Bondiboy

Don't be mad, it will spoil a potentially great experience.

I was in a similar position to you. I arrived a day early and had no idea of the time of my seaplane transfer until about 0700 on the day of the transfer.
From that point on, it all worked out wonderfully.

The problem is that the seaplanes (about 20 passengers) provide transfer to several resorts. They only operate in daylight (going and coming) and must return to base before dark and I am sure that they try to maximize capacity. Weather is also a consideration.

My guess is that the schedule for each day is only worked out the previous night when all of the arrivals at all the resorts serviced are known.

I am not sure why you need to know the precise schedule for flights, so maybe the "Dense" people that you are speaking to also cannot understand your questions and how to answer them.

You can be sure that:

1. the Conrad will get you to the resort in time for your check-in; and
2. they willl get you back to MLE in time for your flight, even if you return the previous day.

Calm down, book a cheap hotel in Male and enjoy you trip. Consider the Nasandhura Palace Hotel (Google for web site)

See http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Rev...otel-Male.html

You can make reservations and see other hotel options at the following:

http://www.vermillionmaldives.com/re...Nasandhura.h

Volvic

Thanks Bondiboy.
perhaps I'm too over stressed, perhaps I read too good reviews and my expectation were too high.

Ok, perhaps dense was the wrong world but how could you define someone suggestion you to disembark two or three hours in advance from a sailing cruise and be at the airport in time for a possible departure even if with no guarantee of departure ?

Perhaps next step will be to suggest to the guests arriving by plane to disembark from their plane three hours before landing ?

If my stay should have been of 10 days I should have not cared about waste of time, but with only 4 nights, now reduced to 3 the subject is quite different.

holtju2

Yes. You will be treated as a second class citizen there because you used points for which the hotel gets reimbursed from HHonors $450/night.

As noted earlier part of the accommodations are suddenly not part of the deal because you are using points and are thus Gold/Diamond benefits that you need to choose from.

Weatherboy

The wine cellar dinner was my favorite dinner of my stay there. The food was the best of my stay... and the champagne/wine was free flowing to the point that the dinner crowd got drunk.

As expensive as it was, it was probably the best value on the island in terms of quantity/quality of food + drink.

Here's the full wine list and menu for my Wine Cellar Dinner:

Gruner Veltliner, Gobelsburger "Steinsetz" 2005 - Kamptal, Austria

Chilled cucumber soup, served with sweet corn sorbet and zucchini ratatouille roulade

Riesling, Hugel 2005 - Alsace, France

Herb mustard tiger prawns with tamarind, marinated green apple and parma ham

Pinot Noir, Saint Clair "Pioneer Block 14" - Marlborough, New Zealand

Pan-fried quails, seared foie gras, pear and green apple chutney

Three "mystery wines" (who's identity was revealed once all were tasted):
-Chatuea La Tour Figeal 2001 Merlot
-Catena Alia Malbec 2004
-Pintia Toro 2003 Cosecha - Spain, Tempre

Angus beef filet pan-roasted with penja white peppercorns, tomato "aigre-doux' jus with honey, chocolate and malt whisky

Oremus Aliza 3 Puttonyos Tokajii - 2000, Tokajii, Hungary

Frozen mini gateau of berries, warm fruits in filo pastry, pearls of exotic fruits with geranium essential oil.

After looking over my folio, it looks like this dinner cost less than I thought: it was $286.

Just a note on the "cocktails": you have your choice of a single drink for the $55 + 10% fee: you can have a glass of champagne or your choice of fruit juice. Don't expect to liquor up at this event: you're paying solely for the view. (And I'm glad I did it, but I have no need to go down there again.)

The bar serves a decent menu... ranging from salads to sandwiches to burgers and small entrees. Pretty much the same thing room service offers. I ate at the Rangali bar once and ordered room service twice. (The only difference in price was the flat $10 fee.... and I was able to eat in the comfort of my villa which was nice.) Food came hot/fresh to the villa.

I also think that the hamburger was a few dollars cheaper on the room service menu than on the Rangali bar menu... although the $10 fee negated that difference.

I agree with Bondiboy -don't stress out. Three nights is a very short time to stay on this property, so I understand completely about your concern of a "waste of time."

As a Diamond, you're entitled to early check-in and late check-out without a fee. I took advantage of that and was able to take the first seaplane out to the resort in the morning (I stayed at the airport island since I arrived from SIN after dark) and was able to take the last departing seaplane out in the evening of my departure date. I wasn't worried about either: I just let the resort know my travel plans in advance of my stay and they took care of the rest.

In your case, I think explaining to them in email politely that you'll be sailing without the ability to see what's what with seaplane transfer info, if they could better provide you with better ballpark transfer times so you can plan accordingly.

I don't quite follow how they don't have enough seaplane seat(s) for your planned arrival date --paid or reward, they must have a way to get you to/from the resort on date(s) they're selling rooms.

I felt that I was treated like any other guest at this resort during my stay... there wasn't anything 2nd class about it.

On the other hand, I didn't arrive at the resort thinking I was God's Gift to Hilton Corp for arriving with my HHonors certificate and Diamond card either.

Bondiboy

I also visited on a reward stay and I always felt like a valued and honored guest. I was even upgraded from a Deluxe Beach Villa to an Over Water Spa Villa at no cost.

The staff were attentive and the service superb from the time of check-in at the MLE airport, to the arrival at the island sea plan terminal (it felt a bit like the old "Fantasy Island" with all of the staff and hosts lined up waiting) to the final departure.

SanDiego1K

I concur. We had an outstanding stay. In general, we aren't beach vacationers - yet we really enjoyed the very special serenity of this property.

JayUK

I'm glad that people have had good reward experiences.
I'm looking at taking my g/f here for a couple of weeks later this year, and was a bit concerned by the "2nd class" comment!

kawoh

Welcome to the Conrad Rangali Island, heaven on earth!


Per person or for a couple?

If you aren't registered for the daily happy hour - can you still go and get this for free? or do they ask for room number and charge you a flat fee if you just drink the daily cocktail?

Is there a lounge you can use if you're going SQ biz?

ad888

Hi,
I will be going in July using points. I want to pay for an upgrade, but does anyone have any recommendations about whether I should arrange it before I go or wait till we get there and hope for a better deal?

Thanks

Weatherboy

Cost is per person.

Yes, there's a lounge for departing J passengers at MLE; Singapore and Emirates share the lounge. There's self-serve liquor, softdrinks, water... and a small buffet of cold/hot dishes to munch on... along with typical snacks.

It's not the nicest lounge in the world, but it's certainly a lot nicer to wait in there than the bus station - like crowded gate area that non-J passengers need to wait in.

Arriving J passengers cannot use the lounge.

It was my experience that I got a better upgrade offer when I arrived than what I was offered in email before I went. But I went in their "low season" when they were fairly empty; if I went during a busy season when occupancy was full, I'd probably splurge for an upgrade beforehand to secure the villa I wanted.

llfoster

August '08 was our 4th trip to the Maldives and second to Conrad (stayed when it was a Hilton). Last year we stayed on points for 6 nights and paid for a 7th. I had multiple written confirmations with regard to an upgrade if available. Of course it took days and multiple conversations with various hotel representatives - it was fairly unpleasant until we were moved to the over water side. I understand about the change in policy HOWEVER none of this was ever mentioned to us - they just confirmed upgrade if available (it was). I even said that I would leave on the next available seaplane so that we could go to Soneva Gili where we always had been treated very, very well. Sounds a bit dramatic but thiings were really unpleasant until the 3rd or 4th day (out of 7 nights)

We were planning on another trip this August - again 6 nights on points. I have read most all of the reviews/advice on this site. I am Hilton Gold. This is what Conrad Rangali offered (not much of anything): No children allowed on overwater side (my daughter was 8 last year and we stayed at the over water island). There were other children, too. All the children on the over water side seemed quiet and well behaved - no disturbances (unlike at the main pool area!). So now we are barred from that island (I can understand a need for quiet; however, I thought that this already had been achieved on the over wate side.

Ok, so no over water island. To upgrade from Beach Villa to Deluxe Beach Villa would cost $370 plus 10% tax. Conrad also mentioned that (should we be childless) it woud cost $370 plus 10% for a Standard Water Villa and $470 plus 10% for Superior Beach Villa. This seems to be higher than nearly everyone else on this board has mentioned. I do recognize that I am only Gold but I believe that some Gold members have been offered upgrades at less than the difference bw rack rates (DBV price minus BV price).

$400 for seaplane ($200 for child).

Any thoughts or advice??

I've thought about Hilton Seychelles (been to the Seychelles twice - liked Desroches, loved fregate - also stayed a few other places in the Seychelles which we enjoyed. However, the Hilton Seychelles only has moderate reviews on TripAdvisor and seems to have a very limited beach. Snorkeling is a top priority for us (hence Maldives/Conrad is great).

Open to suggestions (but already have FF tickets from US to DXB redeemed on hold and pay tickets from DXB to MLE on hold).

Thank you!

SanDiego1K

Have you considered the Hilton Moorea? We were there under the Starwood flag last year, and return this year. We've also been to the Conrad Maldives. They are different experiences. The Maldives are more isolated. Still, I love Moorea, and the snorkeling is immediately off the over the water bungalows.

And welcome to FlyerTalk.

llfoster

Thanks for the idea. A number of years back -maybe 10? we did Rangiroa, Huahine (back when Hana Iti existed) and Bora Bora ( BB Hotel). We did not get to Moorea. We do like being isolated (hence Rangiroa) the snorekling was extremely good at Rangiroa but it sounds like it is very good at the site of the now Hilton Moorea?? How did the treat you at Moorea?? Any other info appreciated. Thanks

SanDiego1K

llfoster, head over to these threads. While the property is no longer with Starwood, you'll find the greatest amount of information there. And going forward, questions should be in the Hilton thread.

Threads in the Starwood forum:
Tahiti - 3 hotels have gone from Starwood to Hilton on Jan 15, 2009:A comment from just today on snorkeling at Hilton Moorea:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/11417442-post10.html

Hilton thread:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/hilto...esort-spa.html

llfoster

Thank you very much!! I still am interested in any info concerning Conrad Rangali award stay/upgrade info (for Gold Level) which others have received.

(Will head over to Hilton Borea Bora Nui inasmuch as that seems to be of more interest to me than Tahiti/Papeete and Moorea).