Dec 12, 2018, 6:51 am

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Last edit by: margarita girl

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Al Maha Desert Resort & Spa, Dubai [Master Thread]

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Jan 9, 2019, 12:39 pm

#436

mikewhyatt

Join Date: Jan 2016

Posts: 179

Taking bets that they will "fix" this once the points per night increase goes into effect....

Jan 9, 2019, 12:41 pm

#437

Zelucifer

Join Date: Jun 2015

Posts: 343

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikewhyatt

Taking bets that they will "fix" this once the points per night increase goes into effect....

Fix what? It's back to being all inclusive.

Jan 9, 2019, 12:55 pm

#438

TerryK

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Sep 1999

Location: New York, NY, USA

Posts: 12,482

Quote:

Originally Posted by UAuhoh

Al Maha to include meals and activities for award stays, according to Gary at View from the Wing:

https://viewfromthewing.boardingarea...ies-after-all/

I hope he is right but website still shows Room Only for redemption.

Jan 9, 2019, 4:23 pm

#439

dval44

Join Date: May 2013

Posts: 637

So now I’m worried. I booked in November 2018. for three nights this January (2 weeks from now).

They charged me 66,000 points/night, saying the extra 6k were required for a ‘suite upgrade charge’ so I rolled with it.

The email confirmation says,

“Rate Details SPG Suite Upgrade”

Special Services for All Rooms:
January 22, 2019 – January 24, 2019
Rate Plan: SPG Suite Upgrade
DINNER Per Person/per Night
AWARD REQUIRED Per Room/per Night
BUFFET BREAKFAST Per Person/per Night
LUNCH Per Person/per Night
CHARITABLE DONATION Per Room/per Stay
OTHER Per Person/per Stay
Tourism Levy Excl Per Room/per Night

Which I assume means all inclusive.

HOWEVER, when I click into reservation online, it says “Head’s up, we’ve changed your reservation number”

AND when I click on “rate details’ it says “ROOM ONLY REDEMPTION STAY” and says I have to pay extra for all food, drink, activities, etc.

What the hell?

Jan 9, 2019, 4:36 pm

#440

dval44

Join Date: May 2013

Posts: 637

Quote:

Originally Posted by dval44

Secondary question: It seems like everyone here has been charged 60k points/night? So should I be getting the 6k/night refunded?

Jan 9, 2019, 4:37 pm

#441

LifetimeUpgrade

formerly leemaj

Join Date: Jul 2004

Location: California

Programs: Bonvoy Titanium and LTP, Hyatt Globalist, UA Gold, SW Companion Pass

Posts: 217

Quote:

Originally Posted by dval44

Ugh...I am worried too. I e-mailed the hotel back in November to confirm that the points booking included food, and they said it is. I am wondering now what I should do, as my stay is also in late January. Can you keep us posted on what happens with this?

Jan 9, 2019, 4:41 pm

#442

bhrubin

Suspended

Join Date: Aug 2013

Location: Southern California, USA

Programs: Marriott Ambassador and LTT, UA Plat/LT Gold, AA Gold

Posts: 8,764

Guys, relax.

First, all Luxury Collection bookings moved to the new Marriott reservations system in Dec...which changed your booking confirmation numbers. Easy peasy. The same thing happened to all StR bookings before Dec.

Second, Marriott has confirmed that Al Maha will be all-inclusive on award stays just as it is on paid stays.

No no need to get freaked out. You’ll be fine.

Jan 9, 2019, 5:19 pm

#443

TerryK

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Sep 1999

Location: New York, NY, USA

Posts: 12,482

Quote:

Originally Posted by bhrubin

....Second, Marriott has confirmed that Al Maha will be all-inclusive on award stays just as it is on paid stays..........

Is there a link to this confirmation from Marriott? I just tried a dummy booking and rate details still show Room Only.

Jan 9, 2019, 5:24 pm

#444

bhrubin

Suspended

Join Date: Aug 2013

Location: Southern California, USA

Programs: Marriott Ambassador and LTT, UA Plat/LT Gold, AA Gold

Posts: 8,764

Quote:

Originally Posted by TerryK

Is there a link to this confirmation from Marriott? I just tried a dummy booking and rate details still show Room Only.

https://thepointsguy.com/news/al-mah...nd-activities/

https://onemileatatime.com/al-maha-award-redemptions/

https://viewfromthewing.boardingarea...ies-after-all/

I wouldn’t be too concerned about what the booking indicates, since we already know the Marriott IT is horrendous. The confirmations above are what we need to know.

My Ambassador also confirms the Al Maha award stays again including meals and activities as before.

Jan 9, 2019, 5:42 pm

#445

TerryK

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Sep 1999

Location: New York, NY, USA

Posts: 12,482

I trust those well known blogs are reliable, however, none of them are actual Marriott source.

Jan 9, 2019, 5:45 pm

#446

bhrubin

Suspended

Join Date: Aug 2013

Location: Southern California, USA

Programs: Marriott Ambassador and LTT, UA Plat/LT Gold, AA Gold

Posts: 8,764

Quote:

Originally Posted by TerryK

I trust those well known blogs are reliable, however, none of them are actual Marriott source.

Well then, you’re most welcome to wonder and fret anew.

Literalists just kill me.

Jan 9, 2019, 6:02 pm

#447

dval44

Join Date: May 2013

Posts: 637

Anyone on here charged the 66k rate and have luck switching it back down to the 60k rate? Every agent I've talked to is completely baffled/unhelpful. "I guess that's just how it is" is what the last one told me. Thanks.

Jan 9, 2019, 6:04 pm

#448

dval44

Join Date: May 2013

Posts: 637

Quote:

Originally Posted by bhrubin

Well then, you’re most welcome to wonder and fret anew.

Literalists just kill me.

Also this is someone today: Bettina says:
January 9, 2019 at 6:48 pmI just called Mariott and they called Al Maha. They say that there will be no food ord acitivities. Then I just called the Al Maha myself they say that when you redeem points there will be no food or acitivities. How can I manage to get the benefits?

Jan 9, 2019, 7:21 pm

#449

Happy

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Jul 2003

Location: Florida

Posts: 29,755

Quote:

Originally Posted by dval44

Worth to point out this is in the comment section of the freshly published OMAAT blog about how Marriott has made Al Mah to honor the all inclusive. Yet, both Marriott and Al Maha told this poster the opposite!

Until we get the Rate Details updated, I would not be so blindly trusted the bloggers - because, wasn't it just a few months ago a senior VP told a blogger (the very same blogger Gary Leff) about the elite status changes or no changes... Guess the rest is history that Marriott totally rescind what that exec has said...

Those who have upcoming stays and their bookings are made before the final migration, they should email the property and get a written confirmation on the full boards and activities.
Those who may reconsider to book, go ahead to make the bookings far out and then wait for confirmation from the actual source before counting the chicken or the egg.

TerryK, GUWonder and EuropeanPete like this.

Jan 9, 2019, 7:56 pm

#450

Lobonomnom

Join Date: Jan 2019

Location: Albuquerque

Posts: 64

Quote:

Originally Posted by TerryK

I trust those well known blogs are reliable, however, none of them are actual Marriott source.

Gary’s source with Marriott stated Al Maha “is reverting back to the old inclusive award pricing”. The key word here is “reverting” which suggests that it isn’t complete. I assume Marriott has informed the hotel GM that changing awards to non-inclusive was not allowed and that they will be working with IT to get things changed back. I suspect the people who have contacted the hotel and have said that their stays are still non-inclusive are speaking to people who have not received information regarding this change by Marriott. Hopefully this works out for us.