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

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

Old Feb 21, 2019, 7:53 am
  #541  
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Tokyo
Posts: 586
Honestly, you can't trust menus, labeling, or even customs disclosures. My SO works in this industry and was getting NK scallops (just as something nice to personally have) while bypassing trade embargoes subject to business(es) within a country in agreement to and having close ties to America. I tell you, those were the biggest and tastiest scallops I've seen or eaten worldwide. The shells were probably the size of Shaq's hands. If Trumps wins a deal in a seafood trade with NK then lookout.

Last edited by scwam; Feb 21, 2019 at 8:03 am
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Old Feb 21, 2019, 10:34 am
  #542  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Charlotte
Programs: Hilton Diamond, Marriott Platinum, IHG Platinum Ambassador, SPG Platinum, Hyatt Explorist
Posts: 58
Originally Posted by jphripjah
Looks like they have pulled all standard room award availability at least for the rest of the year. They have also discounted the rooms from $1,833 per night to $1,374 member rate for the first three months , not cancelable.

very odd.... base rooms are certainly bookable with cash but not so with points
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Old Feb 21, 2019, 6:52 pm
  #543  
 
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: SAN
Posts: 1,302
Originally Posted by harrisk7



very odd.... base rooms are certainly bookable with cash but not so with points



Traveler Dave is offline  
Old Feb 21, 2019, 11:56 pm
  #544  
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 6,384
has anyone tried calling them to book? would actually be good if it wasn't bookable online but was avialble through te phone
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Old Feb 22, 2019, 12:58 am
  #545  
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Programs: HHonors Diamond; Royal Ambassor
Posts: 466
Reminds me of the early days of points redemption at Hilton Rangali.
Basically no awards available, randomly 2 rooms bookable via DiamondDesk/Diamond Force.
Availability became widely open, after negotiating a special contract about reimbursement on award stays.
Independent from occupancy level, they get high percentage of the announced rates. Even the service charge is covered by Hilton.
Thats the Rangali business model, releasing all Beach and meanwhile Water Villas, even at festive season. Guests willing to pay high upgrade charges, spending a lot for special dinners ....

Would be interesting to know, how the Waldorf will be reimbursed on awards.
Management probably realized, that they got more award bookings than paid bookings. Maybe soon we will see introduction of new room categories. 2 King/Queen Beach Villa as standard room, all the others upraded to Deluxe/Superior as premium reward
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Old Feb 22, 2019, 2:01 am
  #546  
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Germany
Posts: 175
Originally Posted by llfoster
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??
Try TPE : https://www.photoephemeris.com/

Cheers
schoppy is offline  
Old Feb 22, 2019, 5:43 am
  #547  
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 253
Originally Posted by yerffej201
has anyone tried calling them to book? would actually be good if it wasn't bookable online but was avialble through te phone
i called 2 nights ago quite late. Spoke to HHD desk for 20 minutes. Could book revenue standard villa but not award. No particular insight but HHd was trying to be helpful.
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Old Feb 22, 2019, 6:01 am
  #548  
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: GVA, BSL, ZRH
Programs: A3*, HH, club carlson: all gold and bonvoy plat
Posts: 466
Originally Posted by yerffej201
has anyone tried calling them to book? would actually be good if it wasn't bookable online but was avialble through te phone
Haven't tried it by phone, but here is the e-mail reply.
Further to your request, as of now we have reached our allocated rooms for standard redemption for some of your travel dates and closed redemption stays.
Something else, just an info for families: the kids club (one of the biggest in the Maldives as they say) is for children between 4 to 11 years old.
Artemio is offline  
Old Feb 22, 2019, 7:57 am
  #549  
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 253
Quote:
"Further to your request, as of now we have reached our allocated rooms for standard redemption for some of your travel dates and closed redemption stays."

For the entire remainder of the year ???????? Seriously ...... this is silly... First the cruise ship at CR and now this ... we have a chunk spg/marriott points (probably lots of people on this board do) and may be thinking about which program we should be loyal to going forward
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Old Feb 22, 2019, 8:09 am
  #550  
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Programs: HH Diamond; IHG Plat; Marriott Titanium; United Silver
Posts: 254
Originally Posted by mb123
Availability became widely open, after negotiating a special contract about reimbursement on award stays.
My guess is that's what may be happening here. Availability has been taken offline while they negotiate a special deal with Hilton Honors.
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Old Feb 22, 2019, 8:27 am
  #551  
 
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: SAN
Posts: 1,302
Originally Posted by John_OHST
My guess is that's what may be happening here. Availability has been taken offline while they negotiate a special deal with Hilton Honors.
I have no knowledge of how these things work, but wouldnt they have done that before opening up any award space?

The website does still have This hotel will soon be joining the Hilton Portfolio of Brands and is presently accepting reservations for arrival July 1, 2019 and beyond

So perhaps there is still some negotiation going on.

TD
I noticed the fine print when using booking.com mentions a boat transfer, it has no rate. Not thinking a booking.com customer will be thrilled with $370USD++ each way per person. You would think they should have that posted in the fine print.

On the plus side on booking.com a refundable reservation for 3 does cover breakfast for 3 for free.

TD




Last edited by Canarsie; Apr 30, 2019 at 12:08 pm Reason: Consolidation.
Traveler Dave is offline  
Old Feb 22, 2019, 10:41 am
  #552  
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Tokyo
Posts: 586
Originally Posted by llfoster
Quote:
"Further to your request, as of now we have reached our allocated rooms for standard redemption for some of your travel dates and closed redemption stays."

For the entire remainder of the year ???????? Seriously ...... this is silly... First the cruise ship at CR and now this ... we have a chunk spg/marriott points (probably lots of people on this board do) and may be thinking about which program we should be loyal to going forward
Just one of the many small clandestine tricks of the coconut shell games these big hotels play, especially Hilton. There are so many ways/options that they can just insert or extract manipulating a pool of things which would seem normal to you (over time) and you would never even notice (the before and after). You ultimately ending up paying more in points or cash or have fewer options worldwide. Most people would never notice such minute things unless they had some historical record of such or were to compare on different devices or carefully utilize analytics. Confuse the guest is the game here and they are masters at it. Burn your points this year because exponentially year over year we are on the rocketing incline of these tactics forcing your points into rapid decline compared to the past 3 years.

Last edited by scwam; Feb 22, 2019 at 11:02 am
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Old Feb 22, 2019, 11:33 am
  #553  
 
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 783
I've just searched all dates up to the last date searchable in 2020 and no availability? Do we think they have pulled points redemptions for now or redemption rooms reduced or simply lots of people staying on every available date as each day arrives? Only a few days ago I found a fair bit of availability...
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Old Feb 22, 2019, 11:46 am
  #554  
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Programs: HH Diamond; IHG Plat; Marriott Titanium; United Silver
Posts: 254
Originally Posted by Traveler Dave
I have no knowledge of how these things work, but wouldnt they have done that before opening up any award space?
One would think so, but maybe they saw a massive amount of redemptions and are attempting to renegotiate. I would imagine that this property has a lot more leverage than a typical property.

It does seem like award availability has been totally pulled as you don't see the stray single nights you normally would.
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Old Feb 22, 2019, 11:55 am
  #555  
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: GVA, BSL, ZRH
Programs: A3*, HH, club carlson: all gold and bonvoy plat
Posts: 466
Originally Posted by Tilly71
I've just searched all dates up to the last date searchable in 2020 and no availability? Do we think they have pulled points redemptions for now or redemption rooms reduced or simply lots of people staying on every available date as each day arrives? Only a few days ago I found a fair bit of availability...
2 days ago, I just searched for my planned dates in July to see how many rooms where available on points (to see if I need to hurry for my redemption) . I gave up searching for it at 10 available rooms on points (at the same dates) and figured out I can wait quite a bit
So definitely not because people booked every single available redemption.
Pretty confident though the rooms availability will open up again!
Artemio is offline  

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