[ARCHIVE 2018 to 2019] Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi {MDV}
Feb 24, 2019, 4:16 pm
#586
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: TPA
Programs: British, United,SW, Delta,Iberia,KLM, Qatar, IHG, Hilton, Marriott, Starwood, Radisson, Wyndham,
Posts: 255
Feb 24, 2019, 5:02 pm
#587
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Sydney, Australia
Programs: HH Diamond, Marriott Titanium/LTG, IHG Platinum
Posts: 1,921
As you said in another post, the resort clearly misjudged how many guests would book using points rather than those paying cash. But anyway, points guests will still spend a tonne of money there ... I expect $20 to be charged for 750ml bottles of water at the restaurants. And then there's that US$912 for a 30 minute boat trip to and from the resort.
The resort should have had an opening "special" rate to attract guests but they went the opposite way and started 'high'. I guess when you are asking for $2,000++ per night, you start opening up many other resort options including some with water slides from the upper level of water villas into the Indian Ocean.
Feb 24, 2019, 5:27 pm
#588
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Homeless
Programs: Hyatt Glob; Hilton Dia; Marriott AMB; Accor Dia; IHG Dia Amb; GHA Tit
Posts: 4,835
Not doubting what you say, but where is it? I am curious to see if WA will be better than those places in other aspects in order to justify the price.
Feb 24, 2019, 5:59 pm
#589
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: SAN
Posts: 1,306
Feb 24, 2019, 6:01 pm
#590
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Sydney, Australia
Programs: HH Diamond, Marriott Titanium/LTG, IHG Platinum
Posts: 1,921
Just the dates that I am booked in July, St Regis has rates around the $1200 mark for an over water property, whilst WA has the Asia Pac sale right now asking $1450 for beach villa. Before that, WA was asking for $2100. The Soneva Jani which has the water slide in their overwater villas for $1900, for the same dates.
Feb 24, 2019, 9:49 pm
#591
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Back in Hell
Posts: 4,178
And to those of you making dummy bookings, presumably you are doing 10 rooms for one night each, correct? Not 10 rooms for multiple nights each.
Feb 25, 2019, 12:47 am
#592
Join Date: May 2013
Location: GVA, BSL, ZRH
Programs: A3*, HH, club carlson: all gold and bonvoy plat
Posts: 466
Just checked my dates (there were 9 available 1 week ago): today only 6!
Feb 25, 2019, 7:01 am
#593
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 158
Just the dates that I am booked in July, St Regis has rates around the $1200 mark for an over water property, whilst WA has the Asia Pac sale right now asking $1450 for beach villa. Before that, WA was asking for $2100. The Soneva Jani which has the water slide in their overwater villas for $1900, for the same dates.
Feb 25, 2019, 9:21 am
#594
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Naples - Chicago - Park City
Programs: UA 1K Million Miler, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Plat, Amex Plat
Posts: 290
Considering biting on a 5-night points stay @ WA. Just out of curiosity, is the $740 +taxes +service RT boat transfer the highest in the Maldives? Just a quick perusal of some other properties it seems like it is, even more than seaplane transfers. Amortized over 5 nights we're talking $300+/night for a couple. It's obviously not about the money, per se, as the point redemption is a tremendous value, but it does leave a bit of a bad taste as it seems excessive.
Feb 25, 2019, 10:26 am
#595
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: IAD
Programs: United, AA, Hilton
Posts: 340
I've started looking for private operators to do transfers to Walfdorf. It looks like Waldorf is only 15 Miles from the airport. It looks like speedboats are going for $25 a mile, so that should be about $375 one way for as many people as the boat can hold. Waiting for Atoll Transfers to get back to me though.
Feb 25, 2019, 10:40 am
#596
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: MCI
Programs: AA Gold 1MM, AS MVP, UA Silver, WN A-List, Marriott LT Titanium, HH Diamond
Posts: 52,555
I've scrolled up in this thread for a hundred or so posts: is there any data yet on doing paid upgrades from a beach villa to an OWV?
I'm still leaning towards a Conrad booking at 380k for 5 nights, plus probably $100-150 to get a better OWV than the base one. This would be an extra 100,000 HH points, plus a higher upgrade fee (I would assume), but might be tempting to get the newer hotel and the higher W=A service level.
BTW, the 120k base beach villa here actually looks more amazing than most of the upgraded types at the Conrad. My wife has the idea of an OWV in her mind though, and I think if we fly all that way we'll want to be overwater. Otherwise we'd just grab some other high-end resort closer to our other planned destinations in Asia.
I'm still leaning towards a Conrad booking at 380k for 5 nights, plus probably $100-150 to get a better OWV than the base one. This would be an extra 100,000 HH points, plus a higher upgrade fee (I would assume), but might be tempting to get the newer hotel and the higher W=A service level.
BTW, the 120k base beach villa here actually looks more amazing than most of the upgraded types at the Conrad. My wife has the idea of an OWV in her mind though, and I think if we fly all that way we'll want to be overwater. Otherwise we'd just grab some other high-end resort closer to our other planned destinations in Asia.
Feb 25, 2019, 10:43 am
#597
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 158
I've scrolled up in this thread for a hundred or so posts: is there any data yet on doing paid upgrades from a beach villa to an OWV?
I'm still leaning towards a Conrad booking at 380k for 5 nights, plus probably $100-150 to get a better OWV than the base one. This would be an extra 100,000 HH points, plus a higher upgrade fee (I would assume), but might be tempting to get the newer hotel and the higher W=A service level.
BTW, the 120k base beach villa here actually looks more amazing than most of the upgraded types at the Conrad. My wife has the idea of an OWV in her mind though, and I think if we fly all that way we'll want to be overwater. Otherwise we'd just grab some other high-end resort closer to our other planned destinations in Asia.
I'm still leaning towards a Conrad booking at 380k for 5 nights, plus probably $100-150 to get a better OWV than the base one. This would be an extra 100,000 HH points, plus a higher upgrade fee (I would assume), but might be tempting to get the newer hotel and the higher W=A service level.
BTW, the 120k base beach villa here actually looks more amazing than most of the upgraded types at the Conrad. My wife has the idea of an OWV in her mind though, and I think if we fly all that way we'll want to be overwater. Otherwise we'd just grab some other high-end resort closer to our other planned destinations in Asia.
$400+t for Over Water Villa
Feb 25, 2019, 11:03 am
#598
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: IAD
Programs: United, AA, Hilton
Posts: 340
I will take the poor mans watervilla any day of the week, Especially with $700+ pp round trip boat transfers for a 30 minute ride....for that cost I'd rather take the seaplane and get there in 5 minutes.
Feb 25, 2019, 11:05 am
#599
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: So Cal
Posts: 933
I was quoted the same prices. I had a similar style room as the reef villa when I stayed at Hilton Moorea, and thought it was a great room. Deck over water, but close enough on land to ice, restaurants, etc. Still looking for more data points before I make a selection.
Feb 25, 2019, 11:47 am
#600
Join Date: Apr 2013
Programs: HHonors Diamond; Royal Ambassor
Posts: 475
Considering biting on a 5-night points stay @ WA. Just out of curiosity, is the $740 +taxes +service RT boat transfer the highest in the Maldives? Just a quick perusal of some other properties it seems like it is, even more than seaplane transfers. Amortized over 5 nights we're talking $300+/night for a couple. It's obviously not about the money, per se, as the point redemption is a tremendous value, but it does leave a bit of a bad taste as it seems excessive.
Other resorts like Cheval Blanc, Velaa, St.Regis... are offering private transfers with similar yachts, approx. costs 2500-3000 ++ p.hour.