Originally Posted by
MaldivesFreak
Maybe they don't welcome folks who choose not to be fleeced, LOL.
But seriously, you are still saving more than $1100. If it's a hassle to pay 6% then it looks like you've got a few mil in the bank and aren't worried about a measly $1100.
I would bargain. Question the 6% (some credit card transactions add n% onto the total. Probably what's going on here) and tell them $500 all up or you'll take the MS Fleece (the WA's yacht). Nothing to lose, right?
Hey guys, just an update on those seeking to use 3rd party transfer. They are entirely inflexible about letting anyone enter unless you take the rip off “yacht” ride to the resort. They make the boat sound like a yacht from Monaco, but in reality it looks like your average boat from the jersey shore. With that transfer price you would think Gordon Ramsey was on board serving beef Wellington.
Anyway, I was supposed to go to the Waldorf tomorrow but this morning I received an email from the manager saying the 3rd party transfers were not allowed, even if I was coming from a nearby resort. They expect customers to travel all the way back to Male to ride the rip off express back to the waldorf. I explained I was coming from and departing to other resorts and had already arranged prepaid transfers that were past the refundable period of time.
For those interested in the communications time line, I contacted them 8 days prior since I had received no emails yet. Got response and they asked my arrival times, I responded saying I’ll be coming from nearby resorts via private transfer. No response from hotel for three days, however I started forwarding the email to any Waldorf Maldives email I could find. Four days out, front desk emailed and said thank you for choosing us and all that standard stuff. Three days out, got email from reservations saying no 3rd party boats due to “privacy”. Nonsense, how is this more/less private than “yacht.” I responded asking for boat tender from the resort boundary. That’s when this morning I received email from manager that said not even boat tender was feasible and they only he can offer refund, which I took.
So now I’m in the process of getting Waldorf to refund the points so I can use them at Conrad but it is radio silence. Even Hilton support has been emailing and calling Waldorf to get them to refund the itinerary but no one answers the phone or responds to emails in a timely fashion.
This is some hardball fleecing folks. I’m surprised that even though the website, mobile app, and confirmation emails make no mention of transfer restrictions, along with the lack of timely communications, Waldorf still threatened to deny entry into the resort and would rather me go rebook elsewhere on one days notice.
Others here mentioned they were contacted 30 days out. I suspect many canceled their reservation upon hearing of the transfer fee (which is not clearly stated during booking). My theory is that they started contacting people 7 days out and informing them of the transfer fee then since 7 days prior is beyond the cancellation window of 14 days. Really shady if you ask my opinion. Conrad and Hyatt contacts folks 30 days out in my experience. Heck, even SAii Lagoon contacted me 30 days prior... that is before they cancelled all bookings in August.
Ironically, the intent of my whole trip to the Maldives was to visit the Curio SAii Lagoon and The Waldorf so I could review these new resorts on my travel blog. Well, 2 week prior, SAii lagoon said they had to postpone opening the hotel and Waldorf just gave me a giant middle finger. So now I’m here for no reason wondering why the hell I should ever stay at another Hilton. What a waste of time and flyermiles.