Dec 7, 2018, 8:29 am
Last edit by: razflyer
Post #515 is an EXTENSIVE review w/ pics. Link
Food menus: Kitchen, In-Room Dining, Fire, Fish
Prices may change (sometimes substantially) so not necessarily up to date.
Excursions and activities pricing
Food menus: Kitchen, In-Room Dining, Fire, Fish
Prices may change (sometimes substantially) so not necessarily up to date.
Excursions and activities pricing
W Maldives [Master Thread]
Jan 15, 2019, 10:14 am
#482
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Brooklyn
Programs: Delta Diamond, Bonvoy something good; sometimes other things too
Posts: 5,050
Was also able to buy a bottle of wine at the restaurant to go, get the 20% off, and take it back to the room.
Jan 15, 2019, 1:08 pm
#483
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: RDU
Posts: 735
Awesome good to know
Jan 15, 2019, 9:49 pm
#484
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Texas
Programs: Southwest Companion Pass, Marriott Plat, IHG Plat
Posts: 35
Anyone have info on Scuba Diving costs all-in (renting gear, etc.)? I’ve read through the thread and googled around and haven’t found anything. I’m emailing the hotel and will give an update but I thought I’d ask here too.
Jan 16, 2019, 1:52 am
#485
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 77
Allow me to give you an overview:
We always do our first dive from the shore in our uncomparable and fabulous house reef. Our house reef is a very interesting one and offers good coral life and rare fish species like frogfish, ribbon eel, ghost pipe fish, rare gobies, nudibranches as well as bigger stuff like turtles, stingrays and sharks. We can do this at 9 a.m. or at 2 p.m. After this first dive, mandatory following Maldivian law, you are welcome to join our boat.
We normally do three boat dives a day, in the morning at 8:30 and in the afternoon at 2:30. All our dives are guided by one of our dive instructors.
The boat ride to most dive sites varies from 5 to 30 minutes and some of the top spots are:
- Maalhos Thila -- excellent soft (among the best in the Maldives) and hard corals, abundant fish life
- Donkalo Thila -- excellent soft and hard corals, abundant fish life, many manta rays in the manta ray season*
- Himendhoo Thila -- good soft and hard corals, abundant fish life, many manta rays in the manta ray season*
- Manta point
- Maaya Thila -- abundant fish life, sharks (white tip and grey reef), schooling barracuda
- Fish Head -- abundant fish life, eagle rays, white tip and grey reef sharks and a very large and friendly napoleon wrasse
- Bathalaa Thila -- healthy reef, resident school of batfish and bannerfish, sharks as well.
- Ship wrecks (fesdu wreck, halaveli wreck)
*: the manta ray season runs from December to March, although this is quite variable from year to year.
Other options are:
- A 2 tank boat dive in the morning -- you'll be leaving at 08.30, make a dive, have a minimum of 1 hour surface interval followed by a second dive. You'll be back at around 12.30 and still have the afternoon to do something else.
- our regular dive boat has a toilet, shower, refrigerators, espresso machine, tea, fruit plates, living area etc. and any food or beverages from the resort can be requested.
- Night dives, any night, just let us know
- Private charter Escape -- dive world-famous hammerhead shark point or Whale Shark Haven or any other top spot in our atoll aboard our stunning luxury two cabin sailing yacht Escape.
- House reef dives (also independent house reef dives for experienced divers)
- Diving courses -- for both beginner and advanced divers
- Camera rental -- we'll burn your memories on a USB
- Underwater photography
- Nitrox diving and nitrox courses
- Marine biologist -- we have a resident marine biologist who will be happy to accompany you on any of your dives or snorkeling tours.
Just let us know if you wish to pre-book the orientation dive, and remember to bring your diving license. Please note that we need to leave 24 hours between your last dive and your flight including the seaplane, and that all our prices are subject to 10% Service Charge and 12% GST.
Besides diving we offer a wide range of activities and watersports:
In regards to watersports, you can be agent 007 by trying the legendary Seabob, a submersible motorized torpedo, go jet skiing on our Yamaha Wave Runner, go parasailing and have a bird-eye view of the island and surrounding reefs, or catamaran sailing: you can enjoy our especial topcat sunset sailing, from 17:00 to 18:00 for U$ 80++/person, in which you will enjoy the sunset while one of our watersports instructors helps you sail, or you can also enjoy our Dreamscape Experience: Every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, from 17:30 to 19:00, we take you on our unique two mast motorized sailing yacht “Escape”, to enjoy the glass of champagne and the nibbles included, while relishing with our amazing sunsets. This vessel is perfect also for private romantic dinners, or our amazing Bio Marine Adventure, in which we combine a marine biology presentation, with a snorkel session and a debriefing in the company of our W Marine Insider. I have attached some pictures for your perusal. Some guest even use it for full day/overnight trips to the Whale Shark area, in South Ari atoll.
We also offer a range of activities where you do not get wet at all, like the Glass Bottom boat, which enables to discover the underwater world from the comfort of its roofed seats, or Snorkel Hopping by Speedboat.
We have speedboats you can charter by the hour, go Big Game Fishing on "Cast Away", our luxury fishing limousine.
Warm regards, and we are looking forward to welcome you in our little paradise,
Anything else, just ask!
Karen.
We always do our first dive from the shore in our uncomparable and fabulous house reef. Our house reef is a very interesting one and offers good coral life and rare fish species like frogfish, ribbon eel, ghost pipe fish, rare gobies, nudibranches as well as bigger stuff like turtles, stingrays and sharks. We can do this at 9 a.m. or at 2 p.m. After this first dive, mandatory following Maldivian law, you are welcome to join our boat.
We normally do three boat dives a day, in the morning at 8:30 and in the afternoon at 2:30. All our dives are guided by one of our dive instructors.
The boat ride to most dive sites varies from 5 to 30 minutes and some of the top spots are:
- Maalhos Thila -- excellent soft (among the best in the Maldives) and hard corals, abundant fish life
- Donkalo Thila -- excellent soft and hard corals, abundant fish life, many manta rays in the manta ray season*
- Himendhoo Thila -- good soft and hard corals, abundant fish life, many manta rays in the manta ray season*
- Manta point
- Maaya Thila -- abundant fish life, sharks (white tip and grey reef), schooling barracuda
- Fish Head -- abundant fish life, eagle rays, white tip and grey reef sharks and a very large and friendly napoleon wrasse
- Bathalaa Thila -- healthy reef, resident school of batfish and bannerfish, sharks as well.
- Ship wrecks (fesdu wreck, halaveli wreck)
*: the manta ray season runs from December to March, although this is quite variable from year to year.
Other options are:
- A 2 tank boat dive in the morning -- you'll be leaving at 08.30, make a dive, have a minimum of 1 hour surface interval followed by a second dive. You'll be back at around 12.30 and still have the afternoon to do something else.
- our regular dive boat has a toilet, shower, refrigerators, espresso machine, tea, fruit plates, living area etc. and any food or beverages from the resort can be requested.
- Night dives, any night, just let us know
- Private charter Escape -- dive world-famous hammerhead shark point or Whale Shark Haven or any other top spot in our atoll aboard our stunning luxury two cabin sailing yacht Escape.
- House reef dives (also independent house reef dives for experienced divers)
- Diving courses -- for both beginner and advanced divers
- Camera rental -- we'll burn your memories on a USB
- Underwater photography
- Nitrox diving and nitrox courses
- Marine biologist -- we have a resident marine biologist who will be happy to accompany you on any of your dives or snorkeling tours.
Just let us know if you wish to pre-book the orientation dive, and remember to bring your diving license. Please note that we need to leave 24 hours between your last dive and your flight including the seaplane, and that all our prices are subject to 10% Service Charge and 12% GST.
Besides diving we offer a wide range of activities and watersports:
In regards to watersports, you can be agent 007 by trying the legendary Seabob, a submersible motorized torpedo, go jet skiing on our Yamaha Wave Runner, go parasailing and have a bird-eye view of the island and surrounding reefs, or catamaran sailing: you can enjoy our especial topcat sunset sailing, from 17:00 to 18:00 for U$ 80++/person, in which you will enjoy the sunset while one of our watersports instructors helps you sail, or you can also enjoy our Dreamscape Experience: Every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, from 17:30 to 19:00, we take you on our unique two mast motorized sailing yacht “Escape”, to enjoy the glass of champagne and the nibbles included, while relishing with our amazing sunsets. This vessel is perfect also for private romantic dinners, or our amazing Bio Marine Adventure, in which we combine a marine biology presentation, with a snorkel session and a debriefing in the company of our W Marine Insider. I have attached some pictures for your perusal. Some guest even use it for full day/overnight trips to the Whale Shark area, in South Ari atoll.
We also offer a range of activities where you do not get wet at all, like the Glass Bottom boat, which enables to discover the underwater world from the comfort of its roofed seats, or Snorkel Hopping by Speedboat.
We have speedboats you can charter by the hour, go Big Game Fishing on "Cast Away", our luxury fishing limousine.
Warm regards, and we are looking forward to welcome you in our little paradise,
Anything else, just ask!
Karen.
Jan 16, 2019, 7:58 pm
#487
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Texas
Programs: Southwest Companion Pass, Marriott Plat, IHG Plat
Posts: 35
They sent me a full list of 4 PDF attachments. Tried to include as much of it here as possible as images. The Scuba Diving Price list (the first image) file name was specifically labeled as "Pricelist 2019" so I assume that would probably stay the same.
Jan 20, 2019, 6:58 pm
#488
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: California
Programs: AAdvantage, United MileagePlus, Alaska MileagePlan, Marriott Rewards
Posts: 132
Anyone know what's up with the availability for Dec 2019? It doesn't seem like there's anything available for booking (points or cash) for more than a week now...
Jan 20, 2019, 9:31 pm
#489
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Palm Springs, CA
Programs: AA EXP / Marriott AMB & LT Titanium
Posts: 377
Jan 21, 2019, 2:25 pm
#490
Join Date: Dec 2016
Programs: Marriott Titanium, IHG Spire Elite, Hilton Gold, United Silver, BA Bronze
Posts: 322
I suggest reaching out to the hotel directly - [email protected] was the address I used a couple of months ago. Not sure if it's still valid with the Marriott migration.
It does seem bizarre how there's no availability from October 30 onwards.
It does seem bizarre how there's no availability from October 30 onwards.
Jan 21, 2019, 2:50 pm
#491
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 255
October is the beginning of their season. They just need to wait few more weeks with putting these dates live, so they can avoid reward nights booked for the lower rate (60k), before in March it will go up. Otherwise they would risk to have all standard beach bungalows sold, even for xmas/new year.
Jan 21, 2019, 2:54 pm
#492
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Brooklyn
Programs: Delta Diamond, Bonvoy something good; sometimes other things too
Posts: 5,050
October is the beginning of their season. They just need to wait few more weeks with putting these dates live, so they can avoid reward nights booked for the lower rate (60k), before in March it will go up. Otherwise they would risk to have all standard beach bungalows sold, even for xmas/new year.
Jan 21, 2019, 11:05 pm
#493
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Palm Springs, CA
Programs: AA EXP / Marriott AMB & LT Titanium
Posts: 377
October is the beginning of their season. They just need to wait few more weeks with putting these dates live, so they can avoid reward nights booked for the lower rate (60k), before in March it will go up. Otherwise they would risk to have all standard beach bungalows sold, even for xmas/new year.
Last edited by FrontOfTheCurtain; Jan 21, 2019 at 11:35 pm
Jan 22, 2019, 11:52 am
#494
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 6
I see plenty of availability from October 6 to early december excluding thanksgvings. They're most likely all booked up, I'd expect a majority of marriott points holders wanting to blow their banks before the category 8 hits the chart, and nothing beats a last hurrah than blowing it on in the maldives over the holidays.
Christmas opened up for all properties about 2 weeks ago. I got booking confirmations at the W, Westin, and StR. Still trying to figure out which one we want to go to.
Christmas opened up for all properties about 2 weeks ago. I got booking confirmations at the W, Westin, and StR. Still trying to figure out which one we want to go to.
Jan 22, 2019, 12:37 pm
#495
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 255
W also removed all cash rates shortly after releasing, and it is almost impossible that all nights are sold out for all rooms. Only the beach bungalows garden view can be booked with points, which makes only a small percentage of rooms of the W.
