[ARCHIVE 2018 to 2019] Conrad Maldives Rangali Island {MDV}
Oct 4, 2018, 11:49 am
#1846
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Back in Hell
Posts: 4,178
Thanks for the valuable post! Hope your stay gets better!
Oct 4, 2018, 11:59 am
#1847
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Back in Hell
Posts: 4,178
Just thought of a great idea for the sunken treasure activity; instead of it being gold coins and bullion, they should have bottles of Evian and Voss.....
You're a bit out of the loop, guv. The new Bond film's villain will indeed have the Muraka as one of his lairs.
Last edited by MaldivesFreak; Oct 4, 2018 at 12:04 pm
Oct 4, 2018, 12:03 pm
#1848
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: ZRH
Programs: M&M SEN (*G), HH Diamond
Posts: 2,418
Yes, fortunately, no one was hurt when the dhoni sunk - they were not carrying any passengers.
And there is some villain here, although i don't know his name. A guy from the UK apparently, and everyone from the UK knew him and wanted his picture taken at MLE. He's here with his extended family of about 40 people, including 17 kids...
And there is some villain here, although i don't know his name. A guy from the UK apparently, and everyone from the UK knew him and wanted his picture taken at MLE. He's here with his extended family of about 40 people, including 17 kids...
Oct 4, 2018, 12:35 pm
#1849
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Back in Hell
Posts: 4,178
And I'll make another bet. Vilu had an infestation.....oh yeah, and they changed the counter, too.
Oct 4, 2018, 12:38 pm
#1850
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 105
Had a couple of quick questions. Trying to plan on being here with another couple (they have no status or any of the cards, we have gold and diamond (ascent and aspire)). It'll be us+our 2 year old and them+their 2 year old.
1. Can the free night certs book a WV or just the BV?
2. Can I use the free nights to book rooms for friends? Do diamond benefits apply to the booking?
3. If I pay straight cash via my Asprie card and book for them (assuming I can do this), do diamond benefits apply for the booking?
4. If i do 3 free nights and 2 cash for them, do benefits apply for the reservation?
We will be there with them for this trip. Ideally we'd like to have WV close to each other. Wondering if this is doable.
1. Can the free night certs book a WV or just the BV?
2. Can I use the free nights to book rooms for friends? Do diamond benefits apply to the booking?
3. If I pay straight cash via my Asprie card and book for them (assuming I can do this), do diamond benefits apply for the booking?
4. If i do 3 free nights and 2 cash for them, do benefits apply for the reservation?
We will be there with them for this trip. Ideally we'd like to have WV close to each other. Wondering if this is doable.
Oct 4, 2018, 1:58 pm
#1851
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Back in Hell
Posts: 4,178
Had a couple of quick questions. Trying to plan on being here with another couple (they have no status or any of the cards, we have gold and diamond (ascent and aspire)). It'll be us+our 2 year old and them+their 2 year old.
1. Can the free night certs book a WV or just the BV?
2. Can I use the free nights to book rooms for friends? Do diamond benefits apply to the booking?
3. If I pay straight cash via my Asprie card and book for them (assuming I can do this), do diamond benefits apply for the booking?
4. If i do 3 free nights and 2 cash for them, do benefits apply for the reservation?
We will be there with them for this trip. Ideally we'd like to have WV close to each other. Wondering if this is doable.
1. Can the free night certs book a WV or just the BV?
2. Can I use the free nights to book rooms for friends? Do diamond benefits apply to the booking?
3. If I pay straight cash via my Asprie card and book for them (assuming I can do this), do diamond benefits apply for the booking?
4. If i do 3 free nights and 2 cash for them, do benefits apply for the reservation?
We will be there with them for this trip. Ideally we'd like to have WV close to each other. Wondering if this is doable.
2. Sure. See below.
3. Yes, you can do that. See below.
4. Yes, same conditions apply (whatever they may be) because it will be a single, 5-night booking (the reservations department there will merge the certs & cash bookings into one).
5. You can request adjacent villas but there is no guarantee you'll be next to or even close to each other.
Gold and Diamond benefits apply if there is a Gold or Diamond member staying in the room that is under their name. The benefits will not apply to a second room (or third, fourth etc) if the first room's member is Gold or Diamond and there are no Golds or Diamonds staying in the second room.
Oct 4, 2018, 3:14 pm
#1852
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 105
1. Both.
2. Sure. See below.
3. Yes, you can do that. See below.
4. Yes, same conditions apply (whatever they may be) because it will be a single, 5-night booking (the reservations department there will merge the certs & cash bookings into one).
5. You can request adjacent villas but there is no guarantee you'll be next to or even close to each other.
Gold and Diamond benefits apply if there is a Gold or Diamond member staying in the room that is under their name. The benefits will not apply to a second room (or third, fourth etc) if the first room's member is Gold or Diamond and there are no Golds or Diamonds staying in the second room.
2. Sure. See below.
3. Yes, you can do that. See below.
4. Yes, same conditions apply (whatever they may be) because it will be a single, 5-night booking (the reservations department there will merge the certs & cash bookings into one).
5. You can request adjacent villas but there is no guarantee you'll be next to or even close to each other.
Gold and Diamond benefits apply if there is a Gold or Diamond member staying in the room that is under their name. The benefits will not apply to a second room (or third, fourth etc) if the first room's member is Gold or Diamond and there are no Golds or Diamonds staying in the second room.
Oct 4, 2018, 3:49 pm
#1853
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: CT
Programs: HH Diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 429
I'm sure it can be done-- I know I've done it on a number of cruises where I have elite status, but wouldn't be easier to have them just open a Hilton card on their own?
Oct 4, 2018, 3:54 pm
#1854
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: CT
Programs: HH Diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 429
When we returned from our trip this June we knew we had found one of our new favorite spots, so we just ended up booking another week in April. This time I was able to get the Apartments on EY instead of business, so I think this trip might even be more special!
Oct 4, 2018, 8:06 pm
#1855
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Sydney, Australia
Programs: HH Diamond, Marriott Titanium/LTG, IHG Platinum
Posts: 1,921
Oct 4, 2018, 9:48 pm
#1856
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Back in Hell
Posts: 4,178
Penny pinching with the clear stuff
Here's another complaint about being charged for water
This time the Conrad got lucky and still got a 5-star rating. Original review is here. Note that the reviewer is not a CC blogger nor a cheapskate, 3rd time in the Maldives and Hilton Abu Dhabi and Conrad Dubai before her 14 nights at Rangali. The review makes a couple of other good points that management could take note of.
Overall we have pretty much spent every day since we came back trying to work out how we can go again! Loved it, relaxing, tranquil, top notch service. All of this does however come at a price, sometimes a vastly over inflated price and please don't charge for water in the restaurants, that really feels like penny pinching after anyone going there has paid A LOT, then A LOT more for food, please water can easily be free.
Oct 5, 2018, 1:41 am
#1857
Join Date: Apr 2013
Programs: HHonors Diamond; Royal Ambassor
Posts: 478
Why do you all complain about the management?
Even on vacation (according to Goliaths post), Steffano is commenting the TripAdvisor reviews. It seems he has taken his text modules on vacation.
Even on vacation (according to Goliaths post), Steffano is commenting the TripAdvisor reviews. It seems he has taken his text modules on vacation.
Oct 5, 2018, 1:44 am
#1858
Join Date: May 2016
Location: HK
Programs: IHG Spire Elite Ambassador, Hilton Diamond, Aegan Gold, British Airways Bronze
Posts: 182
Internet:
The new internet system was advertised as a "new and improved, much faster system". However, it is painfully slow compared to previous stays. At most times, it's really impossible to get any work done remotely and browsing is a PITA. Let's not even try to stream anything...
I have just started downloading a Windows Update (15.9MB) and it is now at 24% after 10 minutes.
speedtest.net reports a download rate of 0.28mbit/s to a server in Male (that equals 2.1MB/min), I haven't tried an overseas server.
The new WiFi system now requires a login (room no. + last name). What for? It's not like there would be anybody on the island that should not be allowed to use the guest WiFi. Unless they wanna track our surfing habits - than it all makes sense. When changing locations (like going from your room to reception) sometimes you lose this connection and you have to go back to the login page and you will be connected without having to enter your room no. + last name.
I think I wrote after our last visit a year ago that the inernet speed had improved significantly. If it had improved 10 times until a year ago, it is now 50 times worse.
The new internet system was advertised as a "new and improved, much faster system". However, it is painfully slow compared to previous stays. At most times, it's really impossible to get any work done remotely and browsing is a PITA. Let's not even try to stream anything...
I have just started downloading a Windows Update (15.9MB) and it is now at 24% after 10 minutes.
speedtest.net reports a download rate of 0.28mbit/s to a server in Male (that equals 2.1MB/min), I haven't tried an overseas server.
The new WiFi system now requires a login (room no. + last name). What for? It's not like there would be anybody on the island that should not be allowed to use the guest WiFi. Unless they wanna track our surfing habits - than it all makes sense. When changing locations (like going from your room to reception) sometimes you lose this connection and you have to go back to the login page and you will be connected without having to enter your room no. + last name.
I think I wrote after our last visit a year ago that the inernet speed had improved significantly. If it had improved 10 times until a year ago, it is now 50 times worse.
I have to say that based on the recent reviews, I'm a little bit worried about my upcoming trip to Conrad. It does seem that service and food quality dropped down quite a bit since the new GM took over? I think that might be penny wise and pound foolish since on one hand they make a massive investment in the Muraka and on the other hand they are lowering the perceived quality of the resort...
Oct 5, 2018, 1:53 am
#1859
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: SJC
Programs: AA, AS, Marriott
Posts: 6,064
Oct 5, 2018, 2:34 am
#1860
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Back in Hell
Posts: 4,178
Second, every single one of his (Stefano's) replies on TA are C+P'd (that's 'cut & pasted' JICYDK) generic replies. Also, they are carbon copies of Lyle's comments, and yes, I do read every single one of them so this is a fact. Since he took over he has almost never written anything himself.
Third, I'm almost 100% certain that his assistant posts replies for him when he is on holiday and probably most of the time anyway when there is nothing negative in a review.
Last edited by MaldivesFreak; Oct 5, 2018 at 12:48 pm