lhrhappy

The 10% service charge is distributed among all the workers, not diverted straight to your housekeeper. So, it probably doesn't make as much difference as you think.

MS02113

Perhaps Hilton corporate pays the service charge as a percentage of the reimbursement rate for reward stays? I have no idea. Of course, corporate doesn't pay anywhere near going rate unless occupancy is high.

lhrhappy

My guess is that Hilton corporate reimburses at a handsome rate. Otherwise it would not make sense that the resort makes so much award space available, even in water villas.

MaldivesFreak

They may do but there's certainly no incentive to do so considering the fact that the service fee makes up more than half of the average waiter / room boy's wages and they are probably the best treated in the whole country. That and their workers make many times more than the average Maldivian.

MS02113

I don't doubt that employees of Conrad Maldives are relatively well paid. Just curious whether corporate pays taxes and fees tor reward stays or if they're exempt. I realize the rules might vary state to state and country to country.

vnfilm1

Can someone who know please advise of the following :

a) For a return customer who book 7 night or longer, is there any chance to get room upgrade automatically. If so, have anyone received a free upgrade from over water villa to higher category room . If you do not mind, can you please share the room type you get thru an complimentary upgrade at check in . I have not contacted resort to see how much it costs for a paid upgrade since I am O.K with Over Water Villa this time .

b) If my fly home ( out of Male) departs ~ 2:45pm, what a block time frame Conrad can book my sea plane departure schedule ( from Conrad to male airport). Will I able to make a request ( with Conrad) to flight between 10:00am - 11:00am . I tried to understand what time I must be ready and will I have enough time to have a last breakfast at Conrad on my last day.

c) If you get to choose between Superior water villa vs Retreat water villa ( family water villa) , which one will you choose if you do not have to pay money for an upgrade . And why you will choose one over tho other

d) If you ask your host that you want to see certain room for possible future stay , Can your host able to make arrangement to show you different room type .

e) On my last day at Conrad, I book Beach villa room ( using point) because no over water villa available, If I make a request not to move after I arrive at Conrad to stay in the same room until check out , will Conrad grant me my wish or I must move from over water villa to the beach villa as my booking states .

I am checking Conrad website constantly in case over water villa room become available again so that I do have to switch room on last day .
By the way, if anyone has a recommend for 1 night hotel stay ( with reasonable room rate and convenience location in Male) besides Hotel Octave, Please share the hotel name.

Thank you

MaldivesFreak

a) An emphatic no
b) It depends on TMA, not the resort (read my seaplane post which is linked in the wiki, it states this for the return leg). No.
d) Usually OK unless occupied. Extremely unlikely if it's the UWS.
e) You will most likely have to keep to your booking but you might get very lucky and your room may not be occupied on the day of checkout

FleyeSkyHigh

Here's an upgrade experience as a Diamond member on a seven night stay: Booked Premier Water Villa for a stay this September. Upon arrival of the hotel complained about the closure of the small Island restaurants and the long distance to breakfast every morning. Was upgraded to Sunset Villa as a result. Definitely a good trade-off.

lhrhappy

Why were the restaurants closed?

jphripjah

Vilu closed for renovation, supposedly for a month, starting around August 25. Not sure if it is still closed. Breakfast at Mandhoo in the meantime.

Don't know why the post refers to restaurants, plural, being closed. Maybe another one closed too, I don't know.

MaldivesFreak

IINW the Quiet Zone is/was open and the same for Koko Grill. Maybe a typo, maybe an exaggeration.

interactfx

How soon after booking does the resort contact you about potential paid upgrades?

lhrhappy

No idea - I've always been so excited that I contacted them first.

MaldivesFreak

Speaking of upgrades, check this ridiculousness out: Reprehensible Incomprehensibleness and keep reading for the specifics.

FleyeSkyHigh

Definitely not an exaggeration. Wine Cellar also closed for renovations. Then KOKO was closed Wed - Sat (instead of just Wed - Sun. So Quiet Zone was pretty much only option for most of that week on small island. Those still closed when we left are supposedly set to reopen Oct 1st.