Cinnamon Hakuraa Huraa Maldives

We’ve just returned from an amazing stay at Cinnamon Hakuraa Huraa Maldives, and overall it was a truly memorable experience. From the moment we arrived in the Maldives, everything was very well organised. We were met at the airport and guided through to our seaplane transfer, which, although involved around a 1.5-hour wait and multiple stops, was a lovely experience with beautiful views and friendly staff. On arrival at the resort, we received a warm welcome with drinks and flowers, which immediately set the tone for the trip. We stayed initially in a beach bungalow, which was in a great location close to the main pool and restaurant. It was very convenient and meant we didn’t have to walk far for anything. The view from the beach was stunning—more shallow, silvery water rather than deep blue, but still absolutely beautiful. The bungalow itself was spacious, with comfortable seating and loungers that could easily be moved depending on sun or shade. One thing to note is that the beach has quite a lot of coral, so it’s worth bringing water shoes as the sand isn’t soft in places. We also upgraded for a couple of nights to a water villa (number 335), which had incredible sunset views and was great for snorkelling access. However, it is a bit of a walk from the main areas, so we found a split stay between beach and water villa worked perfectly. Food was a real highlight. The main buffet restaurant offered a wide variety of options, and everything we tried was fresh and very tasty. The fish, in particular, was some of the best I’ve had. Service was consistently excellent—staff like Dhaain and Raufa went above and beyond, remembering our drinks and having them ready for us before we even returned to the table. We booked the simple all-inclusive package, which we found more than sufficient. Drinks were good, cocktails were simple but strong and enjoyable, and the minibar was included, which was a nice bonus. The spa experience was fantastic. We had a complimentary massage included, which we upgraded to a longer treatment with a scrub and hot stone massage—it was well worth it and a perfect way to start the holiday. The spa facilities and staff were excellent. A special mention for the thoughtful touches throughout our stay. This was a birthday trip, and the team surprised us with a beautiful bed decoration, which was really appreciated. Our room attendant, Haleem, was always friendly, smiling, and kept the room spotless. We also enjoyed a complimentary private beach dinner included with our booking. The setting was lovely, the food was fresh and delicious, and the service was excellent—Sundun in particular made sure everything was perfect, and it was a nice touch that the chef came to speak to us afterwards. Snorkelling directly from the island is a bit limited as there’s no house reef, but the resort offers free snorkelling trips to better spots, which we really enjoyed. They also provide a little booklet to tick off marine life you’ve seen, which was a fun extra. The island itself is beautifully maintained, with lots of greenery providing shade during the day, and softly lit pathways at night that create a really relaxed, slightly magical atmosphere. Entertainment is fairly low-key, mainly a band in the evenings, but the overall vibe is very friendly and sociable. We also took part in an island hopping excursion (included as part of booking direct), which was a great way to see local life and added something different to the holiday. Finally, the departure was just as well organised as the arrival. We received all transfer details the night before, and as we had an early flight, the hotel provided breakfast boxes so we didn’t leave hungry—another thoughtful touch. Overall, this was a fantastic holiday with great service, lovely food, and a beautiful setting. We would definitely recommend it, especially if you’re looking for a relaxing and friendly resort experience. Read less

I’ll start and end on positives. Perhaps a little critique in the middle.. To begin with, the transfer was by sea plane. Trans Maldivian Air has a new airport (since we were last here 18 months ago) and while it is new and shiny, it does seem to be organised chaos though eventually everyone got to where they needed to go. Room (water villa) is lovely, spectacular views, staff helpful and nice, plentiful food on offer. Critique bit - snorkelling from the villa is limited though we did see a green turtle, reef shark and eagle rays. Twice daily snorkelling trips were great. Would have been better if they provided a beach towel ( or advised us to bring ours in advance). Food - wide spread, buffet style. Lots of choices though we enjoyed the local food the most. ( I don’t understand people who travel who expect Western food when local cuisine is so good). However, while I appreciate the staff should be catered to as well, I wasn’t sure why I had to queue behind 2 staff members for eggs during active service times). There also isn’t an evening turndown service so getting your beach towels changed (when you are using them during snorkelling trips) is a bit tricky. These are minor things which I think can be easily addressed and shouldn’t take away from the overall superb experience they provide. Special mentions to Advil from Housekeeping (who stole my husband’s glasses to make the wittiest towel construct we’ve ever had! Also to the staff at the restaurant who provided such lovely meals - and in particular Irufaadh and Marshin who looked after us so well. And to the lovely ladies at Manada Spa who were some of the best we’ve encountered. Too many unsung heroes to name but they all worked together and so diligently to give a 5 star experience. Thank you to all Read less