About this hotel
General information
The resort covers Vagaru, a natural island in Shaviyani Atoll in the northern Maldives, with dense tropical greenery at its heart, white sand at its edges and a turquoise lagoon all around. There are just 60 beach and overwater villas, each of 234–285 m² with its own pool. The architecture borrows from local tradition: thatched roofs recall upturned dhoni, the wooden boats Maldivians have long fished from, while the upswept roof tips evoke white herons dipping their heads to the water. Interiors use beachy tones and lighting inspired by the atoll’s corals.
The resort is built around multigenerational travel, with one of the largest kids’ clubs in the Maldives, a separate teen lounge, an overwater spa, six restaurants, three bars and a wine room. A Thakuru team – the Maldivian term for a personal butler – shapes each stay, from spa time to private dinners and dolphin cruises. The island keeps its own clock, an hour ahead of the capital, to give guests an extra hour of daylight.
Location
Vagaru lies in Shaviyani Atoll, some 192 km north of Velana International Airport in Malé. Guests arrive by shared seaplane: a resort ambassador meets them at the arrivals terminal, helps with seaplane check-in and escorts them to the seaplane lounge. Transfers must be booked in advance.
Spa
Spa by JW stands over the water, its treatment rooms framed by floor-to-ceiling windows onto the ocean. There are six couples’ treatment rooms and a deluxe spa suite with its own steam bath and ice room, plus a large nail salon. Treatments are built around four states – Calm, Indulge, Invigorate and Renew – and use products by the British brand Aromatherapy Associates. Signatures include an aromatherapy massage of 50, 80 or 110 minutes, the two-hour Island Touch for two with four treatments of the couple’s choosing, and the 150-minute Spa by JW Ritual of exfoliation, aromatherapy and an organic body wrap. Men’s and children’s treatments, in-villa massage, personal training, private yoga and guided meditation are also offered.
Sports & leisure
The dive centre runs daily trips for diving, snorkelling, dolphin watching and fishing, with sea turtles and manta rays in the surrounding waters. Jet skis, kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, water skis, sailing boats, banana boat rides, parasailing and kitesurfing are available for hire.
- 24-hour ocean-view gym and an open-air overwater yoga pavilion
- volleyball and football courts at the centre of the island
- table tennis and a games room
- personal training, private yoga and guided meditation
For children
Family by JW Little Griffins Kids Club occupies its own building, styled as a shipwrecked pirate vessel with beach huts and interiors on a ‘sea meets jungle’ theme, alongside a 13-metre pirate ship and a dedicated children’s pool. The club is complimentary and runs more than a hundred activities: treasure hunts, snorkelling, sandcastle contests, kite flying, beach games, nature walks around the island, science experiments, crafts from recycled materials and playful swimming sessions; families make pizza together at Fiamma. Teenagers aged 12 and over have their own lounge with a PlayStation, pool table, table football and a plunge pool. Babysitting is available on request.
Restaurants & bars
Five restaurants, a separate tasting-menu restaurant and several bars are spread across the beach, the water and the treetops.
- Aailaa – the main beachfront restaurant, with a breakfast buffet and live cooking stations, and à la carte lunch and dinner
- Wine Room – a cellar at the heart of Aailaa holding 1,620 bottles across 320 Old and New World labels, with wine-paired dinners
- Fiamma – open-air Italian by the pool: risotto, pasta and wood-fired pizza
- Kaashi – Thai cooking in a treetop setting with ocean views, open at lunch
- Hashi – overwater Japanese restaurant with teppanyaki and sake
- Shio – beachfront grill for prime meats and seafood, with an extensive wine list
- RIHA – an eight-course dinner travelling through India’s regional cuisines
- Rum Baan – treetop bar beside Kaashi with 98 rums from around the world and Thai-inspired cocktails
- Horizon – beachfront pool bar for tropical cocktails and mocktails
- Wabi Sabi – Japanese-inspired cocktails, Japanese whiskies and wine overlooking the sea
Private dinners can be set in secluded corners of the island or in the villa, with wines chosen by the sommelier; there is also a Malafaaiy dinner of Maldivian dishes on the beach to bodu beru drumming, and a floating breakfast served in the villa’s own pool.
Swimming
Every villa has its own pool, and steps lead from the Duplex Overwater Pool Villas straight into the lagoon for snorkelling. By the beach, Horizon Pool is the main pool with its bar, while Pool 18 is an adults-only infinity pool; younger guests have Little Griffin’s Pool. Private shaded cabanas line Horizon Pool and the beach.
Rooms
The 60 villas sit on the beach among tropical foliage or on stilts over the lagoon, each with a wooden deck, private pool and outdoor shower, and a personal butler. Beach and overwater villas come in sunrise and sunset versions; the largest are two-storey duplexes.
Each villa has a king-size featherbed, living and dining areas, a walk-in wardrobe, high ceilings, a private pool with a cabana, a marble bathroom with separate bath and shower, double vanities and Aromatherapy Associates toiletries, a coffee and tea maker, minibar, safe, satellite TV, complimentary Wi-Fi and evening turndown.
Overwater Pool Villa Sunrise
Overwater villa facing the sunrise, with a king-size bed, living area and a deck with a private pool. Sleeps up to three.
Beach Pool Villa Sunrise
Beach villa tucked into tropical greenery, with direct access to the sand and lagoon, a king-size bed and a private pool, facing the sunrise. Sleeps up to three.
Overwater Pool Villa Sunset
Overwater villa facing the sunset, with a king-size bed, living area and a deck with a private pool. Sleeps up to three.
Beach Pool Villa Sunset
Beach villa set among tropical greenery with direct beach access, a king-size bed and a private pool, facing the sunset. Sleeps up to three.
Duplex Overwater Pool Villa
Two-storey overwater villa with a living room below and, upstairs, a king-size bedroom and lounge with far-reaching ocean views; two bathrooms, an infinity pool and steps from the deck into the lagoon.
Two-Bedroom Duplex Beach Pool Villa
Two-storey villa on its own stretch of beach with two en-suite bedrooms (one king, one with two single beds), a generous living area, private pool and cabana. Sleeps up to five.
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.