[ARCHIVE 2018 to 2019] Conrad Maldives Rangali Island {MDV}
Dec 2, 2018, 7:34 pm
#2236
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Kailua Kona, HI , USA
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold, Marriott Titanium, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, IHG Plat Amb
Posts: 265
My suggestion is from personal experience when my flight got delayed by an hour and we missed the last sea plane out. Only option was to wait around till 11pm for a Domestic flight to a nearby island and then a 45min transfer via a boat to Conrad in the middle of the night.
When I was waiting at the airport from 4pm till 11pm I tried my best to figure out a quicker and better way of getting there but there wasn't and the airplane and boat transfer ended up costing almost the same as a 45min sea plane.
Feel free to figure out a way to get to local islands and then to Conrad. Just saying that you won't save much with all the hassle that you will go through. Also what guarantee will you have that a local boat will pick you up from Conrad on the way back. What if they don't? You miss your flight from Male?
The kids are half price anyway for a sea plane. Take pot noodles and skip a couple of meals. That will save you more or less what you will save on the sea plane and trust me you will have a much easier stay.
When I was waiting at the airport from 4pm till 11pm I tried my best to figure out a quicker and better way of getting there but there wasn't and the airplane and boat transfer ended up costing almost the same as a 45min sea plane.
Feel free to figure out a way to get to local islands and then to Conrad. Just saying that you won't save much with all the hassle that you will go through. Also what guarantee will you have that a local boat will pick you up from Conrad on the way back. What if they don't? You miss your flight from Male?
The kids are half price anyway for a sea plane. Take pot noodles and skip a couple of meals. That will save you more or less what you will save on the sea plane and trust me you will have a much easier stay.
Dec 2, 2018, 9:56 pm
#2237
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: So Cal
Posts: 937
@brodielayne. Thanks so much for the info the guests arriving on international flight until16.00 can get on the seaplane. I much prefer to go straight to th Conrad Maldives. MaldivesFreak had responded to my initial post by telling me to overnight in MLE. I don't know if he was just thinking of the most efficient way to go by getting there very early. I'd prefer to get there in the late afternoon and start my Maldives vacation especially because I have 7 days. Which carrier did you fy in on and what time did you arrive. One hour from airplane seat to the seaplane terminal seems amazing and the fruits of good karma.
@brodielayne. I forgot to ask if you had checked bags or just carryon?
Dec 2, 2018, 10:12 pm
#2238
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Kailua Kona, HI , USA
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold, Marriott Titanium, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, IHG Plat Amb
Posts: 265
What is the going price to upgrade to DWV form WV? I will be there for 7 days. I don't imagine that upgrades for Diamonds is the norm, and I'd like to guarantee the better room. MaldivesFreak said in his wiki that with a longer stay like ours one could negotiate the pre-paid upgrade price. Has anyone had any experience with this or just pre-paying for an upgrade. Thanks!
Dec 2, 2018, 11:14 pm
#2239
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: MUC
Programs: LH Sen, HH Diamond, IC RA
Posts: 313
The last few times and also on our upcoming stay we arrive with the same Etihad flight at 2pm. Never had a problem to catch a seaplane, even with checked luggage. Our longest wait in the seaplane lounge was 2 hours, so you may arrive at around 5-6pm Rangali time (Male +1h) at the resort.
Dec 2, 2018, 11:32 pm
#2240
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Kailua Kona, HI , USA
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold, Marriott Titanium, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, IHG Plat Amb
Posts: 265
The last few times and also on our upcoming stay we arrive with the same Etihad flight at 2pm. Never had a problem to catch a seaplane, even with checked luggage. Our longest wait in the seaplane lounge was 2 hours, so you may arrive at around 5-6pm Rangali time (Male +1h) at the resort.
Dec 2, 2018, 11:42 pm
#2241
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Back in Hell
Posts: 4,178
FEI, when Hilton was given notice at Iru Fushi they were only given 24hrs notice but the new owners honoured existing reservations. I don't think any new outfit would cancel all existing reservations. That would be financial suicide. At least temporarily.
From what I read. those holding existing reservations who had not yet arrived at the resort were sent an email and given the choice of cancellation. I don't know how long the period was to confirm or reject / cancel their reservations or even if there was a timeframe. You could probably find out though if you did enough digging on the net. The resort's TA page would be a good place to start. Emailing Hilton USA and asking would probably be the best way to find out what the current procedure would be.
You are there for 6N/7D, correct? 7 days will fly by like you wouldn't believe. If you do decide to get to MLE a day early and overnight there, you'll have approximately an extra 8hrs at the resort which works out to half a day of daylight. A bit 50/50, this one. The choice is yours.
Commonplace in the Maldives. Very small airport.
Dec 2, 2018, 11:49 pm
#2242
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Back in Hell
Posts: 4,178
What is the going price to upgrade to DWV form WV? I will be there for 7 days. I don't imagine that upgrades for Diamonds is the norm, and I'd like to guarantee the better room. MaldivesFreak said in his wiki that with a longer stay like ours one could negotiate the pre-paid upgrade price. Has anyone had any experience with this or just pre-paying for an upgrade. Thanks!
As far as negotiation goes, there are plenty of folks in this thread who have had success getting a little more off. But as you know. it does depend on a lot of factors though.
Dec 3, 2018, 1:18 am
#2243
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Kailua Kona, HI , USA
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold, Marriott Titanium, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, IHG Plat Amb
Posts: 265
[QUOTE=MaldivesFreak;30492690]
First of all, your flight could easily be delayed an hour and if it was, it would be very touch and go.
You are there for 6N/7D, correct? 7 days will fly by like you wouldn't believe. If you do decide to get to MLE a day early and overnight there, you'll have approximately an extra 8hrs at the resort which works out to half a day of daylight. A bit 50/50, this one. The choice is yours.
I understand your thinking now, MaldivesFreak. You were advising us to arrive in MLE a day earlier. Unfortunately, we can't because we have an amazing stay at Al Maha in the desert outside of Dubai from 2/25- 3/2/19. We planned on taking a taxi to Abu Dhabi after checking out, and the next morning at 8:40 AM taking Etihad to MLE. We are using AA miles to fly biz. I checked and Emirates has a 9:40 flight on 3/2/18 that gets to MLE at 3PM. They don't have anything later. We'd have to check out of Al Maha early & Emirates charges way more miles and taxes. Do you know another routing that could get us from DXB- MLE on 3/2/18? Even if possible, it might be quite a let down from Al Maha to stay in MLE overnight.
First of all, your flight could easily be delayed an hour and if it was, it would be very touch and go.
You are there for 6N/7D, correct? 7 days will fly by like you wouldn't believe. If you do decide to get to MLE a day early and overnight there, you'll have approximately an extra 8hrs at the resort which works out to half a day of daylight. A bit 50/50, this one. The choice is yours.
I understand your thinking now, MaldivesFreak. You were advising us to arrive in MLE a day earlier. Unfortunately, we can't because we have an amazing stay at Al Maha in the desert outside of Dubai from 2/25- 3/2/19. We planned on taking a taxi to Abu Dhabi after checking out, and the next morning at 8:40 AM taking Etihad to MLE. We are using AA miles to fly biz. I checked and Emirates has a 9:40 flight on 3/2/18 that gets to MLE at 3PM. They don't have anything later. We'd have to check out of Al Maha early & Emirates charges way more miles and taxes. Do you know another routing that could get us from DXB- MLE on 3/2/18? Even if possible, it might be quite a let down from Al Maha to stay in MLE overnight.
Dec 3, 2018, 1:24 am
#2244
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Kailua Kona, HI , USA
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold, Marriott Titanium, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, IHG Plat Amb
Posts: 265
@MaldivesFreak. I forgot to add that our CM stay is from 3/3- 3/10/19 (7 nights). Did the people who negotiated a cheaper upgrade price do it by email or phone? Any idea what would be effective to say? How much off did they get?
Dec 3, 2018, 3:29 am
#2245
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: MUC
Programs: LH Sen, HH Diamond, IC RA
Posts: 313
@konaflyer:
If I were you, I would consider/ask for a very late checkout at Al Maha on 03/02 and would change my flight to EY260 03.03. from AUH to Male at 0:45am, which arrives at 06.10 am in Male.
This will save you an overnight stay in AUH. You will probably get the first seaplane to Rangali.
You can spent some time at nearby Yas Island before your flight.
The only inconvenience , ey260 is an A320( only recliner seats, no flat beds)
If I were you, I would consider/ask for a very late checkout at Al Maha on 03/02 and would change my flight to EY260 03.03. from AUH to Male at 0:45am, which arrives at 06.10 am in Male.
This will save you an overnight stay in AUH. You will probably get the first seaplane to Rangali.
You can spent some time at nearby Yas Island before your flight.
The only inconvenience , ey260 is an A320( only recliner seats, no flat beds)
Dec 3, 2018, 5:27 am
#2246
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: DUB-BOS
Programs: various
Posts: 3,692
Agreed, current reservations are almost always honored in these scenarios, however elite benefits are a different story.....
Dec 3, 2018, 7:41 am
#2248
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 253
We are booked for July (10th stay there) BUT worried re sale of resort. Would not stay there without earning HH points ....
Dec 3, 2018, 8:09 am
#2249
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: DUB-BOS
Programs: various
Posts: 3,692
With a value of 0.5cent per HH point that equates to a 25% rebate. Not to be sniffed at when you consider what you wind up spending when visiting Rangali
Dec 3, 2018, 8:17 am
#2250
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: DUB-BOS
Programs: various
Posts: 3,692
I believe they are going clockwise around the island. All the 100's are done and now they are around 223'ish. I expect they take a breather on starting further villa's until after high season