About this hotel
General information
Heritance Aarah occupies the island of Aarah in Raa Atoll as an all-villa resort: 124 beach and overwater villas, plus 26 suites in a separate wing out over the lagoon. Contemporary interiors are set against traditional Maldivian forms — thatched roofs, dark timber and generous decks. The resort runs on its own Premium All Inclusive plan, so guests move freely between seven restaurants and five bars, and every villa comes with a butler.
The overwater suites form a quiet adults-only zone with their own restaurant, bar and infinity pool. Elsewhere on the island stands a recreated Maldivian village of coral-stone and thatched houses, craft workshops and a small gallery of the country’s history. The resort holds LEED Gold certification for its sustainable design, and the thilas — underwater pinnacles — around the island draw manta rays and reef sharks.
Location
Aarah lies in the south-central part of Raa Atoll, about 154 km from Velana International Airport in Malé. The seaplane takes 40 minutes; before the flight guests wait in the resort’s own lounge at the seaplane terminal, with light snacks and time for a spa treatment. The alternative is a shared domestic flight to the nearest local airport, followed by a speedboat to the island.
Spa
IASO Medi Spa has six treatment rooms on stilts above the lagoon, looking towards the island’s eastern shore, along with a steam room. Classic body and face treatments sit alongside a medical approach: wellness consultations, an in-depth medical assessment, aesthetic skin treatments, nutrition programmes with cooking classes, doctor-supervised weight-loss programmes and fitness stays with a tailored training plan. A hair salon and nail studio complete the offer.
Sports & leisure
The resort sits within 45 minutes of manta points on both sides of the atoll and 15–20 minutes of grey reef shark sites, while the Labyrinth dive site is known for canyons, soft corals and schooling fish. Beyond diving, there are snorkelling trips, turtle quests and outings to Hanifaru Bay.
- On the water: canoes, stand-up paddleboards, windsurfing, catamaran sailing, flyboarding, water-skiing, kitesurfing, parasailing, and jet-ski tours to sandbanks
- Cruises: sunrise, sunset with a photographer, dolphin watching, sunset fishing, big-game fishing and private rides on a traditional dhoni
- Courts and fitness: tennis, padel, badminton, pickleball, volleyball, football, table tennis, billiards, the Veeru gym, yoga and water aerobics
- On the island: the Maldivian village with hands-on sessions in coconut husking and rope making, ending with roshi and masroshi flatbreads (the latter filled with tuna and coconut), fried bajiya pastries, spicy kulhimas fish and sweet bondi bai rice pudding
- Evenings: daily entertainment, live music and DJs, bartender shows, mixology classes, cooking demonstrations and films under the stars
For children
Koka Kids Club follows a weekly programme: cardboard aquariums and pirate maps, science sessions, tie-dye, henna tattoos, treasure hunts, cupcake decorating, Maldivian cooking, pool games, kids’ Zumba, mocktail making, a mini disco, campfires with marshmallows and film nights with popcorn. Babysitting for children aged 2–4 is available at the club during the day, and in-villa babysitting can be booked for the evening. Near Bandhi Bar, the Ufa Ghadhiya ice-cream bus serves sundaes, ice creams and tropical ice lollies.
Restaurants & bars
Under the Premium All Inclusive plan guests dine across all of the resort’s restaurants and bars; the bars share a signature list of 30 cocktails, and whisky and wine tastings are part of the programme.
- Ranba — the main restaurant, with international and Asian buffets at breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Ralu — overwater all-day dining with a Mediterranean and French menu, live cooking stations and a sommelier
- Ambula — overwater restaurant serving an eight-course tasting menu of Sri Lankan and Maldivian dishes with wine pairings; a vegan menu is available
- Hathaa — overwater restaurant with Tokyo and Bangkok street food and a teppanyaki grill, where chefs cook in front of guests (supplement applies)
- Ginifati — dinners of the day’s catch in private pods by the ocean
- Pizza Shack — wood-oven pizzas and snacks by the pool
- Baani — overwater fusion restaurant for suite and residence guests: à la carte breakfast and lunch, six-course dinner
- Bandhi Bar — poolside bar with cocktails, shisha, live music and flair bartending
- Sky Bar — above Ambula, for sunsets and stargazing
- Ralu Lounge Bar — overwater bar with a large rum collection and tiki cocktails
- Udaras — overwater infinity-pool bar with swing seats instead of bar stools (suite and residence guests)
- Falhu — Middle Eastern-styled bar for whisky, cognac and organic wines (suite and residence guests)
Swimming
A white-sand beach rings the island, with the beach villas opening straight onto it and a turquoise lagoon beyond. The main pool sits beside Bandhi Bar; suite and residence guests also have an overwater infinity pool with the Udaras bar. Overwater villas have steps down into the sea, several villa types and all suites have private pools, and every villa is supplied with snorkelling masks and fins.
Rooms
There are 124 beach and overwater villas and 26 suites over the lagoon, all with generous decks and sun loungers and many with private pools. Every villa has butler service.
Each villa has a Nespresso machine and Stassen teas, a safe, Wi-Fi, a flat-screen TV, a Marshall Bluetooth speaker, a minibar replenished daily, and snorkelling masks and fins.
Beach Villa
A beachfront villa opening onto the sand, with a large deck and two sun loungers and an outdoor tropical shower. King-size bed and oversized daybed; sleeps three adults or two adults and two children under 12.
Ocean Villa
An overwater villa with a glass floor panel, a private deck with sun loungers and steps straight into the sea. King-size bed and daybed; sleeps three adults or two adults and two children under 12.
Sunset Pool Beach Villa
A beach villa on the sunset side with a 9 m² plunge pool, a sun deck, two loungers on the sand, a bathtub and an outdoor shower. Sleeps three adults or two adults and two children under 12.
Two Bedroom Family Pool Beach Villa
A family beach villa near the kids’ club, with two interconnecting bedrooms (king and twin, each with a daybed), a 9 m² plunge pool, a jacuzzi bath, an outdoor shower and two bicycles. Sleeps four adults and two children, or three adults and three children.
Overwater Ocean Suite with Infinity Pool
A duplex overwater suite in the adults-only zone, with a living room, pantry with fridge, wine cellar, bathtubs on both floors, a deck with a swing and a 17 m² infinity-edge plunge pool. For two adults, with a king-size bed.
Ocean Residence with Infinity Lap Pool
A two-bedroom, two-storey overwater residence with a living room, separate dining room, pantry, staff room and a large deck with a Maldivian swing and a 36 m² infinity lap pool. Two king-size beds and a single; up to six adults with an extra bed.
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.