Just got back from the Maldives and wanted to share my experience across two resorts. My wife and I spent 6 nights at Milaidhoo Maldives and 4 nights at Huvafen Fushi, and overall it was an absolutely incredible trip.

We booked Milaidhoo about a year in advance when it was still 150,000 points per night before the Hilton devaluation. With the 5th night free and a FNC, we ended up spending 600,000 points total. For Huvafen Fushi, which we booked just a week or so later in early April, we ended up using 3 FNCs and 160,000 points (Hilton devalued points). Since both bookings were made in late March/early April of last year, all transportation was included along with daily breakfast at both resorts.

**The Resorts**

Milaidhoo is a wonderfully compact resort. From our overwater villa to the breakfast restaurant is literally a 3 minute walk, and we never needed a buggy the entire stay. Huvafen Fushi is much more spread out, so buggy rides were a regular part of the day when we were at the overwater villa. The walk from our OWV to breakfast alone was around 10 minutes. It’s not a dealbreaker, but something to keep in mind.

Overwater Villa wise, Milaidhoo wins without question. The overwater villas there are cleaner, larger, and have a noticeably bigger pool. At Huvafen Fushi we started in an overwater villa for the first two nights and were complimentarily upgraded to a Beach Villa for our last two nights, which was a lovely surprise and genuinely beautiful. But if you’re comparing like for like, Milaidhoo’s overwater villas is much better.

I will say, if you’re a pool person, the main pool at Huvafen Fushi beats the main pool at Milaidhoo. 

**Snorkeling**

This is probably the biggest difference between the two resorts. Milaidhoo has a stunning, healthy reef with an incredible amount of fish and marine life. We were blown away.

Huvafen Fushi’s reef is decent, but it simply doesn’t compare. Because the snorkeling at Milaidhoo set such a high bar, the experience at Huvafen Fushi felt somewhat lackluster by comparison, which is why snorkeling with sharks ended up being the highlight there. Just under the Salt restaurant you’ll find 7 or 8 blacktip reef sharks along with several nurse sharks, and we found ourselves spending a lot of time in that spot since it offered something truly different. 

At both resorts, we also noticed that beach snorkeling was consistently better than snorkeling directly off the overwater villa. And we got incredibly lucky with sunny weather for all 10 days, which kept the visibility fantastic throughout

**Food**

Milaidhoo takes the win for breakfast. The buffet had more variety and was overall higher quality. Lunch and dinner felt pretty comparable between the two, though my wife particularly loved the Japanese restaurant at Huvafen Fushi called Salt. Dining is pricey at both resorts, but that’s expected for the Maldives.

**Butler Service**

Butler service was excellent at both resorts. We had Claire at Milaidhoo and Naadi at Huvafen Fushi, and both were incredibly responsive on WhatsApp. Whether it was coordinating excursions or handling requests on the fly, they made everything feel seamless throughout our stay.

**Excursions**

We only did excursions at Milaidhoo and did three: a dolphin watch, a turtle snorkel, and a manta snorkel. All three were absolutely worth it. The manta trip was a bonus since it wasn’t even manta season, and we still spotted 4 or 5 of them. Our guide mentioned that during peak season the numbers are significantly higher.

**Hilton Diamond Benefits**

As Hilton Diamond members, we received a complimentary cocktail at Huvafen Fushi, which was a nice touch that Milaidhoo didn’t offer. I used the Hilton Amex Business Card at both resorts and the $60 resort credit applied at Milaidhoo without any issues. The Huvafen Fushi charge is still pending since we just got back two days ago, but I expect the credit to come through there as well.

**Final Thoughts**

If you’re visiting the Maldives for the first time, Huvafen Fushi is a solid choice and you’ll have an amazing time. But if you’re looking for the better overall experience, Milaidhoo is the clear winner in our opinion. The reef, the villas, the breakfast, and the intimate feel of the resort all edge it ahead. We already miss it and are seriously considering going back.

Milaidhoo Maldives & Huvafen Fushi - Review