St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort [Master Thread]
#2956
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: KSA
Programs: Marriott AMB, Skywards Gold
Posts: 3,737
I am late to the party, but as discussed with @brosenberg0 in PM, I can provide another vote for 535. And it sounds like @spgplat21 likes the location of SOWVs around 535 so much that he would prefer a downgrade to 534 or 536 (for example) if given 519.
#2957
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: CLT
Posts: 23
Are people notified of the butler assigned to you before you arrive? I have a stay coming up in September and I plan to propose to my girlfriend so I wanted to coordinate a couple of things before hand. Any suggestions on the best way to go about doing this or getting in contact with the butler before I arrive? Thanks!
#2958
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Tokyo
Programs: JAL Metal Card (OWE), SAS Eurobonus Gold (*G), Marriott Titanium (LTP), Tokyu Hotels Platinum
Posts: 21,161
Are people notified of the butler assigned to you before you arrive? I have a stay coming up in September and I plan to propose to my girlfriend so I wanted to coordinate a couple of things before hand. Any suggestions on the best way to go about doing this or getting in contact with the butler before I arrive? Thanks!
#2959
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: SF/OC
Programs: UA GS, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 474
For anyone who is interested the local fees were indeed the seaplane transfers, and the website was having an error processing the age of my kid. Also the resort confirmed no extra person fee for my kid, age 3.
#2960
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Dallas
Programs: AA Platinum Pro, Marriott Titanium/ Lifetime Platinum, Caesars Diamond, Hilton Gold, United Silver
Posts: 30
Just finished our trip last week. Our butler Alina was phenomenal. Can’t say enough great things about her. Afternoon tea, snacks, fruit, chocolates, evening baths, etc. on top of the other butler services. Very proactive and if we needed anything she gave us her What’s app number and it was a quick text to her. It was nice that she met us at breakfast every morning and confirmed our agenda, reservations, tea time, and anything we needed for those (eg rides, timing).
StR lounge at seaplane terminal was great both ways. Fast WiFi and lots of drink (nonalcoholic) and snack options. Staff was super helpful there as well.
We had room 529 on the north OWV. Was worried about water temp of the pool based on some reviews here but it was plenty warm. Great privacy as well (529 is next to the JJA estate and nobody was staying there). Stayed on points (300k for 6 nights) and it was a free upgrade to the OWV. Was confirmed the day before we arrived.
Spent lots of of time in the spa and did lots of water sports. Sea bob was a blast; never done that before.
Free beer and wine at the Tuesday reception. HH at whale bar until 530pm and after 830pm (I think that was the time)...20% off. 20% off at spa at certain times as well.
Breakfast buffet has been well documented on here and lives up to expectation. Even asked for a few items “off menu” and they made it for us. Decanter I thought was fantastic. Decent value as well, relative to other food/drink prices on the island. There were three other couples that joined us for the dinner and I saw them open 11 bottles of wine/bubbles for us. And we drank it all. Would have been a dicey walk back to the villa if Alina didn’t pick us up.
Had a lot of success at the sunset fishing. 8 fish between the two of us; they cooked up half of them for us and we had a late lunch/early dinner the next day. Then spent the rest of the night at the managers reception and then the whale bar after.
Did a complimentary tour of Male organized by StR. on the way back home while we waited for our late evening flight. Not really a ton to see in the city but glad we did it.
Not sure what else to add but it was a hell of a trip.
StR lounge at seaplane terminal was great both ways. Fast WiFi and lots of drink (nonalcoholic) and snack options. Staff was super helpful there as well.
We had room 529 on the north OWV. Was worried about water temp of the pool based on some reviews here but it was plenty warm. Great privacy as well (529 is next to the JJA estate and nobody was staying there). Stayed on points (300k for 6 nights) and it was a free upgrade to the OWV. Was confirmed the day before we arrived.
Spent lots of of time in the spa and did lots of water sports. Sea bob was a blast; never done that before.
Free beer and wine at the Tuesday reception. HH at whale bar until 530pm and after 830pm (I think that was the time)...20% off. 20% off at spa at certain times as well.
Breakfast buffet has been well documented on here and lives up to expectation. Even asked for a few items “off menu” and they made it for us. Decanter I thought was fantastic. Decent value as well, relative to other food/drink prices on the island. There were three other couples that joined us for the dinner and I saw them open 11 bottles of wine/bubbles for us. And we drank it all. Would have been a dicey walk back to the villa if Alina didn’t pick us up.
Had a lot of success at the sunset fishing. 8 fish between the two of us; they cooked up half of them for us and we had a late lunch/early dinner the next day. Then spent the rest of the night at the managers reception and then the whale bar after.
Did a complimentary tour of Male organized by StR. on the way back home while we waited for our late evening flight. Not really a ton to see in the city but glad we did it.
Not sure what else to add but it was a hell of a trip.
#2961
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Dallas
Programs: AA Platinum Pro, Marriott Titanium/ Lifetime Platinum, Caesars Diamond, Hilton Gold, United Silver
Posts: 30
Also, I know it’s been asked a few times on here...here is the response I received when asking about points earning:
“Earnings not eligible are Tax, Service charges, Seaplane transfer, gratuities, retail shop charges, watersports & Diving.”
“Earnings not eligible are Tax, Service charges, Seaplane transfer, gratuities, retail shop charges, watersports & Diving.”
#2963
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: SF/OC
Programs: UA GS, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 474
Can anyone comment on the quality of the snorkel gear? Debating on bringing my own. Snorkel have a dry top? Fin quality?
For anyone who has done the Sea Bob, is it worth it? Any way to attach a GoPro to the Sea bob? Thanks
For anyone who has done the Sea Bob, is it worth it? Any way to attach a GoPro to the Sea bob? Thanks
#2964
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Gaithersburg, MD
Programs: DL Diamond, Alaska 75K, AA EP, Marriott Amb, Hertz PC, UA silver, BA Bronze
Posts: 13
Fins they provided are fine, but brought our own snorkels (no dry top as far as I can tell on theirs) and masks and glad we did.
#2965
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Dallas
Programs: AA Platinum Pro, Marriott Titanium/ Lifetime Platinum, Caesars Diamond, Hilton Gold, United Silver
Posts: 30
I didn’t see if there was/was not a way to connect a go pro to it. If you have a mount for your snorkel mask, I’d use that.
#2966
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: SF/OC
Programs: UA GS, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 474
something like this? I’ve never been able to get a clear shot without stars tracking on long exposure.
#2967
+1, I really want to know how people take good astro shots. Mine always have stars tracking, even on f/2.8 with as high an ISO as i can do (Sony a7iii).
#2968
Join Date: Oct 2018
Programs: Bonvoy Plat
Posts: 153
Can't speak for the OP here, but I shoot on the a7iii, usually either 14 or 24mm (Sigma 14 1.8, Sony 24 1.4), at between f/1.4 and f/2.4. ISO varies but usually not lower than 800 (no point) and not higher than 6400, occasionally 12800. Shutter speed is usually between 10-30s if not using a tracker. There are several calculators and tons of resources you can use online that can help you figure out shutter speed/anything else you're having trouble with.