May 7, 2021, 10:45 am

FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides

Last edit by: jason8612

Hotel email:
[email protected]

Resort Shared Seaplane Transfer:
Prices are inclusive of tax and fees and to be paid upon check-out.
420 USD per adult (12 years and above)
210 USD per child (ages between 2 and 11.99 years)
Baggage
Complimentary for infants (below 2 years)
Standard baggage is 30 25kg including hand luggage. Excess weight will be charged at 5.60 USD per kg (per round trip).
Max dimensions are 158 cm and 32 kg. Infants do not have baggage allowance.
Hours
Operate between 06:00 to 16:00.
For check-in, last international flight must arrive at or before 15:30.
For check-out, first international flight must depart at or after 09:00.
Complete Details can be found here.

COVID Related Topics
Testing
Testing available at 120++ USD pp and reservations should be made no later than 72 hours prior to departure.
Quarantine/Isolation Policy
What happens if I test positive for COVID? Current policy can be found here.
Contact Tracing
Where can I find the list of properties under contract tracing? Here.
What happens if a resort is listed under contract tracing?
Guests must travel directly between MLE airport and the property post arrival and pre departure via international flight ONLY.
Inter-island transfers will be ceased and guests will not be able to arrive from, depart to, another island in the Maldives.

Water Sports & Diving Menu

Spa, Beauty, & Fitness Menu

F&B Menu
Latitude Menu
Riviera Menu
Tabemasu Menu
Turquoise Menu
Velaa Lunch Menu
Velaa Dinner Menu
Waves Menu
Wine Master List
Mini Bar Menu

Meal Plans
Prices are inclusive of tax and fees
Bed and Breakfast per night
30 USD per adult (12 years and above)
15 USD per child (ages between 3 and 11.99 years)
Half Board per night
95 USD per adult (12 years and above)
47.50 USD per child (ages between 3 and 11.99 years)
Complimentary for infants (below 3 years)
Full Board Plus per night
155 USD per adult (12 years and above)
77.50 USD per child (ages between 3 and 11.99 years)
Complimentary for infants (below 3 years)
All-Inclusive per night
230 USD per adult (12 years and above)
115 USD per child (ages 3 and 11.99 years)
Complimentary for infants (below 3 years)
Details can be found here.

F&B Bonvoy Discounts
General Members & Silver Elite 10%
Gold Elite 15%
Platinum, Titanium, & Ambassador Elite 20%
Full Details can be found here.

Resort Map
Can be found here.
Room total can be found here.
Beach Bungalow and Beach Villa are categorized by location. See the resort map for more information.

Paid/confirmed upgrades
Rates per night as of 08-May-2021
From Sunrise OWV to Sunset OWV 50++ USD
From Sunrise OWV to Sunset OWV w/ pool 250++ USD
Terms
Must be for entire duration of reservation
Requires non-refundable payment at time of confirming
Availability and rates subject to change
Can you apply SNAs at this property? No.

Late Checkout Policy (subject to availability)
General Members: None
Silver Elite: "Priority"
Gold Elite: 2pm
Platinum & Titanium Elite: 4pm
Ambassador Elite: 4pm or "Your24"

Welcome Gift
General Members & Silver Elite: None
Gold Elite: 500 points per stay
Platinum, Titanium, and Ambassador Elite: Welcome Gift: 1000 points per stay OR amenity per stay OR breakfast at Turquoise Restaurant per day for 2 persons (member + 1)

Drone Restrictions
"We strictly prohibit the operation of any type of UAV or drones for any purpose within and above the premises of the resort as our guests' privacy is of our utmost concern. This prohibition extends to devices launched from the resort or from outside the boundaries of the resort. If you wish to take photographs or videos, you may do so at the common areas of our resort."

Le Méridien Maldives Resort & Spa, Thilamaafushi, Maldives [Master Thread]

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Mar 23, 2022, 2:04 pm

#1081

Cris

Join Date: Apr 2010

Location: Southern California

Posts: 271

Quote:

Originally Posted by cutnana

We may want to upgrade to a Sunrise Overwater Villa. If they have availability, is it also $50 a night?

I'm using points, but it was a $50 a day upgrade over the standard room to the sunrise villa. I assume that's correct for cash booking too.

Mar 23, 2022, 2:12 pm

#1082

Smiley90

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: May 2015

Location: BOS, YVR, ZRH

Programs: *G

Posts: 17,383

Quote:

Originally Posted by andrew148

Debating between this with a overwater villa or St Regis Maldives with a garden villa. I noted the half board or full board options are significantly cheaper than St Regis by at least 50% - should I be concerned about its quality? How is the house reef situation? Also, should I expect to pay for one activity a day for the water sports center? Seems pricey from their brochure. Thanks so much! Going in early January.

I mean, one is a Cat 8 resort, and one's a Cat 5 resort, so there's a reason why one is much more expensive - see also room rates.

friedablass likes this.

Mar 24, 2022, 6:14 am

#1083

tylerc

Join Date: Nov 2010

Posts: 787

Has anyone stayed in the owv with pool? I think they all say sunset, but are they not on both sides of the jetty, technically one facing towards the resort (sunrise)?

Mar 24, 2022, 6:35 am

#1084

FlyingStantoni

Join Date: Feb 2022

Posts: 29

Quote:

Originally Posted by tylerc

Has anyone stayed in the owv with pool? I think they all say sunset, but are they not on both sides of the jetty, technically one facing towards the resort (sunrise)?

If you look carefully at the overwater villa plan you’ll see that the villas are in three sections.

The pool villas are all on the sunset side of the last section. None on the sunrise side.

The pools are plunge pools rather than swimming pools and take up the same area as the net bit of our sunset OWV - maybe 6ft by 9ft.

Mar 24, 2022, 6:39 am

#1085

FlyingStantoni

Join Date: Feb 2022

Posts: 29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cris

Has there been a post regarding what the 3-course set menu at Velaa Bar + Grill looks like? I've seen the regular menu, but could not located the pre-fix, if that's what it's called. I assume as the Turquoise meals is listed as a 3-course meal, the full menu is fair game?

The full board and all inclusive menus are a subset of the a la carte. Simply take away the 10-15% of very highest price items.

And/but at times of low occupancy (as now) Turquoise is buffet only.

Mar 24, 2022, 12:31 pm

#1086

wb2020

Join Date: Dec 2020

Programs: British Airways Gold, Hyatt Globalist, Delta Platinum, Bonvoy Titanium, Singapore Krisflyer Gold

Posts: 152

Quote:

Originally Posted by andrew148

Debating between this with a overwater villa or St Regis Maldives with a garden villa. I noted the half board or full board options are significantly cheaper than St Regis by at least 50% - should I be concerned about its quality? How is the house reef situation? Also, should I expect to pay for one activity a day for the water sports center? Seems pricey from their brochure. Thanks so much! Going in early January.

I don't think that food in the Maldives is ever going to represent great value for money, but I was pleasantly surprised by the food at various outlets at LM. Not phenomenal, but certainly solid across the board. The breakfast buffet at Turquoise is actually very strong. The house reef is quite good for a new resort and perhaps even swimmable from sunrise overwaters on the western pier. With regards to activities, it truly depends on what you want out of the trip and the speed in which you want to operate. We did a guided night snorkel of the house reef for $60 and a 3-hour sea turtle snorkel for $120 at a large reef nearby. Jet skis are not cheap, but that's true pretty much everywhere.

I'll double down on Smiley90's comment that you can't really compare a Cat8 to a Cat5 if you have Cat8 expectations. If you want the absolute best, book (and pay for) St. Regis or Ritz-Carlton. If you don't have Cat8 expectations, Le Meridien is a tremendous value in my opinion and really over-delivers for its price point. We just checked-out last week and are strongly considering returning to LM next year. Based on our excellent experience there, we're less inclined to pay for a Cat8 but YMMV.

friedablass likes this.

Mar 24, 2022, 12:35 pm

#1087

andrew148

Join Date: Mar 2022

Posts: 68

Thanks so much wb2020 for your detailed reply - yes I agree with you - I think I am leaning more and more towards LM now. Feel like the category 8 is great for honeymooner and special celebrations, but LM would be perfect in terms of budget for normal family vacation....

Mar 24, 2022, 1:29 pm

#1088

wb2020

Join Date: Dec 2020

Programs: British Airways Gold, Hyatt Globalist, Delta Platinum, Bonvoy Titanium, Singapore Krisflyer Gold

Posts: 152

Quote:

Originally Posted by andrew148

Yeah, for a normal family vacation I think you'll be quite happy here. It's great for couples but probably a bit more family-friendly than some of the higher-end resorts.

andrew148 likes this.

Mar 24, 2022, 3:40 pm

#1089

Cris

Join Date: Apr 2010

Location: Southern California

Posts: 271

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlyingStantoni

The full board and all inclusive menus are a subset of the a la carte. Simply take away the 10-15% of very highest price items.

And/but at times of low occupancy (as now) Turquoise is buffet only.

That's helpful, thank you. And how about drinks? Was a little confusing, but to be clear the full board and above includes alcohol throughout the day and not just meal times, correct?

Quote:

Unlimited beverage consumption from the beverage list served in the above-mentioned restaurants and bars only during
the designated service hours (or during Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner) and to be consumed at the restaurants only:
• Selection of non-alcoholic beverages including soft drinks, mocktails, smoothies, milkshakes and chilled juices.
• Selection of premium hot and iced teas.
• Selection of alcoholic cocktails.
• Selection of international brand spirits and wines by the glass from a select menu.
• Selection of international draught and bottled beer from a select menu.

Mar 25, 2022, 3:25 am

#1090

Nekamah7

Join Date: Jul 2009

Programs: All of 'em

Posts: 438

What recognition does the hotel give for Titanium members?
And what's the stand alone breakfast cost?

Mar 25, 2022, 4:30 am

#1091

Kayano

Join Date: Apr 2015

Programs: SPG Plat 100

Posts: 48

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nekamah7

What recognition does the hotel give for Titanium members?
And what's the stand alone breakfast cost?

Here is the run down of the benefits I got as Ambassador:

Member Rates
Mobile Check-In / Services (subject to availability)
Complimentary Enhanced Wi-Fi Service
Ultimate Reservation Guarantee (no walk policy)
Complimentary Room Upgrade (subject to availability)
Welcome Gift: 1000 points per stay OR amenity per stay OR breakfast at Turquoise Restaurant per day for 2 persons (member + 1)
4 pm Late Checkout (subject to availability)
Receive 75% bonus points of the total accumulated points for the stay
Your 24

So apart of the Your24, you should get everything else. In practice this means free breakfast and potential room upgrade.

Cost of breakfast if you don't have it included, or select as Welcome gift is USD 30 per adult.

Mar 25, 2022, 4:55 am

#1092

Nekamah7

Join Date: Jul 2009

Programs: All of 'em

Posts: 438

And if it's a gifted stay, then no recognition benefits?

Mar 25, 2022, 5:20 am

#1093

Kayano

Join Date: Apr 2015

Programs: SPG Plat 100

Posts: 48

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nekamah7

And if it's a gifted stay, then no recognition benefits?

Rather not, maybe they could underpromise and overdeliver.
In my case we booked two rooms (my wife has Platinum status) and asked whether my wife status could apply to the second room (she will be in the same room as me as second room is for our friends) and they answered that no.

Mar 25, 2022, 7:58 am

#1094

FlyingStantoni

Join Date: Feb 2022

Posts: 29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cris

That's helpful, thank you. And how about drinks? Was a little confusing, but to be clear the full board and above includes alcohol throughout the day and not just meal times, correct?

Drinks only during food service. In practice this means 6am-11am in Turquoise; noon-17:00 at Velaa and then 18:00-23:00 at Velaa. Both Turquoise and Velaa have some soft seating and staff will still serve you if you move.

What you can’t do is take your drink away or drink at Riviera on the full board. It’s not too big a hardship unless you really want to go for it.

You can eat in Tabemasu on full board and get a $50 credit.

Mar 25, 2022, 11:15 am

#1095

Cris

Join Date: Apr 2010

Location: Southern California

Posts: 271

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlyingStantoni

However, I can take it I can have lunch at 1pm, and come back at say 4:30 for a cocktail in the restaurant? It's just when the applicable restaurants/bars are open, correct?