JW Maldives [Master Thread]
 

I for one am quite thrilled to see the JW Marriott Gaakoshibee Resort listed under the "new hotels" section.

http://www.marriott.com/hotels/trave...esort-and-spa/

Any bets on the Category of this one? I'm guessing 7/8 minimum.

Regardless, an exciting new resort for Marriott in one of the world's most expensive destinations... I suspect a lot of people will try to use their points here!

This is HUGE!

Magnificent location--one of the most beautiful places on earth.

I have been to the Maldives, staying at the Conrad.

Would go again in a heartbeat if it were closer to the US...

Any idea on how to get more information about this property? I called the guest services line and they just said check the website, which has nothing substantial at this point. I'm trying to get ideas for my honeymoon next summer and this would be perfect!

I'm very interested to hear more about this place too!

Renaissance?
 

Wasn't there supposed to be a Renaissance in the same location and opening a year or two ago?

maybe a re-branding?

This is of course still good news, but you might get more info by investigating the renaissance plans.

Great news! Looks like a great place to spend all those points!

I wouldn't. I was just in the Maldives a few months ago. Stayed at Kurumba - one of the nicer resorts. It was fine and I had a good time, but the fact of the matter is there really isn't anything to do there. Once you're done snorkeling or SCUBA diving or surfing or whatever for the day, then what? Answer: literally nothing.

Maldives: nice place, but if I had the kinda money it takes to get there, I wouldn't go again. Just me....

Best Marriott news I have seen in a long time.

Keep the updates posted when they come in.

Found some info -- Looks like it was going to be a Renaissance.

http://maldivesresortworkers.wordpre...shibee-resort/

Exactly the reason to go there IMO! ^ A great place to visit on a RTW trip as I did back in March. 11 days of diving and nothing else. I will happily do it again.

If you download the hotel fact sheet, it says opening in March 2011 and the category is blank. I would assume cat 8.

According to the Project Management Company for the resort, it will have 41 water villas and 59 beach villas.

Here are some links I found that you might enjoy:

1. Announcement in Sept. '09. To open in Q4, 2010.
   
   
2. Another Sept.'09 announcement
   
   
3. 2 nice pictures from the architect
   Wait for the page to load and select "portfolio", then "hotels and resorts", followed by "renaissance"
   
   
4. 4 conceptual drawings from the interior design firm
   Wait for the page to load and select "english" (or whatever language you prefer), then "gallery", followed by "renaissance"
   
   
5. 4 conceptual drawings and 1 picture from the landscape architect
   
   
6. Website of the resort owner... pretty pitiful

I couldn't find any pics or drawings from the project's engineering firm, foodservice design firm, or lighting designer.

Hope you enjoy the links!

Isn't that kind of the point!;)

+1 ^

You are single, right? ;)

Well, you've got a fair point, there. I suppose if you're married - and you're still in the "heavy lovin'" stage of married - then there might be something to do apres-everythingElse. Also, if all you wanna do is lay around and read or watch vodeos on your computer, you could do that too.

If you're looking for a cultural experience - see the sights, learn some history, see how the people live, learn about Maldivians as a people and culture - forget it.

Diving (and just about everything else) is brutally expensive. The diving's great, but it's great in the Red Sea and Malaysia and Thailand too, at prolly 1/3 the price.

I don't mean to slag on the Maldives, and if that's your thing then by all means I hope everyone has a great time. This is just my opinion, which is of course worth exactly what you paid! A Hui Ho....

Does anyone know if this hotel is still on track to open early 2011?

I sent an email to the property owner and project manager on Sep 1 and have not received a reply back. I take that as a bad sign that the hotel is not on course to open as planned in 2011.

Showing on Website as a Cat 5 and opening in March 2011.

I noticed the Cat 5 designation as well. I'm amazed.

WOW WOW WOW

now I need to look into this very seriously

We went to my wife's company picnic yesterday at Hershey Park. We thought about spending the night, but did not.

She remarked that the Spring Hill Suites there was a Cat 5 just like the JW Marriott in Phuket Thailand!

Shows October 2011 now.

+2!

No cellphones, no blackberries, iPhones etc. Heck, even unplug the TV! Sounds like heaven.

MR Website states its a Cat 5????? Air+hotel package sounfs good!

Any update other than October? Pics?

Gotta love this page's image? Guy arriving with jacket and tie ready for business!

http://www.marriott.com/hotels/hotel...esort-and-spa/

What have these web designers been smokin'?!

Yes--I know it's a placeholder. But they could at least try to create a resort ambiance to get prospect in the mood....

Probably the same dope which inspired them to assign it to Cat. 5! :D If so, gee, I hope they don't come down from that high!

Doesn't seem bookable yet, at least on line.

I tried for early November.

I'm gonna bid for it on Priceline:D
You can get all the other JW's there ;)

It's gone from the Marriott site now, that does not look good…

Maldives...
 

I think I read an article and even got some emails related to Maldives resort that would either be JW or Renaissance but I haven't heard any updates on this property... Does anyone have updated information?

Looks like it is still in the works, just pushed off until sometime in 2012 according to this update as of May 19, 2011:

http://news.marriott.com/jw-marriott...d-resorts.html

Marriott Concierge- Help - JW Marriott Maldives
 

Marriott Concierge,

Can you please clear up the status of the JW Marriott Maldives Gaakoshibee Resort & Spa, Maldives that is supposed to open in 2012.

We know there have been lots of changes and push backs in this hotel. It was on the Marriott web site for a while, then left, then came back but was greyed out and is now gone again.

As recently as May 2011, Marriott released a fact sheet for the JW Marriott brand showing the hotel opening in 2012.

As recently as August 2011, the press has reported in will open in 2012.

There are many of us patiently waiting to experience this hotel.

Thank you for your time and hopefully an update.

It will be interesting to see what happens with this. Considering there will be no rooms, only villas; I see villa rates probably starting around $1000+/night (my guess) it will be a great place to use points. Of course there will probably be a huge point premium since there are no standard rooms at this hotel. I was in the Maldives last year and stayed at the Sheraton Full Moon resort which was $550 per night for a hotel room; for months I checked weekly to see if rates would drop, they never did. The airport hotel was the least expensive hotel at around $440/night, but hardly a resort setting. Rooms at the Conrad start at $1000/night.

My stay was only for a 1 night stay before boarding Ocean Dancer for 10 days/nights of diving. If you dive, live aboards are the way to go in the Maldives both for the variety of diving and also for the cost. About $500/night but that included food, beverages and wine at dinner, and all your diving.

When it was listed on the Marriott website it was listed as Cat 5 as I was going to use the hotel part of a travel package here.

I don't know if we'll ever see this hotel, think it could be going the same way as the JW Marriott Fiji and Renaissance Bali.

There is a large thread on here somewhere about this hotel, it was going to be a Renaissance originally!

I doubt it would stay that way long. My guess is that the category would probably change before they started taking reservations. But it is a moot point as it really doesn't matter since they don't have any standard rooms anyway. The PR says they will all be villas.

SPG does the same thing. No award availability during peak ski season at Whistler Westin because the hotel is all suites so they don't have to honor their guarantee.

Hello all,

I will see what I can find out about this property.

Kind regards,

Marie

Thanks you for the quick response. We await your follow up

Hello all,

I don't have exact dates, but this property is currently scheduled to open in late 2012, early 2013.

I hope that helps.

Kind regards,

Marie

Thanks for the quick response. You may want to talk to the web site team. Instead of pulling this property off the website, they make want to leave it there and provide and updated time frame.

Ohh well flyer talkers, looks like we loose another year for this property. What is that, 3+ plus years late now? The Marriott press release from 2Q of the this year said 1Q 2012.

Quess i will have to find another place to go out side of Marriott for my 10th anniversary next year :mad::td: