Hi all -
My first trip report - with how helpful the site has been to us, the least I can do is contribute a little something back.
The original plan was for us to spend a week in Bali for a friends wedding, so we decided to add another week onto the vacation since it's so far from Chicago, and added a week to the Maldives.
ORD -> MLE Qatar QSUITES on AA 70K per ticket
MLE -> DPS Paid cash
DPS -> ORD Turkish business through Aeroplan (bought miles during their sale earlier this year)
Then COVID hit, and the wedding got postponed to next year. So we decided to keep the Maldives portion, and added on Bodrum.
ORD -> MLE Qatar QSUITES on AA 70K per ticket (transferred from Marriott)
MLE -> IST 40K AA in Coach (no business availability)
IST -> Bodrum $35 cash
Bodrum -> ORD Turkish business through Aeroplan - 55K (bought miles during their sale earlier this year)
Bodrum Edition for 7 nights, using cert from
@leeboy (who was fantastic, and let us cancel it - so if anyone needs a category 7 marriott 7 night cert, I would be happy to have you take it off my hands)
Then my wifes work informed her (after we had taken off) due to international travel, we would have to quarantine for 2 weeks after we got back. So we cancelled the Bodrum portion, and frantically from Doha airport rearranged the trip.
ORD -> MLE Qatar QSUITES on AA 70K per ticket
WA for 6 nights (used 4 nights of points (unable to get 5 consecutive nights to use free night), 2 certificates)
MLE -> ORD Etihad business through Aeroplan - 75K (bought miles during their sale earlier this year)
We got so lucky that Etihad had availability. In the Maldives, we were staying at the WA and we extended our stay by a night to get on this flight. We had to pay ~$500 to get PCR tests for the both of us. We were lucky to have a DDFer sell us a free Hilton night, and the WA had no standard rates available, but since we were already there, they were kind enough to open up one more night for us.
They typically have 16 rooms they make available via points every night, just for reference. They also upgraded us to a OVW with living room, for no extra charge. We are Hilton Diamond through the Aspire credit card.
The service at the WA was just incredible. We hadn't mentioned it was my wifes bday, but our concierge noticed when they did in room check in, and had a nice decoration as well as a cake for her without our prompting. Every night there was fresh juice and a small dessert in our room (as well as all the other rooms). We also enjoyed the Diamond amenity from 4-5 PM - free drinks only. There was also the breakfast that was incredible every morning.
The Qatar flight was incredible as well. It didn't seem all that different from pre-covid.
Waldorf yacht
Waldorf room/grounds
