Heritance Aarah Raa atoll

Another new 5-star player in Raa atoll in what is quickly becoming a crowded market. We were pleased to see the vegetation has fleshed out nicely since our first visit during soft opening, so aesthetically it’s looking very nice for a new resort and the degree of privacy between villas is good and will get even better.

Heritance Hotels & Resorts has assembled an experienced team, covering every aspect of operations. As such, service levels and attention to details are impressive. The Premium All Inclusive plan includes 32 wines (including a house champagne), selected branded spirits, and gives a dine-around option in 5 restaurants and 4 bars. For Ocean Suite guests there is an exclusive additional overwater restaurant (Baani) and bar (Falhu) which can be accessed by other guests for a supplement.

The beach accommodation is spacious and tastefully decorated, some with private plunge pools. We expect the two-bedroom family units to be very popular with interleading entrances – perhaps more suitable for parents with older children or friends travelling together. The resort has two overwater jetties – one is home to the duplex style Ocean Suites (with private pool). The Ocean Villas (no pool) are located on the second jetty also home to all-day dining restaurant Ralu, and the bar specialising in different rums.

The quality of F&B is very good in all the restaurants & bars on offer – for a light bite try the Oregano-marinated tuna with pink salt, tomato gazpacho and pomegranate at Ralu, and for dinner we recommend ‘Catch of the Day’ at beach grill Ginifati. The dine-around offering here will undoubtedly be a draw.

The spa at Heritance Aarah is a 'Medi Spa'. Medical spas combine the traditional range of pampering and wellness treatments with medical assessments, diet and nutritional guidance plus selected skin treatments carried out by medically qualified staff. Within 48 hours of arrival, all guests are entitled to a 30-minute massage and a complimentary face scan to determine the quality of your skin.

Snorkelling is very enjoyable and access to the house reef easy from the dive jetty. Fish life is plentiful, and we saw beautiful eagle rays and black tip reef sharks too. Often house reefs on a new resort can suffer from the effects of construction, but this was an encouraging snorkelling experience – better than expected. Snorkelling gear is complimentary, but must be returned each day so the maintenance and cleanliness of the equipment is assured.

Overall, a very promising well-run resort with a quality all-inclusive package, and one that we’re sure will quickly grow in popularity.