes only. Actual room layout, furnishings, décor, views and amenities may differ from those shown and may vary between rooms of the same category. Hotel and room descriptions are based on information provided by the property and are believed to be accurate at the time of publication, but are not guaranteed. The hotel may renovate or change its rooms, facilities, restaurants and services at any time without notice. The final details of your stay are confirmed at the time of booking. See our Terms of Use.