[ARCHIVE 2018 to 2019] Conrad Maldives Rangali Island {MDV}
Feb 15, 2019, 2:17 pm
#3181
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Back in Hell
Posts: 4,178
What’s people’s feeling on here as to what would be fair in their mind - which is personal and each with differ. Enough caveats from me, what do people think?
I was thinking last night when I read all this that I’d be wanting the whole day written off by the GM - I.e. my bill for that day, including room charge plus everything else I spent that day - without exclusion, in my efforts to extricate myself from the mayhem and prevent it destroying my entire stay on the day thereafter - to be zeroised on my bill.
I then reflected on that and ended up feeling that even if the GM agreed to it I’d still not feel suitably compensated for the disruption to what I had bought which is a full relax for the whole duration of the day, and day in the middle that destroys that impacts the entire stay not just that day’s stay.
My post is really just to simply ask what sort of redress, ranging from zero / suck it up right through to a fortune or more - people think they’d be after personally....
I was thinking last night when I read all this that I’d be wanting the whole day written off by the GM - I.e. my bill for that day, including room charge plus everything else I spent that day - without exclusion, in my efforts to extricate myself from the mayhem and prevent it destroying my entire stay on the day thereafter - to be zeroised on my bill.
I then reflected on that and ended up feeling that even if the GM agreed to it I’d still not feel suitably compensated for the disruption to what I had bought which is a full relax for the whole duration of the day, and day in the middle that destroys that impacts the entire stay not just that day’s stay.
My post is really just to simply ask what sort of redress, ranging from zero / suck it up right through to a fortune or more - people think they’d be after personally....
Feb 15, 2019, 2:28 pm
#3182
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Back in Hell
Posts: 4,178
Well, it has to pre-arrange everything with the resort at least a year beforehand. Problem is, they probably wouldn't advertise it on their website. It could be a surprise and only known to the captain and a few others. Then again it may be in their itinerary as a short stop invasion / rampage and that itinerary is only given to the barbarians on board so anyone not a, erm Resident, would not know exactly where HMS Horde would be stopping.
You were told this is a definite plan by Rangali staff? I presume this will coincide with the closure of the second island.
You were told this is a definite plan by Rangali staff? I presume this will coincide with the closure of the second island.
Last edited by MaldivesFreak; Feb 15, 2019 at 4:36 pm
Feb 15, 2019, 4:59 pm
#3184
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: MCI
Programs: AA Gold 1MM, AS MVP, UA Silver, WN A-List, Marriott LT Titanium, HH Diamond
Posts: 52,574
Would definitely be interested to hear if the local staff are willing to reveal the cruise ship schedule. It's the least they can do.
Feb 15, 2019, 7:24 pm
#3185
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: So Cal
Posts: 937
Is that a guess or do you have insight? My trip a few months back my wife and I averaged $1.5k per night, with the upgrade, transfer, food/drink and no excursions. We went a littler hard on the drink, which drove the price up. Hell, my first room service charge was over $500 with a bottle of Havana rum, few sodas, some beers, and a meal for both of us.
Last edited by brodielayne; Feb 15, 2019 at 8:58 pm
Feb 15, 2019, 7:58 pm
#3186
Join Date: Feb 2019
Posts: 1
Major Incident at Conrad Rangali (The World)
I am writing to share a true story, offered in facts only, about the endangerment of a teenage girl at Conrad Rangali, due to the actions of a visitor from The World and the absolutely abhorrent and inexcusable inaction of Conrad Rangali management and staff that could have easily prevented this incident and/or made even a paltry attempt to apologize for/rectify same.
The below is long but warranted and I encourage anyone that has visited this property or is considering a reservation (or indeed any Conrad/Hilton branded property not owned by Hilton) to deeply consider the below, and to challenge Hilton to help rectify the conditions that created a hostile environment, the horrific event itself and the absurdly inadequate follow through and follow up.
Brief Background
My wife and I have just completed a third itinerary on Conrad Rangali Island (2015/2017/2019). Many details and opinions have been shared over the past few days in the significant wake left by the visiting “The World” ship and its visitors. So far, none of the stories have provided the very worst of the experiences hotel guests were subjected to. Below I make an effort to give a strictly factual account of an extraordinarily negative experience my wife and I, but more directly impacted another family of hotel guests, were subjected to by a specific visitor from “The World”.
I have waited to share this report until my wife and I, along with the other family negatively impacted by this series of events, have left the island. Why? In order to afford the hotel management every possible opportunity to explain, apologize for and rectify the situation they created. Additionally, my wife and I strived to salvage a minimum level of service and intimacy while still at the resort prior to our departure and felt the hotel staff, management and the General Manager could retaliate or intimidate us if we shared this story publicly prior to leaving.
I can sadly say that all of the above efforts and good faith on our parts led to zero reaction from the hotel beyond an offer a “safe travels home today” from General Manager. In fact, when all of our upgraded room costs didn’t appear on the final folio/bill I wondered if finally some token of apology was being offered in a financial sense, only for my host to “fix” the mistake after I inquired and she added the charges back to the costs of the stay. And she admitted she knew well of our interactions with the visitors and management. I am at a total loss...
Facts
1. Once the visitors of The World arrived and began competing (yes competing) for resort amenities, two separate resort Conrad Rangali managers informed me on more than two separate occasions that visitors of The World were not permitted to enter private areas (read: resident rooms) or to use the pool facilities. Both of these “rules” were brazenly ignored by visitors from The World without consequence of any kind. The former has been well documented.
2. Managers were informed on multiple occasions that both of the above restrictions were continuing to be violated. Repeated calls to management to intervene were ignored for several hours.
3. Growing impatient, the General Manager was contacted via phone by me personally after I failed to “get through” to his staff. Later the GM visited in-person the Quiet Zone Pool to allay concern to me individually, and he warranted/made promises to fix the situation. Unfortunately no change whatsoever was effected.
4. Within one hour of the GM’s visit to the Quiet Zone Pool, a 40-50 year old male visitor of The World was caught by two hotel guests photographing the teenage daughter of the aforementioned family, as she was sunbathing face down next to her parents in the Quiet Zone in a bikini. This man was already present at he Quiet Zone Pool when the GM came to the that location to comfort hotel guests, namely me.
5. The parents of that teenage girl were informed of the incident by the witnessing hotel guests immediately and the parents elected to confront the man immediately and called hotel security.
6. The visitor did not deny taking the photographs, explaining that he “takes lots of pictures but I deleted the one of the girl.”
7. When the visitor was asked if he had taken photos of other guests he remained completely silent, and tried to intimidate the hotel guests by glaring back at them.
8. He refused to leave the Quiet Zone Pool when asked to do so by hotel guests.
9. The situation quickly escalated to verbal altercation with the visitor and several hotel guests. After several minutes he reluctantly left the Quiet Zone with his significant other.
10. The visitor and his significant other “exited” by heading from the Quiet Zone Pool in the direction of Vilu, and then turning into the foliage near sunbathing furniture on the beachfront.
11. Hotel security arrived approximately twelve minutes after they were called, and well after the offending visitor left the scene.
12. Security conducted interviews of guests and “encouraged” us that they found no photo of the visitor’s phone once he was located, and that he voluntarily left the resort so “everything was fine now”.
13. A third passenger of The World visit the resort who witnessed the events mentioned above brought her mobile device to the security guards, the family and the hotel guest witnesses, helping to positively identify the man and his significant other and reported that “this kind of thing has been a real problem on the ship even with [their] own teenage daughter.”
14. No apology was offered by the hotel security or management. Instead they asked for guest names and room numbers without even informing them what they intended to do with that information. To clarify, prior to any form of communication the question was “what is your name and room number.” No inquiry was made to emotional or physical well being whatsoever.
15. When The World’s own security guard was later confronted at reception on the behavior of his clients he laughed disdainfully in the face of hotel guests without repercussion from hotel management or staff.
16. No explanation of the conditions put upon hotel guests by the hotel’s ownership/operating flag management was afforded to guests in advance, during, or after the events of Valentine’s Day. In other words, this entire event was a complete and unwelcome surprise to anyone not wearing a resort name badge.
17. On the morning of February 15th, General Manager approached both the family and the witnessing guests together at breakfast at Atoll and asked “How are you doing today?” After curt replies the immediate the second question he offered was “Are you ready to go home now?” No further questions were offered. He clearly was ready to assuage himself of the presence of his own guests. The family impacted was on their TWELFTH trip to the resort.
18. No further interaction from hotel management was offered.
Consideration
1. A teenage girl was put in harm’s way. Her safety was marginalized both before during and after the events described above due to inaction from the management company and owner. In truth, any hotel guest could have been as equally impacted. But one of the most at-risk was targeted
2. The hotel staff and specifically the General Manager did NOTHING to allay the concerns of the hotel guests, did NOTHING to remove The World visitors from areas they were not permitted to enter (according to his own delivery of rules to hotel guests when he visited the Quiet Zone Pool), and NOTHING to rectify the situation with either the girl, her family or the guests nearby
3. February, and Valentine’s Day in particular, are PEAK holidays for the resort
4. With full occupancy, or even total vacancy, there is no financial incentive that warrants putting hotel guests, especially their children, at risk to predatory activity or invasion of privacy in any manner whatsoever
5. The level of conversation on Flyer Talk, One Mile At A Time and other online forums is extremely under-representative of hotel guest disgust with the situation. Many hotel guests witnessed the events and discussed them openly at tea and happy hour. Guests were literally in shock and remained so on the following day. The mood of the resort last night and this morning was abysmal and a significant departure from previous days.
Some Personal Thoughts
The hotel and now the Hilton brand must explain why they failed to protect their guests, to adequately prepare for a well-known event that would strain the property, staff, resources/amenities and the paying guests, and worst of all why they deem it acceptable to expose their clients to predatory activity with no adequate discussion/warning/preparation prior to, during, or in the aftermath.
Many at the resort and online are discussing the idea of not returning to Conrad Rangali, whereas I am considering dropping the Hilton brand altogether. I have never seen a more disgusting lapse in judgement, professionalism or human decency in more than 15 years of professional and personal travel/business.
I implore all of you to ask yourself serious questions, and to ask them of the hotel and the Hilton flag as well.
This is not a story about the inconveniencing of guests at a routine resort. This is not a story about race, income equality, self righteousness or privilege. This is a story about safety and reputation, which were each obliterated in a number of hours. This was an affront on the safety of people who have invested years of time, money and thoughtful care toward planning and paying for a lifetime dream trip - ruined - and many on the most sacred day they might share with their significant others.
Conclusion
If any of you think I am embellishing or being dishonest, if any of you question why this post is authored by an anonymous identity, know that the Hilton brand, ownership and/or the resort can easily contact me. How? They have had and still have my information as I identified myself to several managers, the GM and to security before, during and after the incidents by name and room number. I spoke personally to the General Manager. They know who I am. As it has been, the proverbial ball is in their playing court. I stand by everything I have stated above and it should have been noted formally by their security personnel. If not, what does that imply?
The above episode is indeed an ominous omen of things to come at this resort. Assuming this is a Conrad flag but not a Hilton-owned resort, my supposition is the hotel will lose its flag shortly, and it should. What happens with staff will be an afterthought. I am sad to think we might not be going back. I am very glad I had the opportunity to stay at the resort in its prime, before the recent sale of the property.
I am not asking the resort, the ownership and Hilton to do the “right” thing, the definition of which being highly subjective.
I am asking them to do _any_ thing.
This is my first and last post. I need to move on.
The below is long but warranted and I encourage anyone that has visited this property or is considering a reservation (or indeed any Conrad/Hilton branded property not owned by Hilton) to deeply consider the below, and to challenge Hilton to help rectify the conditions that created a hostile environment, the horrific event itself and the absurdly inadequate follow through and follow up.
Brief Background
My wife and I have just completed a third itinerary on Conrad Rangali Island (2015/2017/2019). Many details and opinions have been shared over the past few days in the significant wake left by the visiting “The World” ship and its visitors. So far, none of the stories have provided the very worst of the experiences hotel guests were subjected to. Below I make an effort to give a strictly factual account of an extraordinarily negative experience my wife and I, but more directly impacted another family of hotel guests, were subjected to by a specific visitor from “The World”.
I have waited to share this report until my wife and I, along with the other family negatively impacted by this series of events, have left the island. Why? In order to afford the hotel management every possible opportunity to explain, apologize for and rectify the situation they created. Additionally, my wife and I strived to salvage a minimum level of service and intimacy while still at the resort prior to our departure and felt the hotel staff, management and the General Manager could retaliate or intimidate us if we shared this story publicly prior to leaving.
I can sadly say that all of the above efforts and good faith on our parts led to zero reaction from the hotel beyond an offer a “safe travels home today” from General Manager. In fact, when all of our upgraded room costs didn’t appear on the final folio/bill I wondered if finally some token of apology was being offered in a financial sense, only for my host to “fix” the mistake after I inquired and she added the charges back to the costs of the stay. And she admitted she knew well of our interactions with the visitors and management. I am at a total loss...
Facts
1. Once the visitors of The World arrived and began competing (yes competing) for resort amenities, two separate resort Conrad Rangali managers informed me on more than two separate occasions that visitors of The World were not permitted to enter private areas (read: resident rooms) or to use the pool facilities. Both of these “rules” were brazenly ignored by visitors from The World without consequence of any kind. The former has been well documented.
2. Managers were informed on multiple occasions that both of the above restrictions were continuing to be violated. Repeated calls to management to intervene were ignored for several hours.
3. Growing impatient, the General Manager was contacted via phone by me personally after I failed to “get through” to his staff. Later the GM visited in-person the Quiet Zone Pool to allay concern to me individually, and he warranted/made promises to fix the situation. Unfortunately no change whatsoever was effected.
4. Within one hour of the GM’s visit to the Quiet Zone Pool, a 40-50 year old male visitor of The World was caught by two hotel guests photographing the teenage daughter of the aforementioned family, as she was sunbathing face down next to her parents in the Quiet Zone in a bikini. This man was already present at he Quiet Zone Pool when the GM came to the that location to comfort hotel guests, namely me.
5. The parents of that teenage girl were informed of the incident by the witnessing hotel guests immediately and the parents elected to confront the man immediately and called hotel security.
6. The visitor did not deny taking the photographs, explaining that he “takes lots of pictures but I deleted the one of the girl.”
7. When the visitor was asked if he had taken photos of other guests he remained completely silent, and tried to intimidate the hotel guests by glaring back at them.
8. He refused to leave the Quiet Zone Pool when asked to do so by hotel guests.
9. The situation quickly escalated to verbal altercation with the visitor and several hotel guests. After several minutes he reluctantly left the Quiet Zone with his significant other.
10. The visitor and his significant other “exited” by heading from the Quiet Zone Pool in the direction of Vilu, and then turning into the foliage near sunbathing furniture on the beachfront.
11. Hotel security arrived approximately twelve minutes after they were called, and well after the offending visitor left the scene.
12. Security conducted interviews of guests and “encouraged” us that they found no photo of the visitor’s phone once he was located, and that he voluntarily left the resort so “everything was fine now”.
13. A third passenger of The World visit the resort who witnessed the events mentioned above brought her mobile device to the security guards, the family and the hotel guest witnesses, helping to positively identify the man and his significant other and reported that “this kind of thing has been a real problem on the ship even with [their] own teenage daughter.”
14. No apology was offered by the hotel security or management. Instead they asked for guest names and room numbers without even informing them what they intended to do with that information. To clarify, prior to any form of communication the question was “what is your name and room number.” No inquiry was made to emotional or physical well being whatsoever.
15. When The World’s own security guard was later confronted at reception on the behavior of his clients he laughed disdainfully in the face of hotel guests without repercussion from hotel management or staff.
16. No explanation of the conditions put upon hotel guests by the hotel’s ownership/operating flag management was afforded to guests in advance, during, or after the events of Valentine’s Day. In other words, this entire event was a complete and unwelcome surprise to anyone not wearing a resort name badge.
17. On the morning of February 15th, General Manager approached both the family and the witnessing guests together at breakfast at Atoll and asked “How are you doing today?” After curt replies the immediate the second question he offered was “Are you ready to go home now?” No further questions were offered. He clearly was ready to assuage himself of the presence of his own guests. The family impacted was on their TWELFTH trip to the resort.
18. No further interaction from hotel management was offered.
Consideration
1. A teenage girl was put in harm’s way. Her safety was marginalized both before during and after the events described above due to inaction from the management company and owner. In truth, any hotel guest could have been as equally impacted. But one of the most at-risk was targeted
2. The hotel staff and specifically the General Manager did NOTHING to allay the concerns of the hotel guests, did NOTHING to remove The World visitors from areas they were not permitted to enter (according to his own delivery of rules to hotel guests when he visited the Quiet Zone Pool), and NOTHING to rectify the situation with either the girl, her family or the guests nearby
3. February, and Valentine’s Day in particular, are PEAK holidays for the resort
4. With full occupancy, or even total vacancy, there is no financial incentive that warrants putting hotel guests, especially their children, at risk to predatory activity or invasion of privacy in any manner whatsoever
5. The level of conversation on Flyer Talk, One Mile At A Time and other online forums is extremely under-representative of hotel guest disgust with the situation. Many hotel guests witnessed the events and discussed them openly at tea and happy hour. Guests were literally in shock and remained so on the following day. The mood of the resort last night and this morning was abysmal and a significant departure from previous days.
Some Personal Thoughts
The hotel and now the Hilton brand must explain why they failed to protect their guests, to adequately prepare for a well-known event that would strain the property, staff, resources/amenities and the paying guests, and worst of all why they deem it acceptable to expose their clients to predatory activity with no adequate discussion/warning/preparation prior to, during, or in the aftermath.
Many at the resort and online are discussing the idea of not returning to Conrad Rangali, whereas I am considering dropping the Hilton brand altogether. I have never seen a more disgusting lapse in judgement, professionalism or human decency in more than 15 years of professional and personal travel/business.
I implore all of you to ask yourself serious questions, and to ask them of the hotel and the Hilton flag as well.
This is not a story about the inconveniencing of guests at a routine resort. This is not a story about race, income equality, self righteousness or privilege. This is a story about safety and reputation, which were each obliterated in a number of hours. This was an affront on the safety of people who have invested years of time, money and thoughtful care toward planning and paying for a lifetime dream trip - ruined - and many on the most sacred day they might share with their significant others.
Conclusion
If any of you think I am embellishing or being dishonest, if any of you question why this post is authored by an anonymous identity, know that the Hilton brand, ownership and/or the resort can easily contact me. How? They have had and still have my information as I identified myself to several managers, the GM and to security before, during and after the incidents by name and room number. I spoke personally to the General Manager. They know who I am. As it has been, the proverbial ball is in their playing court. I stand by everything I have stated above and it should have been noted formally by their security personnel. If not, what does that imply?
The above episode is indeed an ominous omen of things to come at this resort. Assuming this is a Conrad flag but not a Hilton-owned resort, my supposition is the hotel will lose its flag shortly, and it should. What happens with staff will be an afterthought. I am sad to think we might not be going back. I am very glad I had the opportunity to stay at the resort in its prime, before the recent sale of the property.
I am not asking the resort, the ownership and Hilton to do the “right” thing, the definition of which being highly subjective.
I am asking them to do _any_ thing.
This is my first and last post. I need to move on.
Last edited by Kiwi Flyer; Feb 16, 2019 at 3:49 pm Reason: remove staff names per rule 21
Feb 15, 2019, 8:47 pm
#3187
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: ZRH
Programs: M&M SEN (*G), HH Diamond
Posts: 2,418
I have no insight, but $500/night + transfer cost is what was pre-authorized on my credit card when checking in on each of our stays (no matter whether we had agreed to pay for an upgrade or not). It would make sense that this amount equals the average spend per night.
Feb 15, 2019, 10:31 pm
#3188
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 86
We are another family on the resort and were disgusted by what happened on the 14th.
Not from us, but the following comment was just posted on OMAAT. This gives you a flavour of some of the things which happened and how dismissive hotel management have been of the whole issue:
I am writing to share a true story, offered in facts only, about the endangerment of a teenage girl at Conrad Rangali, due to the actions of a visitor from The World and the absolutely abhorrent and inexcusable inaction of Conrad Rangali management and staff that could have easily prevented this incident and/or made even a paltry attempt to apologize for/rectify same.
The below is long but warranted and I encourage anyone that has visited this property or is considering a reservation (or indeed any Conrad/Hilton branded property not owned by Hilton) to deeply consider the below, and to challenge Hilton to help rectify the conditions that created a hostile environment, the horrific event itself and the absurdly inadequate follow through and follow up.
Brief Background
My wife and I have just completed a third itinerary on Conrad Rangali Island (2015 / 2017 / 2019). Many details and opinions have been shared over the past few days in the significant wake left by the visiting “The World” ship and its visitors. So far, none of the stories have provided the very worst of the experiences hotel guests were subjected to. Below I make an effort to give a strictly factual account of an extraordinarily negative experience my wife and I, but more directly impacted another family of hotel guests, were subjected to by a specific visitor from “The World”.
I have waited to share this report until my wife and I, along with the other family negatively impacted by this series of events, have left the island. Why? In order to afford the hotel management every possible opportunity to explain, apologize for and rectify the situation they created. Additionally, my wife and I strived to salvage a minimum level of service and intimacy while still at the resort prior to our departure and felt the hotel staff, management and the General Manager could retaliate or intimidate us if we shared this story publicly prior to leaving.
I can sadly say that all of the above efforts and good faith on our parts led to zero reaction from the hotel beyond an offer a “safe travels home today” from General Manager. In fact, when all of our upgraded room costs didn’t appear on the final folio/bill I wondered if finally some token of apology was being offered in a financial sense, only for my host to “fix” the mistake after I inquired and she added the charges back to the costs of the stay. And she admitted she knew well of our interactions with the visitors and management. I am at a total loss…
Facts
1. Once the visitors of The World arrived and began competing (yes competing) for resort amenities, two separate resort Conrad Rangali managers informed me on more than two separate occasions that visitors of The World were not permitted to enter private areas (read: resident rooms) or to use the pool facilities. Both of these “rules” were brazenly ignored by visitors from The World without consequence of any kind. The former has been well documented.
2. Managers were informed on multiple occasions that both of the above restrictions were continuing to be violated. Repeated calls to management to intervene were ignored for several hours.
3. Growing impatient, the General Manager was contacted via phone by me personally after I failed to “get through” to his staff. Later the GM visited in-person the Quiet Zone Pool to allay concern to me individually, and he warranted/made promises to fix the situation. Unfortunately no change whatsoever was effected.
4. Within one hour of the GM’s visit to the Quiet Zone Pool, a 40-50 year old male visitor of The World was caught by two hotel guests photographing the teenage daughter of the aforementioned family, as she was sunbathing face down next to her parents in the Quiet Zone in a bikini. This man was already present at he Quiet Zone Pool when the GM came to the that location to comfort hotel guests, namely me.
5. The parents of that teenage girl were informed of the incident by the witnessing hotel guests immediately and the parents elected to confront the man immediately and called hotel security.
6. The visitor did not deny taking the photographs, explaining that he “takes lots of pictures but I deleted the one of the girl.”
7. When the visitor was asked if he had taken photos of other guests he remained completely silent, and tried to intimidate the hotel guests by glaring back at them.
8. He refused to leave the Quiet Zone Pool when asked to do so by hotel guests.
9. The situation quickly escalated to verbal altercation with the visitor and several hotel guests. After several minutes he reluctantly left the Quiet Zone with his significant other.
10. The visitor and his significant other “exited” by heading from the Quiet Zone Pool in the direction of Vilu, and then turning into the foliage near sunbathing furniture on the beachfront.
11. Hotel security arrived approximately twelve minutes after they were called, and well after the offending visitor left the scene.
12. Security conducted interviews of guests and “encouraged” us that they found no photo of the visitor’s phone once he was located, and that he voluntarily left the resort so “everything was fine now”.
13. A third passenger of The World visit the resort who witnessed the events mentioned above brought her mobile device to the security guards, the family and the hotel guest witnesses, helping to positively identify the man and his significant other and reported that “this kind of thing has been a real problem on the ship even with [their] own teenage daughter.”
14. No apology was offered by the hotel security or management. Instead they asked for guest names and room numbers without even informing them what they intended to do with that information. To clarify, prior to any form of communication the question was “what is your name and room number.” No inquiry was made to emotional or physical well being whatsoever.
15. When The World’s own security guard was later confronted at reception on the behavior of his clients he laughed disdainfully in the face of hotel guests without repercussion from hotel management or staff.
16. No explanation of the conditions put upon hotel guests by the hotel’s ownership/operating flag management was afforded to guests in advance, during, or after the events of Valentine’s Day. In other words, this entire event was a complete and unwelcome surprise to anyone not wearing a resort name badge.
17. On the morning of February 15th, General Manager approached both the family and the witnessing guests together at breakfast at Atoll and asked “How are you doing today?” After curt replies the immediate the second question he offered was “Are you ready to go home now?” No further questions were offered. He clearly was ready to assuage himself of the presence of his own guests. The family impacted was on their TWELFTH trip to the resort.
18. No further interaction from hotel management was offered.
Consideration
1. A teenage girl was put in harm’s way. Her safety was marginalized both before during and after the events described above due to inaction from the management company and owner. In truth, any hotel guest could have been as equally impacted. But one of the most at-risk was targeted
2. The hotel staff and specifically the General Manager did NOTHING to allay the concerns of the hotel guests, did NOTHING to remove The World visitors from areas they were not permitted to enter (according to his own delivery of rules to hotel guests when he visited the Quiet Zone Pool), and NOTHING to rectify the situation with either the girl, her family or the guests nearby
3. February, and Valentine’s Day in particular, are PEAK holidays for the resort
4. With full occupancy, or even total vacancy, there is no financial incentive that warrants putting hotel guests, especially their children, at risk to predatory activity or invasion of privacy in any manner whatsoever
5. The level of conversation on Flyer Talk, One Mile At A Time and other online forums is extremely under-representative of hotel guest disgust with the situation. Many hotel guests witnessed the events and discussed them openly at tea and happy hour. Guests were literally in shock and remained so on the following day. The mood of the resort last night and this morning was abysmal and a significant departure from previous days.
Some Personal Thoughts
The hotel and now the Hilton brand must explain why they failed to protect their guests, to adequately prepare for a well-known event that would strain the property, staff, resources/amenities and the paying guests, and worst of all why they deem it acceptable to expose their clients to predatory activity with no adequate discussion/warning/preparation prior to, during, or in the aftermath.
Many at the resort and online are discussing the idea of not returning to Conrad Rangali, whereas I am considering dropping the Hilton brand altogether. I have never seen a more disgusting lapse in judgement, professionalism or human decency in more than 15 years of professional and personal travel/business.
I implore all of you to ask yourself serious questions, and to ask them of the hotel and the Hilton flag as well.
This is not a story about the inconveniencing of guests at a routine resort. This is not a story about race, income equality, self righteousness or privilege. This is a story about safety and reputation, which were each obliterated in a number of hours. This was an affront on the safety of people who have invested years of time, money and thoughtful care toward planning and paying for a lifetime dream trip – ruined – and many on the most sacred day they might share with their significant others.
Conclusion
If any of you think I am embellishing or being dishonest, if any of you question why this post is authored by an anonymous identity, know that the Hilton brand, ownership and/or the resort can easily contact me. How? They have had and still have my information as I identified myself to several managers, the GM and to security before, during and after the incidents by name and room number. I spoke personally to the General Manager. They know who I am. As it has been, the proverbial ball is in their playing court. I stand by everything I have stated above and it should have been noted formally by their security personnel. If not, what does that imply?
The above episode is indeed an ominous omen of things to come at this resort. Assuming this is a Conrad flag but not a Hilton-owned resort, my supposition is the hotel will lose its flag shortly, and it should. What happens with staff will be an afterthought. I am sad to think we might not be going back. I am very glad I had the opportunity to stay at the resort in its prime, before the recent sale of the property.
I am not asking the resort, the ownership and Hilton to do the “right” thing, the definition of which being highly subjective.
I am asking them to do _any_ thing.
This is my first and last post. I need to move on.
Not from us, but the following comment was just posted on OMAAT. This gives you a flavour of some of the things which happened and how dismissive hotel management have been of the whole issue:
I am writing to share a true story, offered in facts only, about the endangerment of a teenage girl at Conrad Rangali, due to the actions of a visitor from The World and the absolutely abhorrent and inexcusable inaction of Conrad Rangali management and staff that could have easily prevented this incident and/or made even a paltry attempt to apologize for/rectify same.
The below is long but warranted and I encourage anyone that has visited this property or is considering a reservation (or indeed any Conrad/Hilton branded property not owned by Hilton) to deeply consider the below, and to challenge Hilton to help rectify the conditions that created a hostile environment, the horrific event itself and the absurdly inadequate follow through and follow up.
Brief Background
My wife and I have just completed a third itinerary on Conrad Rangali Island (2015 / 2017 / 2019). Many details and opinions have been shared over the past few days in the significant wake left by the visiting “The World” ship and its visitors. So far, none of the stories have provided the very worst of the experiences hotel guests were subjected to. Below I make an effort to give a strictly factual account of an extraordinarily negative experience my wife and I, but more directly impacted another family of hotel guests, were subjected to by a specific visitor from “The World”.
I have waited to share this report until my wife and I, along with the other family negatively impacted by this series of events, have left the island. Why? In order to afford the hotel management every possible opportunity to explain, apologize for and rectify the situation they created. Additionally, my wife and I strived to salvage a minimum level of service and intimacy while still at the resort prior to our departure and felt the hotel staff, management and the General Manager could retaliate or intimidate us if we shared this story publicly prior to leaving.
I can sadly say that all of the above efforts and good faith on our parts led to zero reaction from the hotel beyond an offer a “safe travels home today” from General Manager. In fact, when all of our upgraded room costs didn’t appear on the final folio/bill I wondered if finally some token of apology was being offered in a financial sense, only for my host to “fix” the mistake after I inquired and she added the charges back to the costs of the stay. And she admitted she knew well of our interactions with the visitors and management. I am at a total loss…
Facts
1. Once the visitors of The World arrived and began competing (yes competing) for resort amenities, two separate resort Conrad Rangali managers informed me on more than two separate occasions that visitors of The World were not permitted to enter private areas (read: resident rooms) or to use the pool facilities. Both of these “rules” were brazenly ignored by visitors from The World without consequence of any kind. The former has been well documented.
2. Managers were informed on multiple occasions that both of the above restrictions were continuing to be violated. Repeated calls to management to intervene were ignored for several hours.
3. Growing impatient, the General Manager was contacted via phone by me personally after I failed to “get through” to his staff. Later the GM visited in-person the Quiet Zone Pool to allay concern to me individually, and he warranted/made promises to fix the situation. Unfortunately no change whatsoever was effected.
4. Within one hour of the GM’s visit to the Quiet Zone Pool, a 40-50 year old male visitor of The World was caught by two hotel guests photographing the teenage daughter of the aforementioned family, as she was sunbathing face down next to her parents in the Quiet Zone in a bikini. This man was already present at he Quiet Zone Pool when the GM came to the that location to comfort hotel guests, namely me.
5. The parents of that teenage girl were informed of the incident by the witnessing hotel guests immediately and the parents elected to confront the man immediately and called hotel security.
6. The visitor did not deny taking the photographs, explaining that he “takes lots of pictures but I deleted the one of the girl.”
7. When the visitor was asked if he had taken photos of other guests he remained completely silent, and tried to intimidate the hotel guests by glaring back at them.
8. He refused to leave the Quiet Zone Pool when asked to do so by hotel guests.
9. The situation quickly escalated to verbal altercation with the visitor and several hotel guests. After several minutes he reluctantly left the Quiet Zone with his significant other.
10. The visitor and his significant other “exited” by heading from the Quiet Zone Pool in the direction of Vilu, and then turning into the foliage near sunbathing furniture on the beachfront.
11. Hotel security arrived approximately twelve minutes after they were called, and well after the offending visitor left the scene.
12. Security conducted interviews of guests and “encouraged” us that they found no photo of the visitor’s phone once he was located, and that he voluntarily left the resort so “everything was fine now”.
13. A third passenger of The World visit the resort who witnessed the events mentioned above brought her mobile device to the security guards, the family and the hotel guest witnesses, helping to positively identify the man and his significant other and reported that “this kind of thing has been a real problem on the ship even with [their] own teenage daughter.”
14. No apology was offered by the hotel security or management. Instead they asked for guest names and room numbers without even informing them what they intended to do with that information. To clarify, prior to any form of communication the question was “what is your name and room number.” No inquiry was made to emotional or physical well being whatsoever.
15. When The World’s own security guard was later confronted at reception on the behavior of his clients he laughed disdainfully in the face of hotel guests without repercussion from hotel management or staff.
16. No explanation of the conditions put upon hotel guests by the hotel’s ownership/operating flag management was afforded to guests in advance, during, or after the events of Valentine’s Day. In other words, this entire event was a complete and unwelcome surprise to anyone not wearing a resort name badge.
17. On the morning of February 15th, General Manager approached both the family and the witnessing guests together at breakfast at Atoll and asked “How are you doing today?” After curt replies the immediate the second question he offered was “Are you ready to go home now?” No further questions were offered. He clearly was ready to assuage himself of the presence of his own guests. The family impacted was on their TWELFTH trip to the resort.
18. No further interaction from hotel management was offered.
Consideration
1. A teenage girl was put in harm’s way. Her safety was marginalized both before during and after the events described above due to inaction from the management company and owner. In truth, any hotel guest could have been as equally impacted. But one of the most at-risk was targeted
2. The hotel staff and specifically the General Manager did NOTHING to allay the concerns of the hotel guests, did NOTHING to remove The World visitors from areas they were not permitted to enter (according to his own delivery of rules to hotel guests when he visited the Quiet Zone Pool), and NOTHING to rectify the situation with either the girl, her family or the guests nearby
3. February, and Valentine’s Day in particular, are PEAK holidays for the resort
4. With full occupancy, or even total vacancy, there is no financial incentive that warrants putting hotel guests, especially their children, at risk to predatory activity or invasion of privacy in any manner whatsoever
5. The level of conversation on Flyer Talk, One Mile At A Time and other online forums is extremely under-representative of hotel guest disgust with the situation. Many hotel guests witnessed the events and discussed them openly at tea and happy hour. Guests were literally in shock and remained so on the following day. The mood of the resort last night and this morning was abysmal and a significant departure from previous days.
Some Personal Thoughts
The hotel and now the Hilton brand must explain why they failed to protect their guests, to adequately prepare for a well-known event that would strain the property, staff, resources/amenities and the paying guests, and worst of all why they deem it acceptable to expose their clients to predatory activity with no adequate discussion/warning/preparation prior to, during, or in the aftermath.
Many at the resort and online are discussing the idea of not returning to Conrad Rangali, whereas I am considering dropping the Hilton brand altogether. I have never seen a more disgusting lapse in judgement, professionalism or human decency in more than 15 years of professional and personal travel/business.
I implore all of you to ask yourself serious questions, and to ask them of the hotel and the Hilton flag as well.
This is not a story about the inconveniencing of guests at a routine resort. This is not a story about race, income equality, self righteousness or privilege. This is a story about safety and reputation, which were each obliterated in a number of hours. This was an affront on the safety of people who have invested years of time, money and thoughtful care toward planning and paying for a lifetime dream trip – ruined – and many on the most sacred day they might share with their significant others.
Conclusion
If any of you think I am embellishing or being dishonest, if any of you question why this post is authored by an anonymous identity, know that the Hilton brand, ownership and/or the resort can easily contact me. How? They have had and still have my information as I identified myself to several managers, the GM and to security before, during and after the incidents by name and room number. I spoke personally to the General Manager. They know who I am. As it has been, the proverbial ball is in their playing court. I stand by everything I have stated above and it should have been noted formally by their security personnel. If not, what does that imply?
The above episode is indeed an ominous omen of things to come at this resort. Assuming this is a Conrad flag but not a Hilton-owned resort, my supposition is the hotel will lose its flag shortly, and it should. What happens with staff will be an afterthought. I am sad to think we might not be going back. I am very glad I had the opportunity to stay at the resort in its prime, before the recent sale of the property.
I am not asking the resort, the ownership and Hilton to do the “right” thing, the definition of which being highly subjective.
I am asking them to do _any_ thing.
This is my first and last post. I need to move on.
Last edited by Kiwi Flyer; Feb 16, 2019 at 3:55 pm Reason: remove staff names per rule 21
Feb 15, 2019, 11:19 pm
#3189
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Back in Hell
Posts: 4,178
So we have perverts and possible pedos to make our stay even more enjoyable, huh? Nice. 
Feb 15, 2019, 11:25 pm
#3190
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Back in Hell
Posts: 4,178
Is that a guess or do you have insight? My trip a few months back my wife and I averaged $1.5k per night, with the upgrade, transfer, food/drink and no excursions. We went a littler hard on the drink, which drove the price up. Hell, my first room service charge was over $500 with a bottle of Havana rum, few sodas, some beers, and a meal for both of us.
Feb 16, 2019, 1:15 am
#3191
Join Date: Oct 2011
Programs: HHonors Diamond
Posts: 287
This is the reply I just got from the Conrad:
Please note the resident cruise liner was docked outside the lagoon of the resort on 14thFebruary 2019. Some of the cruise ship guests were given restricted access to the resort in order to dine at some of our restaurants and visit our spa. They arrived at 10:00am and departed shortly after dinner service at 10:00pm.
There are no plans to have any cruise liners visit Conrad Maldives in the near future.
The privacy of our guests is of the utmost importance to us and our management team has already reached out to the guest who has shared concerns regarding the cruise liner’s visit yesterday.
We can assure you there will be no cruise line during your stay in December or any other time during the year in 2019 and 2020.
We do highly appreciate you wish to come back and we will do our utmost for you and your family to enjoy your stay.
Thank you again for taking the time to express your concerns. I have copied our General Manager, Mr. Stefano Ruzza, in this email as well for your perusal.
Please note the resident cruise liner was docked outside the lagoon of the resort on 14thFebruary 2019. Some of the cruise ship guests were given restricted access to the resort in order to dine at some of our restaurants and visit our spa. They arrived at 10:00am and departed shortly after dinner service at 10:00pm.
There are no plans to have any cruise liners visit Conrad Maldives in the near future.
The privacy of our guests is of the utmost importance to us and our management team has already reached out to the guest who has shared concerns regarding the cruise liner’s visit yesterday.
We can assure you there will be no cruise line during your stay in December or any other time during the year in 2019 and 2020.
We do highly appreciate you wish to come back and we will do our utmost for you and your family to enjoy your stay.
Thank you again for taking the time to express your concerns. I have copied our General Manager, Mr. Stefano Ruzza, in this email as well for your perusal.
Feb 16, 2019, 1:31 am
#3192
Join Date: Jan 2005
Programs: Aegean Airlines Silver, British Airways Gold, Virgin Atlantic Silver
Posts: 1,740
Well I’m glad we cancelled our Valentine trip back here this year (and that was to avoid other paying-guests who return every year at this time)
Feb 16, 2019, 2:00 am
#3193
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Sydney, Australia
Programs: HH Diamond, Marriott Titanium/LTG, IHG Platinum
Posts: 1,921
What a serious screw* up on all levels. *insert your worst adjective here.
None of this is OK, none.
None of this is OK, none.
Feb 16, 2019, 2:15 am
#3194
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: MSP
Programs: Delta PM, Marriott Plat, Hertz Pres
Posts: 3,649
Christ i just read through all of that, what a horrible ordeal!
Feb 16, 2019, 3:05 am
#3195
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: UK
Programs: BA GGL; Virgin Gold; HHonors Lifetime Diamond
Posts: 417
Disgusting.
Some of those things are simply incapable of being put right, by any means - which is why management’s duty of care is surely to ensure undue risks aren’t taken in the first place.
However, I’m as much troubled, more so in fact by the lack of any statement from the management whatsoever. TripAdvisor is silent on responses - even simple acknowledgements, you can be fairly sure Hilton PR scan this and similar forums, Twitter etc. The utter silence says to me they are happy with what’s happened - that, is, disgraceful.
Some of those things are simply incapable of being put right, by any means - which is why management’s duty of care is surely to ensure undue risks aren’t taken in the first place.
However, I’m as much troubled, more so in fact by the lack of any statement from the management whatsoever. TripAdvisor is silent on responses - even simple acknowledgements, you can be fairly sure Hilton PR scan this and similar forums, Twitter etc. The utter silence says to me they are happy with what’s happened - that, is, disgraceful.