Guest User
June 13, 2024
When you are a repeat guest at a remote island in the middle of the Indian Ocean, there has to be something that keeps you coming back. At Park Hyatt Maldives, that something is more than just the island itself--it's the people! We recently returned from our 5th or 6th visit to this magical "living island." The water is crystal clear (even when the weather isn't cooperating), the sand is bright white (reflective of the heat), and the corals are vibrant (colorful and alive with fish, sharks, and more) on the active house reef. The pools, technology, and furniture at the resort have all experienced some small upgrades/maintenance to keep them fresh, but the nearly 20-year old design of the resort and villas was ahead of its time when it was built, so it's still very modern, current, and comfortable. We stayed in a beach pool villa (thanks to our Hyatt Globalist upgrade) and loved having the cool pool to take a dip in after getting a bit too much sun on the main beach--and the flexibility to walk out to the sandy beach directly from our villa. Ali (Mifzal) at the airport greeted us with warmth and enthusiasm; it was great to see a friendly familiar face after the long flights to get to Male from the US. Ali took us to the small airport lounge to chill before our flight to Koodoo. Perhaps one day Park Hyatt will invest in its own lounge space when the new airport opens--but for now, they continue to use the shared lounge, which is fine. The flight to Koodoo was quick and uneventful, and it was followed by a (bit bumpy due to the weather) 35 minute speedboat ride (with some drinks and snacks) to the island. On arrival, we were greeted by Shahum (our amazing host who took great care of us this time and during many of our previous visits, as well), Monika, Asim (front office manager), and a few other staff members. We were quickly whisked away to our villa for check-in details. When we arrived, a nice bottle of red wine was waiting for us as aw welcome amenity--a nice touch, since Shahum said he remembered our preferences from a prior stay! At breakfast, we were always given incredible service by Suneli, Saathesan, and Sela. They all remembered our preferences, making each meal better than the one that preceded it. For example, by the third day of ordering the same beverages at breakfast, they simply offered them to us proactively rather than our having to order them. When I indicated a preference for some dishes that were no longer on the menu that we enjoyed during previous visits, Chef Shivas made it happen (Maldivian Tuna Curry and Hadahaa Chili Egg--these are the BEST!). The breakfast buffet itself has been upgraded and now includes a daily breakfast cocktail and iced coffee station. My wife thought the latter was especially cool. They also feature a few hot dishes each morning, which is not something that was there during our prior five visits. Pretty awesome way to start the day! Chef Sandeep prepared an incredible mode