Author Topic: Honeymoon: BOB, MLE, Or LIH?  (Read 132554 times)

Offline AJK

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Honeymoon: BOB, MLE, Or LIH?
« on: December 20, 2011, 12:31:40 AM »
bump --

OK, its been awhile since I last asked, and in that time I have amassed 1MM+ points (MR+UR+DL+AA+etc), and I now need to start planning for my honeymoon.

My options:

Bora Bora -

+'s: I have wanted to go here since I was a child. The mystique it carries is second to none.
-'s: No Hyatt property*; no award availability from PPT-BOB

* Hyatt as far as I can tell would be the best redemption for me based on the points I have.

Maldives -

+'s: Hyatt property; also said to be beautiful (though not to the level of BOB)
-'s: Distance (couple thousand miles farther than PPT)

Kauai -

+'s: Dan has been there with at least one TR; Hyatt property; closest
-'s: From what I understand, it isn't MLE or BOB

My main requirements for this trip are 1) spend as little actual $$ as possible, 2) clear water and 3) (if possible--though I reaaaaally want it) an over water villa/bungalow.

Random notes:
--I have two free nights in a Hyatt suite and a few suite upgrade certs
--I am not top-tier at any hotel, but am Hyatt Plat, SPG Gold, HHonors Gold

Based on the above info (though I am sure you guys need more info to be truly helpful, I'll start with this and answer any forthcoming questions as best I can) thoughts on where to go for my honeymoon?

Thanks for the input.
« Last Edit: December 20, 2011, 12:37:34 AM by Dan »
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Online moko

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Re: Honeymoon: BOB, MLE, Or LIH?
« Reply #1 on: December 20, 2011, 12:39:14 AM »
oish where is pritzus fighter  ;)

Offline AJK

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Re: Honeymoon: BOB, MLE, Or LIH?
« Reply #2 on: December 20, 2011, 12:43:57 AM »
Forgot to add (for weather and availability considerations):

We'd like to go in either late May or late August.
2015: 116K bkd | 1.6M brnd | F: OZ,NH,AA,EK | J: UA,CA,TK,DL,TN,AF,VA | LIH,NRT,ROR,PEK,CNS,BOB,MEL,TLV & Pacific Hopper

Offline MLM

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Re: Honeymoon: BOB, MLE, Or LIH?
« Reply #3 on: December 20, 2011, 12:58:44 AM »
What about Fiji?

Offline AJK

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Re: Honeymoon: BOB, MLE, Or LIH?
« Reply #4 on: December 20, 2011, 01:19:51 AM »
What about Fiji?

Though I guess that could be an option, but 1) Mrs. AJK has already been there, 2) its as far as MLE, and 3) there doesn't seem to be a Hyatt there.

Also, I have no idea of the awards that would be available (yet).
2015: 116K bkd | 1.6M brnd | F: OZ,NH,AA,EK | J: UA,CA,TK,DL,TN,AF,VA | LIH,NRT,ROR,PEK,CNS,BOB,MEL,TLV & Pacific Hopper

Offline aussiebochur

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Re: Honeymoon: BOB, MLE, Or LIH?
« Reply #5 on: December 20, 2011, 02:19:19 AM »
If you can confirm Hyatt OWB in MLE with your suite nights/upgrades, I see it as a clear winner.

But that may be a big "if". Try writing a nice letter to the manager and see what happens.

Offline chuchem

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Re: Honeymoon: BOB, MLE, Or LIH?
« Reply #6 on: December 20, 2011, 05:32:18 AM »
Sell your points and stay at another resort in the maldives.

I was here www.halaveli.com overwater villa with private infinity pool is the basic room.

I have not been to Bora bora (yet) but you cant go wrong with the maldives.


Offline AJK

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Re: Honeymoon: BOB, MLE, Or LIH?
« Reply #7 on: December 20, 2011, 12:17:31 PM »
If you can confirm Hyatt OWB in MLE with your suite nights/upgrades, I see it as a clear winner.

But that may be a big "if". Try writing a nice letter to the manager and see what happens.

Good idea. I wonder if anyone has secured an OWB anywhere with Hyatt using suite nights/upgrades.

Sell your points and stay at another resort in the maldives.

I was here www.halaveli.com overwater villa with private infinity pool is the basic room.

I have not been to Bora bora (yet) but you cant go wrong with the maldives.



That resort looks fantastic, but it seems the basic rooms are ~$1,000... If it comes to that, I'd consider selling my points, but I'd rather redeem.
2015: 116K bkd | 1.6M brnd | F: OZ,NH,AA,EK | J: UA,CA,TK,DL,TN,AF,VA | LIH,NRT,ROR,PEK,CNS,BOB,MEL,TLV & Pacific Hopper

Offline Dan

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Re: Honeymoon: BOB, MLE, Or LIH?
« Reply #8 on: December 20, 2011, 01:01:36 PM »
Good idea. I wonder if anyone has secured an OWB anywhere with Hyatt using suite nights/upgrades.
At least 1 FT'er received an OWB with a suite cert at the PH MLE.  Definitely email to confirm and if you can confirm then MLE is the obvious choice.  Otherwise MLE is the farthest and hardest to get to from the US.

I think LIH as an island has the most beauty and most to do, but it can't compare to the romantic seclusion of an OWB in BOB or MLE.  In LIH you'll also have normal cell and internet service which is either a plus or minus.  LIH has Walmart and Costco, etc, with plenty of kosher items while BOB and MLE will have none.

HH points are good for BOB, but you would have to do a cash supplement to get an OWB.  SPG has the best BOB property in the St Regis but it's super-expensive with cash or points.  Check on FT though where I recall seeing a code there for an OWB in the $600 range.
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Offline AJK

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Re: Honeymoon: BOB, MLE, Or LIH?
« Reply #9 on: December 20, 2011, 02:07:11 PM »
Thanks for a most informative post.

If I was somehow able to secure the OWB in MLE, what do people do for food there (or anywhere like MLE or BOB without a Walmart etc)?

Pack up a lot of oatmeal?

(EDIT: I am going to read this thread.)
2015: 116K bkd | 1.6M brnd | F: OZ,NH,AA,EK | J: UA,CA,TK,DL,TN,AF,VA | LIH,NRT,ROR,PEK,CNS,BOB,MEL,TLV & Pacific Hopper

Offline myb821

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Re: Honeymoon: BOB, MLE, Or LIH?
« Reply #10 on: December 20, 2011, 02:11:22 PM »
Thanks for a most informative post.

If I was somehow able to secure the OWB in MLE, what do people do for food there (or anywhere like MLE or BOB without a Walmart etc)?

Pack up a lot of oatmeal?

(EDIT: I am going to read this thread.)
u bring food with u which isnt so amazing for a honeymoon. so u kind of need to decide between romantic setting and OWB and bring all your own food. and hawaii where u can at least et some stuff. personally i would still choose owb

Offline Dan

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Re: Honeymoon: BOB, MLE, Or LIH?
« Reply #11 on: December 20, 2011, 02:17:05 PM »
u bring food with u which isnt so amazing for a honeymoon. so u kind of need to decide between romantic setting and OWB and bring all your own food. and hawaii where u can at least et some stuff. personally i would still choose owb
In Hawaii you can order prepared kosher meals from HNL or LAX that the hotel can serve to you in any restaurant or in your room.  In Maui the Hyatt actually has a kosher menu.
Or if you're cheap like me you'll bring frozen prepared food and heat it up on a cheap burner you'll bring with you.
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Offline AJK

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Re: Honeymoon: BOB, MLE, Or LIH?
« Reply #12 on: December 20, 2011, 02:23:03 PM »
I'd likely go the "bring your own burner" route.

Anyone know if MLE customs is like/as bad as AUS customs?

The only negative experience I ever had with customs is, like an idiot apparently, when stopped in FLL en route to CUN, I packed up a whole bunch of red meat and stuck it in my suitcase only for it to be taken out and summarily put in the garbage on arrival.

We had to subsist on whatever white meat we had (cooked on a foreman) and cookies. It sucked.
2015: 116K bkd | 1.6M brnd | F: OZ,NH,AA,EK | J: UA,CA,TK,DL,TN,AF,VA | LIH,NRT,ROR,PEK,CNS,BOB,MEL,TLV & Pacific Hopper

Offline AJK

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Re: Honeymoon: BOB, MLE, Or LIH?
« Reply #13 on: December 20, 2011, 02:25:09 PM »
The food issue is a rather large one.

If I cannot get an OWB in MLE, it isn't worth the trek, especially if I have to deal with the food headache.

In that case, I'd likely just hit up LIH.

Does LIH have OWB anywhere? (I'll google concurrently.)
2015: 116K bkd | 1.6M brnd | F: OZ,NH,AA,EK | J: UA,CA,TK,DL,TN,AF,VA | LIH,NRT,ROR,PEK,CNS,BOB,MEL,TLV & Pacific Hopper

Offline Dan

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Re: Honeymoon: BOB, MLE, Or LIH?
« Reply #14 on: December 20, 2011, 02:26:05 PM »
The food issue is a rather large one.

If I cannot get an OWB in MLE, it isn't worth the trek, especially if I have to deal with the food headache.

In that case, I'd likely just hit up LIH.

Does LIH have OWB anywhere? (I'll google concurrently.)
No OWB in HI.
Others here have been to MLE and will hopefully chime in on food.  Would be interesting to see if PH MLE would buy kosher breakfasts for diamonds :D  You might want to ask them if they have any kosher food options available.
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Re: Honeymoon: BOB, MLE, Or LIH?
« Reply #15 on: December 20, 2011, 02:39:07 PM »
No OWB in HI.
Others here have been to MLE and will hopefully chime in on food.  Would be interesting to see if PH MLE would buy kosher breakfasts for diamonds :D  You might want to ask them if they have any kosher food options available.

Boo to the no OWB in HI. Decisions, decisions...

Yes, hopefully people who have already "been there and done that" to MLE will chime in RE: food.

Since I already had my (once in a lifetime?) Diamond status match from HHonors Gold, I think I'm going to have/try to status match Mrs. AJK instead.

I'd have to time the match so that a) I can have her apply for Hyatt CC to get two suite nights, and 2) be a diamond for when we go.

Problem is, I'd likely have to book sooner than the 3 months status match period to secure availability... I guess I'll cross that bridge when I get there. Thanks for the help so far.
2015: 116K bkd | 1.6M brnd | F: OZ,NH,AA,EK | J: UA,CA,TK,DL,TN,AF,VA | LIH,NRT,ROR,PEK,CNS,BOB,MEL,TLV & Pacific Hopper

Offline myb821

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Re: Honeymoon: BOB, MLE, Or LIH?
« Reply #16 on: December 20, 2011, 03:09:07 PM »
Boo to the no OWB in HI. Decisions, decisions...

Yes, hopefully people who have already "been there and done that" to MLE will chime in RE: food.

Since I already had my (once in a lifetime?) Diamond status match from HHonors Gold, I think I'm going to have/try to status match Mrs. AJK instead.

I'd have to time the match so that a) I can have her apply for Hyatt CC to get two suite nights, and 2) be a diamond for when we go.

Problem is, I'd likely have to book sooner than the 3 months status match period to secure availability... I guess I'll cross that bridge when I get there. Thanks for the help so far.
assuming you have two nights in suite i would get the free nights without suites then do diamond status match for the stay and ask them for your honeymoon if they can upgrade the non suite portion of your stay to suite

Offline AJK

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Re: Honeymoon: BOB, MLE, Or LIH?
« Reply #17 on: December 20, 2011, 03:21:55 PM »
That's not a bad idea... that would at least remove the one hurdle of not having to wait until only 3 months out to book the hotel.

Thanks for the suggestion.
2015: 116K bkd | 1.6M brnd | F: OZ,NH,AA,EK | J: UA,CA,TK,DL,TN,AF,VA | LIH,NRT,ROR,PEK,CNS,BOB,MEL,TLV & Pacific Hopper

Offline chuchem

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Re: Honeymoon: BOB, MLE, Or LIH?
« Reply #18 on: December 20, 2011, 06:19:58 PM »
http://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?topic=8423.0

Check this out. I wrote about kosher food... I had delicious meals every day... still working on the rest

Customs is no issue, they dont allow alcohol or pork, if you take meat make sure its labeled in english, in case they ask. Dont bring wine, only grape juice...

If you go in may or august its a low season because of monsoon. We were there during monsoon time as well and had 2x15 min rain, the rest was blue sky. YOu can get good deals for this low season time, we paid less then 500 a night... but the deals will come beginning of next year

As I said, dont get tied to a brand hotel for a few freebies, if you travel around the world go to the nicest place and sell your points. Even if you get a ow villa at the hyatt, you dont have your own pool. I know you are by the ocean, but chilling in a fresh water pool whenever you want in complete privacy cant be beat.... And the hyatt is not as nice as alot of other resorts in the maldives

@dan I had wifi,normal cell reception, BBM






Offline Dan

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Re: Honeymoon: BOB, MLE, Or LIH?
« Reply #19 on: December 20, 2011, 06:30:42 PM »
@dan I had wifi,normal cell reception, BBM
I guess my statement is just for VZW and Sprint folk then.  I actually loved being unreachable for a month during our RTW.
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