crombiestone

While true the links in the confirmation E Mail don't work and the basic message doesn't mention the rates .If you print out your confirmation from the website it does indicate transfer rates as $370 ++ return ! I don't think that contesting the mistake is cheap . I live beside the red sea and I am aware of yacht charter costs and even at a return price $370 is high for a shared boat that could transfer 10 people very comfortably for 30 minutes .$3000 will get you a 70-120 foot yacht for a day ! I hope they honour the mistake and I can use the $370 to treat myself to an appetiser in the restaurant (Probably) .

Hawkeyefan

I don't think anyone in this thread is being cheap and are fully aware that the Maldives cost $$$$. But I don't think many want to be totally hosed over on a boat transfer. Heck being from MN give me an 18' Alumacraft with an OB Evinrude and good to go!

Carl Christensen

How about you don't try to dictate to others to just allow themselves to be hosed with breach of contract. The reservations specifically state 370 + taxes per person return trip which is the same verbiage we have seen with the Conrad and is understood to be round trip. To try and change it after we have booked is breach of contract. Are you implying that just because we have discretionary money to spend on going to the Maldives, we should accept breach of contract?

Traveler Dave

alanslegal

Just because this Waldorf Astoria is in the Maldives, an expensive resort or they simply provide a 'stunning multi-million dollar yacht' does not make it right or OK for them to offer one thing, which the guest has accepted, and then for them to switch it into something else - often at the guests' detriment.

The resort has provided in their confirmation emails that it is $370++ round trip per person - if they want to charge something else, be upfront about it, and then we can our own informed decisions to accept that or not. This is absolutely not about being cheap, it is about the (potential) guest not being baited in or mislead.

If you still think that is OK, what is stopping them from saying the standard rooms were loaded incorrectly, it is actually 140,000 per night - pay the 20,000 per night difference or we'll cancel your booking and return the points. Or that your cash rate is $2,588+ instead of $2,188++ and so on.

freeloader

given that the resort is only 25km from the airport, anyone give any thought to arranging a transfer not through the hotel (if thats allowed)? places like this - https://www.atolltransfer.com/private-speed - come up, at $25 a mile, or $600RT. As a couple, that would be $300 each

MaldivesFreak

If you know the Maldives inside out you would know that TMA is a monopoly (that type of transportation was basically a price-fixed monopoly even before the merger) screwing travellers for the seaplane ride, plain and simple. We accept it and have done for ages. With this yacht transfer the fact of the matter is that it's principle, not the amount. They are trying to double-screw us and that's just not acceptable for us 'average folks', those of us who are not multi-millionnaires, anyway. Who cares if the boat costs millions, it's a long term investment that's part and parcel of opening a place like this. Your post is so ridiculous in that you yourself are happy to be screwed over at every turn and expect everyone else to be as well. And you call us cheap for having principles! That's arrogant and sad at the same time.


True, but they intend to deny (everyone) and intend to breach. That's the problem. The fact that the breaches will commence on the first day someone checks out doesn't make what they are doing right.
What they should say is "We will honour what is in the confirmation email from the Hilton system as that is a formal contract (not what we continue to reiterate / try to enforce / demand in our emails back and forth)."

scwam

I don't care about the fact that they didn't print the transfer cost on the email. So, naturally, as I always do (and believe others do too), I check the details of the email and then look for further information from the online booking. That clearly says what I expect to get, a return transfer. If I were to subsequently get an email especially after I had just finished booking my entire family on a flight to get to Male (or worse, 3 days before my arrival upon reserving the boat) and then told by Hilton that my boat transfer was going to be double price {**due to their error, not mine**} then I would be quite livid in the least. I don't even need to have booked my flight yet to have lessened these 2 points.

This to me, is a matter of not only principle but brand name integrity. I agree with Maldivesfreak. Their mistakes are their problem not mine. And any lack of due diligence on Hilton corporate or WA 's part is strictly between those two and should not concern nor affect the patron - particularly with a property of this caliber.

yerffej201

where in the automated confirmation email does it say it is 370 rt?

MaldivesFreak

How do you know it cost a billion dollars to open this resort? Care to provide a source for that figure? And the rooms are astronomically priced? Really? What are you basing that on?

There are plenty of properties who play dirty tricks on guests - whether it be openly or not openly - and try and rip them off, intentionally charge extra fees, try and get around rules, sometimes even to make it impossible to do redemption stays and blatantly lie to guests about availability (take the St. Regis Vommuli as an example of the latter two). That's not getting into the black from the red, that's called greed. By not opposing it, you approve of it and that's why practically everyone here is rallying against you. I don't plan on being a well-behaved, non-complaining, easy-to-cheat and manipulate guest that greedy corporations love. If everyone had your attitude to being blatantly ripped off or to breaching of a contract, they (the greedy corporations) would be doing even more to cheat, rip off and dupe their benefactors. It's only because people stand up for themselves and others that this kind of thing is kept to a level which is fairly uncommon among top properties. It's only because of massive complaints that prices sometimes do get lowered down to a reasonable level. Fact.

If John complains due to being overcharged, cheated, having a contract broken or whatever, it has absolutely no reflection on Jack, Jane and Jill who don't. Don't pretend there is some kind of negative reflection on everyone else and that there is blame to be attached to others. That might, on the surface, look as if it's useful for your argument but in reality it's falsely assigning blame on others and a poor way to make others feel guilty for something they should not feel guilty for.

If you are so oblivious to how much money hotels like this are making, then you need to do some research. So please don't come in here wailing "Oh, those poor 5-star hotels. They have to make a profit, you know. Boo hoo!" ROFLMAO! Hilton LLC made 1.3 billion in 2017 and the upper-echelon property owners are doing very well too, thank you - especially in the Maldives. They are not strapped for cash by any means nor is there the need to gouge guests for twice the price of what the going rate is for an arguably better service.

Now onto something more interesting. Are they going to have a seaplane service in the future? It looks as if they have a seaplane jetty. I wonder if TMA are going to start a service there in the future. I'll keep an eye out for this on TMA's website.

Second, I have received a reply back from the resort to say that the website will have menus, info on spa treatments, prices etc, mid-February. Since it's that time, I certainly hope they will add the content soon. I have asked for the following;

1. Season information with dates

alanslegal

The resort can offer X,Y,Z that's their discretion, just don't change it to A,B,C after a guest accepting X,Y,Z . There is absolutely no way / zero way you can defend that. The resort will love you because they can now say your room rate is 140,000 or whatever amount instead of 120,000 - and you will accept it because you tell yourself that you are getting an astronomically high priced room anyway. Why not email the resort today and tell them you will send them another 100,000 for free - because the room is still worth it.

escape4

If I was the GM of WA I would offer the $370 RT to those that booked already and eat the "loss" and move on with my life. Not worth creating bad will before I am even open just to save a few dollars.

In terms of the cost of the yacht transfer after they fix the wording of confirmation e-mails, my opinion is that they are free to charge a very high price if they would like to. It's a free market and if customers come anyway, then good for them. If customers pick a different resort because of the price of the yacht transfer, they are not stupid, they will reduce the cost.

Traveler Dave

Wozza2404

In other news... I've seen a report that the resort will have "it's own private sandbank". I'm a bit baffled as to why that would be relevant?

james0499

Good news... i've been in touch with the hotel again regarding the yacht transfer and they have now said...

"Thank you for the email and bringing this to our attention, The change was initiated from our end before us accepting reservations, however this has not reflected on the booking system.
Please note that we will at all times, honor the booking confirmation and in this case as well, we will be charging you US$370++ per person for roundtrip.
Kind accept our apologies for the inconvenience."

Gotta love 'em! So everyone book quick before they realise!!

RE the troll... don't give him/her the time of day. I appreciate the help and information this community has provided and has gotten me even more excited for what will be a genuine 'once in a lifetime trip' for our honeymoon and one I am RIDICULOUSLY excited for! We're all going for different reasons and have different stories, let's respect them hey.

Onwards...