[ARCHIVE 2020] Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi {MDV}
Jan 5, 2020, 4:57 am
#31
Join Date: Sep 2017
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Platinum, AS MVP Gold, National EE, Hertz PC
Posts: 269
Seeking for advice on how many days to stay at WA Maldives? We currently booked a 5 night stay this Oct but was thinking should I add another day or two, or that 5 nights is more than enough time the enjoy at the property? This is our first time in Maldives.
Our arrival flight is at late night so will stay one night in Hulhumale before transferring to WA next morning, and departure flight at late night again so that will give us almost 6 full days in WA.
Our arrival flight is at late night so will stay one night in Hulhumale before transferring to WA next morning, and departure flight at late night again so that will give us almost 6 full days in WA.
Jan 5, 2020, 5:15 am
#32
Join Date: Apr 2013
Programs: HHonors Diamond; Royal Ambassor
Posts: 478
NYE supplement
Not sure, if anyone already noticed, that the mandatory fees for Christmas and NYE 2020
went up to 512$++ and 920$++, probably still without water included...
But don’t worry it could be worse, St Regis charges 1095++ (2019, maybe more in 2020)
Das
went up to 512$++ and 920$++, probably still without water included...
But don’t worry it could be worse, St Regis charges 1095++ (2019, maybe more in 2020)
Das
Jan 5, 2020, 8:10 am
#33
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 194
Seeking for advice on how many days to stay at WA Maldives? We currently booked a 5 night stay this Oct but was thinking should I add another day or two, or that 5 nights is more than enough time the enjoy at the property? This is our first time in Maldives.
Our arrival flight is at late night so will stay one night in Hulhumale before transferring to WA next morning, and departure flight at late night again so that will give us almost 6 full days in WA.
Our arrival flight is at late night so will stay one night in Hulhumale before transferring to WA next morning, and departure flight at late night again so that will give us almost 6 full days in WA.
Jan 5, 2020, 8:50 am
#34
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 3,725
Can someone post a photo of the recently expanded breakfast selections? Thanks in advance!!
Jan 5, 2020, 10:17 am
#35
Join Date: Mar 2018
Programs: Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold, Le Club Gold, Leaders Club
Posts: 25
Thanks for all the great info in this thread! Does anybody who's been at the WA lately tell me anything about the tennis court? Is it fully operational already? Is there a charge to use it and/or a charge for the equipment? I'm looking forward to my stay in March and tennis is always a big thing for my wife and me during vacation! Thanks a lot 
Jan 5, 2020, 12:38 pm
#36
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: Malta
Programs: HH Gold member
Posts: 4
Happy you had a nice time at CMRI! Our third stay there last week may be an example of the service downgrade that ScubaRoo is referencing (see my posts and discussion on the Conrad forum).
We are at the WA now and we think it is far superior to the Conrad on many levels (just our personal opinion - of course everyone has a different experience and perspective so YMMV).
persoid I am interested to hear about your experiences at both properties: what is your comparison of the hard and soft product at both WA and Conrad? Also, if you were at the WA recently then there is a chance that we overlapped
We are at the WA now and we think it is far superior to the Conrad on many levels (just our personal opinion - of course everyone has a different experience and perspective so YMMV).
persoid I am interested to hear about your experiences at both properties: what is your comparison of the hard and soft product at both WA and Conrad? Also, if you were at the WA recently then there is a chance that we overlapped
Jan 5, 2020, 12:55 pm
#37
Join Date: Oct 2005
Programs: VS, BA, HH Gold
Posts: 397
This will be my first time too...after seeing the activities schedule for the dive shop...I feel like 5 days is too short for me. The biggest miss for me is not including a Saturday on the stay because that's the only day they do whale shark excusions. My vote is to stay longer if you can.
Minimum I have done on a island is 10. I have done 2x separate weeks on a luxury dive live-aboard, 3 dives a day so pretty occupied and varied.
Jan 5, 2020, 1:17 pm
#38
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: Malta
Programs: HH Gold member
Posts: 4
brandonpkt and persoid interested to hear your thoughts on option available to us. Looking at booking early 2021 on points (gold member) and could do 7 nights at WA or 9 nights at CRM...we are with two kids also - 7yrs and 9yrs. I read your comments of past couple of weeks (thanks very nuch for those!) and given that room refurb at CRM would be completed by then, would you go for the extra nights option and stick with CRM? Or 7 nights at WA enough? We are first time visitors to Maldives... Thanks!
Jan 5, 2020, 1:19 pm
#39
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: Malta
Programs: HH Gold member
Posts: 4
I read your posts on the other forum brandonpkt and I'm sorry to hear about your experience. We were at the WA Dec 20-23, and the CRM Dec 23-29. We couldn't book it all at the WA, due to a lack of availability, so we decided to also visit the Conrad again, despite the added transfer cost. It's possible we overlapped at the CRM maybe?
As far as the hard product at both properties goes there's no comparison; the WA is brand new and superior in every aspect. I do agree that the CRM is starting to show its age a bit. I found the service to be comparable at both properties, though we felt much more pressure to "spend" at the WA. Also, the exorbitant price of the yacht transfer at the WA left a very bitter taste. I would not mind paying the higher (yet to be expected) food prices in the Maldives, but I felt that the yacht transfer is designed to rip you off. I hired a private speedboat in 2013 to go visit a local island, and went twice the distance of the WA from Male, and only paid $75.
In terms of natural beauty, I definitely think the Conrad has the edge. It is for this reason that I will be returning to the Conrad. It's what I value most in the Maldives. Hopefully, next year, after the OWV refurbishing project is complete, my experience will be even better.
As far as the hard product at both properties goes there's no comparison; the WA is brand new and superior in every aspect. I do agree that the CRM is starting to show its age a bit. I found the service to be comparable at both properties, though we felt much more pressure to "spend" at the WA. Also, the exorbitant price of the yacht transfer at the WA left a very bitter taste. I would not mind paying the higher (yet to be expected) food prices in the Maldives, but I felt that the yacht transfer is designed to rip you off. I hired a private speedboat in 2013 to go visit a local island, and went twice the distance of the WA from Male, and only paid $75.
In terms of natural beauty, I definitely think the Conrad has the edge. It is for this reason that I will be returning to the Conrad. It's what I value most in the Maldives. Hopefully, next year, after the OWV refurbishing project is complete, my experience will be even better.
Jan 5, 2020, 1:30 pm
#40
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 363
Whether its worth it or not, $650 is way out of my budget for one tour. Does the hotel permit outside tour vendors to pick up at the hotel? If so, are there less expensive options for snorkeling with whale sharks.
Jan 5, 2020, 2:29 pm
#41
Join Date: Apr 2018
Posts: 104
brandonpkt and persoid interested to hear your thoughts on option available to us. Looking at booking early 2021 on points (gold member) and could do 7 nights at WA or 9 nights at CRM...we are with two kids also - 7yrs and 9yrs. I read your comments of past couple of weeks (thanks very nuch for those!) and given that room refurb at CRM would be completed by then, would you go for the extra nights option and stick with CRM? Or 7 nights at WA enough? We are first time visitors to Maldives... Thanks and apologies for multiple posts, just joined and getting up to speed with the site!
Jan 5, 2020, 3:04 pm
#42
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 109
brandonpkt and persoid interested to hear your thoughts on option available to us. Looking at booking early 2021 on points (gold member) and could do 7 nights at WA or 9 nights at CRM...we are with two kids also - 7yrs and 9yrs. I read your comments of past couple of weeks (thanks very nuch for those!) and given that room refurb at CRM would be completed by then, would you go for the extra nights option and stick with CRM? Or 7 nights at WA enough? We are first time visitors to Maldives... Thanks and apologies for multiple posts, just joined and getting up to speed with the site!
If you're after a pure luxurious experience, definitely choose the WA. It is pure luxury hands down, and I obviously agree with @brandonkpt, and many others on this point. If you're after dining experiences and daily spending is not too much of an issue, again choose the WA. That's not to say the Conrad is not luxurious. Without wanting to offend anyone, I would like to offer my opinion that the reason this discussion of a significant drop in level of service at Conrad is happening now is because there's yet an added option available to the Hilton community of travelers. And that option is the WA. If the Conrad was still the "sole" top property in the Hilton portfolio, I'm sure folks would be more forgiving and planning to return to the Conrad, as they've done for years (80% of visitors at the Conrad are repeat guests). Again, that's my opinion.
Now, if you want to be dazzled by natural beauty, as did this entire community for years, and kept going back year after year, choose the Conrad. Believe me when I say that the water and its colors are more beautiful at the Conrad. But with the caveat that beauty is always in the eye of the beholder. If you enjoy snorkeling, again choose the Conrad.
My personal experience was that the level of service had not dropped at the Conrad. I may even say that it was even slightly better in 2019 than in 2018. Yes, they lost the tea hour, but I personally did not miss it. There was plenty of alcohol to go around, and a good time was had every afternoon during the happy hour.
With the Conrad, you'd still be choosing one of the best, if not the best Hilton property in the world (I've been to Conrad Bora Bora, Conrad Koh Samui and WA, and still think the views at the CM are unmatched).
Depending on how far you're traveling to get to the Maldives, you'll want to choose whether to stay 7 nights or 9 nights, but even if you were to pick the WA, I think 7 days should be sufficient to experience the Maldives. Your decision could also be based on how likely you are to return to the Maldives to either of the two properties. If you were to return, I'd start with the Conrad this time for 9 nights. You would not go wrong with any of the two choices in my opinion.
Those are my two cents. Good luck!
Jan 5, 2020, 3:14 pm
#43
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 109
Staying 7 nights at WA
7*120 = 840k points
total: 840k points
Staying 9 nights at Conrad
9 x 95k = 855k points
total: 855k points
vs Staying 5 nights at each of both properties
4 x 120k = 480k points + fifth night free
4 * 95k = 380k points + fifth night free
total: 860k points
Jan 5, 2020, 10:14 pm
#44
Join Date: Feb 2019
Posts: 14
Thanks for all the great info in this thread! Does anybody who's been at the WA lately tell me anything about the tennis court? Is it fully operational already? Is there a charge to use it and/or a charge for the equipment? I'm looking forward to my stay in March and tennis is always a big thing for my wife and me during vacation! Thanks a lot
Obviously a gaudy picture because I’m in it...we were there early November and it was good to go...I did not inquire about fees or anything. I was waiting for Serena Williams to show up but she never did.
Jan 6, 2020, 1:23 am
#45
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: Malta
Programs: HH Gold member
Posts: 4
Jamal06 makes an important point here. Make sure to maximize for the 5th night free. You may be able to get 5 nights at each property depending on how you structure the booking. And given that you've got gold status, you should be eligible. If you've already thought of this, please disregard.
Staying 7 nights at WA
7*120 = 840k points
total: 840k points
Staying 9 nights at Conrad
9 x 95k = 855k points
total: 855k points
vs Staying 5 nights at each of both properties
4 x 120k = 480k points + fifth night free
4 * 95k = 380k points + fifth night free
total: 860k points
Staying 7 nights at WA
7*120 = 840k points
total: 840k points
Staying 9 nights at Conrad
9 x 95k = 855k points
total: 855k points
vs Staying 5 nights at each of both properties
4 x 120k = 480k points + fifth night free
4 * 95k = 380k points + fifth night free
total: 860k points
Ahhhhh, I hadn't thought of that or factored it in. Thanks very much persoid and Jamal06 !!!