introspection

hi all,

looking for advice. My family and I are going to be at one of the resorts in the Maldives over Christmas and they are saying that all guests at the resort have to pay for a mandatory festive dinner on Christmas Eve. We are not fans of this practice as we don't enjoy these types of dinners, don't drink alcohol, and have some dietary restrictions that make these types of dinners both a waste of time and money for us. We prefer to do dinner in our villa from Room Service. I'm even more concerned about attending a large dinner given Covid and the need to test prior to our return flight a few days later.

Welcome any advice on strategies to get out of this requirement during our stay. If there are success stories, would love to hear them.

thanks!

estnet

I don't think it's possible - the best you can probably get is to have to pay but ask them to let u have room service (at the higher rate the charge for the "festive" dinner) esp if you cite covid. It will depend on your specific resort and the gm. Doesn't hurt to ask - but each property will have their own policy and you don't mention which resort.

DELee

Looks like its the expensive one

David

SHLTP

That's why we always try to check out of an island and most remote beach resorts NYE and go to a city one...or call in advance and ask for permission not to attend

We go cheap on dinner buffets as we don't drink and I eat a very strict diet for weightlifting purposes

platbrownguy

You don't have to go to the dinner but you do have to pay for it. Common practice in India, at Maldivian hotels, and at various other resorts. It's the price you pay for going over the holidays.

Negotiating a room service alternative that fits your dietary preferences seems like a reasonable ask for a higher end resort, maybe hit or miss at one of the less luxurious ones like LeM or Sheraton. Good luck, but I wouldn't go into the conversation acting like you're entitled to get out of paying the fee.

estnet

Good plan but hard/impossible to do when in the Maldives since each resort is on it's own island.

LovetoTravel83

Don't think that is possible. I think this is general in Asian hotels. Had to do it once over NYE in Dubai a couple of years ago. Had a lot of fun though.

beachfan

I have been successful in getting a "no alcohol" price for the dinners.

margarita girl

I was unable to get a vegetarian discount from the US$300 Xmas Eve dinner at a (non-Marriott) Maldives hotel. Plus meals were already included in the room rate at this hotel! I ended up cancelling my reservation.

Lomapaseo

Sounds like the resort fees that we are stuck with. Watch out, next they will add fixed parking and WIFI fees while at the same time offering cheap room rates to capture your excitement

Kacee

Don't these requirements usually show at booking with properties that have mandatory dinners at Christmas/New Year's?

I concur with the suggestions upthread about trying to negotiate a deal for a no-alcohol room service dinner instead. And count any reduction at all in price as a big win.

cre95

At least with the fixed parking fees, they won’t charge you extra when you roll in with your yacht at the Maldives

swag

Oversize vehicle surcharge.

margarita girl

In my case, it was a Travel Zoo package purchased in Sept 2020 with a group of friends and no fixed date. Friends decided we should go at Xmas. I had my flights booked and was prepared to accept my fate, but in the end lots of people couldn’t get flights at reasonable rates, so the whole trip was put off until 2022. Dodged a bullet.

DELee

And that mandatory compulsory Xmas dinner in the Maldives.

David