Originally Posted by
alanslegal
IMO I would not fly from LAX all the way to MLE and stay at this Sheraton. As yoonny comments after your post, this is just another run of the mill resort that lacks any character, romance or value. I would spend my money in Hawaii or the Caribbean if I was based in the USA however if your heart is set on the Maldives then head to one of the more secluded resorts that require a sea-plane to get to eg. Conrad Maldives maybe? Even the W if the budget could stretch that far. If your still keen to stay at the Sheraton Maldives, then I'd kindly suggest one last time that you fly to Fiji instead (eg. LAX-xxx-NAN) which is much closer, stay at the Sheraton Fiji and have the same resort experience there at half the cost.
I agree 100%. Flying that many hours and incurring all the costs to get there just to stay at Sheraton would be foolish (whether paying cash or redeeming points). Everything about the resort is very average and you have to convince yourself that you are actually in Maldives because there is nothing exotic about the place. You have man made beaches, dead corals, lights blinking in the horizon, etc. The hotel probably has to charge more for the rooms as they don't derive as much revenue from the restaurants, bar or other services as the hotel was supposedly fully occupied and I observed very little activity in restaurants/bar, etc. I feel for the management as they try to set up special events and themed dining options but very little to no participation by the guests.
Conrad Maldives, however, is truly wonderful and worth the cost and time to get there.