sbm12

Yes.

How many bloggers do you think have the links versus those who do not?

84fiero

Do you know how many miles & points bloggers are out there (not even counting more general travel bloggers who occasionally get into M&P stuff)?

The blogs in that thread, and the blogs that are most often discussed here, are a relative drop in the bucket in terms of "headcount". They may be the most well known and/or successful, but that doesn't mean they constitute "most" bloggers.

skunker

You guys are missing the point of the OP--why do bloggers go to the PH Maldives instead of other properties in the Maldives.

In the past month three big, well know blogs went to PH Maldives and all three mentioned the Chase Hyatt CC. If you want to nitpick and break down the exact percentage of blogs that do or don't have an affiliation with Chase, be my guest. Who cares if "Joe's Points Blog" doesn't when some of the biggest, most read blogs do.

Moving on...

Kagehitokiri

bloggers also go to w and conrad and former waldorf - because they are possible via points

its not a new thing

kokonutz

It's not even a new thread! It's late in Kyoto else I'd find and link the other similar thread.

If one wants to go to the Maldives DO NOT follow the bloggers to the crap chain 'resorts'. Make it special at a top resort instead.

Kagehitokiri

except people who read blogs do award travel

84fiero

Sure, but it was your hypothesis that the answer to the OP's question is because:

We're just discussing your theory...

skunker

I'll edit my theory for the nitpickers:

I believe most blogs that people have actually heard of had a relationship with Chase Hyatt CC. Chase does not have affiliate links for the Hyatt CC now, but used to, which spurred numerous trips to PH Maldives to redeem the 2 free nights. Major blogs are still promoting the Chase Hyatt CC and was mentioned by 3 major blogs that went to the PH in the past couple months.

So, the question is can anyone find a blog of decent size that has been to the PH and doesn't mention a Chase credit card?

Here is the thread that kokonutz was referring to. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/exter...-maldives.html

kokonutz

Sure.

But sometimes even we award travel junkies need to stop and do a cost benefit analysis.

In any case the Maldives are played out. I'm eyeing overwater bungalows in the South Pacific....or maybe the Park Hyatt Vendome. (ducking)

As for the OP, my guess is the bloggers all go to the PH (Maldives as well as Vendome) because that's where the other bloggers went. Just like they all post basically the same stuff, parroting even misinformation at times.

MikeFromTokyo

Yes, very poor value indeed. I think it would be far better to pay for a better resort and use those SPG points for miles or other hotels which yield better value.

I suppose for some people who have hundreds of thousands of points from business travel it could theoretically make sense to use them at W Maldives if cost avoidance for room rate were more important than redemption value. I could be wrong, but my guess is that most people with that number of points would likely be able to afford a paid stay in the Maldives.

Kagehitokiri

w maldives is more than $3K/nt over xmas/nye (and easter?) (like many in maldives)
so actually 'top 3' starwood hotel values in terms of highest entry rate
(although i have not tried looking at prices of suites available via points)
standard starwood award rates top out at 140K per night before 5th nt free

but there are also non-starwood accommodations available via starpoints

MikeFromTokyo, dont forget business earning, churning, manufactured spend

eponymous_coward

That's likely to be pretty expensive, no? In the USD $5k-10k realm per week or more? What's wrong with not wanting to spend that kind of money (and getting a lesser experience, but still spending less money)?

That's why the bloggers go to the Maldives and stay at the Hyatt- they're not going to drop many thousands on an Aman (or similar) resort when they can just use points and spend a lot less.

FWIW, I priced out this place for a week. The hotel room's $5k, the food/speedboat transfers/some other incidentals came to another 5k for two people.

(Personally, I'd be inclined to rather go to Sri Lanka or Goa in that corner of the world. Resort islands are a bit sterile for me.)

That's starting to get into the realm of what 110,000 miles would buy you in terms of airfare (110k award J or spending USD $3k on business class during a special, with lots of penalties/restrictions).

Kagehitokiri

ben did take his mom to aman.

but i agree that in this ('external resources') forum and manufactured spend forum its all about awards.

eponymous_coward

He's also written about other Aman properties (though I think he may have gotten those through travel agent connections).

Ben's probably also the biggest fish in the sea in all of this (from other threads), given that he has big income from his blog AND an award booking business (that's big enough that his employees are now writing on his blog).

I doubt a lot of the other bloggers are quitting the day job from their income, so $10k+ weeks in the Maldives may not be feasible. Thus the PH Maldives.

Yeah, as well as "aspirational travel". I think it's fine to aspire to stuff that you can get on points that you'd be hard-pressed to afford with cash, even if you're not at the "buy my own private island" level, or even the "drop 5 digits on a vacation" level.

Some people aspire to executive lounges with corn flakes and OJ for breakfast in far away countries...

Kagehitokiri

ben's income is nowhere near top 3 credit card blogs.
for aman india trip ben went with an agent.

i was talking about 2 forums on FT. FT is not limited to award travelers, and not everyone can earn tons of points, especially outside US.