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Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi

South Malé Atoll · Ithaafushi Island

A three-island private resort in South Malé Atoll built entirely from private-pool villas, with eleven restaurants, an Aqua Wellness Centre built around hydrotherapy and overwater couples' treatment villas, and its own independently bookable private island, Ithaafushi.

  • 11 villa types
  • Kids' club
  • Pool in every villa
  • Reply within 24 hours
  • Maldives only for 8 years · 50+ resorts visited in person

Villas

A reef-set villa at Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi, with steps leading down to the lagoon

King Reef Villa with Pool

Part of the Villa On The Reef collection, with a private pool and steps down to direct lagoon access — the King Grand version carries the same reef-set layout with more interior space.

Occupancy not published — confirm at booking · Private pool · Reef, lagoon access via steps

Check availabilityVilla details

A swing bed positioned over the water at a Reef Villa, Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi — the Two Queen Bedded Reef Villa has no dedicated published photo, so this sibling reef-villa image stands in here

Two Queen Bedded Reef Villa with Pool

The two-queen version of the reef collection, set up for a pair of couples or a small group rather than one king bed, with the same private pool and lagoon steps.

Occupancy not published — confirm at booking · Private pool · Reef, lagoon access via steps

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The bedroom of a Two Bedroom Reef Villa at Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi, opening toward the lagoon

Two Bedroom Reef Villa with Pool

A multi-room reef villa with its own private pool and direct lagoon and snorkelling access, built for two families or a larger group sharing one villa.

Occupancy not published — confirm at booking · Private pool · Reef, two-bedroom, direct lagoon/snorkelling access

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Exterior view of an Overwater Villa at Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi, its private pool suspended above the lagoon

King Overwater Villa with Pool

Part of the Villa Over The Water collection, its private pool suspended above the lagoon on stilts — the King Grand version carries the same overwater footprint with more space.

Occupancy not published — confirm at booking · Private pool · Overwater

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The bedroom of an Overwater Villa at Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi, with floor-to-ceiling views of the lagoon — the Two Queen Bedded Overwater Villa has no dedicated published photo, so this sibling overwater-villa image stands in here

Two Queen Bedded Overwater Villa with Pool

The two-queen overwater category, with the same suspended private pool as the King Overwater Villa, set up for two beds rather than one.

Occupancy not published — confirm at booking · Private pool · Overwater

Check availabilityVilla details

The exterior deck and pool of the Two Bedroom Overwater Villa at Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi, suspended above the lagoon

Two Bedroom Overwater Villa with Pool

A grand two-bedroom overwater villa for up to four adults and two children under 12, with 400-thread-count sheets, a coffee maker and black-out curtains as standard.

Up to 4 adults + 2 children under 12 · Private pool · Overwater, two-bedroom

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Show all 11 villas

All villas at Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi

About Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi

Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi spans three interconnected islands in South Malé Atoll, a 40-minute yacht transfer from Malé. Every villa — reef, overwater or beach — carries a private pool, and eleven restaurants run from a floating Japanese izakaya to treetop tasting menus. The Aqua Wellness Centre adds hydrotherapy and a dedicated Wellness Concierge, and Ithaafushi, the resort's own private island, can be booked separately.

Recommended For

Families

The Two Bedroom Overwater Villa is built for up to four adults and two children under 12, and The Stars Club runs themed play zones from 10am to 7pm plus an evening session — a rare pairing of family-sized overwater accommodation and structured kids' programming on one island.

Divers and snorkellers

A dive centre and the 'Under & Over the Blue' programme work the house reef directly, which the resort notes for tropical fish, reef sharks and sea turtles — reachable by a short swim from Beach Villas or straight off the steps of Reef and Overwater Villas.

Wellness-focused couples

The Aqua Wellness Centre's hydrotherapy and a resort-exclusive Wellness Concierge lead into Parallel Journeys, where two guests run separate treatment programmes side by side in the same ultra-private couples' treatment villa — some of which are built over water.

Wine & Dine

The interior of Li Long, Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi's Chinese restaurant — Zuma Maldives has no dedicated published photo, so this interior from the resort's other Asian dining venue stands in here

Zuma Maldives

Japanese — sushi and robata · À la carte

The Maldives outpost of the global Japanese icon, an izakaya set above the water for signature sushi and robata-grilled dishes.

One of Terra's bamboo dining pods set into the island canopy at Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi

Terra

Seasonal tasting menu · Seven-course tasting menu

Dinner in the treetops — seven bamboo pods set into the canopy, each seating a table through a seven-course seasonal menu.

The dining room at Li Long, Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi's Chinese restaurant

Li Long

Chinese · À la carte, signature Beijing Duck

A Chinese restaurant built around Shanghai heritage, known on the island for its Beijing Duck, roasted in-house.

All 11 restaurants and bars

Experiences

  • Art Studio & Craft Workshop

    A resort's own art studio, gallery or craft workshop where guests create or view local and traditional artwork — pottery, lacquer, glassblowing.

  • Ayurvedic Treatment

    Ayurveda-rooted treatments — shirodhara, dosha-based facials — led by an on-site Ayurvedic specialist as a named modality distinct from a generic massage.

  • Destination Private Dining

    A private meal on the beach, in a villa, a garden or an overwater deck, arranged by a private chef and butler outside the resort's own restaurants.

  • Group Fitness, Gym & Training Classes

    Structured group fitness beyond a yoga mat — HIIT, TRX, Pilates, boxing and circuit training, run out of the resort's own gym or fitness pavilion.

  • House-Reef & Guided Snorkel

    A guided swim over the house reef, off the beach or a short boat ride out, with private, night and beginner variants at resorts that run their own dive centre.

  • IV Therapy, Diagnostics & Visiting-Practitioner Wellness

    IV infusions, recovery tech and non-invasive health screening booked as a diagnostic or performance session, usually with a visiting specialist.

All 15 experiencesWellness at Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi

Good to know

Getting there

Malé · yacht transfer, 40 minutes · Ithaafushi Island, South Malé Atoll

Nearest airport
Velana International Airport (MLE)
Transfer
Shared return yacht transfer, approximately 40 minutes, with waiting time of 30-60 minutes; the transfer service is subject to a tax.
Malé city
Approximately a 30-minute yacht ride from the resort.
Children's transfer rates
Complimentary for children under 6; ages 6 to under 12 incur transfer charges and half-board rates; ages 12 and up are charged as adults.

At a glance

Villas
Private pool in every villa
Dining
11 restaurants
Families
Kids' club (The Stars Club)
Diving & reef
Dive centre · House reef
Spa
Waldorf Astoria Spa · overwater treatment rooms

Before you book

How do guests get from Malé to Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi?

A shared return yacht transfer, about 40 minutes each way, with waiting time at either end of 30-60 minutes and a transfer service charge. Malé city itself is roughly a 30-minute yacht ride from the resort.

Is the resort suited to families with children?

Yes — The Stars Club kids' club runs themed play zones for animals, nature and sea exploration from 10am to 7pm, plus an evening session, and the Two Bedroom Overwater Villa is built for up to four adults and two children under 12. Transfers are complimentary under age 6, charged at transfer and half-board rates from 6 to under 12, and at full adult rates from 12 up.

What dining options does the resort have?

Eleven venues, from Zuma's floating Japanese izakaya and Li Long's Beijing Duck to Terra's seven-course tasting menu in bamboo treetop pods and The Ledge's modern Australian BBQ from Michelin-starred chef Dave Pynt. One of the eleven is Bespoke/Destination Dining, a private dining team that arranges custom setups around the island, sandbanks included, rather than running a fixed venue.

How is the house reef, and is snorkelling included?

The house reef is accessible directly from Reef and Overwater Villas, and a short swim from Beach Villas; the resort notes tropical fish, reef sharks and sea turtles on it. A dive centre runs an 'Under & Over the Blue' snorkelling and diving programme on the reef.

What's included with each villa?

Every villa across all eleven categories — reef, overwater and beach — includes a private pool. Resort-wide amenities include free WiFi, a Personal Concierge, room service and complimentary bicycles for getting around the island.

Is Ithaafushi itself a separate private island we can book?

The resort's official site describes Ithaafushi as the largest private island in the Maldives and lists it as independently bookable. The site does not spell out exactly how that booking differs from a standard villa stay, so we'd confirm the specifics with the resort before quoting it to a guest.

The factsheet

Every fact we hold on Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi (villas, dining, transfers) in one document.

Download the factsheetPDF

One of Terra's bamboo dining pods set into the island canopy at Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi

Talk to a specialist about this resort.

Thirty minutes on dates, occasion and which island actually suits you. No obligation, no scripted pitch.

Inspiration for the next trip

A few ways into the resorts, by the kind of trip you have in mind.

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