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[ARCHIVE 2018 to 2019] Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi {MDV}

[ARCHIVE 2018 to 2019] Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi {MDV}

Old Feb 17, 2019, 2:59 am
  #511  
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Programs: Hilton Diamond, IHG Spire Ambassador, Radisson Gold, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 3,621
Originally Posted by Tilly71
My question would be with the map showing the location of the BV's, would it be a better bet to choose one facing out towards the ocean rather than inwards?
I would think so, unless the villas facing the other way have a more pleasant surf/reef for swimming or snorkeling. One thing I like about some of the overwater villas at Conrad Maldives is you can walk out 100+ meters from your villa and the water is still just at chest/shoulder height. Whereas with some of the beach villas there, there is a big dropoff after the walk ten meters out.

Last edited by jphripjah; Feb 17, 2019 at 8:51 am
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Old Feb 17, 2019, 8:34 am
  #512  
 
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: SAN
Posts: 1,302
Originally Posted by llfoster
Thanks for this. Curious where you found it?

TD
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Old Feb 17, 2019, 9:00 am
  #513  
 
Join Date: Jul 2018
Posts: 38
It was supplied to travel agents; wasn't meant to be released until March I believe
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Old Feb 17, 2019, 9:18 am
  #514  
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 253
I do have a question re the map supplied. (I am not a travel agent and am not involved in travel except as a vacationer.) Top of map is designated sunrise and bottom designated sunset. However, on Google Earth what would be the top of this map seems (??) to be north and the bottom would be south. Trying to find out true direction of sunset/sunrise for villa selection etc. Any thoughts??
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Old Feb 17, 2019, 9:36 am
  #515  
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: GVA, BSL, ZRH
Programs: A3*, HH, club carlson: all gold and bonvoy plat
Posts: 466
Originally Posted by jphripjah
Thanks for posting this map of the resort. Does anyone have any initial thoughts about what Beach Villas would have the best/worst location? Looks to me like the 200's and 600's are beach villas and that the 600s would be preferable, right?
I'd say as already mentioned before, one point is the quality and "steepness" of the beach in front. And we probably have to wait until July to have the first feedbacks about that.

However, the other points to consider IMO would be the sunset view and a view without vis--vis (601-617 odd numbers in July ////// 616-628 even numbers and probably better the 201-213 odd numbers in December). And in between, I'd have a look at shadowcalculator.eu to figure out what's ideal, nb I draw a square on the map to see the shadow appearing.
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Old Feb 18, 2019, 8:33 pm
  #516  
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Join Date: Sep 2003
Programs: BA Silver, EY Gold, HH Diamond, IHG Plat
Posts: 12,200
Originally Posted by llfoster
That's a lot of rooms in such a small space.
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Old Feb 19, 2019, 12:07 am
  #517  
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: a hotel room, somewhere...
Posts: 962
Originally Posted by scwam
I hope you two are referring to another hotel because my booking says breakfast is inclusive, of which of course should be for Gold+ members.
nm. see it in the app

Last edited by uncommonsensical; Feb 19, 2019 at 12:39 am
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Old Feb 19, 2019, 12:10 am
  #518  
 
Join Date: Jul 2018
Posts: 38
Originally Posted by uncommonsensical
ummm... where does it say breakfast is inclusive in your reservation confirm? mine doesn't (Diamond).
Just tap on "benefits" under your booking in the app, it lists a continental breakfast for 2 guests as a diamond benefit.
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Old Feb 19, 2019, 2:26 am
  #519  
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: a hotel room, somewhere...
Posts: 962
short of a bottle of Krug and a feast waiting for us onboard, the transfer fee is obscene for a 30 minute trip. the St. Regis seaplane is less for crying out loud- using that as the comp to head off the "but its the WA, we should just be thankful they're allowing the likes of us to exist in the same world' replies i've read upthread (dude... take a Tony Robbins course or something and work on your sense of self worth!).

i've been on yachts before and, especially for such a short trip, it's, well.... a short trip on a boat! it's not going to be special to the 9 and 10 digit net worth crowd either. thus, i hope WA's plan is to make it special so that it feels like a wonderful start and end to the experience- instead of, ya know, feeling gouged and violated!

and, yeah... i booked after the update (but didn't know it was after the update) so... awesome.
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Old Feb 19, 2019, 3:19 am
  #520  
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 4
Ok here goes...

Ive been to the Maldives countless times, and obviously love it.

I love getting rooms north of $2000 a night for pennies on the dollar and with very valuable elite benefits. And the chance to be in what I consider pure paradise, in superb properties with fabulous amenities, service and food.

Do I try and spend as little as possible however... yes of course. Do I enjoy the overpriced add ons... No way.


The seaplane is $275 each way to the Conrad, a yacht is now $370 to the WA. Will I enjoy paying that... no way, and it is silly obviously. But it aint completely out of line with many other places. Thats the Maldives. I cant change the pricey aspect, and you cant. I wish I could.

Also being in aviation myself...I know very well that a twin jetprop powered, 2 pilot operated aircraft on floats with salt being blasted into every nook is not cheap to operate. But its doubly safe, which I enjoy. Thats on the TMA so called rip off aspect not the yacht cost obviously. Which Im sure many will point out that makes it even more ridiculous... and youd be right!!

Heres the rub.... the hotels set the award inventory. They have control. Amazing isnt it? Its their business. They own it. They decide point structure and availability. You may think you can sue them or people power them into what you think is fair, but I doubt that will work. It just wont.

If a a certain group (points redeemers) has a demanding, even threatening (shouting about emails being legal contracts, saying they wont pay etc) there is a good chance the hotel (privately owned... not owned by Hilton as claimed/implied upthread) will shut down points availability in the future.

If in their position (Im glad Im not... in an increasingly competitive market, geographical issues and huge costs involved) I would do so.

There is is an element who are entitled and just never happy. Perhaps I should not have assumed so much about Maldives freak, who flamed me royally, and was his perogative to do so after my perhaps too aggressive post. Despite his intense reply to me, I apologize to him.

However is there anything above that gets through to some of you?

Also... the price is the price. Wow... dont like it, dont buy it. Perhaps if the (overpriced) transfer cost leaves you outraged, the price of drinks there might give you a stress induced migraine. Will you contest $15 for a beer as ridiculous... after all its 90cents in your convenience store? It is ridiculous, but you, I and everyone else can chose to stay at home, drink cheap beer, and watch a paradise show on TV. No?

It it is the nature of the beast... the Maldives with huge taxes on alcohol, huge import costs of everything, labor costs of expats, massive costs of building in the middle of an ocean, its expensive to run. Do I feel sorry for them, and think they should make millions of dollars a minute however? No way.

Do I think they will shut down redemptions if the wrong type of customer arrives outraged about everything, insisting, threatening and being aggressive? Yes and I wouldnt blame them.

Then its too late, any amount of disputing charges etc wont allow you to stay there. Not the need of world either I suppose!!









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Old Feb 19, 2019, 3:56 am
  #521  
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Tokyo
Posts: 586
Originally Posted by andyyac1
Also... the price is the price. Wow... dont like it, dont buy it. Perhaps if the (overpriced) transfer cost leaves you outraged, the price of drinks there might give you a stress induced migraine. Will you contest $15 for a beer as ridiculous... after all its 90cents in your convenience store? It is ridiculous, but you, I and everyone else can chose to stay at home, drink cheap beer, and watch a paradise show on TV. No?
A definite No. It's called bait and switch in my terms. When I have a reasonable expectation of the accuracy of a written quote, I don't expect it to be later changed to double price irregardless whether I pay in points or cash. Do you expect your auto insurance to drop your wife's medical injuries in a car accident with you when the policy terms explicitly state immediate family members will be covered too? I saw where you looked for justification with your argument on one of the other popular forums. Of course they are going to agree with you when you told them that you initially were lashed out against here.

And just to put things into perspective. I redeemed points for Ritz Carlton in Tokyo on my wife's birthday. When I paid $27 for a Margherita, that was also just one part of my expectation in both the F & the B. As well as my wife, a person well accustomed to fine food and service (being in that industry) complained to the main restaurant in that Ritz Carlton about 2 particular dishes which didn't taste fresh or were off. I let it slide, but she wanted to make it known to the head chef. '"They need to know" was her basis, not to (as you seem to think) finagle them in order to get something for nothing. 5* service equates to 5* results (as well as accuracy & a given without the need to even mention).

....And on a slight side note - I wonder if most of those people you see eating and taste-sampling while walking around the buffet and club lounge who act as if it were at a cocktail party are points burners or cash paying customers. I'd hope that as a points burner myself that I wouldn't be reduced to being stereotyped as such people.

Last edited by scwam; Feb 19, 2019 at 6:54 am
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Old Feb 19, 2019, 4:32 am
  #522  
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
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Originally Posted by andyyac1

There is is an element who are entitled and just never happy. Perhaps I should not have assumed so much about Maldives freak, who flamed me royally, and was his perogative to do so after my perhaps too aggressive post. Despite his intense reply to me, I apologize to him.

the wrong type of customer arrives outraged about everything, insisting, threatening and being aggressive? Yes and I wouldnt blame them.

Then its too late, any amount of disputing charges etc wont allow you to stay there. Not the need of world either I suppose!!



MaldivesFreak is very knowledgeable about the Maldives resorts but is weirdly hypocritical on his approach to pricing there. If the price of something offends him personally, he will spew venom that Hilton is "screwing" us, that the prices in the Maldives are "legalized extortion," that the Ithaa cocktails and souvenir shops at CMRI are a "ripoff," and that prices charged for Evian are "disgusting."

Yet when I posted about my notion to skip dinner rather than pay $52 for a crappy pizza and beer at CMRI's Quiet Zone, he then attacked me for being "childish" and lectured me as follows:

Originally Posted by MaldivesFreak
Rangali is a place where you either don't go because you haven't set aside a decent amount to enjoy the place properly or you do go when you have enough cash. It's not a difficult concept; but of course there will be others who don't understand this concept, or just simply close their eyes and ignore it. The problem is, they are just not going to enjoy it to its fullest and even though they might try and refute the fact, the fact still exists and it's not going to go away.

The takeaway from his posts is that anyone who spends more than MaldivesFreak in the Maldives is a sucker who is getting ripped off, and anyone who spends less then he does is an underfunded cheapskate who does not appreciate or fully enjoy the Maldives. Either way, you can't win.
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Old Feb 19, 2019, 12:53 pm
  #523  
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: MUC
Programs: LH Sen, HH Diamond, IC RA
Posts: 313
Originally Posted by harrisk7



I dont understand the problem with the transfer cost. Since this post, every one of us was aware of the price for the yacht transfer.
As award stays became available, i immediately made a reservation and expected to pay about 700++ per person.
As it turns out, they made a mistake and quoted a price 370++ return, linked to the confirmation email.
When they realized the mistake, it was corrected, but they are still honoring the rate if you booked before the correction.

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Old Feb 19, 2019, 1:16 pm
  #524  
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 158
Anyone know where the King Grand OVW is going to be?

I've a confirmed upgrade for that one.
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Old Feb 19, 2019, 1:45 pm
  #525  
 
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 73
Originally Posted by Willbur
https://waldorfastoria3.hilton.com/e.../policies.html

A shared transfer on the resort's private yacht is charged at US$370 + taxes and service per person per way. This charge will be added to your total bill. Please e-mail [email protected] for more information or to arrange your transfer.
thank you for link.

Originally Posted by tom-schmitt

I dont understand the problem with the transfer cost. Since this post, every one of us was aware of the price for the yacht transfer.
As award stays became available, i immediately made a reservation and expected to pay about 700++ per person.
As it turns out, they made a mistake and quoted a price 370++ return, linked to the confirmation email.
When they realized the mistake, it was corrected, but they are still honoring the rate if you booked before the correction.

very strange...i received higher than $300++ per person one way transfer but less than $370++ per person one way.

Last edited by Canarsie; Apr 30, 2019 at 12:07 pm Reason: Consolidation.
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