St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort [Master Thread]
Jul 5, 2019, 6:17 am
#2927
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Texas
Programs: Southwest Companion Pass, Marriott Plat, IHG Plat
Posts: 35
I had a similar delimma here with W vs StR, both for 240k 5 nights and paying to upgrade to OVW. I went with StR since this is probably going to be a one time visit for me since I’m coming from the US and there’s so many other places to visit I wanted to go ahead and knock out the very top resort. My stay is in August but I thought I’d give you my thought process. I think you should appreciate the ability to switch rooms at StR. Lots of reports from people staying in both garden villa and OVW that, while OVW was worth the experience, they would go back to the villa for the space and privacy.
Jul 5, 2019, 10:18 am
#2928
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 115
I had a similar delimma here with W vs StR, both for 240k 5 nights and paying to upgrade to OVW. I went with StR since this is probably going to be a one time visit for me since I’m coming from the US and there’s so many other places to visit I wanted to go ahead and knock out the very top resort. My stay is in August but I thought I’d give you my thought process. I think you should appreciate the ability to switch rooms at StR. Lots of reports from people staying in both garden villa and OVW that, while OVW was worth the experience, they would go back to the villa for the space and privacy.
I had a similar delimma here with W vs StR, both for 240k 5 nights and paying to upgrade to OVW. I went with StR since this is probably going to be a one time visit for me since I’m coming from the US and there’s so many other places to visit I wanted to go ahead and knock out the very top resort. My stay is in August but I thought I’d give you my thought process. I think you should appreciate the ability to switch rooms at StR. Lots of reports from people staying in both garden villa and OVW that, while OVW was worth the experience, they would go back to the villa for the space and privacy.
Last edited by NewbieRunner; Jul 5, 2019 at 11:01 am Reason: Consecutive posts by same member
Jul 5, 2019, 11:14 am
#2929
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Texas
Programs: Southwest Companion Pass, Marriott Plat, IHG Plat
Posts: 35
I'm leaning the same way also. I think it'd have been an easier decision if I could have gotten 5 consecutive nights in the garden Villa and upgraded with cash. Right now, my reservation is for 340k points (3 in garden and 2 OWV). I'm also not sure I want to be switching rooms in the middle although that might be a good way to experience both options.
How much would it cost you to upgrade and when would you be doing it? I'm wondering if they might run out of the OWV villas
How much would it cost you to upgrade and when would you be doing it? I'm wondering if they might run out of the OWV villas
The cost to upgrade was about $250 per night tax included off season and like $450 per night tax included during peak (dec-apr). Quoted prices on the forum have been pretty consistent.
Jul 5, 2019, 11:24 am
#2930
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 3,737
We are adding a trip to the Maldives on to an existing trip. We've stayed on private islands before where we were the only guests on the island. OWV in the Maldives is more of a bucket list item that we are happy to have the chance to experience without paying a significant cash upgrade. It has been tough decision between the JW, W, and St. Regis as each seem to have their positives and they all seem like fantastic places to stay. We'll give the JW a shot for right now due to the OWV. There is always a chance they push back the opening date and we move over to the St. Regis. One major positive is that due to the IT glitch the JW is not taking reservations there is a chance of even fewer guests being on the island during our visit. I'm also interested in seeing what extra benefits they extend to platinum/titanium as the W has 20% off food. I'd be curious to see if the JW offers anything beyond breakfast.
Jul 5, 2019, 3:26 pm
#2931
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 115
Honestly I’d opt to be able to switch and get a mix of both for the same price instead of just the OVW. It’s not like you’re moving in and you have a butler you help you pack/unpack right?
The cost to upgrade was about $250 per night tax included off season and like $450 per night tax included during peak (dec-apr). Quoted prices on the forum have been pretty consistent.
Jul 5, 2019, 4:52 pm
#2932
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 243
We're going next month. I had 5 nights booked on my name with points directly into an OWV, and we added on one more from my wife's account in a GV for the first night. I have been periodically checking on the reservations and noticed sometime in the last week or two the reservation under my wife's account has been changed to an OWV, and still shows the 60K point redemption. I mean it's nice they did that and I'm not going to ask them to change it, but I was kind of excited to try a different room type for the first night. /first world problems.
Jul 5, 2019, 8:55 pm
#2933
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 115
We're going next month. I had 5 nights booked on my name with points directly into an OWV, and we added on one more from my wife's account in a GV for the first night. I have been periodically checking on the reservations and noticed sometime in the last week or two the reservation under my wife's account has been changed to an OWV, and still shows the 60K point redemption. I mean it's nice they did that and I'm not going to ask them to change it, but I was kind of excited to try a different room type for the first night. /first world problems.
Jul 5, 2019, 10:41 pm
#2934
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: In the air
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Bonvoy LT Plat, Hilton Gold, GHA Tit, BA Gold, Turkish Elite
Posts: 8,720
Those photos of the JW suggest to me that there could be phenomenal free diving just off the over water villas for anyone who can drop down more than 5-10 metres - depends what depth the wall starts at.
Jul 6, 2019, 8:00 pm
#2935
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: New York
Posts: 81
Going to likely be in a StR OW Suite and was asked if I had a preference in room. I am thinking 519 but also saw someone mention 535.
Any advice on the best combo of privacy, sunshine and sundown views? It seems like 535 gives you sundown but no privacy while 519 gives u privacy, but no sundown. Appreciate any advice.
Any advice on the best combo of privacy, sunshine and sundown views? It seems like 535 gives you sundown but no privacy while 519 gives u privacy, but no sundown. Appreciate any advice.
Jul 6, 2019, 8:07 pm
#2936
Join Date: Oct 2018
Programs: Bonvoy Plat
Posts: 153
Going to likely be in a StR OW Suite and was asked if I had a preference in room. I am thinking 519 but also saw someone mention 535.
Any advice on the best combo of privacy, sunshine and sundown views? It seems like 535 gives you sundown but no privacy while 519 gives u privacy, but no sundown. Appreciate any advice.
Any advice on the best combo of privacy, sunshine and sundown views? It seems like 535 gives you sundown but no privacy while 519 gives u privacy, but no sundown. Appreciate any advice.
Jul 6, 2019, 8:39 pm
#2937
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: KSA
Programs: Marriott AMB, Skywards Gold
Posts: 3,737
Going to likely be in a StR OW Suite and was asked if I had a preference in room. I am thinking 519 but also saw someone mention 535.
Any advice on the best combo of privacy, sunshine and sundown views? It seems like 535 gives you sundown but no privacy while 519 gives u privacy, but no sundown. Appreciate any advice.
Any advice on the best combo of privacy, sunshine and sundown views? It seems like 535 gives you sundown but no privacy while 519 gives u privacy, but no sundown. Appreciate any advice.
Jul 7, 2019, 10:35 am
#2938
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: YYZ
Programs: Marriott Titanium Elite, Accor Diamond, AC 35K, National Exec, Hertz Gold
Posts: 376
Going to likely be in a StR OW Suite and was asked if I had a preference in room. I am thinking 519 but also saw someone mention 535.
Any advice on the best combo of privacy, sunshine and sundown views? It seems like 535 gives you sundown but no privacy while 519 gives u privacy, but no sundown. Appreciate any advice.
Any advice on the best combo of privacy, sunshine and sundown views? It seems like 535 gives you sundown but no privacy while 519 gives u privacy, but no sundown. Appreciate any advice.
Here is a sunset time lapse I took from the room:
Jul 7, 2019, 2:29 pm
#2939
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: New York
Posts: 81
Awesome. Thanks everyone for the input.
So it seems like any downside I thought 535 might have in terms of privacy, isnt really an issue while you are gaining the benefit of better snorkeling, better views, more sun and sunset.
519 seems to maybe be a bit more private and isolated but if thats the sole benefit, 535 is private enough to make up for it whilst giving you all the other benefits that 519 doesnt give you. Seems very clear that if I have a choice at one of them, I should push for 535.
FWIW I don’t think you’d have a privacy issue in 535. The barriers on either side of the deck and the angle of the villa mean that neither those in the villas next to you nor those on the island should be able to see the deck/into the villa. There does seem to be more snorkeling on that side but I would think that the elevation of the villa would make that a non-issue from a privacy perspective.
So it seems like any downside I thought 535 might have in terms of privacy, isnt really an issue while you are gaining the benefit of better snorkeling, better views, more sun and sunset.
519 seems to maybe be a bit more private and isolated but if thats the sole benefit, 535 is private enough to make up for it whilst giving you all the other benefits that 519 doesnt give you. Seems very clear that if I have a choice at one of them, I should push for 535.
FWIW I don’t think you’d have a privacy issue in 535. The barriers on either side of the deck and the angle of the villa mean that neither those in the villas next to you nor those on the island should be able to see the deck/into the villa. There does seem to be more snorkeling on that side but I would think that the elevation of the villa would make that a non-issue from a privacy perspective.
We stayed in 535 in April for 8 nights. Amazing room, total privacy, great access to the reef wall / drop off for snorkeling, good mid point location making it easy to go from room to restaurant on foot, bike or buggy.
Here is a sunset time lapse I took from the room: https://www.instagram.com/p/Bw1bY8RBzqr/
Here is a sunset time lapse I took from the room: https://www.instagram.com/p/Bw1bY8RBzqr/
Jul 7, 2019, 3:17 pm
#2940
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: New York
Posts: 81
Is there an absolutely 'must request' butler that has truly turned the visit into an incredible exeprience? I know from my stays in Bali, Bal Harbour and a few other StRs that while a mediocare butler isnt doing much bad, a truly exceptional butler can take the entire trip to a completely other level.