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}
Jul 25, 2022, 8:56 am
#2716
Join Date: Jun 2022
Location: Los Angeles
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Platinum, IHG Platinum
Posts: 14
Jul 25, 2022, 9:55 am
#2717
Join Date: Jun 2022
Location: Los Angeles
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Platinum, IHG Platinum
Posts: 14
Open water scuba diving:
I have never been to other places in Maldives so I'm not sure how it is compared to WA but coming from California, that was the best dive I've ever been. The hardest part about scuba diving is having to carry, put on, build up the super heavy scuba gears. Here they literally do everything for you! Unlike the dive boats in California where you have 25 other divers with you, here it's just you! This makes diving so stress free and extremely enjoyable.
Nurse shark snorkeling:
We tried nurse shark snorkeling today that was the hands down best activity to do here. There is almost a 100% chance that you will see a school of sharks and other fish while the dolphin snorkeling not so much.
Tasting Table:
If you would like to try something local, something Maldivians eat, this is the place to go. The Maldivian fish curry and octopus with the freshly made shrimp crackers were very interesting to try and maybe the best curry I've ever had.
Ledge:
Best restaurant here in my opinion. From the greeting, presentations, flavors, and surprise elements of the dishes, this restaurant really shows that they care. I recommend the Maldivian reef fish. The s'more tart is must try and perfect ending for a nice dinner.
ZUMA:
I know everyone here had a very high rating for this place, but honestly as a Japanese person, ZUMA Maldives just didn't measure up. ZUMA sells itself as a high end contemporary Izakaya with a creative touch. Izakaya in Japan is almost never with a luxury remark as it serves small dishes for the purpose of drinking and socializing with co-workers or friends, as opposed to fancy dates.
I was expecting an interesting touch to the Izakaya, however so many things went wrong here:
1. When we came in here at 7pm, they were still finishing their pre-opening debriefing with the staff, the bartender brought us some house water as we wait. After they were done, the waiter moved the water for us as we got seated. He started looking unhappy as he was trying to tell us they do not serve house water here, his colleague made a mistake so he took our bottle away.
2. The food was good and authentic but it was just regular cheap Izakaya food that even I can make at home nothing special. Even the presentation was boring. I guess if I am paying for top dollars for Izakaya I am expecting a little bit more. The waiter didn't even explain the dish to us when he delivered the food to us.
3. The restaurant manager came check on us for our opinion. When I told him we may have had a higher expectation coming from Japan, he got totally pissed off and started yelling at me. He literally said, "What do you mean by higher expectations? We have so many different dishes, you cannot judge our restaurant by just 4 dishes." And then he started getting angry that we didn't end up ordering more drinks and food.
4. After we were done with our food, they didn't care to ask us if we needed a buggy after knowing our room number for the whole time, especially with this location being the most remote restaurant in the whole resort. We had to wait for 20 minutes sitting there after signing for my check, doing nothing. What's worse, they were literally avoiding eye contact from us the whole time as if they were saying, "Why are you guys still here?"
I have never been to other places in Maldives so I'm not sure how it is compared to WA but coming from California, that was the best dive I've ever been. The hardest part about scuba diving is having to carry, put on, build up the super heavy scuba gears. Here they literally do everything for you! Unlike the dive boats in California where you have 25 other divers with you, here it's just you! This makes diving so stress free and extremely enjoyable.
Nurse shark snorkeling:
We tried nurse shark snorkeling today that was the hands down best activity to do here. There is almost a 100% chance that you will see a school of sharks and other fish while the dolphin snorkeling not so much.
Tasting Table:
If you would like to try something local, something Maldivians eat, this is the place to go. The Maldivian fish curry and octopus with the freshly made shrimp crackers were very interesting to try and maybe the best curry I've ever had.
Ledge:
Best restaurant here in my opinion. From the greeting, presentations, flavors, and surprise elements of the dishes, this restaurant really shows that they care. I recommend the Maldivian reef fish. The s'more tart is must try and perfect ending for a nice dinner.
ZUMA:
I know everyone here had a very high rating for this place, but honestly as a Japanese person, ZUMA Maldives just didn't measure up. ZUMA sells itself as a high end contemporary Izakaya with a creative touch. Izakaya in Japan is almost never with a luxury remark as it serves small dishes for the purpose of drinking and socializing with co-workers or friends, as opposed to fancy dates.
I was expecting an interesting touch to the Izakaya, however so many things went wrong here:
1. When we came in here at 7pm, they were still finishing their pre-opening debriefing with the staff, the bartender brought us some house water as we wait. After they were done, the waiter moved the water for us as we got seated. He started looking unhappy as he was trying to tell us they do not serve house water here, his colleague made a mistake so he took our bottle away.
2. The food was good and authentic but it was just regular cheap Izakaya food that even I can make at home nothing special. Even the presentation was boring. I guess if I am paying for top dollars for Izakaya I am expecting a little bit more. The waiter didn't even explain the dish to us when he delivered the food to us.
3. The restaurant manager came check on us for our opinion. When I told him we may have had a higher expectation coming from Japan, he got totally pissed off and started yelling at me. He literally said, "What do you mean by higher expectations? We have so many different dishes, you cannot judge our restaurant by just 4 dishes." And then he started getting angry that we didn't end up ordering more drinks and food.
4. After we were done with our food, they didn't care to ask us if we needed a buggy after knowing our room number for the whole time, especially with this location being the most remote restaurant in the whole resort. We had to wait for 20 minutes sitting there after signing for my check, doing nothing. What's worse, they were literally avoiding eye contact from us the whole time as if they were saying, "Why are you guys still here?"
Jul 25, 2022, 12:54 pm
#2720
Join Date: Dec 2008
Programs: Alaska MVP Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 669
Open water scuba diving:
I have never been to other places in Maldives so I'm not sure how it is compared to WA but coming from California, that was the best dive I've ever been. The hardest part about scuba diving is having to carry, put on, build up the super heavy scuba gears. Here they literally do everything for you! Unlike the dive boats in California where you have 25 other divers with you, here it's just you! This makes diving so stress free and extremely enjoyable.
Nurse shark snorkeling:
We tried nurse shark snorkeling today that was the hands down best activity to do here. There is almost a 100% chance that you will see a school of sharks and other fish while the dolphin snorkeling not so much.
Tasting Table:
If you would like to try something local, something Maldivians eat, this is the place to go. The Maldivian fish curry and octopus with the freshly made shrimp crackers were very interesting to try and maybe the best curry I've ever had.
Ledge:
Best restaurant here in my opinion. From the greeting, presentations, flavors, and surprise elements of the dishes, this restaurant really shows that they care. I recommend the Maldivian reef fish. The s'more tart is must try and perfect ending for a nice dinner.
ZUMA:
I know everyone here had a very high rating for this place, but honestly as a Japanese person, ZUMA Maldives just didn't measure up. ZUMA sells itself as a high end contemporary Izakaya with a creative touch. Izakaya in Japan is almost never with a luxury remark as it serves small dishes for the purpose of drinking and socializing with co-workers or friends, as opposed to fancy dates.
I was expecting an interesting touch to the Izakaya, however so many things went wrong here:
1. When we came in here at 7pm, they were still finishing their pre-opening debriefing with the staff, the bartender brought us some house water as we wait. After they were done, the waiter moved the water for us as we got seated. He started looking unhappy as he was trying to tell us they do not serve house water here, his colleague made a mistake so he took our bottle away.
2. The food was good and authentic but it was just regular cheap Izakaya food that even I can make at home nothing special. Even the presentation was boring. I guess if I am paying for top dollars for Izakaya I am expecting a little bit more. The waiter didn't even explain the dish to us when he delivered the food to us.
3. The restaurant manager came check on us for our opinion. When I told him we may have had a higher expectation coming from Japan, he got totally pissed off and started yelling at me. He literally said, "What do you mean by higher expectations? We have so many different dishes, you cannot judge our restaurant by just 4 dishes." And then he started getting angry that we didn't end up ordering more drinks and food.
4. After we were done with our food, they didn't care to ask us if we needed a buggy after knowing our room number for the whole time, especially with this location being the most remote restaurant in the whole resort. We had to wait for 20 minutes sitting there after signing for my check, doing nothing. What's worse, they were literally avoiding eye contact from us the whole time as if they were saying, "Why are you guys still here?"
I have never been to other places in Maldives so I'm not sure how it is compared to WA but coming from California, that was the best dive I've ever been. The hardest part about scuba diving is having to carry, put on, build up the super heavy scuba gears. Here they literally do everything for you! Unlike the dive boats in California where you have 25 other divers with you, here it's just you! This makes diving so stress free and extremely enjoyable.
Nurse shark snorkeling:
We tried nurse shark snorkeling today that was the hands down best activity to do here. There is almost a 100% chance that you will see a school of sharks and other fish while the dolphin snorkeling not so much.
Tasting Table:
If you would like to try something local, something Maldivians eat, this is the place to go. The Maldivian fish curry and octopus with the freshly made shrimp crackers were very interesting to try and maybe the best curry I've ever had.
Ledge:
Best restaurant here in my opinion. From the greeting, presentations, flavors, and surprise elements of the dishes, this restaurant really shows that they care. I recommend the Maldivian reef fish. The s'more tart is must try and perfect ending for a nice dinner.
ZUMA:
I know everyone here had a very high rating for this place, but honestly as a Japanese person, ZUMA Maldives just didn't measure up. ZUMA sells itself as a high end contemporary Izakaya with a creative touch. Izakaya in Japan is almost never with a luxury remark as it serves small dishes for the purpose of drinking and socializing with co-workers or friends, as opposed to fancy dates.
I was expecting an interesting touch to the Izakaya, however so many things went wrong here:
1. When we came in here at 7pm, they were still finishing their pre-opening debriefing with the staff, the bartender brought us some house water as we wait. After they were done, the waiter moved the water for us as we got seated. He started looking unhappy as he was trying to tell us they do not serve house water here, his colleague made a mistake so he took our bottle away.
2. The food was good and authentic but it was just regular cheap Izakaya food that even I can make at home nothing special. Even the presentation was boring. I guess if I am paying for top dollars for Izakaya I am expecting a little bit more. The waiter didn't even explain the dish to us when he delivered the food to us.
3. The restaurant manager came check on us for our opinion. When I told him we may have had a higher expectation coming from Japan, he got totally pissed off and started yelling at me. He literally said, "What do you mean by higher expectations? We have so many different dishes, you cannot judge our restaurant by just 4 dishes." And then he started getting angry that we didn't end up ordering more drinks and food.
4. After we were done with our food, they didn't care to ask us if we needed a buggy after knowing our room number for the whole time, especially with this location being the most remote restaurant in the whole resort. We had to wait for 20 minutes sitting there after signing for my check, doing nothing. What's worse, they were literally avoiding eye contact from us the whole time as if they were saying, "Why are you guys still here?"
One note about buggies - why did you not contact your concierge via WhatsApp? Always faster than waiting for them to call.
Jul 25, 2022, 5:29 pm
#2721
Join Date: Jun 2022
Location: Los Angeles
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Platinum, IHG Platinum
Posts: 14
Because I dropped my phone in the ocean. I was putting it in the rice bin to dry lol
Jul 25, 2022, 5:58 pm
#2722
Join Date: Jun 2022
Location: Los Angeles
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Platinum, IHG Platinum
Posts: 14
Can anyone provide some suggestions on what to pack for a week's stay here? Wife and I will be travelling here from Italy and I'm already trying to pack light for the Europe trip. Doing mostly city things and this will be our first time at such a remote island destination. Thanks for any guidance.
It honestly depends on if you want to use their pricey laundry service. But here is the suggestion:
1. Lots of sunscreen and sunburn remedies like aloe Vera. Preferably the spray ones, it is more convenient if you need to reapply often.
2. Magic erasers. Those will help you defog the snorkeling mask with the provided toothpaste.
3. GoPro, water protective housing, floaty handle, an extra battery, and an “extreme” SD card of at least 128 GB.
If you don’t already have a GoPro I strongly recommend you getting one. You will need it to take the breathtaking underwater pictures. Also gears and devices are at an insane mark up here. I bought my GoPro 10 with a set of 10 different gears in LA for under $400. Here at the diving center, they sell just the GoPro 10 for $1200 😳
4. Your scuba diving ID card if you have previously been certified. If you don’t have one, I suggest signing up for open water scuba certification here since you have a whole week. It’s super fun. There’s a whole bunch of online homework to do. If you are signing up, I suggest contacting them way early before you came here and do the homework at home. You cannot start the lesson without completing your homework and exam online first.
5. At least 2 pairs of swimming suits per person.
6. Insect repelling sprays. There are a ton of mosquitos here. Even tho they have pest control twice a day, we still got bitten multiple times a day. Also almost all the dining locations are outdoors or semi outdoors.
7. Motion sickness remedies.
8. Phone underwater protective case/bag.
9. Floaty toys.
10. Selfie stick.
Jul 25, 2022, 6:10 pm
#2724
Join Date: Jun 2022
Location: Los Angeles
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Platinum, IHG Platinum
Posts: 14
Here is the most detailed review of the resort in all the blogs I’ve read. I found it very helpful so thought I may share it here. Please let me know if pasting outside website is a violation of the group rules here.
https://theluxurytraveller.com/2021/...ner-at-yasmeen
https://theluxurytraveller.com/2021/...ner-at-yasmeen
Jul 26, 2022, 3:17 am
#2726
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: BHX
Programs: BA GGL CCR GfL, SQ Gold, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond, Marriott Plat, Cafe Nero Loyalty Card (7 Stamps)
Posts: 7,330
Open water scuba diving:
I have never been to other places in Maldives so I'm not sure how it is compared to WA but coming from California, that was the best dive I've ever been. The hardest part about scuba diving is having to carry, put on, build up the super heavy scuba gears. Here they literally do everything for you! Unlike the dive boats in California where you have 25 other divers with you, here it's just you! This makes diving so stress free and extremely enjoyable.
I have never been to other places in Maldives so I'm not sure how it is compared to WA but coming from California, that was the best dive I've ever been. The hardest part about scuba diving is having to carry, put on, build up the super heavy scuba gears. Here they literally do everything for you! Unlike the dive boats in California where you have 25 other divers with you, here it's just you! This makes diving so stress free and extremely enjoyable.
ZUMA:
I know everyone here had a very high rating for this place, but honestly as a Japanese person, ZUMA Maldives just didn't measure up. ZUMA sells itself as a high end contemporary Izakaya with a creative touch. Izakaya in Japan is almost never with a luxury remark as it serves small dishes for the purpose of drinking and socializing with co-workers or friends, as opposed to fancy dates.
I know everyone here had a very high rating for this place, but honestly as a Japanese person, ZUMA Maldives just didn't measure up. ZUMA sells itself as a high end contemporary Izakaya with a creative touch. Izakaya in Japan is almost never with a luxury remark as it serves small dishes for the purpose of drinking and socializing with co-workers or friends, as opposed to fancy dates.
That being said, I like Zuma in Dubai anyway and eat there a fair bit, but I'm also aware it's a chain and I don't expect perfect Japanese cuisine as a result. Fresh, tasty food and a decent selction of drinks in a fun environment is good enough for me. And specifcally related to the WA - we'd already been to Li Long and seen that their Chinese cuisine was largely sub-par so getting to Zuma and having hot, fresh food was a welcome relief - so perhaps our expectations had been lowered somewhat elsewhere.
But ultimately I think going in there expecting it to match up with 'authentic' Japanese restuarants will ultimately lead to disappointment. Though there's no excuse for the service you received - I'd have been talking to my conceirge if that had happened to us.
Jul 26, 2022, 3:29 am
#2727
Join Date: Jul 2022
Programs: Hhonors Diamond, AA Executive Platinum,
Posts: 9
Jul 26, 2022, 5:18 am
#2728
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: NYC
Posts: 1,756
Jul 26, 2022, 9:59 am
#2729
Join Date: Jun 2022
Location: Los Angeles
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Platinum, IHG Platinum
Posts: 14