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}
Apr 8, 2022, 12:04 am
#2251
Join Date: Apr 2022
Posts: 5
Have a 6 night stay booked on Chase points, only breakfast included. Any thoughts on buying an upgrade to half-board after check in? E-mailed the resort and they said it's $150++ pp and includes 3 course meal at tasting table for dinner, or $120 (pretax) pp credit at most other restaurants.
While I'd love not having to worry and think about dinner expenses while there, this seems like pretty bad value? I looked through the tasting table menu and it's actually quite hard to hit $150 on a 3 course meal unless you go straight for the most expensive options every day, which limits the options to select from. You also immediately lose $30 value at other restaurants, which we did want to try.
While I'd love not having to worry and think about dinner expenses while there, this seems like pretty bad value? I looked through the tasting table menu and it's actually quite hard to hit $150 on a 3 course meal unless you go straight for the most expensive options every day, which limits the options to select from. You also immediately lose $30 value at other restaurants, which we did want to try.
Apr 8, 2022, 12:55 am
#2253
Join Date: Jan 2009
Programs: Hilton Diamond, IHG Spire Ambassador, Radisson Gold, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 3,623
I actually like when it's cloudy in the Maldives, as it's not as hot and I can swim/snorkel without getting sunburned.
Apr 8, 2022, 4:08 am
#2254
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: AA ExPlat, BA Silver, Hilton Gold, Marriott Silver
Posts: 40
We went at a point where the forecast looked awful with rain every day, but we only had one nasty bit overnight and into breakfast time. The rest was blazing sunshine. Obviously YMMV, but even the closest weather station’s forecast can be very misleading.
Apr 8, 2022, 3:03 pm
#2256
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 387
Minimum 4 night length of stay
Day 1 Welcome Champagne with Chef’s creation of the day
Fresh flower bed decoration at turn down
Day 2 Romantic floral bath ritual at turn down service
Day 3 1-hour professional photoshoot and 10 edited images on a pen drive
Day 4 Souvenir gift – Waldorf picture frame
Apr 8, 2022, 3:17 pm
#2257
Join Date: Apr 2022
Posts: 7
here you go:Following to your inquiry, we would like to inform you that we need the copy of the marriage certificate of the guests if they are honeymooners in order for us to provide the honeymoon benefits during their stay.
Minimum 4 night length of stay
Day 1 Welcome Champagne with Chef’s creation of the day
Fresh flower bed decoration at turn down
Day 2 Romantic floral bath ritual at turn down service
Day 3 1-hour professional photoshoot and 10 edited images on a pen drive
Day 4 Souvenir gift – Waldorf picture frame
Minimum 4 night length of stay
Day 1 Welcome Champagne with Chef’s creation of the day
Fresh flower bed decoration at turn down
Day 2 Romantic floral bath ritual at turn down service
Day 3 1-hour professional photoshoot and 10 edited images on a pen drive
Day 4 Souvenir gift – Waldorf picture frame
Apr 9, 2022, 5:41 am
#2259
Join Date: Dec 2013
Programs: Hilton Diamond
Posts: 7
Just came back from a wonderful 7 night 8 day stay in late March / early April!
Wanted to share some tips/comments to give back to this community which has provided so much great info for our trip.
Snorkeling tips/comments:
Weather:
Restaurant/Food tips:
Random tips:
Villa comments:
COVID-19:
Travel tips:
Some handy things to bring in case you forget:
This post ended up being much longer than I expected, but I wanted to share some of the things we learned on our trip so that your own trip can be that much better! The resort is really well run and absolutely stunning. I hope you and your loved ones also have an incredible trip there!
Wanted to share some tips/comments to give back to this community which has provided so much great info for our trip.
Snorkeling tips/comments:
- Snorkeling and an ideal entry/exit spot - We are beginner snorkelers and really enjoyed snorkeling along the house reef and highly recommend that area. The house reef is located along the dropoff line just south of the beach villas in the 600s. I drew a red line on the resort map to show where this is. I also drew a small pink rectangle on the ideal spot to go in and out of the water. It's just south of the dive center. If you walk into the ocean here and follow the breakwater, it is a very nice sandy path and there are some flat top rocks at the end of the breakwater where you can sit (water is around knee high here) and put on your fins. From there you can just push off to go into the deeper water and avoid having to walk over any rocks or corals. Before we knew about this entry/exit spot, we made the mistake of trying to go into the water in some other areas and found it quite unpleasant to walk along the rocky bottom as well as having to avoid rocks/corals in the really shallow water before we got into the deeper water. So, don't be like us and just take a buggy to the dive center (if you are farther away) or just walk/ride there and use this spot to go in and out of the water to snorkel.
- Tides - I didn't realize at first but there is a daily high and low tide. And it's quite a difference between them on the water level. The website https://www.tidetime.org/asia/maldives/male.htm was handy to reference. The best time to snorkel while we were there was in the morning or early afternoon. In terms of the tide, medium tide would probably be ideal.
- Dive Center lockers and showers - The dive center has some nice shower rooms as well as some nice lockers if you want to store your things before you go into the water. For the lockers, you choose your own number/pin to set the lock. There is also a spot to rinse off that is located by the path to the beach. There are also some beach towels set outside on a small bench. And if you need some anti-fog for your mask, just ask the staff for some of their baby shampoo.
- Nurse Shark snorkeling - If we had more time, we would have booked this excursion. Just letting people know about this activity and to plan for it as it seems to be highly recommended. It goes every few days. Some activities don't fill up and so are not available. The activities schedule for when we were there is attached below, but this changes from time to time so be sure to ask for the latest:
Weather:
- It is HOT and the best time to be out and about seemed to be in the early morning and late afternoon or early evening. Sometimes it's actually better if it's a little cloudy since then the breeze is very pleasant and the sun isn't turning you into a raisin!
- The weather overall during our time there was very nice. Just a minor sprinkle for a few minutes one afternoon but other than that it was just mostly clear skies and sun. Water was very calm and clear. Incredibly beautiful place!
Restaurant/Food tips:
- Tasting Table - Breakfast is served from 7am to 10:30am. We went to breakfast early each day and the place was a ghost town from 7am to 8am. While it's nice to sit out on the beach, for most days we ended up sitting inside on the north end of the restaurant where it was out of the sun and had some comfortable cushion benches as well. The made to order crepes were good (strawberries and nutella!) as were the made to order omelets. The Maldivian options may be too spicy for some. The donuts were a standout and the flavors change each day. The Beillevaire yogurt (kept in a small refrigerated section) was also good but be aware that the flavor options also change each day.
- Tasting Table fly fans - Unfortunately, there are some annoying flies at the Tasting Table to the point where we were constantly waving them away. The Tasting Table does have fly fans, though, so be sure to request one! A fly fan is a pepper mill shaped thing that has an attached floppy "strand" which spins around constantly to ward off the flies. Here's a picture example:
- Peacock Alley food recommendations - For some tasty bites, definitely recommend the Malaysian Satay as well as the Tandoori Chicken wraps. The Truffle Fries are great as well! We enjoyed these multiple times over a few days since we liked them so much. Happy hour is from 4pm to 5pm and they sometimes have live music as well!
- Nava Pizza Bar - Like others mentioned, the pizza is great. We tried the Frutti di Mare (seafood) as well as the Parma E Rucola (ham/cheese) pizzas. You can also get a pizza "to go" in a box as well, but it tastes a little better right when it's fresh, of course.
Random tips:
- WhatsApp - The resort used WhatsApp for you to communicate with your host. I never used this app before so you may want to familiarize yourself with it in case it's new for you too.
- Tipping - I didn't see anyone tipping at the resort with cash, but we tipped our host at the end our trip and he seemed genuinely appreciative.
- AMEX Aspire $250 Resort Credit - For those with an AMEX Aspire card, the $250 resort credit was received for this resort. If you have multiple AMEX Aspire cards, you can easily charge separate amounts on each card. You can either do the checkout in the villa or at the front desk. They had no problem processing partial payments on different cards. It's also worth taking a last minute look for any new AMEX offers on your cards in case a Hilton offer shows up.
- Shutterfish Photos - The resort offers a 1 hour complimentary photo shoot and you can get a free 5x7 printed photo. Recommend scheduling this when it isn't quite so hot outside as you will be walking around to different locations and it can be uncomfortably hot during the day. In terms of pricing, you can just get the free 5x7 print or you can purchase: a USB with digital images, print outs 5x7 or larger, and a Waldorf Astoria Maldives wooden box. There were various packages and a few I remember was 5 digital photos on a USB for $200, 10 digital photos on a USB for $300 and so on. Keep in mind that these prices are before service fee and taxes, so a $300 package would end up being more like $370. The packages were not totally inflexible and you can work with the person there on customizing a package to suit your particular need.
- Resort Clientele - It's seasonal, but our host said the majority of guests at the resort tended to come from Russia, the Middle East and Europe. Busiest time is New Year's.
- Sunrise/Sunset - Really beautiful and probably some of the best times to take photos. Sunrise was around 6:00am and Sunset was around 7:15pm when we were there.
Villa comments:
- Villa Recommendations - We tried a few different villas during our stay: Beach Villa in the 200s facing south, Beach Villa in the 600s facing south, Reef Villa in the 500s facing south, and a Reef Villa in the 300s facing north. Of all of these, we really liked the Reef Villa in the 300s facing north the most. Maybe it was the weather, but we had a nice refreshing breeze out on the overwater deck and the ocean view was mostly uninterrupted except for a few islands you can see in the distance. The Reef Villa in the 500s was also nice and it was a very short walk to the Tasting Table and Peacock Alley. The Beach Villas were also great, but they seemed to have more mosquitoes/gnats than the Reef Villas, maybe due to the fact that there was more vegetation at the Beach Villas? And if getting a Beach Villa, definitely recommend one of the south facing ones in the 600s as you are in walking distance of the Dive Center (walking along the beach) and are facing the house reef.
- Transferring villas - It isn't necessary to re-pack everything when switching villas as the resort will move all your things for you. We packed most of the smaller items anyways just to make it easier for them, but we left our clothes hanging in the wardrobes and left our water shoes and swimwear out (since they were wet). We left our floats and snorkel fins out as well and they moved everything for us. Overall, the transfer of villas was quite smooth and efficient! Your host will coordinate everything with you.
- Chromecast - The TV comes with Chromecast but for some reason it doesn't allow for the casting of YouTube. We didn't watch TV at all during our time there, but the one time I wanted to stream some music to the TV/Sonos I wasn't able to. Just letting people know that you cannot cast YouTube which is pretty much the only thing I usually cast, so it was just odd that this was not possible. You may want to bring your own device or speaker. There is also a Sonos speaker beneath the TV, but I couldn't figure out how to stream music to that either, but I don't usually use Sonos products so it was all new to me.
- Villa USB ports - The room has some built-in USB ports in the wall, but every time we connected our phones to them it didn't charge the phones. Not sure what the deal was there but in the end we just used our Bestek stepdown voltage converter and just charged our phones through that.
COVID-19:
- No PCR testing needed to enter Maldives - The Maldives doesn't require a negative PCR test to enter the country anymore as of March 13, 2022. We just filled out the IMUGA traveller declaration form (https://imuga.immigration.gov.mv/ethd/create). No one seemed to check it, though, as we went through airport security. You have to fill out the IMUGA forms for both arrival and departure. Recommend doing this about 1 day before arrival and 1 day before departure as the forms only last for 48 hours or so.
- PCR testing still needed to enter United States - The US still required a negative PCR test within 1 day of the departure flight. We scheduled the test with the resort through our host and since we had a nighttime flight, we did the PCR test in the morning and got the result later that evening. The charge was $70 per person. The test itself was not bad. We were a little afraid of the nose swab, but it was not painful at all. The nurse will come to your villa at the scheduled time to take the swabs and it all took just a few minutes for 2 people. Once the results are in, the resort will print them out as well as provide some electronic PDF copies. We were asked to show the negative PCR test results (paper copies) at the Male airport upon departure and also once at the Dubai airport as well. They didn't keep the papers and just asked to see them.
- US CDC Attestation Form - After getting back your negative PCR test, you need to fill out the CDC attestation form stating that you got a negative PCR result and are fully vaccinated (or attest that you are exempt). Emirates sent us links to an online CDC attestation form about 1 day before our departure flight and we submitted our attestations online.
Travel tips:
- Packing cubes - This was actually the first trip where we used packing cubes and we really liked them. Highly recommend Eagle Creek Pack-It Specter cubes. The M size cube seemed the most handy. The XS cubes were great for carrying our noise-cancelling headphones and other adapter gear on the plane. Overall, the cubes made packing a lot cleaner and more organized. It was a breeze to move cubes between different luggage bags as well when juggling stuff around.
- Headphone Adapter for Emirates flights - We are from the US and the audio on the plane didn't have a single jack audio plug so we got a Bose adapter ahead of time. This adapter allows the use of the single headphone jack in the 2 prong plug on the plane. Definitely recommend getting this if you want to use your noise-cancelling headphones with the in flight entertainment audio.
- Dubai Airport, Dubai International Hotel and Meet and Greet service - It's a huge airport and Terminal 3 has 3 really long concourses (A, B, C). If you have a long layover, I'd highly recommend booking the Dubai International Hotel. They have different booking options for transit passengers. We booked the 4-6 hour stay option each time since our layovers were around 7 hours each way. There is also a meet and greet service included where they will meet you at your arrival gate and whisk you through arrival security to the hotel. A very cool experience! While there are some places to lay out a bit at the airport, it pales in comparison to just having your own bed. You can also shower and get refreshed before your next flight. Again, this is a transit hotel, so you never actually leave the airport and you don't go through any main customs/security.
- Long Haul Flights - Our Emirates flight from the US to Dubai was 15h 50m each way and we deeply regret not going Business class. So, don't be like us and try to save a few bucks by flying Economy. Some things are worth paying a few bucks for and long haul flights are now on that list for us! Emirates was also very strict about carry on luggage for Economy. It was literally one carry-on bag for each person. No more "personal bag" + a carry-on. It's now just one bag. This is obviously different if going Business class. If we were to do this trip again, we would probably go Qatar business class through Doha where the airport layout seems to be a little friendlier. Or Singapore business class transiting through Singapore (which was our original plan until COVID happened).
Some handy things to bring in case you forget:
- Sunburn lotion (which usually contains aloe) - Staying out in the sun for just an hour or two can easily lead to redness and sunburn if you don't put on enough sunscreen or weren't as thorough about coverage. Be generous with the sunscreen and cover all the exposed areas really well!
- Portable air pump for inflatables - While the host can probably inflate your floats for you, it's a lot easier to just do it yourself. We ended up getting a wireless one from Amazon ( ) which was very compact and worked great! It even has both inflation and deflation sides. Just twist lock on the attachment and you are good to go when inflating or deflating your floats.
- Mosquito repellent and anti-itch cream - Despite the efforts of the property, there are still mosquitoes and gnats. We got bitten enough times for it to be annoying. While we brought some Deep Woods Off swipes as well as some Sawyer Products insect repellent lotion, we didn't end up using them because for the first few days it seemed like mosquito bites wouldn't be an issue and we basically forgot to use it. Don't be like us. Use repellent from the get-go if you care about that sort of thing. For anti-itch cream, we brought along Benadryl Extra Strength Itch Stopping Gel and it worked well.
- Water shoes and socks - While the sand looks great in the photos, for most of the beaches we encountered, it wasn't a fine powdery sand and instead had a more coarse and rougher composition. Recommend wearing water shoes if swimming in the ocean or even just walking along the beach. Water socks were great for the snorkel fins. After some research, we went with Speedo water shoes and Seavenger water socks and they were great.
This post ended up being much longer than I expected, but I wanted to share some of the things we learned on our trip so that your own trip can be that much better! The resort is really well run and absolutely stunning. I hope you and your loved ones also have an incredible trip there!
Last edited by vikav; Apr 11, 2022 at 4:45 pm Reason: AMEX Aspire Resort Credit comments
Apr 9, 2022, 6:03 am
#2260
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Chicago
Programs: AA Gold, UA Gold, HH Gold, Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 342
hi - can someone who has been to both waldorf + a natural island please comment on just how bad the sand quality is at waldorf?
are there any areas where the resorts has made an effort to make it soft? how is it by the ocean entrance?
im just hoping it doesn’t feel like walking on concrete. the pictures don’t really look amazing and it does look very grainy and very hard, but i haven’t read too much on this anywhere…
are there any areas where the resorts has made an effort to make it soft? how is it by the ocean entrance?
im just hoping it doesn’t feel like walking on concrete. the pictures don’t really look amazing and it does look very grainy and very hard, but i haven’t read too much on this anywhere…
Apr 9, 2022, 6:14 am
#2261
Join Date: Jan 2009
Programs: Hilton Diamond, IHG Spire Ambassador, Radisson Gold, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 3,623
I didn't notice anything unusual about the WA sand or observe that it felt like walking on concrete.
But I'm probably a "sand is sand" kind of guy.
Apr 9, 2022, 6:19 am
#2262
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Tokyo
Programs: JAL Metal Card (OWE), SAS Eurobonus Gold (*G), Marriott Titanium (LTP), Tokyu Hotels Platinum
Posts: 21,178
hi - can someone who has been to both waldorf + a natural island please comment on just how bad the sand quality is at waldorf?
are there any areas where the resorts has made an effort to make it soft? how is it by the ocean entrance?
im just hoping it doesn’t feel like walking on concrete. the pictures don’t really look amazing and it does look very grainy and very hard, but i haven’t read too much on this anywhere…
are there any areas where the resorts has made an effort to make it soft? how is it by the ocean entrance?
im just hoping it doesn’t feel like walking on concrete. the pictures don’t really look amazing and it does look very grainy and very hard, but i haven’t read too much on this anywhere…
Apr 9, 2022, 6:32 am
#2263
Join Date: Dec 2013
Programs: Hilton Diamond
Posts: 7
hi - can someone who has been to both waldorf + a natural island please comment on just how bad the sand quality is at waldorf?
are there any areas where the resorts has made an effort to make it soft? how is it by the ocean entrance?
im just hoping it doesn’t feel like walking on concrete. the pictures don’t really look amazing and it does look very grainy and very hard, but i haven’t read too much on this anywhere…
are there any areas where the resorts has made an effort to make it soft? how is it by the ocean entrance?
im just hoping it doesn’t feel like walking on concrete. the pictures don’t really look amazing and it does look very grainy and very hard, but i haven’t read too much on this anywhere…
In terms of the ocean entrance, I'd definitely wear water shoes or water socks. It gets rocky pretty fast from what I saw. On the reef villas, the water entrance to the ocean had patches of sand and rocks but overall I wouldn't have felt comfortable barefoot there. On the beach villas, there is a stretch of sand into the ocean but it gets rocky pretty fast and I wore water shoes or water socks almost all the time.
Apr 9, 2022, 8:26 am
#2264
Join Date: Apr 2022
Posts: 7
Does the resort not offer the full honeymoon perks for award stays? Can anyone who has recently stayed there can confirm why the trimmed down perks? Staying on an award reservation for 7 days
My email:
I got a email from this email from the resort:
My email:
Hello WA Maldives,
I wanted to inquire about and confirm that the following Honeymoon Perks were available for reservations longer than 6 days for couples traveling within 1 year of their marriage:
Welcome Champagne w/ Chef's creation of the day, Fresh Flower bed decoration at turn down
Romantic floral bath ritual at turn down service
1 Hour professional photoshoot and 10 edited images on a pen drive
Souvenir gift - Waldorf Picture Frame
Personalized bathrobe for the couple
60 minute couple spa treatment
I wanted to inquire if we needed to provide anything ahead of time besides our marriage certificate. Thank you so much and we can't wait to see you!
I wanted to inquire about and confirm that the following Honeymoon Perks were available for reservations longer than 6 days for couples traveling within 1 year of their marriage:
Welcome Champagne w/ Chef's creation of the day, Fresh Flower bed decoration at turn down
Romantic floral bath ritual at turn down service
1 Hour professional photoshoot and 10 edited images on a pen drive
Souvenir gift - Waldorf Picture Frame
Personalized bathrobe for the couple
60 minute couple spa treatment
I wanted to inquire if we needed to provide anything ahead of time besides our marriage certificate. Thank you so much and we can't wait to see you!
Pleased to re-confirm that we provide below amenities for honeymooners on redemption stay.
- Special bed decoration
- A bottle of champagne
- Homemade dessert
- Seasonal fruit basket
- Special bed decoration
- A bottle of champagne
- Homemade dessert
- Seasonal fruit basket