Originally Posted by
wlp07
S
The NYE dinner: Two options: Buffet at $350pp, or sit-down at $500pp. Buffet was at Iriatai, the breakfast place, while sit-down was at the sandy floor restaurant beside the pool.
Is NYE dinner/gala required? It appears not. It's strongly pushed by ALL butlers if they become aware that you are not already signed up for one of the options, but rather than telling you straight out that it's required, they say that everything else is closed on NYE evening and it's the only available option. In line while checking out, we overheard a lady contest the bill for the NYE buffet, stating she hadn't attended, and the charge was removed. Also, at booking, there was no language stating that attendance or at least paying for the dinner/gala was mandatory. !
Thank you for your thorough review. When making my reservations in November I saw a note on the webpage that the dinner was mandatory - it looks like it is in the sense that all other dining options are closed but not completely enforced. I am guessing, are the $350 / $500 dinner charges before the added taxes and service charges or it this the final amount billed ?
I agree that the beach was mostly empty and the view is indeed obstructed by the OWB. It would have been nice to see a wider stretch of the open ocean. The beach wasn't busy at all during our stay, likely less so since there were quite a few heavy downpours.
At the checkout I noticed a small discrepancy with one of the room service tips. 200 CPF (about $2) had been added to one of the room service tips. It was unlikely a data entry typo but I did not want to make a big deal out of it. In light of the reported incorrect mini bar charge plus tips I am starting to wonder if there is a common theme here by some workers to inflate the charges and tips.