[ARCHIVE 2018 to 2019] Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi {MDV}
Feb 22, 2019, 11:56 am
#556
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Rochester, MN
Programs: UA Silver, Hilton HHonors Diamond, IHG Plat
Posts: 1,830
Award space is certainly not fully booked 10 months out.....the resort pulled availability for now to negotiate a worse deal for guests....
Feb 22, 2019, 1:42 pm
#557
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 783
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!
So definitely not because people booked every single available redemption.
Pretty confident though the rooms availability will open up again!
Feb 22, 2019, 2:10 pm
#558
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: SAN
Posts: 1,306
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.
It does seem like award availability has been totally pulled as you don't see the stray single nights you normally would.
Again, not knowing how all this works, but if a CSR knew (or thought she knew) wouldn't you think the people further up the corporate food chain would know that too? I would not think the heavy use of points early on would be a surprise to anyone.
TD
Feb 23, 2019, 10:09 am
#559
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 783
The day the website went live for reservations the base rooms had no points options (like now). I called to inquire when the base rooms would go live. The CSR said in 5-10days. She was correct. As she was pulling up information I asked if she thought there would a chance they would not offer standard points as this location. She said, like Conrad Maldives and a couple hotels in Hawaii she mentioned by name, the WA Maldives would be a heavy points redemption hotel.
Again, not knowing how all this works, but if a CSR knew (or thought she knew) wouldn't you think the people further up the corporate food chain would know that too? I would not think the heavy use of points early on would be a surprise to anyone.
TD
Again, not knowing how all this works, but if a CSR knew (or thought she knew) wouldn't you think the people further up the corporate food chain would know that too? I would not think the heavy use of points early on would be a surprise to anyone.
TD
Feb 23, 2019, 10:49 am
#560
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: TPA
Programs: British, United,SW, Delta,Iberia,KLM, Qatar, IHG, Hilton, Marriott, Starwood, Radisson, Wyndham,
Posts: 255
I am doing 6-7 at Conrad and 11-12 at WA in festive season. My plan is to do a round trip sea plane for Conrad and Round trip yacht for WA, both from MLE. I booked WA early so my official PDF saved confirmation says $370++ for Return, which they will apparently honor (even though on the website it is now edited). Therefore, I would personally not save any money even if a direct transfer could be booked between the two resorts. As my one way from WA back to MLE would revert to the now posted $370++ per way....that’s kind of funny now that I think about it 
Please do share though if you find a direct option between the two resorts.
BTW- this post is real unlike my last one
Please do share though if you find a direct option between the two resorts.
BTW- this post is real unlike my last one
I booked February 11. First day the opened reward chart but I cannot see that pdf confirmation. Could you send me by message?
Thanks
Feb 23, 2019, 1:36 pm
#562
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Back in Hell
Posts: 4,178
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.....
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.
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.
a) not lie, and admit that you went from 'crappy' (and supporting that opinion) to your actual opinions of 'good' and 'not so good'
The Quiet Zone is a lovely venue. You sit right on the beach, usually very few other people there. The problem may be that there's no kitchen there, all the food is delivered from the main island, so the pizza wasn't that hot in addition to not being very good. I ate there three years ago, had the $33++ steak sandwich and the same pizza, thought it was good.
b) have said "There were at least half a dozen people (sorry, I lost count of the exact number) who criticized me for being "childish" / wanting to skip dinner after flying halfway round the world and lectured me as follows.....{insert all other FT' members' posts here}"
You can spin it all you want, but flying thousands of miles to what you know is an expensive 5-star property and end up skipping dinner to save 50 bucks is stupid, plain and simple. But hey, there are people doing it. Anyway, if you think the pizza is crap (which no-one else on TA does*), or is"not so good", then order something else instead!
* yes folks, out of 2600 reviews on TripAdvisor and in the last 6 years in the Conrad Rangali thread, there are all of two complaints about the pizza at Rangali Bar and one is his. As has been shown without a doubt you are indeed biased, so it would be healthy to admit it and stop exaggerating things to make me look biased.
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."
On your next visit to Rangali you should ask for a tour to staff island, i doubt you will find a lot of local products in the storage facilities.
They do some hydroponics (green salad), plant some Herbs, especially mint for the cocktails, spices, chillies...everything else is imported.
Some more scientific work about this.
https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/56361515.pdf
They do some hydroponics (green salad), plant some Herbs, especially mint for the cocktails, spices, chillies...everything else is imported.
Some more scientific work about this.
https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/56361515.pdf
As far as Rangali goes, they have most of their vegetables grown on a nearby island, not grown on the staff island BTW (obviously not anywhere enough room for that). And there are other resorts which do the same thing.
I do apologise as I meant to emphasize that Rangali, as an example, has most of its veges grown locally. I was told that there are other resorts doing this as well, where they can. Obviously it's better to save money, support the locals and go greener.
Last edited by Canarsie; Apr 30, 2019 at 12:09 pm Reason: Consolidation.
Feb 23, 2019, 2:28 pm
#563
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 783
For 20 Dec 2019 - 21 Dec 2019, we have both King grand beach villa with pool and Two queen bedded grand beach villa with pool for 655,000 points. In order to book it, please contact our Honors team.
Went on live chat tonight about WA availability, this above was the answer. According to CS, all dates with call HH team are available using points but will be high. Recommended to wait until resort opens then all rooms will display how many points to book. I questioned 120k a night for GBV with pool, reply was room rates will vary depending on popularity?
If you click on premium room rewards link, you get this now: so at present looks like its 655 k points per night? 😢
14 Jan 2020702,000 points
15 Jan 2020702,000 points
16 Jan 2020702,000 points
17 Jan 2020702,000 points
18 Jan 2020702,000 points
19 Jan 2020702,000 points
Room Subtotal 4,914,000
pointsTotal for stay 4,914,000 points
Went on live chat tonight about WA availability, this above was the answer. According to CS, all dates with call HH team are available using points but will be high. Recommended to wait until resort opens then all rooms will display how many points to book. I questioned 120k a night for GBV with pool, reply was room rates will vary depending on popularity?
If you click on premium room rewards link, you get this now: so at present looks like its 655 k points per night? 😢
Room: KING GRAND BEACH VILLA WITH POOL
Adults: 1
Children: 0
DATE(USD)01 Jul 2019655,000 pointsRoom Subtotal655,000 pointsTotal for stay655,000 pointsRoom: KING GRAND BEACH VILLA WITH POOL
Adults: 2
Children: 0
DATE(USD)13 Jan 2020702,000 points14 Jan 2020702,000 points
15 Jan 2020702,000 points
16 Jan 2020702,000 points
17 Jan 2020702,000 points
18 Jan 2020702,000 points
19 Jan 2020702,000 points
Room Subtotal 4,914,000
pointsTotal for stay 4,914,000 points
Last edited by Canarsie; Apr 30, 2019 at 12:10 pm Reason: Consolidation.
Feb 23, 2019, 2:37 pm
#564
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: SAN
Posts: 1,306
TD
Feb 23, 2019, 2:49 pm
#565
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 783
Standard BV? Ive only ever seen king beach villa with pool as the lowest room rate available. Do you have a link to a standard BV?
Feb 23, 2019, 2:54 pm
#566
Join Date: Apr 2013
Programs: HHonors Diamond; Royal Ambassor
Posts: 478
According to your own post from Feb 2017, #3661 , i guess there was canadian lobster until 2016.
Note that now all lobster is local and they don't have Canadian or other, imported lobster.
[ARCHIVE 2014 to 2017] Conrad Maldives Rangali Island {MDV}
Re: https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/56361515.pdf I appreciate the link but I'm not going to read 209 pages from a thesis done 10 years ago.
As far as Rangali goes, they have most of their vegetables grown on a nearby island, not grown on the staff island BTW (obviously not anywhere enough room for that). And there are other resorts which do the same thing.
Yes, let's hope so. It will help decrease the carbon footprint.
I do apologise as I meant to emphasize that Rangali, as an example, has most of its veges grown locally. I was told that there are other resorts doing this as well, where they can. Obviously it's better to save money, support the locals and go greener.
Shangri-La’s support to local farmers has been recognized with the World Responsible Tourism Award 2015 in the Best Hotel for Local Sourcing category.
Supporting 50 local farming households to provide about 10-15 percent of the hotel’s monthly consumption of fruits and vegetables.
https://www.ifc.org/wps/wcm/connect/...df?MOD=AJPERES
Note that now all lobster is local and they don't have Canadian or other, imported lobster.
[ARCHIVE 2014 to 2017] Conrad Maldives Rangali Island {MDV}
Re: https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/56361515.pdf I appreciate the link but I'm not going to read 209 pages from a thesis done 10 years ago.
As far as Rangali goes, they have most of their vegetables grown on a nearby island, not grown on the staff island BTW (obviously not anywhere enough room for that). And there are other resorts which do the same thing.
Yes, let's hope so. It will help decrease the carbon footprint.
I do apologise as I meant to emphasize that Rangali, as an example, has most of its veges grown locally. I was told that there are other resorts doing this as well, where they can. Obviously it's better to save money, support the locals and go greener.
Supporting 50 local farming households to provide about 10-15 percent of the hotel’s monthly consumption of fruits and vegetables.
https://www.ifc.org/wps/wcm/connect/...df?MOD=AJPERES
Last edited by mb123; Feb 23, 2019 at 3:02 pm
Feb 23, 2019, 3:12 pm
#567
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: SAN
Posts: 1,306
Grand Beach Villa
Both come in two options King bed or “Two-Bedded” (presuming that means two queen beds).
The Beach Villa (both options) were the 120K Points rooms.
Sorry for the confusion with my “standard” wording.
TD
Feb 23, 2019, 7:29 pm
#568
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Back in Hell
Posts: 4,178
Note that now all lobster is local and they don't have Canadian or other, imported lobster.
According to your own post from Feb 2017, #3661 , i guess there was canadian lobster until 2016.
The only certainty is that they had imported lobster at some point in the past.
Feb 23, 2019, 9:07 pm
#569
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Programs: BA Silver, EY Gold, HH Diamond, IHG Plat
Posts: 12,210
I got a friend who is not savvy at all when it comes to travel but he booked this with the instructions he found on his facebook stream. Not exactly a good way for this new hotel to start getting their huge investment back when you can get a 75% discount in seconds.
Feb 23, 2019, 9:54 pm
#570
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Rochester, MN
Programs: UA Silver, Hilton HHonors Diamond, IHG Plat
Posts: 1,830
I am not surprised since this has hit various blogs as to how you can buy points from the ongoing HH points promo and stay at this hotel for only $470 a night instead of the $2000 that they want.
I got a friend who is not savvy at all when it comes to travel but he booked this with the instructions he found on his facebook stream. Not exactly a good way for this new hotel to start getting their huge investment back when you can get a 75% discount in seconds.
I got a friend who is not savvy at all when it comes to travel but he booked this with the instructions he found on his facebook stream. Not exactly a good way for this new hotel to start getting their huge investment back when you can get a 75% discount in seconds.