Just four and a half hours from Doha, this family friendly resort allows you to choose your own adventure while delivering some incredible, luxurious service
As the speed boat navigated the choppy approach to the Four Seasons Resort Maldives Kura Huraa, I admit openly that the iconic White Lotus theme song was playing on a loop in my already crowded brain.
Quiet luxury island vibe. A boat trip to access it. Staff waiting on the dock. And…FOUR SEASONS
But no monkeys. Or pong-pong fruit.
Four Seasons Resort Maldives Kura Hudaa certainly qualifies as a bucket list destination for me, or anyone really. There are two Four Seasons resorts in the Maldives — the other is Landaa Giraavaru — and while you can travellers visit both on one trip, Kuda Huraa is the easiest of the pair to access. It’s a just a 25-minute speedboat journey from the main airport on the island of Malé. You’re greeted at arrivals by the team and whisked to a lounge where you’re given warm towels and your details taken. From there, it’s a short walk across the road to the boat jetty.
Within an hour of landing all up you’re in paradise. No seaplane timetables to navigate – you are pretty much through immigration and right on the boat. And at just four and a bit hours right from Doha (and most of the GCC, it’s perfect for Eid or another short break).
My last visit to the Maldives was more than a decade before and at a resort that was a plane and a boat ride from the airport, so it was about time I returned. For first (even second timers) this resort is perfect – a tropical island, relaxed almost village feeling, an easy to navigate set up with all the activities you need, and enough dining options to keep it interesting on a week long stay.
It also has, what I call, the “Four Seasons Touch” – warm, very personalised hospitality from all members of the team. I get it, you’re paying for this, but there is something the brand seems to en gender better than others in its class – being genuine. Quiet luxury? Nailed it.
The villas
During my stay I moved between one of their beach bungalows and an over water number. If you had asked me before, I would have said I was steadfastly an overwater girl. But I’ve changed. The beach villa, with its own pool, small yard and pavilion leading onto the beach, was private and very serene. It was close enough to the restaurants and activities for me to walk.
Meanwhile the over water villa’s while stupendously glamorous, can also be a little noisy – not the people kind of noise. But nature and stuff. Waves lapping. I found myself waking up in the middle of the night to check outside. I don’t know what I was looking for, but I prefer the proximity of the beach villas.
For both villa types you can choose sunrise and sunset – I have no preference but the sunrises here are stunning as you would imagine. The villas are all equipped with the right amount of plugs and charging points, bathrooms with walk-in showers and ample tubs as well as outdoor showers.
In the beach villas there is even a small sitting room/study so you can separate work/play.
I also had a sneak peak at the newly-opened “resort within a resort” concept – the three-bedroom Kuda Estate which can accomodate six adults and three children. Here you have three standalone bedroom villas are linked by communal indoor-outdoor living spaces around a 139-square-meter infinity pool curled around a 140-square-meter oceanfront deck.
This is combining the best of both vacation worlds and frankly I have been plotting how this could be the ultimate girls escape (White Lotus, again) since touring it – perhaps it was the dedicated wine fridge that sparked this idea.
The food
With six restaurants and bars, there is more than enough choice to keep you interested. The Keralan-influenced Baraabaru, on the resort’s lagoon side, was very much my culinary speed – an emphasis on freshly cooked seafood and the flavours of the Southern Indian state. the Italian menu at beachfront Reef Club is very family friendly. Here I indulged in a very specific seafood pizza craving and a glass of wine.
Word of warning, if you are offered Maldivian chili…only accept if you have a high tolerance for spice. You can get your sushi and noodle fix of Asian cuisine at Café Huraa and steak and seafood at Kandu Grill, both of which face the resort’s large infinity pool.
A highlight of the trip was a special dinner with their visiting chef Hari Nayak – who flies in regularly to share his unique culinary perspective around Baraabaru. Chef Hari’s residences at Baraabaru restaurant see him showcase his Indian roots – like a gently spicy South Indian prawn curry and the hearty but subtle raan kebab. I also spent a dawn hour fishing in the open water with Chef Hari -let me be clear that I am a better writer than I am a fisherwoman. I did manage to snag a fish, but my patience and late stage ADHD renders me a bad candidate for this meditative sport.
I probably spent the most time just hanging out at the Sunset Lounge, especially for the evening sundowners which came with a side of shark feeding. These are reef sharks but their dinner time frenzy makes for a unique afternoon. Also don’t miss the nightly crab race – guests can choose the mini hermit crab, all numbered and named after the resort’s staff members. I didn’t win, my crab got lost, perhaps searching for the bar.
Pricing wise, meals are as you would expect expect for a part of the world where most things are brought in. Mains are from around QR150 upwards.
The activities
You can be as active or as slothful as you like here. I hovered somewhere in between – eschewing a snorkelling and turtle watching safari for a treatment at the resort’s dreamy spa. You need to take a short (like five minute short) ride on a Maldivian dhoni boat to the spa, which is set on a separate island. Here you can take any number of muscle melting and disconnecting treatments, including Reiki in their healing tent. The tent is like a teepee and there is a cold plunge bath as well. I begged off the cold plunge, invoking my deep seated fear of cold water.
Also, there’s surfing. Yes, in the Maldives, thanks to nearby surf breaks (there is even the annual annual Four Seasons Maldives Surfing Champions Trophy graced by the likes of Kelly Slater), and tennis, with their academy run by in-house and visiting international pros. I just missed a visit by former world number 3 Nikolay Davydenko. There is also a turtle rescue sanctuary and an on-site marine biologist, which is very much worth a visit.
The Service
Four Seasons just does everything right as a brand. As I mentioned, the personalised service is next level. But this is again elevated by the use of the Four Seasons app. Once downloaded you can connect with the team and request anything you need – from a buggy to room service and of course, activity bookings. Very easy and much appreciated for those times when you want a little distance.
Things to Know…
If I had to nitpick?
- The island isn’t as private as others in the Maldives. By this I mean there is a local island next door and you do pass quite a lot of other resorts en route in the boat. That said it doesn’t impact on the experience.
- Speaking of boats, if the weather is not great, like on my arrival, prepare for an intense 20 minutes barging through choppy water. Some would love it, I was a little white knuckled.
- And, as a diner, the Italian Reef Club was perhaps the weakest of all my dining experiences on the island. This is not to say it was bad, just not as stellar as the other options like the excellent Baraabaru.
- Breakfast can get busy as the resort also seems to be a place enjoyed by multi generational groups – this speaks to its great service. Lean into this like I did or opt for room service if you want complete seclusion.
- Qatar Airways operates its leased Cathay Pacific planes on this route so offers a “premium” economy called Economy comfort – extra space and legroom.
- Speaking of travel, Maldives now requires all visitors to pre-register through the Imuga site. It’s fast and free.
In summary
This is still very much a bucket list location in terms of pricing, but what it gets right is approachable luxury with exemplary service. This is one resort that is well worth the splurge.
The details:
📍 Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kura Hura
🏨 96 villas
💰 From QR4200 bed and breakfast
✈️ Four hours and 35 minutes direct from Doha on Qatar Airways
🍽️ Six restaurants and bars with some outstanding Indian food.
*I was a guest of the Four Seasons.
