[ARCHIVE 2018 to 2019] Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi {MDV}
May 4, 2019, 8:01 pm
#766
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: SAN
Posts: 1,306
I recently inquired about an overwater villa upgrade and was suggested a reef villa since it's half the price of the overwater villa upgrade and the whole back deck is over water. I inquired about more pictures since there doesn't seem to be much for the one bedroom reef villa and got this response:
"We are currently in the process of our island/villas photoshoot and we hope to have them published by the end of May 2019."
So hopefully we'll have more/real pictures to work with of the resort by the end of the month. Can't wait!
"We are currently in the process of our island/villas photoshoot and we hope to have them published by the end of May 2019."
So hopefully we'll have more/real pictures to work with of the resort by the end of the month. Can't wait!
TD
May 4, 2019, 8:04 pm
#767
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: SAN
Posts: 1,306
TD
May 11, 2019, 11:01 am
#768
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 3
Contacted them by email and they said that pictures will be posted on their site during June (not May as they apparently said earlier), only renditions until that.
They also confirmed that private transfers are possible however they don't take any responsibility (etc. etc.) for those and don't recommend them, surprise surprise. But it is possible!
I believe Gold member breakfast was already confirmed earlier in the chain but this is what they said: "You will be entitled for daily breakfast at our all day dining restaurant, Tasting Table."
They also confirmed that private transfers are possible however they don't take any responsibility (etc. etc.) for those and don't recommend them, surprise surprise. But it is possible!
I believe Gold member breakfast was already confirmed earlier in the chain but this is what they said: "You will be entitled for daily breakfast at our all day dining restaurant, Tasting Table."
May 11, 2019, 12:24 pm
#769
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: SAN
Posts: 1,306
I am inclined to believe it will be more in line with the free breakfast at the Conrad Bora Bora that I have experienced than my Bakersfield Holiday Inn options
TD
May 11, 2019, 8:44 pm
#770
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: SAN
Posts: 1,306
Pictures I saw on booking.com
They look virtual, but don’t recall seeing them before. Thought others might be interested.
TD
TD
May 12, 2019, 2:00 am
#771
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Perth, Australia
Posts: 37
Here is an interesting summary of the transfer options of various resorts on thepointsguy website (hope it is OK to repeat here):
https://thepointsguy.com/guide/hotel...fees-maldives/
The Waldorf price certainly stands out! It will be interesting to hear feedback on other transfer options people use & if Waldorf give people any hassles (or reconsiders their pricing) once they open.
Of course I suspect the Waldorf "yacht" will be somewhat different to your average speedboat!
Prices are US$ Round-trip Cost Per Person
MarriottSt. Regis Maldives Vommuli Seaplane $695
MarriottW Maldives Seaplane $475
MarriottWestin Maldives Miriandhoo Seaplane $475
MarriottJW Marriott Maldives Seaplane $600
HiltonConrad Maldives Rangali Island Seaplane $526
HyattPark Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa Dom flight &speedboat $520
HiltonSAii Lagoon, Curio by Hilton Speedboat $135 (about 15 mins)
MarriottSheraton Maldives Full Moon Speedboat $142 (about 15 mins)
IHGHoliday Inn Resort Kandooma Speedboat $229 (about 45 mins)
HiltonWaldorf Astoria Maldives Speedboat $912 (about 30 mins)
(sorry, I can't seem to get the formatting looking right - see the website for better formatting)
https://thepointsguy.com/guide/hotel...fees-maldives/
The Waldorf price certainly stands out! It will be interesting to hear feedback on other transfer options people use & if Waldorf give people any hassles (or reconsiders their pricing) once they open.
Of course I suspect the Waldorf "yacht" will be somewhat different to your average speedboat!
Prices are US$ Round-trip Cost Per Person
MarriottSt. Regis Maldives Vommuli Seaplane $695
MarriottW Maldives Seaplane $475
MarriottWestin Maldives Miriandhoo Seaplane $475
MarriottJW Marriott Maldives Seaplane $600
HiltonConrad Maldives Rangali Island Seaplane $526
HyattPark Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa Dom flight &speedboat $520
HiltonSAii Lagoon, Curio by Hilton Speedboat $135 (about 15 mins)
MarriottSheraton Maldives Full Moon Speedboat $142 (about 15 mins)
IHGHoliday Inn Resort Kandooma Speedboat $229 (about 45 mins)
HiltonWaldorf Astoria Maldives Speedboat $912 (about 30 mins)
(sorry, I can't seem to get the formatting looking right - see the website for better formatting)
Last edited by gaz1; May 12, 2019 at 9:11 pm
May 12, 2019, 12:46 pm
#772
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Back in Hell
Posts: 4,178
Good to see the kids pool is quite a distance from the adults pool.
@gaz1 Thanks for posting. It would have been good if TPG included the distances from MLE so we could get an even clearer picture of the costs.....so not really an 'Ultimate Guide' as the article's title says.
@gaz1 Thanks for posting. It would have been good if TPG included the distances from MLE so we could get an even clearer picture of the costs.....so not really an 'Ultimate Guide' as the article's title says.
May 12, 2019, 9:15 pm
#773
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Perth, Australia
Posts: 37
I've added the approx speedboat transfer time to my previous post based on the info I could find.
Interestingly Waldorf says that their transfer is shared, so you could even be waiting for other people (or waiting for the boat to come back assuming they don't have a few of them)!
I wonder if they will offer a speedboat option at some stage? Even with a large markup it would still be an attractive option that would probably encourage more people to stay there.
May 13, 2019, 12:27 pm
#774
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 194
update to my current transfer situation.
Currently booked one night at SAii Lagoon Maldives for $550.38/night + $135+tax/person RT transfers + atoll transfer to WA (estimating $240) comes to $1,060.
Just saw a rate at the SAii Lagoon Maldives for $597.20 for a "24 hour stopover" which includes RT speedboat transfer + atoll transfer to WA (about $240) for a total of $820 to save about $240!
Currently booked one night at SAii Lagoon Maldives for $550.38/night + $135+tax/person RT transfers + atoll transfer to WA (estimating $240) comes to $1,060.
Just saw a rate at the SAii Lagoon Maldives for $597.20 for a "24 hour stopover" which includes RT speedboat transfer + atoll transfer to WA (about $240) for a total of $820 to save about $240!
May 13, 2019, 3:08 pm
#775
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 31
update to my current transfer situation.
Currently booked one night at SAii Lagoon Maldives for $550.38/night + $135+tax/person RT transfers + atoll transfer to WA (estimating $240) comes to $1,060.
Just saw a rate at the SAii Lagoon Maldives for $597.20 for a "24 hour stopover" which includes RT speedboat transfer + atoll transfer to WA (about $240) for a total of $820 to save about $240!
Currently booked one night at SAii Lagoon Maldives for $550.38/night + $135+tax/person RT transfers + atoll transfer to WA (estimating $240) comes to $1,060.
Just saw a rate at the SAii Lagoon Maldives for $597.20 for a "24 hour stopover" which includes RT speedboat transfer + atoll transfer to WA (about $240) for a total of $820 to save about $240!
May 13, 2019, 5:41 pm
#776
Join Date: Apr 2019
Posts: 119
I get that the resort may have to transfer managers and stuff between island. But it's quite odd that they painted a whole seaplane to the Waldorf branding. Which means it may serve another purpose when the resort opens. hmmmmmm
May 13, 2019, 11:21 pm
#777
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Perth, Australia
Posts: 37
Maybe that's why the transfer is so expensive if they have their own seaplane (a De Havilland DHC-6-300 Twin Otter) & not a yacht after all?
Seems unlikely of course when a speedboat would be more convenient for such a short trip.
Interesting that it is owned by Trans Maldivian Airways & doesn't seem to have made any stops at the Waldorf to date, so maybe it is just paid advertising?
www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/8q-tmg
Update:
Yep, the plane is built in 1978 (with an interesting history!) & this website seems to indicate it is just advertising:
http://twinotterarchive.com/DHC-6_597.html
Seems unlikely of course when a speedboat would be more convenient for such a short trip.
Interesting that it is owned by Trans Maldivian Airways & doesn't seem to have made any stops at the Waldorf to date, so maybe it is just paid advertising?
www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/8q-tmg
Update:
Yep, the plane is built in 1978 (with an interesting history!) & this website seems to indicate it is just advertising:
http://twinotterarchive.com/DHC-6_597.html
Last edited by gaz1; May 13, 2019 at 11:27 pm
May 13, 2019, 11:34 pm
#778
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Back in Hell
Posts: 4,178
It's advertising. The Conrad has a seaplane painted with its colours and logo but it's just a normal seaplane like all the other seaplanes and runs wherever TMA wants it to run, read anywhere and everywhere.
May 13, 2019, 11:50 pm
#779
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: ZRH
Programs: M&M SEN (*G), HH Diamond
Posts: 2,418
There was a seaplane with Conrad livery (gold and blue), 8Q-TMZ, we had it on our very first trip in 2014. But now it is painted in regular red and white TMA livery again (has been since at least 2016).
May 13, 2019, 11:52 pm
#780
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Sydney, Australia
Programs: HH Diamond, Marriott Titanium/LTG, IHG Platinum
Posts: 1,921
Personally I prefer to take the yacht, I would even take the speedboat rather than any seaplane [purely because I am a chicken when it comes to flying small planes]