World of Hyatt has two Category 7 resorts in the Maldives: the Alila Kothaifaru Maldives and the Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa. The Alila opened in May 2022 and may be more appealing to some travelers due to the fact that all of its villas have private pools, and it is just a 45-minute seaplane flight from Male, the capital of the Maldives.

Related: Your guide to the World of Hyatt award chart

The Alila Kothaifaru Maldives has 44 beach villas and 36 water villas. During my stay, it offered an easy-to-reach house reef for snorkeling, friendly staff and a prime location for relaxing.

After staying at five other resorts on my last two trips to the Maldives, I redeemed 100,000 Hyatt points for a four-night stay at the Alila Kothaifaru Maldives in August 2024 to experience both a beach villa and a water villa. Here’s what you need to know if you’re also considering a stay at this property.

What is Alila Kothaifaru Maldives

Alila Kothaifaru Maldives is a private island resort about a 45-minute seaplane flight from Male that you can book through World of Hyatt. All villas have private pools, with about half being beach villas and the other half being overwater villas.

Alila Maldives staff say the resort focuses on sustainability and experiences. So it’s unsurprising that the resort was built on a natural island without any dredging or other artificial land creation ahead of its opening in 2022. The resort has a modern, minimalist design that feels consistent throughout the property.

Related: Where is the Maldives, and is the long journey worth it?

How to book Alila Kothaifaru Maldives

Paid rates at Alila Kothaifaru Maldives usually range from $586 to $1,235 per night when you book directly through Hyatt. But, as this Alila is a Category 7 Hyatt property, you can redeem 25,000 points per night on off-peak dates, 30,000 points per night on standard dates and 35,000 points per night on peak dates.

You can also use the Category 1 through 7 certificate earned through Hyatt Milestone Rewards after 60 qualifying nights or 100,000 base points each calendar year when booking your stay.

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TPG’s current valuations peg the value of Hyatt points at 1.7 cents each. So, you’ll want to redeem points (or a Category 1 through 7 certificate) if the rate is $425 or more per night on off-peak dates, $510 or more per night on standard dates and $595 or more per night on peak dates.

Even if you redeem Hyatt points for your stay, you can still pay to upgrade your room type or add on a food and beverage package. For example, as a Hyatt Globalist member, the hotel offered me an all-inclusive food and beverage package for $252 per person per night.

Whether you book a paid rate at the Alila Kothaifaru Maldives or pay incidental fees on an award stay, you’ll want to use one of the best credit cards for Hyatt stays. These two cobranded World of Hyatt cards offer automatic World of Hyatt elite status and other perks:

• World of Hyatt Credit Card: Get automatic Discoverist status, enjoy five qualifying night credits toward your next tier status every year and earn two additional qualifying night credits toward your next tier status every time you spend $5,000 on your card.
• World of Hyatt Business Credit Card: Get automatic Discoverist status and earn five tier-qualifying night credits for every $10,000 in purchases each calendar year.

Finally, if you don’t have Hyatt Globalist status, you may want to earn (or get as a gift from a friend) a Guest of Honor award to use on your stay to get complimentary breakfast and other on-site perks.

Related: 34 Maldives resorts you can book with points and miles

How to get to Alila Kothaifaru Maldives

Alila Kothaifaru Maldives is on Kothaifaru Island in the Raa Atoll of the Maldives, 104 miles from Velana International Airport (MLE). You can get to Alila Maldives via a seaplane from MLE or a domestic flight from MLE to Ifuru Airport (IFU) and then a speedboat to the resort.

Either way, the resort will book your transfers based on your international arrival and departure flights at a round-trip cost of $660 per adult (defined as 12 years or older), $330 per child (defined as at least 2 but younger than 12) and no cost per infant (defined as under 2).

To take a same-day seaplane flight, your international flight into Male must land before 3:30 p.m., and your departing flight should not leave before 9 a.m. I recommend landing in Male in the morning or staying in the Maldives’ capital city for a night, as missing your seaplane and arriving at the resort a day late isn’t how you want to start your stay.

As with most Maldives private island resorts, you shouldn’t plan to leave the island before your departure date unless you’re on a resort-organized excursion.

Related: The best ways to get to the Maldives on points and miles

Beach villas are spacious — but expect outdoor bathrooms

The base room — which is the only room type you can book with Hyatt points — is a 2,174-square-foot beach villa.

All beach villas have a private pool, an outdoor patio and private beach loungers.

I loved waking up and seeing the turquoise water and beach from my bed after opening the curtains.

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The pillows on the bed were thinner than I prefer, but the bed’s firmness and the bedding’s breathability were satisfactory.

I didn’t particularly enjoy the outdoor bathroom simply because it was hot during the day. That said, I found it peaceful to shower outside after dark and had no mosquito issues. Lizards and flying bugs greeted me in the outdoor bathroom, which I found endearing but some may find bothersome.

The bedroom had an air-conditioned makeup area with complimentary reef-safe sunscreen, insect repellant and after-sun cooling gel.

You’ll also find several closets in the bedroom. These closets included robes, a safe, hats to use at the resort and more.

The sitting area near the villa’s entrance is relaxing. Unfortunately, the TV image was distorted, and streaming didn’t work during our stay (the resort said streaming was temporarily down when we asked). A table near the couch and chair in the area is ideal for enjoying room service.

The design of the beach villas was crisp and modern. I also loved that the resort didn’t hide anything in drawers, which lets guests immediately see all the amenities on the counters or in the closets.

However, I didn’t enjoy walking through the villa to the bathroom after swimming in the pool or ocean (I would have preferred a way to reach the bathroom from the pool area), but this may not bother everyone.

Related: These are the best all-inclusive resorts in the Maldives, from overwater bungalows to family-friendly getaways

Water villas may be worth the upgrade cost

The 1,345-square-foot water villas have most of the same furniture as the beach villas, just in a different layout and with a much more appealing (to me, at least) view.

I loved sitting on the couch looking out the floor-to-ceiling windows at the ocean.

In the sitting area, you’ll find a table and chair next to the sofa. There’s also a minibar and coffee area by the TV.

Unlike other overwater villas I’ve stayed in at other Maldives resorts, the bed is perpendicular to the windows instead of facing outward. The mattress and bedding are the same as the beach villa, so I slept well. I occasionally heard waves breaking outside the villa, but the noise wasn’t loud enough to wake me.

The bathroom in the water villa was air-conditioned, which was a huge plus given the humid climate. I enjoyed going directly between the shower area and the outdoor pool deck via a sliding door. However, I wasn’t able to get this door to lock.

In the bathroom, you’ll find several closets with a safe, robes and more.

The outdoor area of the water villa offers various seating options, including lounge chairs and an overwater net. I appreciated the lighting underneath the net that turned on at the same time as the pool lights, as this light attracted fish at night. But the star of the show was the infinity pool and direct ocean access from the deck into the sea via a ladder.

You can’t book water villas with points, although you can hope for a complimentary upgrade as a Hyatt Globalist member or pay an upgrade rate per night. During my stay, the cost to upgrade to a lagoon water villa was $126 per night, which may be worth paying if you don’t want an outdoor bathroom or value having an overwater villa.

Related: 12 incredible overwater bungalows you can book with points

Well-presented food and beverage

With 80 villas, the Alila Maldives has several food and beverage venues. The menus for the venues are available here.

Seasalt

Seasalt is the only venue open for all three meals of the day, and is the only option for breakfast at the resort. This poolside venue offers great views.

We enjoyed daily breakfast as a Globalist perk, but breakfast usually costs $55 per person on award stays and is included on most paid stays. Breakfast includes food and nonalcoholic drinks from the menu and the buffet.

I enjoyed the presentation of the menu items — which were diverse, ranging from French toast to a Maldivian omelet — and ordered a cheese dosa each morning from a live-action station in the buffet area. Even though a cheese dosa wasn’t on the dosa menu, the friendly staff member had no issues making me one.

Umami

Umami is the resort’s flagship restaurant. It requires reservations and is only open for dinner. During my stay, the restaurant offered a five-course teppanyaki menu for $221 per person or a seven-course menu for $284 per person.

The restaurant also offers a la carte options, which is how I ordered. I tried an eight-piece spicy tuna roll for $38, plain edamame for $9, a Shimbashi sour for $24 and the miso gindara for $76.

The spicy tuna roll tasted fresh and was great to split as an appetizer, while the edamame provided a good bang for the buck with its ample quantity. The Shimbashi sour was fruity yet complex, which I found ideal for sipping alongside these dishes. But the miso gindara was the highlight due to its sweet glaze and flaky texture — it’s easily one of the best fish entrees I’ve ever tried.

Yakitori Bar

Next to Umami is Yakitori Bar, which is open for lunch, dinner and drinks.

I planned to go to Yakitori Bar at lunchtime and order a tuna poke bowl for $44, but I was never hungry enough before the poke bowls were removed from the menu at 4 p.m. each day. So I stopped by one evening for dinner. The restaurant offered an all-you-can-eat deal for $120 during my stay, but I wasn’t that hungry. So, I instead opted for edamame ($9), a spicy Kyoto sour cocktail ($24) and the following four yakitori items:

• Tebasaki ($15): three spicy chicken wings
• Chawanmushi ($15): two skewers of minced chicken coated in cream cheese and teriyaki sauce
• Mune yakitori ($15): two skewers of chicken breast coated in butter and teriyaki sauce
• Maguro pepperyaki ($19): two skewers of local tuna coated in butter, teriyaki sauce and pepper

The maguro pepperyaki was surprisingly spicy, and I didn’t enjoy the oily coating on the tebasaki. Otherwise, the meat quality was good, and I found Yakitori a fun place to enjoy a low-key dinner.

Mirus Bar

Across from Seasalt is Mirus Bar, which offers poolside food and drink service during the day and drinks at night.

Most evenings, the resort DJ spins a chill, groovy mix on the beach by Mirus Bar. One night, I tried the Kothaifaru mai tai for $20 while listening to the DJ. The mai tai was well-mixed and relatively strong.

If you prefer a more laid-back dinner in Mirus Bar, you can order from the Seasalt menu. After a sunset yoga class, I tried this one evening and found the experience enjoyable. I ordered the grilled tuna steak entree for $53 and found the light seasoning didn’t overpower the natural tuna flavor.

Other dining options

You can order in-villa dining anytime. However, you’ll be limited to the 15-item late-night menu between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. My husband and I ordered in-villa dining around 8 p.m. on our first night. When I called, the staff member quoted me a 30- to 35-minute wait. However, our food arrived just 27 minutes later.

I ordered the dhon riha for $45 and the fries for $13, while my husband ordered the paneer butter masala for $33. The fries were still fresh when they arrived, and I appreciated their light salt and seasoning. Meanwhile, I found the tuna in the dhon riha fresh and the curry flavorful yet not too spicy.

The resort also offers various private dining experiences. Perhaps the most interesting is The Shack, which you can book for a private meal at $995 per couple for breakfast or $1,575 per couple for lunch. During my stay, the resort offered twice-weekly group sundowner trips to The Shack for $120 per person.

Related: Hyatt is bringing a new Hyatt Regency to the Maldives

Spa treatments in the forest canopy

Spa Alila is in the center of the island near the Spice Garden. The spa reception is above the fitness center, with four double-occupancy treatment rooms along a treetop canopy walkway.

You can book massages, facial care, nail care, yoga sessions and meditation sessions at Spa Alila, as shown in the online menu. However, I found the following offer in my villa for a 60-minute treatment plus a 30-minute treatment for $221.

I booked this treatment for a noon appointment on my third day. The massage rooms are air-conditioned, and the tables are comfortable. The masseuse skillfully manipulated my muscles, and I appreciated how she massaged my body side by side instead of in the standard four quadrants.

Related: From city sanctuaries to desert retreats, these are the best luxury hotel spas for every type of traveler

Other things to do at Alila Kothaifaru Maldives

During my stay, many guests seemed to spend much of their time in their private villas. But here’s a look at what you can do throughout the rest of the resort.

Go to the pool or beach

Alila Kothaifaru Maldives is an island, so you’re never far from a beach. But, in addition to the private pools and direct access to the beach or ocean that each villa provides, the resort offers beaches by Yakitori Bar and Mirus Bar. I found self-serve water and towels, beach chairs and bar service at these beaches.

The beach area by Mirus Bar also has a large infinity pool surrounded by comfortable lounge chairs with umbrellas.

Snorkel the house reef

You’ll find reefs you can snorkel all around the island. However, the best part of the house reef for snorkeling is by Yakitori Bar. You can enter from the beach there, but if you are a decent swimmer and avid snorkeler, I recommend talking to the water sports staff and seeing how the current flows.

We enjoyed putting in by the dive center and snorkeling along the reef with the current back to Yakitori Bar. If you are in an overwater villa, know that the current can make swimming between the house reef by Yakitori Bar and your villa difficult.

Related: 12 of the best far-flung dive and snorkel spots to add to your bucket list

Observe the wildlife

One of my favorite things around the island was looking for wildlife. We frequently saw fruit bats flying across paths and hanging in trees. We saw black-tipped reef sharks swimming along the reef near the arrivals pier, and we even saw a school of baby sharks near the start of the pier toward the overwater villas. An eagle ray or two was also often hanging out near the entrance to our overwater villa.

Participate in a scheduled activity

Alila Kothaifaru Maldives publishes a weekly activities guide with all the scheduled activities.

We attended several activities, including:

• Ocean discovery night: Two knowledgeable and passionate staff members from the water sports center led this complimentary talk.

• Turtle reef snorkeling: This two-hour trip cost $145 per person but included a boat ride out to a reef about 20 minutes away and a guide to snorkel with the group. We saw three turtles, as well as plenty of coral and fish.
• Sunset yoga and meditation: This complimentary session on the beach didn’t include any meditation and was too difficult for me (and seemingly four of the other five guests participating).

• World of Hyatt Globalist sunset session: This complimentary session with the general manager included drinks and light snacks. I enjoyed talking with the general manager and another Globalist.
• Sunset cocktails with resort management: All guests received invites to this complimentary event, which included drinks, snacks and music on the beach.

You must book all activities, including complimentary ones, with your villa host beforehand.

Work out in the fitness center

The fitness center is directly below the reception area of Spa Alila. It is air-conditioned and modern, with some free weights and cardio equipment.

However, due to its small size, you might not find specific equipment you’re used to back home or at larger hotel gyms.

Play outdoor games

Near the reception desk, you’ll find table tennis, petanque, giant chess and billiards. Despite playing many table tennis games, we never had to wait to play.

You’ll also find a lighted paddleball court near the staff village, but you must make reservations with your villa host to use this court.

Read or play board games in the library

Between the reception desk and the water sports center is an air-conditioned library. Admittedly, we mostly stopped by the library to escape the heat and humidity during walks around the island. But I also enjoyed the books about Maldives history, resort design and fish stocked in this self-serve library. You’ll also find a few board games in the library.

Play in the kids club

You’ll likely utilize the kids club if you bring your children to the Alila Kothaifaru Maldives. The club appeared well-stocked and had a set activity schedule. I noticed in the welcome materials that parents can also arrange childcare by speaking with their villa host.

Related: 11 best hotels with kids clubs where your kids can play all day

Reasons Alila Kothaifaru Maldives might not be for you

With many great resorts in the Maldives, Alila Kothaifaru won’t be the best option for everyone. Here are some reasons the Alila Kothaifaru Maldives might not be right for you:

• You want to take a boat from Male: While you can reach some resorts closer to Male with just a speedboat or yacht, you’ll need to take a seaplane (or a domestic flight and a speedboat) to reach the Alila after you land in Male.

• You prefer motorized water sports: Besides the speedboats you can book for excursions, you won’t find any motorized water sports at the Alila Maldives. I enjoyed this because it creates a peaceful environment, but it may be disappointing to some guests.

• You prefer to walk or bike: Although welcome materials encourage guests to “explore the resort on foot to fully appreciate the natural beauty of the island,” we rarely noticed other guests walking. Carts with other guests frequently passed us while we walked around the island; the cart traffic was so frequent that it made walking unpleasant. Unfortunately, the resort doesn’t provide bikes to guests.

A note on upgrades

It’s also worth discussing the one-category space-available upgrades for Hyatt Globalist members. Shortly after booking, I received an email from the resort stating, “As a valued Globalist, we are happy to extend to you a complimentary upgrade to the next category (Lagoon Water Villa), available on the day of arrival.” However, despite the resort still selling a lagoon water villa on my day of arrival, I wasn’t proactively offered a complimentary upgrade.

During check-in to the beach villa discussed above, I told my host I had been hopeful for an upgrade to a lagoon water villa as a World of Hyatt Globalist member. He said he’d check whether the resort could move me for part of my stay, and I received a message the next morning saying we could move to a water villa at noon.

Related: What to do when a hotel doesn’t want to honor your elite benefits

Accessibility

Alila Kothaifaru Maldives doesn’t offer many accessibility features U.S. travelers might be accustomed to. For example, the hotel has no rooms specifically designed with accessibility in mind, and I didn’t see a pool lift near Seasalt or a lift to the spa. You’ll find steps and loose sand paths throughout the property, and I didn’t see any Braille as I explored the resort.

The hotel’s website doesn’t mention any specific accessibility features. When I asked a staff member about accessibility, they said guests should contact the property to discuss their needs. So, while I expect the property and its staff will do their best to help, you’ll need to be proactive about discussing what you need and determining whether the resort can support you.

Related: How to make sure you get an accessible hotel room if you need one

Checking out

Alila Kothaifaru Maldives features private pools for all its villas, an easy-to-reach house reef and a charming assortment of wildlife. However, the outdoor bathrooms in the beach villas and limited dinner venues may be problematic for some travelers. I’d happily redeem Hyatt points for another stay at the Alila Kothaifaru Maldives, but I will likely try out some new-to-me options first.