- Relaxation In The Maldives: Introduction
- Review: Cathay Pacific First Class 777-300ER New York JFK To Hong Kong
- Review: Qantas Lounge Hong Kong Airport
- Review: Dragonair G16 Lounge Hong Kong Airport
- Review: SriLankan Business Class A330-200 Hong Kong To Bangkok
- Review: SriLankan Business Class A330-200 Bangkok To Colombo
- Review: SriLankan Serendib Lounge Colombo Airport
- Review: SriLankan Business Class A330-300 Colombo To Male
- Review: Beach Palace Hotel / Ui Inn Maldives
- Review: Domestic Maldivian Moonimaa Lounge Male Airport
- Review: Maldivian Dash 8 Male To Kooddoo And Park Hyatt Boat Transfer
- Review: Park Hyatt Maldives Park Villa
- Review: Park Hyatt Maldives Park Pool Villa
- Review: Park Hyatt Maldives Park Water Villa
- Review: Park Hyatt Maldives Breakfast & Diamond Cocktails
- Review: Park Hyatt Maldives Resort Overview
- Review: Park Hyatt Boat Transfer And Maldivian Dash 8 Kooddoo to Male
- Review: Leeli Lounge Male Airport
- Review: Cathay Pacific Business Class A330-300 Male To Hong Kong
- Review: Regal Airport Hotel Hong Kong
- Review: Cathay Pacific Business Class 777-300ER Hong Kong To Newark
After spending two nights in a Park Villa and three nights in a Park Pool Villa, I figured it was worth spending my last night in a Park Water Villa. While I was thrilled with the base room at this hotel, the Park Villa, I figured a trip to the Maldives wouldn’t be complete without at least one night over water.
As I explained in one of the previous installments, if you’re redeeming points you’re automatically booked into a Park Villa. As a Diamond member you can receive a space available upgrade to a Park Pool Villa, though can’t get a free upgrade to a Park Water Villa. So the way to secure a Park Water Villa is to pay a supplement of $494.10 ($405 plus 22% tax/service charge) per night. In the case of my stay, that was the rate difference between a Park Villa and a Park Water Villa. While that’s steep, I figured it would be worthwhile.
Of the 50 villas at the resort, 14 of them are overwater villas, and they can all be accessed from the same jetty. The jetty to the overwater villas starts just past the restaurant and main pool. It’s picturesque to say the least, especially around sunset.
Park Hyatt Maldives jetty
Villas 38 through 51 are the Park Water Villas, and I was assigned Villa 44, which was smack dab in the middle.
Park Hyatt Maldives resort layout
It’s worth noting that all the villas are angled in such a way that you’d never see the terrace of someone else’s villa from your villa. That being said, for many of the villas you can sort of peek onto their terraces from the jetty.
Park Hyatt Maldives jetty with Park Water Villas
Park Hyatt Maldives jetty with Park Water Villas
While the Park Villas and Park Pool Villas are identical in design, the Park Water Villas are different.
Park Hyatt Maldives Park Water Villa 44 exterior
Park Hyatt Maldives Park Water Villa 44 exterior
Villa 44 was maybe a five minute walk from the main pool, though it was always a beautiful walk, given the views. Not only are the villas as such beautiful, but you also have a view of the beach on both sides.
Park Hyatt Maldives Park Water Villa 44 signage
Park Hyatt Maldives view from jetty
As I entered my villa I noticed a deck on the side, so you have direct water access.
Park Hyatt Maldives Park Water Villa
The door was on the left side of the villa, and was conveniently in the shade, so it never got too hot.
Park Hyatt Maldives Park Water Villa entrance
I’d say the Park Water Villa was roughly the same size as the other types of villas, though it was designed differently.
Upon entering was the main room, which featured a king size bed facing a flat screen TV, a chair with ottoman, and a desk behind the bed.
Park Hyatt Maldives Park Water Villa living area
Park Hyatt Maldives Park Water Villa living area
Park Hyatt Maldives Park Water Villa living area
Park Hyatt Maldives Park Water Villa desk area
Then near the door was a couch/daybed.
Park Hyatt Maldives Park Water Villa couch
On the desk was the same minibar as in the other villas, including a Nespresso machine.
Park Hyatt Maldives Park Water Villa Nespresso machine
Park Hyatt Maldives Park Water Villa minibar
Park Hyatt Maldives Park Water Villa minibar
Then to the right of the main room was the bathroom. Upon entering the bathroom were double sinks, and then to the left of it was a bathtub.
Park Hyatt Maldives Park Water Villa bathroom
Park Hyatt Maldives Park Water Villa bathroom
Park Hyatt Maldives Park Water Villa bathroom
Park Hyatt Maldives Park Water Villa bathtub
Park Hyatt Maldives Park Water Villa bathtub
Then when facing the sinks the bathroom was to the right, which was also in a separate room.
Park Hyatt Maldives Park Water Villa toilet
Then to the left of the sinks was a shower, which featured both a rainforest shower head as well as a handheld one.
Park Hyatt Maldives Park Water Villa shower
While the shower was covered, it was see through. There was a glass roof, and then some wooden bars. That meant it got really hot during the day.
Park Hyatt Maldives Park Water Villa shower
I actually thought the bathroom was substantially nicer in the Park Villa and Park Pool Villa than in the Park Water Villa. The others featured a more spacious bathroom, as well as an outdoor bathtub and shower, which was beautiful. This bathroom was much simpler.
The highlight of the overwater villas, no doubt, were the patios. This one featured a daybed in the far corner, then two chairs for lounging, and then a dining table with a couple of chairs.
Park Hyatt Maldives Park Water Villa deck
Park Hyatt Maldives Park Water Villa deck lounging area
Park Hyatt Maldives Park Water Villa deck
Park Hyatt Maldives Park Water Villa deck
Park Hyatt Maldives Park Water Villa deck
Park Hyatt Maldives Park Water Villa view from deck
As I’ve said many times before, I’m not much of an outdoors person. That being said, sitting on the terrace in the shade (somtimes with my laptop) for hours on end was really special. Watching the sunset directly from a balcony where all you see is endless calm ocean is more peaceful than I can put into words. You literally have complete silence, and for someone like me who’s constantly connected to technology, I don’t remember the last time my mind was at ease as much as it was sitting on this terrace.
Park Hyatt Maldives Park Water Villa view from deck
Park Hyatt Maldives Park Water Villa view from deck
There’s one other thing I have to note about the Park Water Villa, though, which I was warned about beforehand as well. They get really warm during the day, even with the air conditioning running at full speed. The villa has blackout shutters, so closing them during the day helps, but it still gets really hot. Compare that to the land villas, which don’t have that problem.
So it’s not really a problem in the morning, or in the evenings, or overnight, but in the afternoons it was almost unbearably hot.
Park Hyatt Maldives Park Water Villa bottom line
There’s something special about watching a spectacular sunset from a private overwater villa. That being said, is it $500 per night “special?”
In terms of the interior of the villa as such, I think I preferred the land villas, given that they had nicer bathrooms and the air conditioning was more effective. In terms of the exterior, I certainly preferred the water villa. It really is very, very special.
What would I recommend to others visiting/what would I do if I returned? If I came back for six nights, I think I’d probably do 1-2 nights at the end in an overwater villa, and the rest in a land villa.
Perhaps others will disagree, but I feel like you almost miss out if you just do the water villa, as the land villas are unique and charming in their own way as well.
I guess to sum it up:
- If I were just visiting to relax and it wasn’t a super special occasion (honeymoon, etc.), I might just do a Park Villa the whole time
- If it was a special occasion/the $500 per night wasn’t going to break the bank, I’d do 1-2 nights in an overwater villa, or maybe half the time at most if it was a really special occasion
I’m curious to hear which option you guys would choose at the Park Hyatt, regardless of whether you’ve stayed there or not.
how deep was the water at water villa 44?
Ben, since you are my travel sensei. I have taken your advice for my upcoming honeymoon in February and booked the Park Villa for 3 nights and the Overwater Villa for our last night. A little worried about the heat in the overwater villa but still really looking forward to it.
Hi Lucky,
Don't know if you have noticed but there's a person in trip advisor that has an extremely similar post on the Park Hyatt Hadahaa, to this post. He even has your same pictures, may want to look into that. He posted it yesterday.
@ Beach_dreamer -- Hadn't seen it till you mentioned it. Thanks for the heads up. Very odd.
@tara. Monsoon rains/winds continuously scrub the main cushion dirt. However, my OW villa had 2 cigarette burn holes in deck cushion
Having stayed in park and overwater (non-sunset) villas, agree with Lucky on pros/cons of each.. Vastly different experience on Park villa 30, where front AC unit (each villa has 2 units), would freeze up when set below 27 degrees celsius and maintenance could not resolve.. Overwater villa struggled to keep temp at 25 celsius, and overwater bathroom trended hotter due to floor to ceiling glass window feature.. Best feature of park villa were outdoor showers...
Having stayed in park and overwater (non-sunset) villas, agree with Lucky on pros/cons of each.. Vastly different experience on Park villa 30, where front AC unit (each villa has 2 units), would freeze up when set below 27 degrees celsius and maintenance could not resolve.. Overwater villa struggled to keep temp at 25 celsius, and overwater bathroom trended hotter due to floor to ceiling glass window feature.. Best feature of park villa were outdoor showers (super hot, super pressure, large bottles of soaps refilled daily. Best features of entire property IMO?- 1) overwater villa decks and 2)150 foot dropoff at outer edge of "house" reef, where the reef sharks hung out.
I have a reservation here in Feb '16 booked with Hyatt points. How do you reserve an upgrade ahead of time? The Hyatt Rewards rep did not seem to know. Do I email the hotel directly? I definitely want to reserve an over the water villa based on this review! Thanks for all the details!
@ Kathy -- Yep, just email the hotel directly and they can help you.
This probably sounds stupid, but I'm wondering how they keep the white cushions clean. I have two white sofas in my living room, and I can say that I will never again own white sofas. I think about sweaty lotioned or oiled people sitting on the hotel cushions and I cannot imagine how they are not covered with stains.
@jmr - It's just you. Depends what you do there I guess.
Just me or is that daybed superunsafe
Seems to me, if you get a complementary upgrade to a pool villa as a diamond member, you should only have to pay the difference from a pool villa to a water villa if you want to upgrade further, rather than the full difference from a park villa to a water villa.
Excellent review of the 3 villas, thanks Lucky. Looks amazing. I really appreciate your reviews. Great to read at the end of a stressful day.
c.
There's also security at the resort. You don't usually see them, they're really unobtrusive. But I shared a boat to the resort with their director of security back in February and I sure wouldn't want to cross him and meet him in a dark alley!
Good comparison of the 3 types of villas. I definitely wouldn't pay $500 for the water villa.
In less than 2 weeks, my wife and I are going to Bora Bora. We will spend 2 nights in a beach bungalow (award stay) at Le Moana and 3 nights in the basic Emerald OWB. I thought about paying the ~$200/night upgrade to OWB in Le Moana, but then I figured it wouldn't be worth it.
@Bgriff
People that pay $10k a week for vacation aren't going to sneak in your back door and grab your Sony point and shoot.
I've stayed at other OW bungalows in the Maldives and they all have doors with locks.
Great review!!!
You really nailed most of my questions about what to choose
500 dollars extra for non function a/c uh no thanks!
Curious both with the land villas' beach access and the overwater villas' "deck"/water access, what's keeping someone else from getting into your room? Obviously given the remote location the chances of getting robbed aren't too high, but still I'm not sure I'd be too comfortable with that.
@ Bgriff -- You can lock your doors, ultimately. But given that you're on a secluded island with no practical way to escape, I can't imagine someone would steal.
Lucky did you mean to say you were put in room 44 (not 51)?
And speaking of 51, do you think it's better or worse to be at the end? Trying to get my ducks in a row for the honeymoon in Sept.
@ Joe -- Yep, typo on my part, thanks. It is a longer walk, but everyone seems to rave about 51. I'm sure it's very private.
i have never been there but judging by the pics i would actually prefer the plunge pool villa... this one looks like a downgrade on the inside... definitely not worth $500.
I thought you weren't into beaches. Or the Maldives not considered beaches? :)
@ Presley -- Generally not, which is why I was surprised I enjoyed it so much!