St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort [Master Thread]
Mar 2, 2019, 3:53 am
#2446
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: New York City
Programs: SPG Plat, Hyatt Globalist, DL Platinum
Posts: 96
If it was just a 2020 phenomenon, then I can somewhat understand their reasoning for wanting to play games with inventory by blocking GV cash reservations. However, the very last date any GV is available for cash is August 31. That means that they've been blocking half of their GV cash inventory for over a month now. If they really wanted to block awards so much, why didn't they just go with the B&B rate trick that they (and Al Maha) have successfully used to block awards in the past before? (Perhaps pressure from Marriott and negative publicity from various media outlets forced them to change their strategy? 
)
And then the fact that they're also blocking tons of cash OWVs during peak season (which are currently pricing at 170k/n for award redemption, so I can't imagine that many people actually booking these awards)... It's completely mystifying to me how all of this is supposed to help their bottom line. But like you say, we shall see come March 5th.
)And then the fact that they're also blocking tons of cash OWVs during peak season (which are currently pricing at 170k/n for award redemption, so I can't imagine that many people actually booking these awards)... It's completely mystifying to me how all of this is supposed to help their bottom line. But like you say, we shall see come March 5th.
Mar 2, 2019, 6:33 am
#2447
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 413
As an FYi, I've been looking ~every day at availability at both Al Maha and the StR Maldives for Jan/Feb 2020 and today I saw both have availability for the first time. The StR Maldives has one night only (February 2nd if anyone wants to grab it) and Al Maha had 3 days available in early January. I've got no idea what's been going on with these two resorts, but there is at least some chance of grabbing last second awards before the shoe drops on March 5th.
For some reason the pricing for the OWV seems crazily inflated.. and the 1 night free cost doesn't look right either..
Redemption with Points Upgrade
RATE DETAILS1 room(s) for 5 night(s)
Prices in USD- Monday, February 3, 2020
- 110000 Points + Free Night
- Tuesday, February 4, 2020
- 170,000 Points
- Wednesday, February 5, 2020
- 170,000 Points
- Thursday, February 6, 2020
- 170,000 Points
- Friday, February 7, 2020
- 170,000 Points
- Total points rate
790,000 - Local Fee
695.00 - Estimated government taxes and fees
30.00 - Total for stay in hotel's currency
725.00 USD + 790,000points
Mar 2, 2019, 6:35 am
#2448
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: CPH
Programs: SAS Gold, Marriott Platinum, IHG Platinum, Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Gold
Posts: 162
We went once shortly after opening and again last week (checked out earlier this week). They have made some cut backs since our first stay. Our butler specifically told us that one of those changes was kids eating for free.
On this trip, we were told under 4 is free. We were charged for meals for our 5 year old, but meals for our 1 year old were free (which was a little awkward differentiating which dishes should be charged and which shouldn't).
Mar 2, 2019, 6:36 am
#2449
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: CPH
Programs: SAS Gold, Marriott Platinum, IHG Platinum, Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Gold
Posts: 162
That's high season pricing for you... the 60k is what they deduct for 5 night free based on a standard room being cat 7. Actually the cost for this booking might drop after March 5th as the 5th night rebate in high season should become 100k points I'd think
Mar 2, 2019, 7:08 am
#2450
Join Date: May 2018
Location: HOU/IAH
Programs: NH Platinum; UA Silver; Marriott Titanium; Hilton Diamond; Hyatt Explorist
Posts: 64
There are two separate award redemptions that occur when you redeem points for rooms that are higher tier than the base room: the Standard Award Redemption (SAR), which reserves a 'virtual' base room (equal to the standardized award chart cost), and the Upgrade Award redemption (UAR), which moves you up from the virtual base room to the actual room you're reserving (this cost can be dynamic, and is really whatever the hotel wants it to be).
As we all (hopefully!) know, the SAR is currently fixed at 60k/n for this category.
The UAR for the lowest-tier OWV currently ranges from a minimum of 40k/n in the lowest season to 110k/n in the highest season, and somewhere in between for the shoulder season (in 10k/n increments).
The award redemption T&C makes it very clear that the 5th night free benefit only applies to the SAR.
Therefore, everything that you're seeing looks correct to me. It's unfortunate for those hoping to get confirmed OWVs on points during the high season, but on the bright side, 1. it's still cheaper than the old SPG price, and 2. there have been a lot of DPs recently of guests getting incredible upgrades from GVs in peak season...
It's also promising that some GVs have suddenly opened up despite the ongoing cash inventory issues...though maybe they're just due to people cancelling reservations if it's only for very few nights?
- Off-peak/peak pricing for standard awards is not coming into effect on March 5. Still no ETA on that, in fact. Therefore, after March 5, standard awards for this category will move to 85k/n for all dates.
- From what I understand, the cost of reserving an upgraded room is always SAR + UAR. There is no such thing as a free night 'rebate'; the free night benefit simply cancels out the SAR portion of the total redemption price. If the SAR is increasing from 60k to 85k and the UAR is not changing (I certainly don't expect it to go down!), then I foresee the cost of reserving the same upgraded room to go up after March 5 by 25k on the non-free nights (60k + 110k --> 85k + 110k), and the cost of the free night to stay the same (0 + 110k --> 0 + 110k).
Mar 2, 2019, 2:23 pm
#2451
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Florida
Programs: Hyatt Diamond. SPG Plat. Marriott Plat.
Posts: 522
The night before my stay the hotel just charged me an extra 420k points to my account. My stay was 8 nights in OWV for 640k. And it looks like they refunded the 640k. Recharged 640k. Then charged another 420k
This happen to anyone else?
This happen to anyone else?
Mar 2, 2019, 2:28 pm
#2452
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Tokyo
Programs: JAL Metal Card (OWE), SAS Eurobonus Gold (*G), Marriott Titanium (LTP), Tokyu Hotels Platinum
Posts: 21,160
Did you book before the (I think) December integration of booking systems? Some of the certificates dropped out in that process. Reach out to the hotel, and they will fix it in no time.
Mar 2, 2019, 2:29 pm
#2453
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Florida
Programs: Hyatt Diamond. SPG Plat. Marriott Plat.
Posts: 522
should I just let them know at check in today?
Mar 2, 2019, 2:45 pm
#2454
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Tokyo
Programs: JAL Metal Card (OWE), SAS Eurobonus Gold (*G), Marriott Titanium (LTP), Tokyu Hotels Platinum
Posts: 21,160
Mar 2, 2019, 3:47 pm
#2456
Join Date: Feb 2019
Posts: 7
Mar 3, 2019, 12:00 am
#2458
Join Date: Apr 2001
Posts: 189
I have 6 nights booked in GV with points and need to add another night to the beginning of the stay. I am thinking of just paying the cash rate for an OWV in lieu of waiting for points availability. If I do this would there be a greater chance of getting upgraded to that same OWV the rest of the stay, or is the hotel okay with having guests change rooms? Thanks!
Edit: And I understand that upgrades depend on many factors, I am more looking for feedback from anyone with experience doing this.
Edit: And I understand that upgrades depend on many factors, I am more looking for feedback from anyone with experience doing this.
Mar 3, 2019, 12:13 am
#2459
Join Date: Apr 2001
Posts: 189
I'll try one more time to ask as I'm leaving in a few days. The inflatable lilo seems like it may be fun if tied off the dock of the OWV but I don't really know if there is danger to damage coral which I really wouldn't want to do. Anyone else have experiences with these or seen them at the resort previously?
Mar 4, 2019, 6:58 am
#2460
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 4
Combining award reservations for 5th night free
Hi! I've been following this thread for a while - lots of useful info here 
So I managed to get Dec 15-19 booked. Few days later, managed to snag Dec 14-15. Total of five nights combined and all at the same 60K redemption for the Garden Villa.
I thought it'd be a simple matter of calling to combine. Called the Ambassador line and was told it could not be done if the award stays were not available. I could cancel them and try to get it back as a 5 night, but at the risk of losing it all together and also there appears to be a buffer period in which the canceled reservations are not available immediately.
Wanted to ask if anybody else has encountered a similar situation of trying to stitch together a 5 night award for the fifth night free?
So I managed to get Dec 15-19 booked. Few days later, managed to snag Dec 14-15. Total of five nights combined and all at the same 60K redemption for the Garden Villa.
I thought it'd be a simple matter of calling to combine. Called the Ambassador line and was told it could not be done if the award stays were not available. I could cancel them and try to get it back as a 5 night, but at the risk of losing it all together and also there appears to be a buffer period in which the canceled reservations are not available immediately.
Wanted to ask if anybody else has encountered a similar situation of trying to stitch together a 5 night award for the fifth night free?