3 for the price of 2? RTW Babymoon to Japan, Maldives, UK (JL/EY/LH J/F/Apartment)
Aug 25, 2017, 8:39 pm
#62
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: So Cal
Posts: 937
"You have pictures of that Presidential suite posted anywhere? I'm sure they stepped things up when it transitioned from a plane-jane Hilton to a Conrad. Any notable stuffed animals there?"
I just realized that I only took a few pics. LOL
I just realized that I only took a few pics. LOL
Last edited by brodielayne; Aug 25, 2017 at 8:53 pm
Aug 25, 2017, 8:44 pm
#63
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: LAX
Programs: United Silver, Marriott Lifetime Titanium, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond
Posts: 988
@chongl , was the Conrad Maldives all inclusive? Interested in that and how HHonors status factored into your stay.
BTW, pics look great! Feels like I am there. Keep it coming, great TR!
BTW, pics look great! Feels like I am there. Keep it coming, great TR!
Working on the next post this weekend I hope. Thanks for reading, Aventine!
Aug 25, 2017, 9:34 pm
#64
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Programs: DL PM, MR Titanium/LTP, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 10,130
Congratulations Duke787! The short answer is we liked the Maldives more. Long answer below, if you feel like reading it 
As dumb as it sounds, we went into it really hoping to dislike the Maldives. From CONUS, Bora Bora is a much closer flight, and we had originally decided on going there in 2016 because we made a guess it would be the better place, but boy were we wrong. What made Bora Bora stand out is the landscape/scenery with Mount Otemanu smack in the center of it all. Most of the resorts are on the motu surrounding the central island, so space is a little more limited. Whereas in the Maldives, each resort has their own private island, or islands (2 for guests and 1 for staff) in the case of the Conrad. The open space where you can wander is very expansive on Rangali and there are more restaurants with a seemingly larger selection. You feel as though the occupancy rate is about 30% with how infrequently you run into people (unless you're at the main pool). One could argue that the Intercontinental isn't at the quality/service standard of a Conrad, but all the staff were even more helpful, friendly, and seemed genuinely engaged with you at the latter. I know they converted the Hilton in Bora Bora to a Conrad, but I don't know how that has affected the service and hard product there. You'd still be limited by the resort size though.
Overall, the food, rooms, pool, size, and staff were superior in the Maldives. Bora Bora allows you to get a feel of the local life if you wanted (renting a scooter and riding the circumference of the central island was a great experience) and our resort had cultural immersion activities that taught you how to open coconuts, make hats/bags out of leaves, etc. Both are obviously fantastic destinations to experience, but the wife and I both looked at each other and agreed the Maldives were better within a few hours of arriving at the resort
As dumb as it sounds, we went into it really hoping to dislike the Maldives. From CONUS, Bora Bora is a much closer flight, and we had originally decided on going there in 2016 because we made a guess it would be the better place, but boy were we wrong. What made Bora Bora stand out is the landscape/scenery with Mount Otemanu smack in the center of it all. Most of the resorts are on the motu surrounding the central island, so space is a little more limited. Whereas in the Maldives, each resort has their own private island, or islands (2 for guests and 1 for staff) in the case of the Conrad. The open space where you can wander is very expansive on Rangali and there are more restaurants with a seemingly larger selection. You feel as though the occupancy rate is about 30% with how infrequently you run into people (unless you're at the main pool). One could argue that the Intercontinental isn't at the quality/service standard of a Conrad, but all the staff were even more helpful, friendly, and seemed genuinely engaged with you at the latter. I know they converted the Hilton in Bora Bora to a Conrad, but I don't know how that has affected the service and hard product there. You'd still be limited by the resort size though.
Overall, the food, rooms, pool, size, and staff were superior in the Maldives. Bora Bora allows you to get a feel of the local life if you wanted (renting a scooter and riding the circumference of the central island was a great experience) and our resort had cultural immersion activities that taught you how to open coconuts, make hats/bags out of leaves, etc. Both are obviously fantastic destinations to experience, but the wife and I both looked at each other and agreed the Maldives were better within a few hours of arriving at the resort
Don't want to derail the thread any further - looking forward to the rest of the TR!
Aug 26, 2017, 5:35 am
#66
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Dubai
Posts: 3,301
Another great TR, chongl
. Love all the pics of Japan, a place I really want to see more of.
I'm really impressed by your love and dedication for fine Japanese whiskey too, making not one but two ~900 kilometre round trips to the distillery in Kyoto! Isn't the Nozomi Shinkansen the fastest way to get there though?
The Conrad in Maldives looks amazing, must have been a nice change of pace too.
. Love all the pics of Japan, a place I really want to see more of.I'm really impressed by your love and dedication for fine Japanese whiskey too, making not one but two ~900 kilometre round trips to the distillery in Kyoto
! Isn't the Nozomi Shinkansen the fastest way to get there though?The Conrad in Maldives looks amazing, must have been a nice change of pace too.
Aug 26, 2017, 10:40 am
#67
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Back in Hell
Posts: 4,178
Aug 27, 2017, 11:29 am
#68
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: LAX
Programs: United Silver, Marriott Lifetime Titanium, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond
Posts: 988
Thanks for the detailed response! This is very helpful - it's nice to get an opinion from someone who has actually been to both since on their own both seem like incredible places. I have some time before I have to make a decision but combined with the relative ease in getting to the Maldives from the East Coast on points compared to Bora Bora (as long as AA still allows QR redemptions), I think the Maldives is now the early favorite.
Don't want to derail the thread any further - looking forward to the rest of the TR!
Don't want to derail the thread any further - looking forward to the rest of the TR!
Another great TR, chongl. Love all the pics of Japan, a place I really want to see more of.
I'm really impressed by your love and dedication for fine Japanese whiskey too, making not one but two ~900 kilometre round trips to the distillery in Kyoto! Isn't the Nozomi Shinkansen the fastest way to get there though?
The Conrad in Maldives looks amazing, must have been a nice change of pace too.
. Love all the pics of Japan, a place I really want to see more of.I'm really impressed by your love and dedication for fine Japanese whiskey too, making not one but two ~900 kilometre round trips to the distillery in Kyoto
! Isn't the Nozomi Shinkansen the fastest way to get there though?The Conrad in Maldives looks amazing, must have been a nice change of pace too.
You are 100% correct that the Nozomi is slightly faster since it has fewer stops, but it isn't valid with the JR Rail pass. I think the Hikari is ~20 minutes slower, but there is no cost out of pocket once the JR pass has been purchased.
We were definitely glad to welcome the change of pace. Going from running all around the city to just sitting back on the beach helped us recharge.
Yes. All cash stays include breakfast for two. Some really great pics, BTW.
Yes. It's called Ithaa (pronounced 'itta'). It's the first and still the only truly underwater restaurant in the world. There is another similar restaurant in the Maldives but there's no water over the ceiling so it's more like an 'in-the-water-restaurant' rather than under-the-water. The link to Ithaa is here and a virtual tour here if you want to take a look. Lunch is $210++ and dinner is $325++ per person (that's $259 & $400 including taxes) and that's without drinks. So yes, not cheap.
Yes. It's called Ithaa (pronounced 'itta'). It's the first and still the only truly underwater restaurant in the world. There is another similar restaurant in the Maldives but there's no water over the ceiling so it's more like an 'in-the-water-restaurant' rather than under-the-water. The link to Ithaa is here and a virtual tour here if you want to take a look. Lunch is $210++ and dinner is $325++ per person (that's $259 & $400 including taxes) and that's without drinks. So yes, not cheap.
Aug 28, 2017, 5:02 am
#71
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Back in Hell
Posts: 4,178
+1. Have been perusing the Flickr account. So many to go through it's a blessing in disguise.
And glad I could help out in your planning, chongl. I know how involved it can get at a resort of that size with so many choices and so little time to do everything, eat everywhere and whatnot. I went a bit overboard and spent 200-300 hours planning my first trip there.
Last edited by MaldivesFreak; Aug 28, 2017 at 8:47 am
Aug 28, 2017, 10:11 pm
#72
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: LAX
Programs: United Silver, Marriott Lifetime Titanium, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond
Posts: 988
Second day we did breakfast at Atoll again and hung out in the room and on the beach. The views in the morning aren't as stunning as the evening, but am I really going to complain in a tropical paradise?
Sunset grill in the foreground and Ithaa entrance further back
Going by the main pool
Back at room, taking in the views until it was time to relocate.
Mr. Crabs
It wasn't until 11AM that we were scheduled to change rooms. We called reception once we were packed and ready to go. Our bags got picked up and we had a separate ride over to the other island, where deluxe villa 348 awaited us. This was a villa at the end of a "branch" and boasted amazing, unobstructed views across the horizon. The water current is a bit strong, but signs are posted to advise caution against swimming for those less capable or experienced. I'll let the pictures do the talking.
Stepping inside
Bathroom
The deck with a hot tub
We booked a spa day in the afternoon followed by Ithaa underwater restaurant for dinner. No pictures of the spa, but it was a good 1+ hours of relaxation. We even got a bonus 15 minutes over the allotted time as diamond members, so it was another awesome bonus. With time to kill, we consolidated our score of chocolate from Japan
...followed by some R&R before dinner. We got dressed and went early since we received approval to take pictures prior to official opening. This gave us a chance to avoid the crowds and we could take our time snapping away, but first, a portrait on the deck
We approached Ithaa a few minutes prior to 6 (reservation was at 6:30).
A table filled with water and actual floating leaves
A spiral staircase takes you downstairs and under the water
As dinner service begins, there is somebody up top that does a feeding to create more of a frenzy. We noted this a few days later and it made sense why so many fish suddenly swarmed into the area.
360* view if you click on it
A glass
The first course was caviar, served with dill sour cream and lemongrass blinis. The wife had a special menu for her 'condition' and started with fruit caviar
Dory's cousin
Amuse bouche was a foie gras and truffle dumpling accompanied with cucumber and green grape consomme. The wife had a mushroom dumpling
The appetizer was a prawn tartare served with plantain chips and quail egg gravlax
Hoisin duck for the wife with home made cucumber pickle and ceramal jus
Entree of reef lobster stuffed calamarata pasta with tomato and lemongrass veloute
Green apple and ginger sorbet cleanser
After sunset, the setting is more private and intimate
For the main, we both opted for the sous vide wagyu beef tenderloin, served with yabby ragout, smoked garlic and celery root puree, charcoaled kohlrabi and black garlic gnocchi
Dessert was Bolivian cru sauvage chocolate and kaffir lime panna cotta with coconut sorbet and aerated chocolate
All of the food was delicious. The wagyu beef was comparatively tough after having some top tier steak at Dons de la Nature just a week prior and the prawn tartare was slightly too salty, but that was the only thing off about the meal. Considering that it's north of $400 per person, and more than any 3-Michelin star restaurant we've been to, it was hard to swallow (no pun intended). The redeeming factor was that we were one of 2 parties there for dinner. It was relatively quiet and had none of the Chinese mainlander infestation that is a common complaint in the Conrad Maldives thread and on TripAdvisor reviews. We're glad we went for it...didn't want any regrets flying halfway around the world to skimp on something that turned out to be a special experience.
Next: more sunsets and more food!
Sunset grill in the foreground and Ithaa entrance further back
Going by the main pool
Back at room, taking in the views until it was time to relocate.
Mr. Crabs
It wasn't until 11AM that we were scheduled to change rooms. We called reception once we were packed and ready to go. Our bags got picked up and we had a separate ride over to the other island, where deluxe villa 348 awaited us. This was a villa at the end of a "branch" and boasted amazing, unobstructed views across the horizon. The water current is a bit strong, but signs are posted to advise caution against swimming for those less capable or experienced. I'll let the pictures do the talking.
Stepping inside
Bathroom
The deck with a hot tub
We booked a spa day in the afternoon followed by Ithaa underwater restaurant for dinner. No pictures of the spa, but it was a good 1+ hours of relaxation. We even got a bonus 15 minutes over the allotted time as diamond members, so it was another awesome bonus. With time to kill, we consolidated our score of chocolate from Japan
...followed by some R&R before dinner. We got dressed and went early since we received approval to take pictures prior to official opening. This gave us a chance to avoid the crowds and we could take our time snapping away, but first, a portrait on the deck
We approached Ithaa a few minutes prior to 6 (reservation was at 6:30).
A table filled with water and actual floating leaves
A spiral staircase takes you downstairs and under the water
As dinner service begins, there is somebody up top that does a feeding to create more of a frenzy. We noted this a few days later and it made sense why so many fish suddenly swarmed into the area.
360* view if you click on it
A glass
The first course was caviar, served with dill sour cream and lemongrass blinis. The wife had a special menu for her 'condition' and started with fruit caviar
Dory's cousin
Amuse bouche was a foie gras and truffle dumpling accompanied with cucumber and green grape consomme. The wife had a mushroom dumpling
The appetizer was a prawn tartare served with plantain chips and quail egg gravlax
Hoisin duck for the wife with home made cucumber pickle and ceramal jus
Entree of reef lobster stuffed calamarata pasta with tomato and lemongrass veloute
Green apple and ginger sorbet cleanser
After sunset, the setting is more private and intimate
For the main, we both opted for the sous vide wagyu beef tenderloin, served with yabby ragout, smoked garlic and celery root puree, charcoaled kohlrabi and black garlic gnocchi
Dessert was Bolivian cru sauvage chocolate and kaffir lime panna cotta with coconut sorbet and aerated chocolate
All of the food was delicious. The wagyu beef was comparatively tough after having some top tier steak at Dons de la Nature just a week prior and the prawn tartare was slightly too salty, but that was the only thing off about the meal. Considering that it's north of $400 per person, and more than any 3-Michelin star restaurant we've been to, it was hard to swallow (no pun intended). The redeeming factor was that we were one of 2 parties there for dinner. It was relatively quiet and had none of the Chinese mainlander infestation that is a common complaint in the Conrad Maldives thread and on TripAdvisor reviews. We're glad we went for it...didn't want any regrets flying halfway around the world to skimp on something that turned out to be a special experience.
Next: more sunsets and more food!
Aug 28, 2017, 10:20 pm
#73
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: LAX
Programs: United Silver, Marriott Lifetime Titanium, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond
Posts: 988
Working on it! A few more posts before I get on to London via EY Apartment. Did you see JohnRain's offer to us about Vettel gear? I wonder if the enthusiasm has worn off after #44's win this weekend
Aug 28, 2017, 11:11 pm
#74
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Back in Hell
Posts: 4,178
Aug 29, 2017, 5:46 am
#75
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: 6km East of EPAYE
Programs: UA Silver, AA Platinum, AS & DL GM Marriott TE, Hilton Gold
Posts: 9,582
Working on it! A few more posts before I get on to London via EY Apartment. Did you see JohnRain's offer to us about Vettel gear? I wonder if the enthusiasm has worn off after #44 's win this weekend
.....he and I have been texting a bit after Spa and he ain't happy. Don't accept his Vettel gear, it's a trap. You and I need to stick together for #44 !!