84fiero

My wife would certainly not trade some money savings for a rough small boat ride...I'd be sleeping on the couch for weeks. Though I'm up for anything, something about a seaplane just sounds much more fun!

kokonutz

To me, it was one of the most fun parts of the trip:


On Trans Maldivian seaplane airlines, proper pilot footwear is a top priority!


You see the coolest things:


And of course, one never, ever tires of BOSS! DE PLANE! DEEE PLAAAANE! jokes!

GUWonder

If not, a sea plane+boat combination?

kokonutz

Sea plane mostly mitigates the néed for a boat. Although when we stopped and dropped off some pax at a resort on our way to our resort their landing pier was about 200 yards off shore. But that's not really a boat ride so much as a quick boat transfer.

ma91pmh

PH is not accessible by sea plane. Same for other resorts in the south. Sea-planes don't travel that far. You have to take a domestic flight to an airport nearby and then speed-boat from there. It is is not normally rough water but obviously from time to time they will encounter problems. We had one transfer in very rough water. In general this is how your transfer is going to work:

* If you stay in Male atoll you are going to speedboat directly from Male airport
* It you stay in any of the other atolls not in the far south you will get a seaplane
* If you stay in the three most southern atolls (places like PH, Residence, Six Senses etc) you will have domestic flight plus speed boat

I have not been following Gary's report, his blog has become such an ugly card-pimping whore-house I have stopped reading everything on it.

farbster

How many people would choose the Park Hyatt if there were no such things as points or Diamond or whatever? Aren't there much better resorts that people just pay for? I've never been to Maldives, so maybe I'm wrong.

ma91pmh

In 2010 we first went to the Maldives. I used miles to get there but paid for our hotel. My budget was up to $1k a night. I looked at many options and selected Alila Villa Hadahaa because of it's remote location, apparent beauty, and it's eco-theming, along with very good reviews. I paid $760 a night for a pool villa. It was one of the best vacations I have ever had in my life.

6 months later the property was acquired by Hyatt and became Park Hyatt

Given as you say you've never been, you've never looked into, you don't apparently know anything about the place, do you really feel you need to ask the question "maybe I'm wrong"?

kokonutz

Correct.

But of course, points and miles bloggers focus on points and miles. And admit that these resorts would be too rich for their blood without using points and miles to get there and stay.

We stayed at NIYAMA, which we didn't realize until we checked out is actually a GHA resort...so obviously it was a cash stay. And based on what I have read about the PH, NIYAMA is much nicer.

Of course, we also arrived and departed Male on paid business class flights.

This is why I would make a TERRIBLE points and miles blogger! ^

iceman77_7

I just got back from the Maldives last month. Stayed at the Gili Lankanfushi after the Conrad was closed for renovation. Comparing to reports I've read about the PH Maldives, the Gili was definitely a nicer out of pocket redemption.

ma91pmh

I don't get how you can make such a "definitely" statement based on reading reports?

iceman77_7

This wouldn't be an internet forum without hyperbole. Perhaps I should stay at every Maldives resort so I can make a "definite" list. :-D

I'm writing a trip report in the upcoming week so you can get a feel. I agree with the other poster, PH Maldives is a very attractive redemption because it is accessible on points, but there are some very nice out of pocket options as well.

ma91pmh

LOL fair point, it wouldn't be fun if we weren't making wild comments

My point above is when we were in the position of making a choice on a paid stay we ended up in the place that became PH Maldives because it fit our needs, and it lived up to the expectations we had of it. There are definitely other options there that some people will enjoy more, some significantly so, but for us and I am sure we are not unique, PH Maldives is at the top end of what can be done in Maldives.

I may do another paid trip to either Anantara Kihava or FS Landaa Giraavaru because I want to experience diving in Baa Atoll. None of the other resorts mentioned in this thread hold any appeal that would put them above PHM or Conrad, both of which I have had wonderful experiences at

Kagehitokiri

few upscale properties have good house reef - PH is one of them

FS and banyan tree have yachts that take individual reservations (FS yacht includes diving and full board)

brand new cheval blanc $1300 this summer for island villa, $1500 for water villa / garden water villa
after summer they are changing room order, next summer its $1600 water villa and $2100 island villa

one & only reethi rah is huge island, unique design for beachfront pool villas, water villas have overwater netting hammocks
reethi rah may still be doing a guaranteed upgrade to water villa, combinable with free night offers

farbster

I really do feel like I need to ask the question thank you very much.

Often times I feel that a hotel or resort is only being discussed because credit cards can be pitched at the end of the post.

Bloggers talk about various hotels in Istanbul for example. They stay on the Bosphorus or whatever. No one mentions what might be the best hotel, the Four Seasons Sultanahmet. This hotel is in a far better location in terms of seeing the main sites of Istanbul. It doesn't get discussed because there is no incentive to do so.

My point is that undue attention might be given to certain hotels only because they're available on points.

benzemalyonnais

Right, but we also don't need a blogger at all to give us advice on a hotel. Run a hotel search, look at the prices, see what you fancy, look at some pics of the rooms on TA, see if you can get a deal with your points, book. It's simple. Plus, all they do is review Starwood and Hyatt properties.

I'd be impressed if one of the bloggers actually went to a off-the-beaten-path island/beach destination. Then again, Americans think Bali and Hong Kong are super exotic. They're also not travel bloggers, but reviewers of high-end hotels and airplane seats.