The Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi and Conrad Maldives Rangali Island are part of the Hilton brand, so you can earn and burn Hilton Honors points at both resorts. We look at which is better below, but overall, the Waldorf wins for its glorious reef villas and more glamorous setting.
If you are choosing between the best hotels in the Maldives, we have also compared the St. Regis Vs. Ritz-Carlton Maldives, which are similarly good and are worth considering.
1. Location: Waldorf Or Conrad Maldives
Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi is just a 45-minute speedboat ride from Male Airport, and these boats run regularly so usually this transfer involves a much shorter wait time than the seaplanes required to get to the Conrad. This transfer costs around $900 per adult.
Conrad Maldives Rangali Island has a private seaplane lounge at Malé International Airport where you can relax before hopping on the seaplane. Hosts at Counter B6 will assist with check-in and transfer to the lounge, and the lounge offers a comfy place to sit, complimentary Wi-Fi and cable TV, complimentary breakfast and lunch refreshments, shower facilities, and a baby-changing station.
The hotel is a spectacular 30-minute flight from Velana International Airport on a seaplane operated by Trans Maldivian Airways (TMA). Seaplanes operate daily from 6:00 am – 3:30 pm. At the time of writing, the return transfer per adult costs $675 USD net. Children under 12 receive a 50% discount, and infants under two are complimentary.
Review: Conrad Maldives Rangali Island
Twice voted 'Best Hotel in the World,' Conrad Maldives Rangali Island is the perfect escape in the Maldives. Experience world-class service, award-winning dining, secluded villas, underwater living, and two award-winning spas. You should get great value if you decide to spend your Hilton Honors points at this property, or book via our luxury concierge agents for wonderful extras like free breakfast and resort credit. The resort lies on two separate islands set amidst the shimmering turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean, interconnected by a long wooden bridge.
2. Style & Character
Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi opened in 2019 and has 122 villas. The resort is spread over a bunch of connected long, thin islands, which are around 3.5 kilometers in length. You can walk or bike from one end to the other. At each end of the resort is a decked walkway leading to overwater villas, and on the very end is their private island resort, which can accommodate up to 24 guests.
The feel is slightly Asian, with lots of wooden huts, as you would expect. The spa is a nice space at this hotel. It has overwater treatment rooms and glass floors so that you can watch the fish while being massaged. A fully equipped gym, tennis courts, and ten restaurants and bars also exist.
The Conrad is spread across two private islands, and when you arrive at the lobby, you will notice the floor is just sand. This is ideal for barefoot luxury but not so good if you travel in heels. The Corad is unusually arranged in a family island and an adults’ island, which is a good idea. This is also how they split their pools, which I have detailed further below.
The Conrad Maldives has a unique underwater restaurant, Ithaa. Eating here is like eating in an aquarium. The room itself is quite small and has a curved glass roof. This is certainly an experience that should be tried, but it is expensive and feels a little gimmicky—there’s only so long you can stare at fish swimming past.
W Maldives, Park Hyatt, or Conrad: Deciding Which Is Best
W Maldives is part of the Marriott brand, Park Hyatt is a Hyatt, and Conrad Maldives is part of the Hilton brand. Thus, you can earn and burn Marriott Bonvoy, World of Hyatt, and Hilton Honors points at each respective resort. We look at which is the best hotel below. If you are choosing between the best hotels in the Maldives, we have also compared the St. Regis Vs. Ritz-Carlton Maldives, which are similarly good and are worth considering. W Maldives is located on North Ari Atoll, a shorter seaplane ride from Mahe airport. The flight takes just 25 minutes.
3. Beach & Pools
The Waldorf Astoria features two shared pools, which are rarely occupied. The large family pool has an impressive infinity-edge, is free-form with a sandy bottom, and is surrounded by greenery, which feels very relaxing. The adult pool is rectangular with little fountains at one end and round, shaded cabanas and loungers flanking either side and an infinity edge.
The main beach at the Waldorf is wide, with loungers and four-poster double-bed style cabanas. A nearby restaurant will bring you food and drink, and this beachside restaurant is ideal for lunch or a light bite. There are also plenty of water sports beyond snorkeling, including kayaks, paddle boats, and stand-up paddleboard.
The Conrads pools are split into a quiet adults pool and a family pool on the family island. Both have bars next to them.
Ritz-Carlton Or St. Regis. Which Is The Best Marriott In The Maldives?
The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort and The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands, are both epitomes of luxury in the Maldives, each with its unique offerings. They are both part of the Marriott brand, so you can earn and burn Marriott Bonvoy points at both resorts. The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort is on a private island in the Dhaalu Atoll, requiring a scenic 45-minute but expensive seaplane ride from Malé. The Ritz-Carlton Maldives is located in the North Malé Atoll, accessible by a shorter 10-minute speedboat ride from Malé International Airport. The St.
5. Rooms
The King Reef Villa is the standard room at the Waldorf and is a beautiful waterside villa on the beach. The decor is classy, and the bedroom and bathroom have hugely high beamed ceilings in an upside-down V. The bedroom is generously large with its own separate living area. The bathroom and bedrooms are huge, and the bathroom has a huge shower and toilet cubicle and a large stand-alone bath by the window. The toiletries are by Aesop.
Highlights outside are a large and private open-air shower and an overwater deck with your own private pool. This pool is large, warm, and sunny. Two loungers to one side dip their feet into the pool water, plus a further swing sofa hanging off wooden beams and a large hanging sunbathing/lazing double bed again hanging off wooden beams.
The footprint of this villa and its gardens covers 3,000 ft², a huge space that feels generous. We can’t think of any need to upgrade to an overwater villa, as the base villas at the Waldorf are really huge and have everything you need plus a load more.
One nice feature of the Waldorf is that you can snorkel right from your reef villa. These villas have a lovely reef just 20 feet away. Expect to see turtles and reef sharks just off the edge of your villa, which is a major advantage of staying at this resort compared to the other Maldivian options. The Conrad is similarly good in this aspect, although the beach feels less private at the Conrad.
The rooms at the Conrad in the Maldives are similarly large to the Waldorf Astoria’s rooms, which are around 3,000 ft² in size, including outdoor space. Some have pools, these are their “with pool” rooms, and others don’t. The feel is slightly different, with more marble and less wood. These rooms aren’t as grand as the Waldorf’s villas with their hugely high ceilings and wooden finishings, but they have a decently sized private pool that leads out onto the beach from which you can head into the water and immediately paddle.
We prefer the decked overwater pool area at the Waldorf as it has a sunnier pool and feels like you are combining all the fun of an overwater villa with the convenience of a beach villa. Plus, we like the outdoor shower at the Waldorf. However, both rooms are incredibly impressive, and I can’t imagine you’d be disappointed with either.
Like the Waldorf, the snorkeling reef was near the deluxe beach villas at the Conrad. The Conrad wins on toiletries as they have Molton Brown which I prefer, but the Waldorf rooms are the better option when comparing these two hotels.
6. Price
Waldorf Astoria Maldives currently costs 150,000 Hilton Honors points per night, and elite members get a fifth night free on award redemptions. This is a great deal for a hotel with rack rates of over $2,000 USD per night.
If you’re paying for your stay at Waldorf Astoria or the Conrad in the Maldives, you get a much better deal if you book via our luxury travel concierge. Our perks at the Waldorf, for example, include a $150 food & beverage credit, a prioritized room upgrade (subject to availability), double Hilton Honors points, and breakfast. Our Hilton Impresario rates can be combined with the hotel website’s offers, and you will earn double Hilton Honors points when you stay.
Elite Hilton Honors members also get complimentary happy hour at Peacock Alley daily from 4:00 – 5:00 pm at the Waldorf.
7. Conclusion
The Waldorf Astoria Maldives is one of the larger resorts in the Maldives, so it lacks the boutique feel of some of the smaller hotels on these magical islands. However, even the base villa here is stunning and exceptionally large, with a decent-sized sunny pool and great snorkeling. This in itself is a great reason to choose the Waldorf.
The Conrad’s rooms are similarly large but lack the wow factor that you get at the Waldorf. They feel a little more normal, and the beach and pool area in these villas don’t feel as private. Overall, the Conrad resort is beautiful but doesn’t feel quite as special as the Waldorf Maldives. If it were cheaper, we’d definitely consider staying here over the Waldorf, but for the same price, the Waldorf wins.
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