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Possible routings to MLE and costs:

JFK-AUH-MLE (EY) -- 45/67.5/90 AA
JFK-DOH-MLE (QR) -- 45/67.5/90 AA
JFK-FRA-SIN-MLE (SQ) -- East Coast: (Including 15% off booking online) 46,750/91,375/116,875; West Coast: 89,250/144,500/229,500
JFK-DXB-MLE (EK) -- 42.5/82.5/150 AS
JFK-IST-MLE (TK) -- 42.5/70/90 UA (United routing allows a stopover in TLV)
JFK-VIE-MLE (OS) -- 42.5/80 UA
JFK-LGW-MLE (BA) -- 45/90/135 BA
JFK-ICN-CMB-MLE (KE) -- 60/107.5/137.5 KE
JFK-HKG-MLE (CX) -- 57.5/85/112.5 AA
JFK-HKG-MLE (CX) -- 50/70 AS
TLV-IST-MLE (TK)-- 20/35 UA
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Park Hyatt MLE + Diamond Suite Upgrade gets you nothing as all are considered suites. -AJK



Conrad Upgrades:

Upgrade from King Beach Villa to King Water Villa US$ 200 + 10% service charge + 12% T GST per night.
Upgrade from King Beach Villa to King Deluxe Beach Villa US$ 210+ 10% service charge + 12% T GST per night.
Upgrade from King Beach Villa to King Superior Water  Villa US$ 250 + 10% service charge + 12% T GST per night.
Upgrade from King Beach Villa to King Retreat Water Villa US$ 400 + 10% service charge + 12% T GST per night.
Upgrade from King Beach Villa to King Deluxe Water Villa US$ 480 + 10% service charge + 12% T GST per night.
Upgrade from King Beach Villa to Family Water Villa US$ 720 + 10% service charge + 12% T GST per night. ( 2 bedrooms)

Airport transfer fee: $560 including tax

PH Upgrades:

Upgrade from Park Villa to Park Pool Villa $USD 252.56++ per villa per night
Upgrade from Park Villa to Park Water Villa $USD 405++ per villa per night ( Villa Number 38-44)
Upgrade from Park Villa to Park Water Sunset Villa $USD 610++ per villa per night ( Villa number 45-51)

Airport transfer fee: $520 RT per person

SR:
Airport transfer fee: $745 RT per person

Author Topic: Maldives Master Thread  (Read 1117135 times)

Offline Emkay

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Re: Maldives Master Thread
« Reply #3480 on: January 27, 2017, 02:44:03 AM »



Didnt say anything special, after our couple massage, that cost 550 dollars i thought lets try...
Were you serenaded by Beethoven and a 7 piece band while getting rubbed down with 24K extract?

Offline CZ60

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Re: Maldives Master Thread
« Reply #3481 on: January 27, 2017, 02:46:32 AM »
Couples massage was $550?

Gonna bring my own masseuse for that price.
We did 60 minute hot bamboo couple massage (felt amazing tbh) and came out to nearly $500 after all the +'s. Happy wife, happy life? :/

Offline Denverite

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Re: Maldives Master Thread
« Reply #3482 on: January 27, 2017, 03:21:57 AM »
3 nights.

Only EK CMB-MLE flight option is 830pm, so gonna lose a night in MLE. Then the seaplane to Conrad the next morning.

We are pretty adventurous and appreciate the path less traveled.. I figured 6 nights at Conrad would become a bit too stagnant/pricey.

I'm guessing I'm in the minority for that thought process.

Couple things, it will be amazing! It sounds like the privacy and snorkeling may actually be better at the Conrad than at the SR and the seaplane, messages, etc are cheaper.  Also, do you have an AMEX? For the same amount of points you can book an Axon reward for 4 nights.  Book fast though b/c they are ending I think next month. Also, you only should have to sleep in MLE for flights after 10pm. With an 8:30 arrival they can put you on a domestic flight and speedboat, although I agree with others and maybe just fly earlier in Y since it's such a short flight. Enjoy, it will be truly spectacular...

Offline chuchem

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Re: Maldives Master Thread
« Reply #3483 on: January 27, 2017, 04:51:15 AM »
I took my mavic along and didnt fly it from room, because i didnt think it was right. I flew it on a snorkeling trip, but had gimbal problems
I wanted to fly it last day from the arrival jetty, but weather wasnt great...

We took a 90min massage each, costs 220 dollars ++ i dont think you would pay much less in any 5 star resort besides for thailand
The halaveli also added these 22% as 12% is tax and 10% service charge, so i doubt the conrad would be much cheaper.
Dont go to the maldives and expect thailand prices

I did ask at the hotel about flying drones and they told me if i clear it with security and dont do any low fly overs by the villas should be ok

Offline moisheyb

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Maldives Master Thread
« Reply #3484 on: January 27, 2017, 07:46:30 AM »
I was thinking about that as well.

Multiple 4500 avios options throughout day, no?

Definitely not a great idea to sleep In mle overnight. Conrad was the nicest resort I ever stayed in. Staff and hotel is truly amazing. Was there for 4 days and thought it was a good amount of time unless you have an unlimited budget on water activities.
Don't think there's any flights at night.
PS everything at the conrad also adds 22%.

Offline chuchem

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Re: Maldives Master Thread
« Reply #3485 on: January 27, 2017, 08:53:41 AM »
Checked the massages and at conrad 90 minutes is 179 USD ++, so not a huge difference to st regis. The maldives will just cost alot, unless you dont do anything once you get there

Offline jj1000

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Re: Maldives Master Thread
« Reply #3486 on: January 27, 2017, 09:14:45 AM »
As if you could hit the Mavic with a sling shot. Or a shot gun, for that matter.
Depends on the distance but when clay shooting the clay is going around 50mph, so I's think if anything a drone would be an easier target as it is way bigger than a clay and any contact on a propeller would take it down.
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Offline Denverite

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Re: Maldives Master Thread
« Reply #3487 on: January 27, 2017, 09:26:19 AM »
Checked the massages and at conrad 90 minutes is 179 USD ++, so not a huge difference to st regis. The maldives will just cost alot, unless you dont do anything once you get there

Yeah everything is expensive in all those places.  Those specific massage and plane are about 20-25% more though and depending on what people plan to buy and do that might not be insignificant.  Obviously, if someone got a SR 26k SPG a night glitch, they should go have a blast but it seems like you were saying if someone actually had to pay they might get a better value and total package elsewhere? 

Offline damaxer91

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Re: Maldives Master Thread
« Reply #3488 on: January 27, 2017, 09:29:58 AM »
Generally the way to go with expensive resorts is to use Spafinder Gift Certs at the spa. Lots of them accept them.

Seems like its just the Six Senses that takes them in the Maldives

Offline enwhycee

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Re: Maldives Master Thread
« Reply #3489 on: January 27, 2017, 04:12:59 PM »
Couple things, it will be amazing! It sounds like the privacy and snorkeling may actually be better at the Conrad than at the SR and the seaplane, messages, etc are cheaper.  Also, do you have an AMEX? For the same amount of points you can book an Axon reward for 4 nights.  Book fast though b/c they are ending I think next month. Also, you only should have to sleep in MLE for flights after 10pm. With an 8:30 arrival they can put you on a domestic flight and speedboat, although I agree with others and maybe just fly earlier in Y since it's such a short flight. Enjoy, it will be truly spectacular...

Does it have to be the HH Amex? I closed that recently.

That flight arrives in MLE around 930pm. Pretty sure I'll book an alternate flight for the morning.

Am I the only one that thinks stopping in Sri Lanka for a few days is a good idea?  :D

Offline Denverite

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Re: Maldives Master Thread
« Reply #3490 on: January 27, 2017, 04:59:10 PM »
Does it have to be the HH Amex? I closed that recently.

That flight arrives in MLE around 930pm. Pretty sure I'll book an alternate flight for the morning.

Am I the only one that thinks stopping in Sri Lanka for a few days is a good idea?  :D

I'm not sure, might be any Amex, call HHonors.  They actually quietly cancelled Axon rewards as of Jan. 1 and then reinstated them from the blogosphere uproar but maybe only for a month.  Definitely worth a call though as it's a totally free extra night for you.

Yeah, probably better to take an earlier flight but I specifically asked my contact at the Conrad about the timing because I was thinking maybe for our next trip to arrive around 9PM on the CX flight out of HKG and she said that after sun down and before 10PM they don't do seaplanes but can accommodate you for  on a domestic flight and short boat ride.

As far as Sri Lanka and Colombo, it seems a totally different more "adventure and experience" vibe in a crowded and poor country instead of the "relaxing and romantic" vibe of a Maldives resort but looks super cool in it's own right.  I even thought about doing Shabbos there on our next Maldives trip and then you can fly out super early in the morning and not "waste" a Sunday with long flights.  If you had time to get out of the city to one of these mining, tea plantation or safari experiences Emkay describes here, it sounds really cool!

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Offline KidOOO

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Re: Maldives Master Thread
« Reply #3491 on: February 01, 2017, 12:18:01 AM »
In the Maldives now, here's a pic of our OW pool. I've been to MOZ last year, so not BOB but still will try to compare later on when back home

Offline E-MAN

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Re: Maldives Master Thread
« Reply #3492 on: February 01, 2017, 03:47:30 PM »
In the Maldives now, here's a pic of our OW pool. I've been to MOZ last year, so not BOB but still will try to compare later on when back home
What hotel?

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Re: Maldives Master Thread
« Reply #3493 on: February 01, 2017, 03:55:44 PM »

Offline CZ60

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Re: Maldives Master Thread
« Reply #3494 on: February 01, 2017, 04:00:39 PM »
Yes but looks like a different type of villa based on where the pool is. Beach villa?

Offline AJK

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Re: Maldives Master Thread
« Reply #3495 on: February 01, 2017, 05:13:09 PM »
It's not SR.
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 Chapshnell

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Re: Maldives Master Thread
« Reply #3496 on: February 02, 2017, 03:07:05 PM »
looks like the part hyatt

Offline Chapshnell

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Re: Maldives Master Thread
« Reply #3497 on: February 02, 2017, 03:09:45 PM »
Just came back from the st regis and staying at the great room before our flight back with TK, so here some thoughts and comparing it to the Halaveli

The rooms at the st regis are more luxury and fancier. The Halaveli was also amazing, SR is nicer, needed not at all
I preffered the Halaveli pool, as it was infinity and had much more sun, the SR pool was in the back of villa. SR has a hammock
Reef at St regis in front of sunrise villas is dead. YOu can swim out 5 min or go to the reef in front of dive center, thats very nice, but you will not get the same fish view from your villa as in Halaveli
Service was great, butler really tried to help. They were very nice about heating up kosher meals and served it whenever we wanted. I didnt see any need for a butler really, I got the same service in halaveli, besides for unpacking every 5* star luxury resort in maldives will have the same service, just not called butler
The pool and beach are very nice, service was great... probably a little better then halaveli...
I missed a proper beach bar, they have the whale bar, its very nice, but its a real building, I would have preferred a more relaxed setting on the beach, like halaveli
They have a great game room, air hockey, ping pong, pool, playstation... really nice
spa treatment was very good, the bluehole was overrated, we didnt see the "wow factor" in it, especially as they charge for the use, even when booking treatments (we got it complimentary after asking)
Big subject: privacy......
I think everyone looks at it differently, especially with the level of znius the wife keeps... Every room on the sunset side can be looked into, either from the beach or the bridge or some of the other rooms....
room 1-7 can be seen from the other villas across and are quite close to the beach, so avoid
room 9-16 are further away from the beach, so they will not really see any details, but can also be seen by room 1-7
room 13-16 have the best sun, as it will last quite long, even closer to sunset you still have sun, while 1-7 will  not get much sun towards late afternoon
the north side has 100% privacy, but almost no sun, as it rises by villa 18 area and crosses until were it says sunset
The sunset villas will have great privacy ( not the first 5 villas) but will only get sun from lunch time around

We stayed at 516 and it did the job, we had sun and felt quite privat because of distance to peeking spots, but the Halaveli didnt have these issues at all. Sun and privacy was 100%

The St regis was stunning and we had a amazing time. It does not justify a 2500 USD price per night, most OWV with pool are about a 1000 this time of the year in other great 5* resorts. For 135k spg 5 nights its a bargain. If its the same price as other 5* resorts, I would probably try to get a villa that has more privacy for the reasons denverite posted above

All the activities are  expensive and add 22% we did night fishing, one couple massage, one seabob snorkeling tour, one regular snorkeling tour, one discovery scuba dive and that added very quickly to 1000s of dollars incl the seaplane transfer. They didnt charge for heating up the meals, but drinks also added up very quick. evey coke is 8 ++, so 10 dollars a can. they give free water in the rooms.

We had a amazing time and paid very little for the room, but still had a expensive 5 days, but we did enjoy it 100%

Thanks for sharing, pretty cool that they dont charge you for heating up food. unlike the W.

Offline jj1000

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Re: Maldives Master Thread
« Reply #3498 on: February 02, 2017, 03:49:49 PM »
Am I crazy to not go because I'm worried about seeing other DD/DDF people there or on a scuba/snorkel tour with me? Am I the only one that doesn't want to see anyone frum when I go to the Maldives?

This among other reasons stated like sun and privacy issues.
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Offline benjie1305

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Re: Maldives Master Thread
« Reply #3499 on: February 02, 2017, 03:55:01 PM »
Am I crazy to not go because I'm worried about seeing other DD/DDF people? Am I the only one that doesn't want to see anyone frum when I go anywhere? Specifically places DDF praises?


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