https://www.architecturaldigest.com/...derwater-villa

For $50,000 a night, you can have luxury underwater hotel suite at Conrad Maldives. Is it worth the price? Any of you thinking about staying here? In a country where for $45,000 a night you can have your own private island (Four Seasons Voavah), I wouldn’t pay $50,000 a night for a single underwater hotel room, but maybe some of you feel different. It seems gimmicky rather than quality luxury, but no one can truly say unless they experience it.

I would not pay anything close to published rate for either property. I would negotiate for Voavah if I could afford it some day. I have no real desire to sleep underwater. And there is no Conrad in the world where I would pay a five figure nigtly rate. Four Seasons definitely yes. Conrad, no way.

I wouldn’t pay $50,000 for a Hilton.

😂

I would not even pay $2,000 per night at Conrad. At that price I would rather have an overwater at FS KH, Gili Lankanfushi, or any number of other resorts.

For larger suites, there are plenty of nicer options for a fraction of that $50,000 rate. I think it’s a PR stunt, aimed not at actually selling it for “full” rate, but to generate attention on social media, and to entice people to book into the resort’s standard accommodation categories. 99% of nights I highly doubt it will be occupied by someone paying “full” rate.

FS LG actually has a beautiful submarine, and it does not require a $50,000/night room rate to use;) I can’t wait to try it!

I hate to say it as well, but this is spot on. And it is a real pitfall of point redeemable resorts like this. They become everyone’s aspirational award redemption, understandably. But, the negative impact of this is that it actually inflates the published paid rates, compromises the product integrity as a high end resort, and leads to price gouging on F&B and other incidentals. The business model becomes centered around upsell charges and overpriced F&B. Afterall they have to make money somehow.

Another example is the St.Regis. This is one I actually do want to try some day, but I was once quoted something close to $3,000 net for a sunset overwater per night. However, one look at the property thread here on FT reveals that many people are staying on points and paying $600~ per night upsell for the same category.

I must admit I would love to have sufficient points to do the same, however as a perspective paying guest at full rate it does call their rate integrity into question. On one hand they were asking me to pay more than FS LG was asking for the same dates in a comparable sunset overwater, and on the other hand they are selling it practically for peanuts to others. There is no way they are getting equivalent compensation from Marriott Rewards to their full published rates.

Seems like Manta Resort is a far better value.

I’m trying to figure out which is the worse deal. This or the Atlantis Bahamas Bridge suite (horrible 90s decor and all) for $25k per night?