Award space seems to open close-in as they start upgrading existing award bookings.

I’m not a foodie in any interpretation of the term so take my opinion with a pinch of salt, but I did enjoy all our meals at all the outlets. I’m not big on plant based cuisine or fine dining so couldn’t fully appreciate Moulin. During my stay, lunch was offered at Moulin on a limited basis and wish I’d done that instead. Would definitely go back to all the other restaurants in a heartbeat. Maison and Moulin are set menu for dinner and rotate depending on the day. Would recommend reaching out to your concierge and planning your reservations based on the menu. Will try to upload some menus eventually in a separate post.

One thing that’s notable is how much deviation the restaurants are allotted in catering to preferences. Some requests required lead time while others could be done on the spot. For example, I mentioned on arrival how much I loved Seychelleois octopus curry and they created a separate a menu for dinner that same day to incorporate it. But gluten free pizza from IVD required an extra day.

The limited menus might appear restrictive, but you can always reach out to see what the team is willing to do. IME they weren’t just willing but sometimes proactively invited the requests. Started channeling my inner Peyton Manning and throwing audibles on the fly and they delivered!

Booked on points and upgraded to Hawksbill. Don’t want to set unrealistic expectations but the hotel mentioned those who are eligible should get upgraded but that may change at high occupancy.

Platte Island is a destination in and of itself. There’s so much life on the island from the birds that leave a cluster bomb of poop on your villa in the morning to the blacktip shark getting beached on the abundant sea grass. I appreciate how the WA took the approach of building with the island rather than just in it. Vegetation is flush to the shoreline with the villas recessed rather than the other way around. Didn’t get to see the sea turtle nest live, but did stumble upon one that was laid just a few hours prior. Sea turtles nest at night while the hawksbills nest during the day, and the seasons are offset so hope you get lucky with either a nesting or a hatching during your stay. The surrounding area is a sanctuary so fishing is catch and release. Also if you go exploring enough, you might find a graveyard from the island’s previous inhabitants.

The staff were extremely generous during our stay and fulfilled some requests that most properties would snark at. For example, on arrival I asked recommendations for a haircut and they brought someone to the airport to cut hair in a private room that had runway and sea views. They really took care of us in ways no other hotel has.

Absolutely loved WA MLE and if pristine hardware and a variety of F&B options and outlets are paramount, than you’d might prefer Ithaafushi over Platte. However, I found Platte to have a bit more character that breaks the monotony of the usual luxury island getaway. Wouldn’t hesitate on going back or even trying out Labriz.