pazza2000

I believe the only Cat 7 option is the Westin, and that could be one of the best options for a family alongside the StR. The W and JW maybe not as good a fit for a family, imo

SkyElite

Curious. Why is the JW not a good option for family? Do they not have a lounge with food, or a kids club?

skutsko

We are headed to The Maldives for our honeymoon for 10 nights. Curious if 10 nights at one resort will be too many in regards to things to do, restaurants, etc? Or would any / one of these 3 resorts be better for a 10 night stay?

How much of a pain would it be to do 2 resorts each for 5 nights (I understand we'd need to pay for 2 transfers)?

Any thoughts appreciated! Only reason I am asking is because someone previously mentioned they felt 10 nights at the JW would be tough because its a "small" resort.


Thanks!

GalaxyChris

Actually you need a PCR test to change resort, then some hotel who are not too far of each others can organize a direct transfert, if not you will need to go back to Male then fly again to the new resort.

WasKnown

Can anyone talk about what type of elite benefits one might expect at the St Regis, W Maldives, and any other Marriott properties? I don’t have high hopes for anything but would like to know.

Also, would late December/early January be considered a reasonable time to visit? It seems like most places say rainy season ends in December but most precipitation stats show rainfall still occurring at fair amounts that month.

Martellus

Each Maldives property has its own thread with hundreds of posts, and almost all of them have a well-maintained wiki article that very clearly spells out what benefits you may expect for elite benefits. You should refer to those threads to find what you're looking for.

Late December/January is firmly in the high (if not the highest) season, with excellent weather.

Hitenp07

I am looking to book a stay for my honeymoon and am torn between the St Regis and the Ritz. I am torn because the Ritz is brand new and the St Regis is 5+ years old.
That age brings more experience to the St Regis staff and I don't know if I want to risk going into a brand new hotel (Ritz) and have the service not be up to par since they are all so new. At the same time it would be nice to stay at a brand new hotel vs a 5+ years old hotel.

I am a Bonvoy member so I would be paying the same amount of points for either hotel, so that is not a factor.

Anyone have any experience staying at both or either of them and can recommend one over the other? We care about the service, the food and the ambiance the most.

iluvdoco

I read a post that an additional PCR test is required upon arrival to the Ritz, can anyone confirm or deny?

LovetoTravel83

I was at both properties in the past month. Stayed 15 wonderful nights at the St. Regis. And had a planned 4 night stay cut short at the Ritz to 2 nights due to service related issues.

You can't go wrong with the STR. However, the Ritz is a wonderful property but it will need some time until they are up to the Ritz standards.

if you're planning to go mid next year, I say that could be ok at the Ritz as their property is much nicer than the STR. But we had a wonderful stay at the STR (keep in mind this was our 3rd visit to the STR) and you can't go wrong with the service.

And no, the Ritz doesn't require another PCR unless you were staying at another property pre-Ritz (that is the case for all resorts in the Maldives).

UKTraveller4Fun

To me there isn't even a question, St.R easy choice.

KE81

This is a bit off topic (I actually sent you a private message earlier today), but since you mention the PCR test, I was wondering if you have any advice to share about staying at multiple resorts in one trip? We are planning a five-day stay at the Westin and then one night at the Sheraton because we have a late return flight and don't want to spend 6+ hours at the airport. Other than having a negative PCR test handy, did you have do anything else to facilitate your multiple stays? I was reading that we may possibly need clearance from the Maldivian government, but the Sheraton has not advised us of such. Not sure if that's because we're just going to fly back to MLE and then catch the speedboat to the Sheraton, so no direct transfer.

Any insight you have would be greatly appreciated!

LovetoTravel83

Just the PCR for the transfer. And the Westin should arrange that at their property.

eldfjall21

Greetings! First time poster, long time flyertalk creeper. Always figured my post would be regarding flights...but I am turning to the forum for some help deciding between the W Maldives and the St. Regis Maldives. I apologize if I have posted this in the wrong area. Yes, i have reviewed master threads on both hotels, and even a couple posts comparing the two.

I have an upcoming points trip to the Maldives this January. My sig other and I will be staying 5 nights at the PH then another 5 nights at either the W or the St. Regis. Both properties are 100,000 points a night for their overwater villa option (although the st regis is charging $500 for the upgrade). All-in-all between the transfer costs, the St. Regis will probably be about $800 -$1,000 more expensive. I am a Marriott platinum elite, would elect breakfast as my benefit, and am under the impression both properties would honor the 20% discount on dining using a marriott branded cc....please correct me if I am wrong.

From what I have read, the St. Regis will be slightly more luxurious, have better breakfast, and the hard product will be "newer". However, the W will have less kids/families, be slightly cheaper, and have a much better house reef/snorkeling. Only turn off I have seen to W is the rather quirky branding which doesn't scream Maldives luxury to me.

For context, my partner and I are probably making a once-in-a-lifetime trip to the Maldives. I am a diver, and while we may do some scuba diving excursions, we will probably stick with mostly snorkeling. Looking for a healthy reef with a nice balance of luxury. Relaxation, intimacy, and nature more important than over-the-top luxury.

Both resorts are pretty much priced similarly so I would love to hear some feedback and input from the community. Thank you for your time everyone!

FarFetched1219

The only way I can see the W comparing to St Regis is that cash prices are significantly lower. In terms of quality the St Regis is in another league. If you want to maximise points value and luxury, St Regis and it isn't even close.

I can't speak to the reef caparison so well as I'm not a diver.

UKTraveller4Fun

I would agree with this sentiment apart from to me the W Maldives due to its smaller island and better house reef actually feels more Maldives to me and less international high end resort, the design of the villas are more Maldives style and is just moer intimate. I am not saying that the W would win out over the St.R for me as thats not the case, but outside of the luxury feel /service side I actually think the W wins on some levels from a personal point of view. So depending on the person and what they are looking for its not as clear cut as it shoud be.