Oct 18, 2021, 1:46 pm
Last edit by: dgreen12
Feel free to add to this wiki
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June 2023 Item of Potential Interest: Link to thread alleging rape of solo female Chinese tourist at the property..
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Main details.
(Dec 2022) The RC Maldives has its entire "Sales Kit" online, incl. pricing for
activities, spa, weddings; and maps/pictures/video/logos/floor plans: https://drive.google.com/drive/folde...Ad23r_g_CovQo_
Some useful maps at these posts:
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/33274629-post89.html - also lists types of villas available
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/33275048-post95.html - map with villa #'s
cmhsieh54's 8-page trip report (Dec 2022), in post #1204
Food & Beverage service
*There is no free breakfast amenity at this property for Marriott Bonvoy Platinum/Titanium/Ambassador.*
(Dec 2022) There is also no 'elite hour' (i.e. Happy Hour) or daily 'afternoon tea'.
(Dec 2022) The extremely comprehensive RC Maldives F&B guest webapp is here at this link, incl. all rest. menus
and room service prices:
https://mi.vserve-protecht.com/welco...JCZmpFZz0/1001
Unfortunately a scary-looking link, but it's legit. See post #1167.
Email address [email protected]
Transfer Prices
Shared Speedboat (45mins) - $901 per adult, $339 per child 3-11, 2 and under free
Private 48' Speedboat - $2800 per person
Yacht transfer no longer offered as a paid option as of February 2022, but there are reports of the
hotel offering it at their discretion
Shared Seaplane (10 mins) - $1,400 per adult, $700 per child 3-11, 2 and under free
Private Seaplane - $9.500
This cost applies to all guests, regardless of cash booking vs. points booking.
All prices are roundtrip, before 23.2% tax. See this website for latest updated
transfer prices: https://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/hotel...iew/directions
Miscellaneous
Island time: The resort has the clock set one hour ahead of Malé, so the time is GMT +6 hours. Many resorts in the Maldives do this for sunset viewing purposes.
The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands [Master Thread]
May 15, 2020, 9:49 pm
#16
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Southern California
Programs: Alaska MVP 75K, Delta Plat, Bonvoy Ambasador, Hilton diamond.
Posts: 527
I'm sure the property will be gorgeous architecturally and have excellent service but that's about as far as the positives go for this place. As someone who's visited the Maldives 4 times in the last 5 years I can with confidence say that North Male atoll is probably the least attractive of the Maldivian atolls. I get that proximity to Male makes for convenient transfers but all the properties charge exorbitant prices for the transfers anyway. A 50 minute seaplane ride or a 50 minute speed boat ride, its a wash in both cost & time. You are paying $300 minimum per person (even the Sheraton 10 minutes from the airport charges a few hundred).
Don't expect any spectacular reefs for snorkeling, or a live reef for that mater in North Male Atoll. I dove the seawall around the Waldorf Astoria while it was under construction 2 years ago and there was so much cement residue in the water that the entire area turned to "milk". The entire wall was covered in thick goops of it and it killed all the life. The bridge construction from Male to the airport likewise killed a lot of the life in the area. Add the extra warm ocean these last few years and all you will find is dead reef. There are a few good spots still left to scuba dive but you gotta go into the atoll channels with strong currents. There is also a ton of aircraft and boat traffic in North Male Atoll vs. the other Atolls.
If costs are the same, going to an atoll other than North Male is a no-brainer. I'd also avoid any property that does not reward my elite status with a free breakfast. I'm sure the place will get great traffic for a year or two, and then turn into just another North Male Atoll resort catering to mainland china tour groups.
Don't expect any spectacular reefs for snorkeling, or a live reef for that mater in North Male Atoll. I dove the seawall around the Waldorf Astoria while it was under construction 2 years ago and there was so much cement residue in the water that the entire area turned to "milk". The entire wall was covered in thick goops of it and it killed all the life. The bridge construction from Male to the airport likewise killed a lot of the life in the area. Add the extra warm ocean these last few years and all you will find is dead reef. There are a few good spots still left to scuba dive but you gotta go into the atoll channels with strong currents. There is also a ton of aircraft and boat traffic in North Male Atoll vs. the other Atolls.
If costs are the same, going to an atoll other than North Male is a no-brainer. I'd also avoid any property that does not reward my elite status with a free breakfast. I'm sure the place will get great traffic for a year or two, and then turn into just another North Male Atoll resort catering to mainland china tour groups.
May 16, 2020, 8:06 am
#17
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 655
I'm sure the property will be gorgeous architecturally and have excellent service but that's about as far as the positives go for this place. As someone who's visited the Maldives 4 times in the last 5 years I can with confidence say that North Male atoll is probably the least attractive of the Maldivian atolls. I get that proximity to Male makes for convenient transfers but all the properties charge exorbitant prices for the transfers anyway. A 50 minute seaplane ride or a 50 minute speed boat ride, its a wash in both cost & time. You are paying $300 minimum per person (even the Sheraton 10 minutes from the airport charges a few hundred).
Don't expect any spectacular reefs for snorkeling, or a live reef for that mater in North Male Atoll. I dove the seawall around the Waldorf Astoria while it was under construction 2 years ago and there was so much cement residue in the water that the entire area turned to "milk". The entire wall was covered in thick goops of it and it killed all the life. The bridge construction from Male to the airport likewise killed a lot of the life in the area. Add the extra warm ocean these last few years and all you will find is dead reef. There are a few good spots still left to scuba dive but you gotta go into the atoll channels with strong currents. There is also a ton of aircraft and boat traffic in North Male Atoll vs. the other Atolls.
If costs are the same, going to an atoll other than North Male is a no-brainer. I'd also avoid any property that does not reward my elite status with a free breakfast. I'm sure the place will get great traffic for a year or two, and then turn into just another North Male Atoll resort catering to mainland china tour groups.
Don't expect any spectacular reefs for snorkeling, or a live reef for that mater in North Male Atoll. I dove the seawall around the Waldorf Astoria while it was under construction 2 years ago and there was so much cement residue in the water that the entire area turned to "milk". The entire wall was covered in thick goops of it and it killed all the life. The bridge construction from Male to the airport likewise killed a lot of the life in the area. Add the extra warm ocean these last few years and all you will find is dead reef. There are a few good spots still left to scuba dive but you gotta go into the atoll channels with strong currents. There is also a ton of aircraft and boat traffic in North Male Atoll vs. the other Atolls.
If costs are the same, going to an atoll other than North Male is a no-brainer. I'd also avoid any property that does not reward my elite status with a free breakfast. I'm sure the place will get great traffic for a year or two, and then turn into just another North Male Atoll resort catering to mainland china tour groups.
Last edited by Dn10; May 16, 2020 at 9:34 am
May 16, 2020, 4:07 pm
#18
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 655
Based on a comment on OMAAT (which I think posted an article based on this thread today) it looks like the resort will be here. Any idea which island is the Ritz? Edit: looks like the one to the right of the Capella
Last edited by Dn10; May 16, 2020 at 4:22 pm
May 16, 2020, 5:08 pm
#19
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 3,946
May 16, 2020, 7:10 pm
#22
Join Date: Mar 2013
Programs: Aeroplan, Amex AeroPlat
Posts: 977
May 16, 2020, 7:20 pm
#23
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 3,946
Interesting. We visited Conrad Maldives couple times few years back and only stayed in Beach Villa which was also perfect for us. Never been to a Marriott property in Maldives, plan to visit in Dec for 5 nights although we haven't yet decided on which property.
May 17, 2020, 11:54 am
#24
Join Date: Mar 2013
Programs: Aeroplan, Amex AeroPlat
Posts: 977
And that I dropped my iPhone X to the bottom of the ocean. Thankfully it was shallow so hubby dove in to grab it. Damage was done and it had to be repaired (thank god for Apple care plus!)
and that our OWV neighbour said he saw a sea snake around ...
So yeah. Gotta admit we will take a beach villa next time.
May 17, 2020, 8:05 pm
#25
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Southern California
Programs: Alaska MVP 75K, Delta Plat, Bonvoy Ambasador, Hilton diamond.
Posts: 527
I don't know for sure. There is a chance that the entire island chain the Ritz Carlton is being built on has been dredged up. There is a ton of that going on in North Male atoll. Either way, if the island has been dredged up there wont be a reef that's accessible (safe snorkeling distance with no currents). If the islands already existed it all depends on how badly the mauled the reef during construction. You should expect a St. Regis style reef at best. There will be lots of fish life, but the corals will be pretty dead with new ones possibly starting to grow on top. None of the shallow water reefs near islands (where they are not in a strong current or channel) have done particularly well with prolonged unusually warm water causing mass bleaching for 2-3 years? I think the bleaching started back in 2015.
Sep 11, 2020, 8:13 pm
#27
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: BKK
Programs: World of Hyatt Globalist; Marriott Bonvoy LTP; IHG Plat
Posts: 2,232
Sep 16, 2020, 12:56 am
#28
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: KSA
Programs: Marriott AMB, Skywards Gold
Posts: 3,737
Seems like it got classified as a Cat 8 (Obviously). some pictures were also added to their website
https://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/hotel...s-fari-islands
https://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/hotel...s-fari-islands
Oct 2, 2020, 12:25 pm
#30
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 655
That said, given it is so close to the airport, will probably get further delayed, will struggle a little at launch, and is launching in the off season, I'll probably see how things go for a few months before making any plans. And the STR giving free breakfast for elites is a nice benefit vs the Ritz (but small in the total Maldives cost).
EDIT: Breakfast costs actually look pretty reasonable here if you get it as part of your package.