Jan 2, 2019, 3:02 pm
Last edit by: Jaffar
:-: Welcome to the Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi Wiki! :-:
Notes: All prices are in US Dollars and are exclusive of taxes unless specified (by ++)
Tax Information
• 10% Service Charge (levied by resort. For info on this and how it's distributed, see this post)
• 16% T-GST (Tourist Goods & Services Tax, levied by the Maldivian government, current as of Jan 1, 2023). Old 2022 rate was 12%.
• Total tax is 27.2%, not 26% as one would think. Example; $100 + 10% = $110, then add 16% on to $110 for a total of $127.20.
• Tip: To work out prices before the 27.2% taxes, multiply by 0.7862, i.e; 127.2 * 0.7862 = 100
• A Green Tax of $6pp/pn (levied by the Maldivian government) has been introduced starting from 1 November 2015. Points/Redemption bookings are exempt from the tax for up to two guests per room
Booking with points
• Bookings must be cancelled 30 days prior in order to avoid one full night's charge at BAR. (some days cancellation period is 14 days check your reservation details for the exact applicable cancellation policy)
• Website and phone agents state that a cash deposit equivalent to the BAR per night will be taken when booking stays with points. This is an error. NO CASH DEPOSIT IS TAKEN WHEN MAKING A POINTS BOOKING
• Free night certificate: The phone agent states that a cash deposit equivalent to the BAR per night will be taken when booking your free night. This is an error. NO CASH DEPOSIT IS TAKEN WHEN USING YOUR FREE NIGHT CERTIFICATE
• This hotel is extremely popular. Rooms are released to be booked with points about 1 year in advance. It seems to be a partially manual process so it's not an exact science. After being released those rooms get booked within a matter of minutes. If you have specific dates you want you need to book them one at a time a year in advance, or risk booking last minute. Yes that makes it hard to use the 5th night free. You can book 5 individual nights and cancel them all to rebook getting the 5th night free, but there's only about a 50% chance the rooms go back into inventory so it's risky. There is no secret, just check Hilton.com all the time. If you don't want to do that, someone else will and they'll get the rooms.
Transfers To and From Resort
• Waldorf Astoria Ithaafushi is located in South Malé Atoll, 23km southwest of Malé and Velana International Airport [MLE] (also known as Malé International Airport, previously known as Ibrahim Nasir International Airport)
• Transfer experience includes personal service for your group after luggage pick-up until arrival on the yacht; yacht includes dedicated server for champagne, non-alcoholic beverages, and light snacks. Departure experience on the yacht is the same, and your group be personally escorted through airline check-in until airport security.
• Pricing in 2021 is $650++, 2020 is $600++ per person, and 2019 it was $350++ per person per way ($1724.80 return inclusive of taxes for 2 passengers). The price for kids 5 and under is complimentary while kids 6-11 years old are charged $300++ per person. If the yacht is not available, a speedboat will be provided by the resort. If this happens, you may be refunded the yacht transfer fee.
• Pricing for 2022 will increase to $730++ for adults and $365++ children 6-12, see website by clicking here.
• Pricing for 2023 will increase to $780++ for adults ($995.28 nett) and $390++ for children 6-12
• The resort offers the ability to redeem Hilton Honors points for your transfer, .strValue1=all&promoGroupList[1].strValue1=en_US&qt[0].type=fieldsearch&qt[0].name=panname_country_s&qt[0].value1=MDV&rc=24&sort=timeleft_asc]click here.
• See this post for a detailed review of the yacht transfer (Courtesy of jphripjah)
• Third party transfers are not permitted by the resort.
• Transfer to / from Conrad Maldives Rangali Island: A private seaplane transfer from the Waldorf to the Conrad, taking approximately 25 minutes, is approximately USD 8,125++. Most guests travel between the resort booking the standard round trip seaplane from Male to Rangali and then the Yacht transfer round trip from Male to Waldorf.
Time
Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi time has been set one hour ahead of Male’ time to give an extra hour of daylight each day. For ease, set phone or Dhaka Sri Lanka time zone.
Resort Information / Spa / Activities
• WA Ithaafushi is made up of three islands (95% man-made)
• There are 2 standalone OWVs (Over Water Villas) and 121 villas in total
• Click here (Hilton's website) or here (dedicated website) to visit the resort on the web
• The kids club (one of the biggest in the Maldives) is for children between 4 to 11 years. Click here for detailed information and here for the schedule. Click here, here and here for basic reviews and comprehensive sets of pictures (All courtesy of Traveler Dave)
• See this and this post for info on the Christmas Eve and New Years Eve Gala Fee
• Click here to visit the resort's listing on TripAdvisor
• Tennis courts: See this post
• For a new map of the resort click here
> For the old map of the resort click here * Note that this map is orientated north and so the SUNRISE and SUNSET written on it are incorrect. Also note that you receive a black and white map when you arrive and this is not as good nor as detailed as the one posted here. For comments on the quality of the map, click here
• Snorkelling spots and other info 3e4sd:Link to post: (Courtesy of AirForceFlyer)
• Scuba Diving pics :Link to post: (Courtesy of Traveler Dave)
• Activities Brochure (prices as of July 2019)
• Spa pics and review :Link to post: (Courtesy of Traveler Dave)
• Wellness Programme :Link to post: (Courtesy of AirForceFlyer)
Resort Information - F&B and Menus
• The resort has 11 restaurants / bars
• Kids under 6 eat free when ordering from the dedicated kids menu (all restaurants except the adult only ones have kids menu; does not apply to in-room dining)
• Some restaurant menus are available in PDF format on the resort's website. Click here to visit the relevant page on their website
• Menus for most restaurants as of early October 2020: See this post
• For pictures of most of the menus: Part 1 and Part 2
• Dining Programme / restaurant opening times: See this post and the post below it
• IVD (In Villa Dining) menus: See this post
• Yasmeen - Menu version discussion here.
• Terra is $298.00++ per person. As of December 2019, the set menu includes Amuse Brioche (3 selections per person), a starter (tuna, avocado, caviar), 2 courses highlighting lobster and wagyu beef with a pallet cleanse in between, a dessert course, then finishing with 3 additional sweet selections per person.
• The Ledge - See this post. Note that this menu changes daily but there are probably only 2 for each day and 14 in total (7 for lunch and 7 for dinner). Chefs rotate to the resort from Burnt Ends in Singapore.
+ Peacock Alley 1/2 priced drinks daily after 9:30pm. High-quality cocktails and liquors available at a very affordable price ranging from $13-$15 post discount
+ Tasting Table full buffet breakfast with made to order entrees and complimentary Champagne for $65++/person or Free for Hilton Diamond / Gold
+ Glow and Yasmeen wine selections are priced in the $65 - $85 ++ range per bottle.
• Lunch can be purchased at the main pool or beach from Nava or The Ledge. The majority of lunch entrees cost $30-$50++. Lunch is also available at Tasting Table, Tangled, or In Villa Dining.
• A new pizza oven was flown in from Italy to replace the original oven installed at Nava, and an Italian chef traveled to the resort to work with the team to elevate pizza quality in early December of 2019.
• During festive season 2019, the resort introduced a lobster & champagne dinner on the beach, including tasting stations, free flow champagne, and a live band for $298++ per person.
Miscellaneous Information
• Villa pool depth: See this post
• Best snorkelling spots: See this post and this post
• Complimentary water (in villa): See this post
• Walking / getting around the resort: See this post
• Sunset / Sunrise at the resort: See this post and this post
• Power outlet configuration: See this post
Elite member benefits:
Accommodation:
At opening the resort defined Beach Villas as the lowest category of accommodation (only this category bookable with points). The next highest category was Reef Villas then above that, the Overwater Villas. Note: villas on the Private Island do not count.
This will change in 2020. Quote from the resort "Please be informed that for next year we have changed our villa category. Kindly note that the Reef Villa will be our base category, next will be the Overwater Villa and then the Beach Villa. Basically the Beach Villa will be a higher category compared to reef Villa and Overwater Villa."
See this post for the conversation related to this. Pricing has changed as well to reflect this. See below for 2020 pricing.
Note that as of August 2019 the BV is still available to book on points in 2020. This may change, however.
Prices - Accommodation (2020):
***** March 2020 Figures *****
• Beach Villa USD 2630
• Overwater Villa USD 2430
• Reef Villa USD 1930
Prices - Accommodation (2019):
***** July 2019 Figures *****
• 2 Bedroom Beach Villa with Pool USD 3850
• 2 Bedroom Over Water Villa with Pool USD 4350
***** October 2019 Figures *****
• Beach Villa USD 2100
• Grand Beach Villa USD 2300
• Reef Villa USD 2300
• Grand Reef Villa USD 2500
• Overwater Villa USD 2500
• Grand Overwater Villa USD 2700
***** Upgrade Costs - Jul 2019 *****
• Two Bedroom Beach - US 2000
• Two Bedroom Grand Beach - US 2200
• Two Bedroom Reef - US 2200
• Two Bedroom Overwater - US 2400
***** Upgrade Costs - Oct 2019 *****
• Reef Villa USD 200
• OWV USD 400
Villa Types and Abbreviations used in this thread (listed in order from most basic to most luxurious)
-- BVs (Beach Villas) --
BV (Beach Villa)
GBV (Grand Beach Villa)
-- RVs (Reef Villas) --
RV (Reef Villa, the Garden Villa category shown in the pre-opening promo video)
GRV (Grand Reef Villa, also a type of Garden Villa shown in the pre-opening promo video)
-- OWVs (Over Water Villas) aka Ocean Villas in rewards booking --
OV (Overwater Villa)
GOV (Grand Overwater Villa)
SMR (Stella Maris Residences)
-- Occupancy Information --
See this post for maximum occupancy of each villa type
Villa Selection
• See this post and this post
• Privacy - Beach Villas: For pics, info and opinions, see the following posts; 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
Travel & Safety Information
• The Maldives is listed in Category 1 (the highest category) on the
WHO Zika virus classification table. However, don't let that scare you because as of April 13, 2017 there has only been one confirmed case of Zika in the Maldives
• Click here for information related to the single Zika infection in the Maldives (reported in January of that year)
Contact
• General Enquiries: [email protected]
• Reservations Department: [email protected]
• Tel: +960-4000-300
• Click here for hilton site and click here for Waldorf Maldives website
Weather:
Note: since the resort is close to Mahibadhoo (where there is a weather station), I have added this info from the Conrad Maldives thread as both resorts are close by and the weather will be the same as far as forecasts go (MaldivesFreak)
• General info on weather in the Maldives: Link 1 Link 2 (Maldivian government website)
• Recommended Android weather app: eWeather HD. See this post for detailed info on the app, settings, tips and general weather info (Courtesy of MaldivesFreak)
• Want to get an idea about the weather in the month of August? Click here to read a post from a FT member that spends 2 weeks at Rangali during this month (Courtesy of Splotly)
Pictures - Resort under construction:
• January, 2018 :Link to post:
• June, 2018 :Link to post:
• Approx October, 2018 :Link to post:
• January, 2019 :Link to post:
Pictures & Videos - Post-opening:
• General pics of the resort (July, 2019) :Link to post: (Courtesy of jphripjah)
• The Stella Maris exclusive! :Link to post with links to videos: (Courtesy of alanslegal)
• Breakfast buffet at Tasting Table - Post #1 :Link to post: (Courtesy of alanslegal)
• Breakfast buffet at Tasting Table - Post #2 :Link to post: (Courtesy of jphripjah)
• Breakfast buffet at Tasting Table - Post #3 :Link to post: (Courtesy of Traveler Dave)
• Breakfast buffet at Tasting Table - Post #4 :Link to post: (Courtesy of Another Getaway)
• IVD(in villa dining) :Link to post: (Courtesy of Stivelio)
• Terra (views from all 7 'cages') :Link to post: (Courtesy of jphripjah)
• Terra and Family Pool :Link to post with link to video: (Courtesy of alanslegal)
• Reef Villa with sunset view :Link to post: (Courtesy of Stivelio)
• Views in the direction of Male (night & day pics) :Link to post 1: (Courtesy of wekxbrainx) :Link to post 2: (Courtesy of jphripjah)
• Bicycle tour :Link to post:
• Various resort and villa pics from a stay in November 2019 :Link to post: (Courtesy of aspenedelen)
Reviews:
• Review by Jermyn
• Review by goldelite8
• Review by escape4
• Review by Falcons05 (text only)
Historical Information for high rollers:
+ $135 shisha, Check out this post
+ If you do NOT have Gold/Diamond status with Free breakfast AND you decide NOT to pay the $65++ for full buffet at Tasting Table, then you may or may not encounter a $35 charge for a single egg
+ 106,000 dollar bottle of wine: Click
here for a picture of the wine menu (reactions follow on subsequent pages)
Notes: All prices are in US Dollars and are exclusive of taxes unless specified (by ++)
Tax Information
• 10% Service Charge (levied by resort. For info on this and how it's distributed, see this post)
• 16% T-GST (Tourist Goods & Services Tax, levied by the Maldivian government, current as of Jan 1, 2023). Old 2022 rate was 12%.
• Total tax is 27.2%, not 26% as one would think. Example; $100 + 10% = $110, then add 16% on to $110 for a total of $127.20.
• Tip: To work out prices before the 27.2% taxes, multiply by 0.7862, i.e; 127.2 * 0.7862 = 100
• A Green Tax of $6pp/pn (levied by the Maldivian government) has been introduced starting from 1 November 2015. Points/Redemption bookings are exempt from the tax for up to two guests per room
Booking with points
• Bookings must be cancelled 30 days prior in order to avoid one full night's charge at BAR. (some days cancellation period is 14 days check your reservation details for the exact applicable cancellation policy)
• Website and phone agents state that a cash deposit equivalent to the BAR per night will be taken when booking stays with points. This is an error. NO CASH DEPOSIT IS TAKEN WHEN MAKING A POINTS BOOKING
• Free night certificate: The phone agent states that a cash deposit equivalent to the BAR per night will be taken when booking your free night. This is an error. NO CASH DEPOSIT IS TAKEN WHEN USING YOUR FREE NIGHT CERTIFICATE
• This hotel is extremely popular. Rooms are released to be booked with points about 1 year in advance. It seems to be a partially manual process so it's not an exact science. After being released those rooms get booked within a matter of minutes. If you have specific dates you want you need to book them one at a time a year in advance, or risk booking last minute. Yes that makes it hard to use the 5th night free. You can book 5 individual nights and cancel them all to rebook getting the 5th night free, but there's only about a 50% chance the rooms go back into inventory so it's risky. There is no secret, just check Hilton.com all the time. If you don't want to do that, someone else will and they'll get the rooms.
Transfers To and From Resort
• Waldorf Astoria Ithaafushi is located in South Malé Atoll, 23km southwest of Malé and Velana International Airport [MLE] (also known as Malé International Airport, previously known as Ibrahim Nasir International Airport)
• Transfer experience includes personal service for your group after luggage pick-up until arrival on the yacht; yacht includes dedicated server for champagne, non-alcoholic beverages, and light snacks. Departure experience on the yacht is the same, and your group be personally escorted through airline check-in until airport security.
• Pricing in 2021 is $650++, 2020 is $600++ per person, and 2019 it was $350++ per person per way ($1724.80 return inclusive of taxes for 2 passengers). The price for kids 5 and under is complimentary while kids 6-11 years old are charged $300++ per person. If the yacht is not available, a speedboat will be provided by the resort. If this happens, you may be refunded the yacht transfer fee.
• Pricing for 2022 will increase to $730++ for adults and $365++ children 6-12, see website by clicking here.
• Pricing for 2023 will increase to $780++ for adults ($995.28 nett) and $390++ for children 6-12
• The resort offers the ability to redeem Hilton Honors points for your transfer, .strValue1=all&promoGroupList[1].strValue1=en_US&qt[0].type=fieldsearch&qt[0].name=panname_country_s&qt[0].value1=MDV&rc=24&sort=timeleft_asc]click here.
• See this post for a detailed review of the yacht transfer (Courtesy of jphripjah)
• Third party transfers are not permitted by the resort.
• Transfer to / from Conrad Maldives Rangali Island: A private seaplane transfer from the Waldorf to the Conrad, taking approximately 25 minutes, is approximately USD 8,125++. Most guests travel between the resort booking the standard round trip seaplane from Male to Rangali and then the Yacht transfer round trip from Male to Waldorf.
Time
Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi time has been set one hour ahead of Male’ time to give an extra hour of daylight each day. For ease, set phone or Dhaka Sri Lanka time zone.
Resort Information / Spa / Activities
• WA Ithaafushi is made up of three islands (95% man-made)
• There are 2 standalone OWVs (Over Water Villas) and 121 villas in total
• Click here (Hilton's website) or here (dedicated website) to visit the resort on the web
• The kids club (one of the biggest in the Maldives) is for children between 4 to 11 years. Click here for detailed information and here for the schedule. Click here, here and here for basic reviews and comprehensive sets of pictures (All courtesy of Traveler Dave)
• See this and this post for info on the Christmas Eve and New Years Eve Gala Fee
• Click here to visit the resort's listing on TripAdvisor
• Tennis courts: See this post
• For a new map of the resort click here
> For the old map of the resort click here * Note that this map is orientated north and so the SUNRISE and SUNSET written on it are incorrect. Also note that you receive a black and white map when you arrive and this is not as good nor as detailed as the one posted here. For comments on the quality of the map, click here
• Snorkelling spots and other info 3e4sd:Link to post: (Courtesy of AirForceFlyer)
• Scuba Diving pics :Link to post: (Courtesy of Traveler Dave)
• Activities Brochure (prices as of July 2019)
• Spa pics and review :Link to post: (Courtesy of Traveler Dave)
• Wellness Programme :Link to post: (Courtesy of AirForceFlyer)
Resort Information - F&B and Menus
• The resort has 11 restaurants / bars
• Kids under 6 eat free when ordering from the dedicated kids menu (all restaurants except the adult only ones have kids menu; does not apply to in-room dining)
• Some restaurant menus are available in PDF format on the resort's website. Click here to visit the relevant page on their website
• Menus for most restaurants as of early October 2020: See this post
• For pictures of most of the menus: Part 1 and Part 2
• Dining Programme / restaurant opening times: See this post and the post below it
• IVD (In Villa Dining) menus: See this post
• Yasmeen - Menu version discussion here.
• Terra is $298.00++ per person. As of December 2019, the set menu includes Amuse Brioche (3 selections per person), a starter (tuna, avocado, caviar), 2 courses highlighting lobster and wagyu beef with a pallet cleanse in between, a dessert course, then finishing with 3 additional sweet selections per person.
• The Ledge - See this post. Note that this menu changes daily but there are probably only 2 for each day and 14 in total (7 for lunch and 7 for dinner). Chefs rotate to the resort from Burnt Ends in Singapore.
+ Peacock Alley 1/2 priced drinks daily after 9:30pm. High-quality cocktails and liquors available at a very affordable price ranging from $13-$15 post discount
+ Tasting Table full buffet breakfast with made to order entrees and complimentary Champagne for $65++/person or Free for Hilton Diamond / Gold
+ Glow and Yasmeen wine selections are priced in the $65 - $85 ++ range per bottle.
• Lunch can be purchased at the main pool or beach from Nava or The Ledge. The majority of lunch entrees cost $30-$50++. Lunch is also available at Tasting Table, Tangled, or In Villa Dining.
• A new pizza oven was flown in from Italy to replace the original oven installed at Nava, and an Italian chef traveled to the resort to work with the team to elevate pizza quality in early December of 2019.
• During festive season 2019, the resort introduced a lobster & champagne dinner on the beach, including tasting stations, free flow champagne, and a live band for $298++ per person.
Miscellaneous Information
• Villa pool depth: See this post
• Best snorkelling spots: See this post and this post
• Complimentary water (in villa): See this post
• Walking / getting around the resort: See this post
• Sunset / Sunrise at the resort: See this post and this post
• Power outlet configuration: See this post
Elite member benefits:
Hilton Honors GOLD MEMBERS:
- Full breakfast at Tasting Table
- In-villa VIP welcome bottle of wine and fruits
- Complimentary daily afternoon delights (see here for pic) with a fine selection of beverages crafted by mixologist and sommelier from 16:00 to 17:00 at Peacock Alley. Note The afternoon delights have been removed and replaced with a bowl of nuts or crisps for example
- 50% special offer on selected beverages at Nava Beach Club from 22:00 to 23:30
- Full breakfast at Tasting Table
- Free item from the kids menu for kids under 6 y.o. (staff are somewhat flexible on this age limit)
- In-villa VIP welcome Champagne, sweet and savoury amenities, note this could be downgraded to a bottle of red wine.
- [Diamond only benefit] With a selected 60-minute massage, enjoy a complimentary additional 30-minute at Waldorf Astoria Spa
- Complimentary daily afternoon delights (see here for pic) with a fine selection of beverages crafted by mixologist and sommelier from 16:00 to 17:00 at Peacock Alley. Note : The afternoon delights have been removed and replaced with a bowl of nuts or crisps for example
- 50% special offer on selected beverages at Nava Beach Club from 22:00 to 23:30 (January 2021: Currently at Peacock Alley as Nava closes at 7pm due to Covid-19 service changes)
Accommodation:
At opening the resort defined Beach Villas as the lowest category of accommodation (only this category bookable with points). The next highest category was Reef Villas then above that, the Overwater Villas. Note: villas on the Private Island do not count.
This will change in 2020. Quote from the resort "Please be informed that for next year we have changed our villa category. Kindly note that the Reef Villa will be our base category, next will be the Overwater Villa and then the Beach Villa. Basically the Beach Villa will be a higher category compared to reef Villa and Overwater Villa."
See this post for the conversation related to this. Pricing has changed as well to reflect this. See below for 2020 pricing.
Note that as of August 2019 the BV is still available to book on points in 2020. This may change, however.
Prices - Accommodation (2020):
***** March 2020 Figures *****
• Beach Villa USD 2630
• Overwater Villa USD 2430
• Reef Villa USD 1930
Prices - Accommodation (2019):
***** July 2019 Figures *****
• 2 Bedroom Beach Villa with Pool USD 3850
• 2 Bedroom Over Water Villa with Pool USD 4350
***** October 2019 Figures *****
• Beach Villa USD 2100
• Grand Beach Villa USD 2300
• Reef Villa USD 2300
• Grand Reef Villa USD 2500
• Overwater Villa USD 2500
• Grand Overwater Villa USD 2700
***** Upgrade Costs - Jul 2019 *****
• Two Bedroom Beach - US 2000
• Two Bedroom Grand Beach - US 2200
• Two Bedroom Reef - US 2200
• Two Bedroom Overwater - US 2400
***** Upgrade Costs - Oct 2019 *****
• Reef Villa USD 200
• OWV USD 400
Villa Types and Abbreviations used in this thread (listed in order from most basic to most luxurious)
-- BVs (Beach Villas) --
BV (Beach Villa)
GBV (Grand Beach Villa)
-- RVs (Reef Villas) --
RV (Reef Villa, the Garden Villa category shown in the pre-opening promo video)
GRV (Grand Reef Villa, also a type of Garden Villa shown in the pre-opening promo video)
-- OWVs (Over Water Villas) aka Ocean Villas in rewards booking --
OV (Overwater Villa)
GOV (Grand Overwater Villa)
SMR (Stella Maris Residences)
-- Occupancy Information --
See this post for maximum occupancy of each villa type
Villa Selection
• See this post and this post
• Privacy - Beach Villas: For pics, info and opinions, see the following posts; 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
Travel & Safety Information
• The Maldives is listed in Category 1 (the highest category) on the
WHO Zika virus classification table. However, don't let that scare you because as of April 13, 2017 there has only been one confirmed case of Zika in the Maldives
• Click here for information related to the single Zika infection in the Maldives (reported in January of that year)
Contact
• General Enquiries: [email protected]
• Reservations Department: [email protected]
• Tel: +960-4000-300
• Click here for hilton site and click here for Waldorf Maldives website
Weather:
Note: since the resort is close to Mahibadhoo (where there is a weather station), I have added this info from the Conrad Maldives thread as both resorts are close by and the weather will be the same as far as forecasts go (MaldivesFreak)
• General info on weather in the Maldives: Link 1 Link 2 (Maldivian government website)
• Recommended Android weather app: eWeather HD. See this post for detailed info on the app, settings, tips and general weather info (Courtesy of MaldivesFreak)
• Want to get an idea about the weather in the month of August? Click here to read a post from a FT member that spends 2 weeks at Rangali during this month (Courtesy of Splotly)
Pictures - Resort under construction:
• January, 2018 :Link to post:
• June, 2018 :Link to post:
• Approx October, 2018 :Link to post:
• January, 2019 :Link to post:
Pictures & Videos - Post-opening:
• General pics of the resort (July, 2019) :Link to post: (Courtesy of jphripjah)
• The Stella Maris exclusive! :Link to post with links to videos: (Courtesy of alanslegal)
• Breakfast buffet at Tasting Table - Post #1 :Link to post: (Courtesy of alanslegal)
• Breakfast buffet at Tasting Table - Post #2 :Link to post: (Courtesy of jphripjah)
• Breakfast buffet at Tasting Table - Post #3 :Link to post: (Courtesy of Traveler Dave)
• Breakfast buffet at Tasting Table - Post #4 :Link to post: (Courtesy of Another Getaway)
• IVD(in villa dining) :Link to post: (Courtesy of Stivelio)
• Terra (views from all 7 'cages') :Link to post: (Courtesy of jphripjah)
• Terra and Family Pool :Link to post with link to video: (Courtesy of alanslegal)
• Reef Villa with sunset view :Link to post: (Courtesy of Stivelio)
• Views in the direction of Male (night & day pics) :Link to post 1: (Courtesy of wekxbrainx) :Link to post 2: (Courtesy of jphripjah)
• Bicycle tour :Link to post:
• Various resort and villa pics from a stay in November 2019 :Link to post: (Courtesy of aspenedelen)
Reviews:
• Review by Jermyn
• Review by goldelite8
• Review by escape4
• Review by Falcons05 (text only)
Historical Information for high rollers:
+ $135 shisha, Check out this post
+ If you do NOT have Gold/Diamond status with Free breakfast AND you decide NOT to pay the $65++ for full buffet at Tasting Table, then you may or may not encounter a $35 charge for a single egg
+ 106,000 dollar bottle of wine: Click
here for a picture of the wine menu (reactions follow on subsequent pages)
Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi {MDV}
Mar 18, 2022, 2:30 pm
#2146
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold / OnBusiness, SPG Lifetime Plat 100, AmEx Centurion & BAPP, Superking Westin Heavenly Bed :)
Posts: 1,142
No more PCRs!
Haven’t seen this reported yet, but likely missed it… apologies if a dupe!
It looks like PCRs are no longer needed for entry, for visitors, regardless of age or vaccination status.
https://imuga.immigration.gov.mv/ethd
Annoyingly booked PCRs for the kids just last week, as anyone unvaccinated over the age of 1 was required to present a PCR back then!
Huge relief though - we are there next weekend, and it’s been the #1 thing I was worried about!
/JK
It looks like PCRs are no longer needed for entry, for visitors, regardless of age or vaccination status.
https://imuga.immigration.gov.mv/ethd
Annoyingly booked PCRs for the kids just last week, as anyone unvaccinated over the age of 1 was required to present a PCR back then!
Huge relief though - we are there next weekend, and it’s been the #1 thing I was worried about!
/JK
Mar 18, 2022, 4:59 pm
#2147
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Tokyo
Programs: JAL Metal Card (OWE), SAS Eurobonus Gold (*G), Marriott Titanium (LTP), Tokyu Hotels Platinum
Posts: 21,099
Haven’t seen this reported yet, but likely missed it… apologies if a dupe!
It looks like PCRs are no longer needed for entry, for visitors, regardless of age or vaccination status.
https://imuga.immigration.gov.mv/ethd
Annoyingly booked PCRs for the kids just last week, as anyone unvaccinated over the age of 1 was required to present a PCR back then!
Huge relief though - we are there next weekend, and it’s been the #1 thing I was worried about!
/JK
It looks like PCRs are no longer needed for entry, for visitors, regardless of age or vaccination status.
https://imuga.immigration.gov.mv/ethd
Annoyingly booked PCRs for the kids just last week, as anyone unvaccinated over the age of 1 was required to present a PCR back then!
Huge relief though - we are there next weekend, and it’s been the #1 thing I was worried about!
/JK
Mar 19, 2022, 2:28 pm
#2148
Join Date: Mar 2022
Programs: HH
Posts: 1
Hi, I have a Hilton Surpass Card that makes me a Gold Member. Reading the comments posted previously I don't really find any difference between the Gold and Diamond members (aside from the wine/champagne and sweets provided during check in). Do you think it's worthy to bump up to Diamond status? I am thinking I could use the $250 Resort credit towards the yatch transfer and $100 towards food or a massage at WA. And if I am super lucky I potentialy can get upgraded too. Let me know if you guys think it's worthy to have the diamond status at WA.
Last edited by sidu1987; Mar 21, 2022 at 12:33 am
Mar 21, 2022, 3:21 am
#2149
Join Date: May 2021
Programs: Globalist Hyatt, Diamond Hilton
Posts: 38
Haven’t seen this reported yet, but likely missed it… apologies if a dupe!
It looks like PCRs are no longer needed for entry, for visitors, regardless of age or vaccination status.
https://imuga.immigration.gov.mv/ethd
Annoyingly booked PCRs for the kids just last week, as anyone unvaccinated over the age of 1 was required to present a PCR back then!
Huge relief though - we are there next weekend, and it’s been the #1 thing I was worried about!
/JK
It looks like PCRs are no longer needed for entry, for visitors, regardless of age or vaccination status.
https://imuga.immigration.gov.mv/ethd
Annoyingly booked PCRs for the kids just last week, as anyone unvaccinated over the age of 1 was required to present a PCR back then!
Huge relief though - we are there next weekend, and it’s been the #1 thing I was worried about!
/JK
Mar 21, 2022, 5:37 am
#2150
Join Date: Dec 1999
Location: Warwickshire, England
Posts: 616
Wiki out of date
The wiki at top says this is one of the Diamond benefits:
The choice of spirits is far from "fine". The choice is:
As we were close to finishing our first cocktail, the waitress asked if she could get us something else, so I asked for a Heineken, and was politely but firmly told that I could not order again until my first drink was completely empty, so I didn't really understand the point of the question.
Despite receiving an email explaining that drones were banned as guest privacy was paramount, we have just been filmed by a couple posing underneath their drone. Apparently they have permission and this is fine.
While our reef room here (5 nights on points) is the best we have had in the Maldives, the initial impressions of service and soft product are unfavourable.
I contrast today with the happy "hour" at the Conrad, for example, that would typically overrun by 45 minutes and where waiters would come round to warn you when it was about to end. The staff here do not even engage in friendly chat. It's all very stiff.
- Complimentary daily afternoon delights (see here for pic) with a fine selection of beverages crafted by mixologist and sommelier from 16:00 to 17:00 at Peacock Alley
The choice of spirits is far from "fine". The choice is:
Beefeater
Absolut Blue
Ballantine’s Finest
Plantation Dark
These are low quality brands I wouldn't expect to be anywhere near a five-star resort.Absolut Blue
Ballantine’s Finest
Plantation Dark
As we were close to finishing our first cocktail, the waitress asked if she could get us something else, so I asked for a Heineken, and was politely but firmly told that I could not order again until my first drink was completely empty, so I didn't really understand the point of the question.
Despite receiving an email explaining that drones were banned as guest privacy was paramount, we have just been filmed by a couple posing underneath their drone. Apparently they have permission and this is fine.
While our reef room here (5 nights on points) is the best we have had in the Maldives, the initial impressions of service and soft product are unfavourable.
I contrast today with the happy "hour" at the Conrad, for example, that would typically overrun by 45 minutes and where waiters would come round to warn you when it was about to end. The staff here do not even engage in friendly chat. It's all very stiff.
Last edited by MKB; Mar 21, 2022 at 5:47 am
Mar 21, 2022, 6:43 am
#2151
Join Date: Feb 2018
Posts: 93
Easter Gala
Hi just wondering if anyone has been here for Easter I've done a search but can't find any info,
The Dinner seems quite excessive for a family of four! Any info if they do anything special thanks in advance Sam
Please be advised that we have mandatory Easter Gala Dinner for April 16: Easter Gala Dinner April 16: § Adults (12 years and above) US$370+23.2% Tax and service charge per adult § Children (6 years up to 11.99 years) US$185+23.2% Tax and service charge per children § Children (below 6 years) Complimentary
The Dinner seems quite excessive for a family of four! Any info if they do anything special thanks in advance Sam
Please be advised that we have mandatory Easter Gala Dinner for April 16: Easter Gala Dinner April 16: § Adults (12 years and above) US$370+23.2% Tax and service charge per adult § Children (6 years up to 11.99 years) US$185+23.2% Tax and service charge per children § Children (below 6 years) Complimentary
Mar 21, 2022, 7:04 am
#2152
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: NYC/Singapore
Programs: UA 1K, HH Diamond
Posts: 218
We (family of 4 with two kids 7 y.o. and under) came back last week from our second visit to the W.A. Maldives - the kids are spoiled for life and want to go back again!
Transfer
We were directly taken to our boat with very little waiting time. It was great to leave so quickly. They now have individual boxed sets of a sandwich and cupcake instead of fruit platters and sandwiches. Otherwise the 45 minute ride isn't too bad and the yacht has upstairs, indoors, and a small back area for seating.
Villa
We stayed in an OWV 2 years ago and were put in 503 this time. There is a great sunrise view from this side and we saw a few fish swimming around the reef from our "backyard". I've only stayed at one other property in the Maldives and the reef villa is bigger and generally more luxurious in terms of fixtures and finishings. The reef, OWV, and Grand OWV are very similar in layout, differing only in size - sitting area/bedroom, closet area, and bathroom. There are always two sets of swings and overwater nets as well as the personal pool. The Grand OWV has a separate living room and is huge inside though you can't tell much of a difference outside. Our kids were happy just hanging out at the villa a lot. We got white wine, a cupcake decorating mini kit, and huge fruit basket as the Diamond welcome amenity.
Food
A few menus (QR picture below isn't complete and is mostly for dinner):
Tasting Table Breakfast
Tasting Table Dinner
Ledge Lunch
Ledge Dinner
Nava Lunch
Peacock Alley
Happy Hour
Peacock Alley food = Tasting Table food
Nava = some fishes from Ledge, but not the full menu + Pizza bar
Breakfast is fabulous and we always took a while here. There is an East Asian section, Middle eastern section, salad and charcuterie section, cooked foods, fruits, yogurts, and a made to order menu featuring egg dishes and waffles/pancakes. I ordered an off the menu egg paratha but was happy with the Maldivian omelet.
$$$. Luckily if you're a diamond, remember to order off the kid's menu and that entree is free. We got kid's menu items every meal just because it was free anyway. I had to remind the staff several times that kid's items are free for diamonds. My eldest is 7 y.o. going on 8 though so staff don't ask for IDs or anything. But this also meant kids ate fries a lot. There are healthier selections at Peacock Alley/Tasting Table for the kid's menu.
Otherwise, the best "value" IMO is the Ledge. Burnt Ends (Michelin Star and one of Asia's best restaurants) chefs rotate to the restaurant regularly. So you can get some of the famous dishes from Burnt Ends including Peri Peri chicken and leeks with hazelnuts. The Peri Peri chicken is tender and flavorful and great for low carb eaters. The Ledge shares a kid's menu with Nava and has no kid's menu of its own. The kid's menu burger is great and from the Ledge.
Note on timing: dinner starts at 7 pm. If you eat early, go to Peacock Alley anytime, Nava before 5:30 pm or the pizza bar.
Personal Concierge
Our personal concierge was friendly and mostly responsive. I would message him via WhatsApp and he would be responsive from early morning to evening (I mostly messaged from about 9 am - 7 pm though). He told me he normally handles 3 clients though could take up to 5 at busy times. I suggested that perhaps guests could fill out forms or go over a rough schedule daily with the personal concierge so both sides have a better handle on things. I was a little disappointed that he missed out on providing kid's bikes to us a few times, but let it slide. He did get us snorkeling masks from the dive center which we could use for the duration of our stay. Kids' life jackets are supposed to be chargeable but he let us have one for free for a few hours. He can also arrange to have your floats inflated and deflated easily. Overall it was great connecting almost instantly with someone and getting your queries handled.
Getting Around
Buggy service is the way to go, especially if it's mid-day or if you're going to farther flung parts of this pretty spread out resort. It gets hot, as in unbearably hot if you were to walk outside for 15 minutes mid-day. I'd walk from the fitness center to the Ledge or Nava and that's as far as I would comfortably go. Unfortunately you can wait a while for the buggy during peak times. We waited about 20 minutes at about 8 pm one evening and were nervous since we were leaving soon. I gave this feedback to the resort and they said they are increasing number of buggies.
Freebies to Remember
The following activities are free: catamaran, paddle boats, kayaks, and stand up paddle boarding. I wish I knew this the first time, but we only got to go paddle boating this time.
We would have loved to have gone on the catamaran but it was never windy enough.
There are also yoga sessions and small activities on certain days labeled as "Wellness".
Kids Club
It's a great, large kid's club with the biggest and best outdoor facilities I've ever seen. There is a water park, trampoline, playground set outdoors. Otherwise, there are tons of toys and arts and crafts inside.
Overall Service
While there were some misses, the overall service was wonderful. The assistant front manager sat with us for a while to collect feedback before we departed and I let him know about some misses in our requests and the buggy service. They also did two things that really topped it off for us:
1. Put us up on a Grand OWV since we were on a red eye flight. The kids loved this villa and were so happy to have a place to come back to between meals and beach time. They missed the OWV from the first trip and this made up for it.
2. Our kids were sleeping when we went to the airport. This made carrying them and our luggage very difficult. Not only did the transportation staff carry our things, the contact got one of the Maldivian airport staff to whisk us through at least a 20 minute security gate wait. We were eternally grateful because we seriously did not know how to manage everything and my back would have been broken by then.
I'm not a beach/tropical person at all but my family loves it. I loved the overall service though and would definitely visit yet again.
Transfer
We were directly taken to our boat with very little waiting time. It was great to leave so quickly. They now have individual boxed sets of a sandwich and cupcake instead of fruit platters and sandwiches. Otherwise the 45 minute ride isn't too bad and the yacht has upstairs, indoors, and a small back area for seating.
Villa
We stayed in an OWV 2 years ago and were put in 503 this time. There is a great sunrise view from this side and we saw a few fish swimming around the reef from our "backyard". I've only stayed at one other property in the Maldives and the reef villa is bigger and generally more luxurious in terms of fixtures and finishings. The reef, OWV, and Grand OWV are very similar in layout, differing only in size - sitting area/bedroom, closet area, and bathroom. There are always two sets of swings and overwater nets as well as the personal pool. The Grand OWV has a separate living room and is huge inside though you can't tell much of a difference outside. Our kids were happy just hanging out at the villa a lot. We got white wine, a cupcake decorating mini kit, and huge fruit basket as the Diamond welcome amenity.
Food
A few menus (QR picture below isn't complete and is mostly for dinner):
Tasting Table Breakfast
Tasting Table Dinner
Ledge Lunch
Ledge Dinner
Nava Lunch
Peacock Alley
Happy Hour
Peacock Alley food = Tasting Table food
Nava = some fishes from Ledge, but not the full menu + Pizza bar
Breakfast is fabulous and we always took a while here. There is an East Asian section, Middle eastern section, salad and charcuterie section, cooked foods, fruits, yogurts, and a made to order menu featuring egg dishes and waffles/pancakes. I ordered an off the menu egg paratha but was happy with the Maldivian omelet.
$$$. Luckily if you're a diamond, remember to order off the kid's menu and that entree is free. We got kid's menu items every meal just because it was free anyway. I had to remind the staff several times that kid's items are free for diamonds. My eldest is 7 y.o. going on 8 though so staff don't ask for IDs or anything. But this also meant kids ate fries a lot. There are healthier selections at Peacock Alley/Tasting Table for the kid's menu.
Otherwise, the best "value" IMO is the Ledge. Burnt Ends (Michelin Star and one of Asia's best restaurants) chefs rotate to the restaurant regularly. So you can get some of the famous dishes from Burnt Ends including Peri Peri chicken and leeks with hazelnuts. The Peri Peri chicken is tender and flavorful and great for low carb eaters. The Ledge shares a kid's menu with Nava and has no kid's menu of its own. The kid's menu burger is great and from the Ledge.
Note on timing: dinner starts at 7 pm. If you eat early, go to Peacock Alley anytime, Nava before 5:30 pm or the pizza bar.
Personal Concierge
Our personal concierge was friendly and mostly responsive. I would message him via WhatsApp and he would be responsive from early morning to evening (I mostly messaged from about 9 am - 7 pm though). He told me he normally handles 3 clients though could take up to 5 at busy times. I suggested that perhaps guests could fill out forms or go over a rough schedule daily with the personal concierge so both sides have a better handle on things. I was a little disappointed that he missed out on providing kid's bikes to us a few times, but let it slide. He did get us snorkeling masks from the dive center which we could use for the duration of our stay. Kids' life jackets are supposed to be chargeable but he let us have one for free for a few hours. He can also arrange to have your floats inflated and deflated easily. Overall it was great connecting almost instantly with someone and getting your queries handled.
Getting Around
Buggy service is the way to go, especially if it's mid-day or if you're going to farther flung parts of this pretty spread out resort. It gets hot, as in unbearably hot if you were to walk outside for 15 minutes mid-day. I'd walk from the fitness center to the Ledge or Nava and that's as far as I would comfortably go. Unfortunately you can wait a while for the buggy during peak times. We waited about 20 minutes at about 8 pm one evening and were nervous since we were leaving soon. I gave this feedback to the resort and they said they are increasing number of buggies.
Freebies to Remember
The following activities are free: catamaran, paddle boats, kayaks, and stand up paddle boarding. I wish I knew this the first time, but we only got to go paddle boating this time.
We would have loved to have gone on the catamaran but it was never windy enough.
There are also yoga sessions and small activities on certain days labeled as "Wellness".
Kids Club
It's a great, large kid's club with the biggest and best outdoor facilities I've ever seen. There is a water park, trampoline, playground set outdoors. Otherwise, there are tons of toys and arts and crafts inside.
Overall Service
While there were some misses, the overall service was wonderful. The assistant front manager sat with us for a while to collect feedback before we departed and I let him know about some misses in our requests and the buggy service. They also did two things that really topped it off for us:
1. Put us up on a Grand OWV since we were on a red eye flight. The kids loved this villa and were so happy to have a place to come back to between meals and beach time. They missed the OWV from the first trip and this made up for it.
2. Our kids were sleeping when we went to the airport. This made carrying them and our luggage very difficult. Not only did the transportation staff carry our things, the contact got one of the Maldivian airport staff to whisk us through at least a 20 minute security gate wait. We were eternally grateful because we seriously did not know how to manage everything and my back would have been broken by then.
I'm not a beach/tropical person at all but my family loves it. I loved the overall service though and would definitely visit yet again.
Mar 21, 2022, 7:30 am
#2153
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Falkirk, Scotland,VS Red, BA Gold, HH Diamond,UK Amex Plat
Programs: Master of the Privy Purse des Muccis
Posts: 17,899
The wiki at top says this is one of the Diamond benefits:
The choice of spirits is far from "fine". The choice is:
As we were close to finishing our first cocktail, the waitress asked if she could get us something else, so I asked for a Heineken, and was politely but firmly told that I could not order again until my first drink was completely empty, so I didn't really understand the point of the question.
Despite receiving an email explaining that drones were banned as guest privacy was paramount, we have just been filmed by a couple posing underneath their drone. Apparently they have permission and this is fine.
While our reef room here (5 nights on points) is the best we have had in the Maldives, the initial impressions of service and soft product are unfavourable.
I contrast today with the happy "hour" at the Conrad, for example, that would typically overrun by 45 minutes and where waiters would come round to warn you when it was about to end. The staff here do not even engage in friendly chat. It's all very stiff.
- Complimentary daily afternoon delights (see here for pic) with a fine selection of beverages crafted by mixologist and sommelier from 16:00 to 17:00 at Peacock Alley
The choice of spirits is far from "fine". The choice is:
Beefeater
Absolut Blue
Ballantine’s Finest
Plantation Dark
These are low quality brands I wouldn't expect to be anywhere near a five-star resort.Absolut Blue
Ballantine’s Finest
Plantation Dark
As we were close to finishing our first cocktail, the waitress asked if she could get us something else, so I asked for a Heineken, and was politely but firmly told that I could not order again until my first drink was completely empty, so I didn't really understand the point of the question.
Despite receiving an email explaining that drones were banned as guest privacy was paramount, we have just been filmed by a couple posing underneath their drone. Apparently they have permission and this is fine.
While our reef room here (5 nights on points) is the best we have had in the Maldives, the initial impressions of service and soft product are unfavourable.
I contrast today with the happy "hour" at the Conrad, for example, that would typically overrun by 45 minutes and where waiters would come round to warn you when it was about to end. The staff here do not even engage in friendly chat. It's all very stiff.
Hi MKB,
Thanks for that. I have taken the liberty of modifying the wiki to reflect the downgrade to peanuts.
I have not stayed here so cannot comment on other aspects of the wiki if incorrect ( IIRC there was one poster who did an excellent job on the wiki ( MaldivesFreak?) but have not seen him post for quite some times.
Regards
TBS
Mar 21, 2022, 8:40 am
#2154
Join Date: Nov 2007
Programs: Marriott Bonvoy Platinum, Hilton Honors Diamond, Delta Gold
Posts: 4,335
Very interesting that our experience at WA happy hour was precisely the opposite - staff was very friendly and engaging and we chatted with several of them over the days we were there and also saw other couples doing the same. They also had no issue giving us a beer while still sipping on our cocktails.
Mar 21, 2022, 11:02 am
#2155
Join Date: Sep 2020
Programs: Hilton Diamond
Posts: 97
All Waldorf Astorias have a bar called Peacock Alley, so that's where the name comes from.
I also had a great experience with the happy hour. Basically made us whatever we wanted. They also told us when it was ending and came around for last call. To eat, sometimes it was nuts, sometimes it was potato chips but never really anything substantial. Happy hour was one of my favorites parts of my trip!
I also had a great experience with the happy hour. Basically made us whatever we wanted. They also told us when it was ending and came around for last call. To eat, sometimes it was nuts, sometimes it was potato chips but never really anything substantial. Happy hour was one of my favorites parts of my trip!
Mar 21, 2022, 2:15 pm
#2156
Join Date: Feb 2021
Location: Seattle, WA
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, Bonvoy Plat, IHG Diamond
Posts: 23
The wiki at top says this is one of the Diamond benefits:
The choice of spirits is far from "fine". The choice is:
As we were close to finishing our first cocktail, the waitress asked if she could get us something else, so I asked for a Heineken, and was politely but firmly told that I could not order again until my first drink was completely empty, so I didn't really understand the point of the question.
Despite receiving an email explaining that drones were banned as guest privacy was paramount, we have just been filmed by a couple posing underneath their drone. Apparently they have permission and this is fine.
While our reef room here (5 nights on points) is the best we have had in the Maldives, the initial impressions of service and soft product are unfavourable.
I contrast today with the happy "hour" at the Conrad, for example, that would typically overrun by 45 minutes and where waiters would come round to warn you when it was about to end. The staff here do not even engage in friendly chat. It's all very stiff.
- Complimentary daily afternoon delights (see here for pic) with a fine selection of beverages crafted by mixologist and sommelier from 16:00 to 17:00 at Peacock Alley
The choice of spirits is far from "fine". The choice is:
Beefeater
Absolut Blue
Ballantine’s Finest
Plantation Dark
These are low quality brands I wouldn't expect to be anywhere near a five-star resort.Absolut Blue
Ballantine’s Finest
Plantation Dark
As we were close to finishing our first cocktail, the waitress asked if she could get us something else, so I asked for a Heineken, and was politely but firmly told that I could not order again until my first drink was completely empty, so I didn't really understand the point of the question.
Despite receiving an email explaining that drones were banned as guest privacy was paramount, we have just been filmed by a couple posing underneath their drone. Apparently they have permission and this is fine.
While our reef room here (5 nights on points) is the best we have had in the Maldives, the initial impressions of service and soft product are unfavourable.
I contrast today with the happy "hour" at the Conrad, for example, that would typically overrun by 45 minutes and where waiters would come round to warn you when it was about to end. The staff here do not even engage in friendly chat. It's all very stiff.
Mar 22, 2022, 2:28 am
#2157
Join Date: Nov 2021
Posts: 20
Correct way to Search for 5 nights ?
Folks, so I have 300k Hh points and 2 free night certificates. If I were to use these to book 4 nights and get the one night free, what should my search look like?
Should I search for 5 nights? and once I select the nights with standard availability, it automatically adds the 5th free night in the booking?
Should I search for 5 nights? and once I select the nights with standard availability, it automatically adds the 5th free night in the booking?
Mar 22, 2022, 3:43 am
#2158
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 3,165
Folks, so I have 300k Hh points and 2 free night certificates. If I were to use these to book 4 nights and get the one night free, what should my search look like?
Should I search for 5 nights? and once I select the nights with standard availability, it automatically adds the 5th free night in the booking?
Should I search for 5 nights? and once I select the nights with standard availability, it automatically adds the 5th free night in the booking?
Gotta use only points to get 5th night free.
Mar 22, 2022, 10:31 am
#2159
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 736
However, a certificate does not get you the full points value off, it gets you the prorated points off. The calculation works like below:
First, calculate the total number of points that would be needed for the 5 night stays with a 4th night free. So 150k x 4 nights = 600,000 HH points required.
Now divided that 600,000 by the 5 nights, so 120,000 average per night.
Each free night certificate used is going to save you 120,000 points, and not the potentially expected 150,000.
So using 2 free night certs, you end up with a stay costing 600k -120k -120k = 360k + 2 FNCs.
The above explains the mechanics, and the below is a quick shorthand way to determine the points needed when combining with FNC on a 5 night stay:
[Standard Rate] x 80% x [Number of nights you don't have a FNC to cover]
150k x 80% x 3 = 360k
Mar 22, 2022, 10:34 am
#2160
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 3,024
This isn't true, you can combine points and certificate. I have done it on numerous bookings and have it for an upcoming one at Conrad BB in October. You have to call in to do it (obviously due to the certs) and you just have to find a rep that is knowledgeable. Those who are lazy or don't know will simply tell you that it can't be done, but just HUCA.
However, a certificate does not get you the full points value off, it gets you the prorated points off. The calculation works like below:
First, calculate the total number of points that would be needed for the 5 night stays with a 4th night free. So 150k x 4 nights = 600,000 HH points required.
Now divided that 600,000 by the 5 nights, so 120,000 average per night.
Each free night certificate used is going to save you 120,000 points, and not the potentially expected 150,000.
So using 2 free night certs, you end up with a stay costing 600k -120k -120k = 360k + 2 FNCs.
The above explains the mechanics, and the below is a quick shorthand way to determine the points needed when combining with FNC on a 5 night stay:
[Standard Rate] x 80% x [Number of nights you don't have a FNC to cover]
150k x 80% x 3 = 360k
However, a certificate does not get you the full points value off, it gets you the prorated points off. The calculation works like below:
First, calculate the total number of points that would be needed for the 5 night stays with a 4th night free. So 150k x 4 nights = 600,000 HH points required.
Now divided that 600,000 by the 5 nights, so 120,000 average per night.
Each free night certificate used is going to save you 120,000 points, and not the potentially expected 150,000.
So using 2 free night certs, you end up with a stay costing 600k -120k -120k = 360k + 2 FNCs.
The above explains the mechanics, and the below is a quick shorthand way to determine the points needed when combining with FNC on a 5 night stay:
[Standard Rate] x 80% x [Number of nights you don't have a FNC to cover]
150k x 80% x 3 = 360k