ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Related: Using points and miles to stay in London. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. I did take a quick dip in the infinity plunge pool, and while it was not quite the Stella Maris, it was certainly pretty amazing. © 2021 THE POINTS GUY, LLC. Join Hilton Honors™ Upgrade your account and earn points at over 3,600 hotels in 82 countries around the world. ), the hotel informed us that dinner was on them that night and they’d be organizing something special. Any time an overwater resort is built, the reef is drilled. During my last four trips, I’ve been lucky enough to stay at such resorts as the Conrad Maldives Rangali Island, The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort, Baros Maldives and the Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa. Although your concierge can assist with hotel reservations, I highly recommend looking online and making dinner reservations in advance to ensure you get a table at the restaurants you want. In addition to the usual breakfast foods, we ordered a Middle Eastern mezze platter with hummus etc., which we’d stick in the fridge and then eat after we got back from scuba diving each day as a lunch snack. Although it’s a pricey $862 per person round-trip, it came with a private bedroom (first-come, first-served) where you can relax or nap, Wi-Fi, coffee, Champagne and snacks. CARD HIGHLIGHTS: 2X points on all travel and dining, points transferrable to over a dozen travel partners. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered. Concierge unpacking was offered, which I happily took advantage of. It’s possible to do a group tour and see wild dolphins in a natural lagoon area or charter a private boat with the on-site marine biologist and snorkel with the dolphins. The Stella Maris Villa at the Waldorf Astoria Ithaafushi was a stay I’ll never forget. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. In my opinion, the only other points property that can compete with this new Waldorf is The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort, which is now a few years old. Overall, the food was great, but it was just so expensive. But just a 15-minute boat ride away, there was a small chain of islands where the diving was fantastic. #maldives #paradise #thepointsguy, A post shared by Brian Kelly (@briankelly) on Dec 17, 2019 at 7:20am PST. I’d also be the first guest to stay at this particular villa, which was completed recently before my stay. I was checked in in no time at all, too. A post shared by Brian Kelly (@briankelly) on Dec 15, 2019 at 5:15pm PST. I did take a quick dip in the infinity plunge pool, and while it was not quite the Stella Maris, it was certainly pretty amazing. I can’t imagine a breakfast restaurant could top dining at the Stella Maris Villa. I would like to subscribe to The Points Guy newsletters and special email promotions. Like I said, the hotel isn’t bookable yet, so as of now all we can do is speculate. Our concierge Camille was wonderful. This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. Everything looked shiny and new, and it was clear that I was the very first guest to stay in the villa. The house reef here was damaged from the drilling and will take some time to recover. I thought this might bug me, but the tranquillity was amazing. I was blown away by the shocking amount of marble in the villa — this space definitely wasn’t going anywhere in a storm. There was a marine biologist, Emma, on the resort who was really friendly and interesting to talk to. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. I have always felt that Hilton is a very inclusive brand and we were treated with the utmost respect during our stay. The yacht transfer, while extremely convenient, adds a significant amount of money to any stay and you may experience more boat traffic and “big-city lights” since it’s not as remote as some further away resorts like the Park Hyatt. So, I booked an inbound flight which arrived in Male around 6 a.m. on the first day of my trip and then departed Male at around 10 p.m. on the last day. I saw a manta one day even though they weren’t in season, as well as many fish, eels, turtles and even a silvertip shark (my favorite kind of shark). What does the Waldorf Astoria mean for Hilton Honors redemptions? Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. The overwater terrace had a private infinity pool, as well as an overwater hammock, daybed and an outdoor shower. Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi offers the idyllic setting for a range of exciting recreation and watersport activities. I fell in love with the Stella Maris Villa before I even walked in. Best way to combat too much sitting on metal tubes✈️✈️ #maldives #sunrise #serenity, A post shared by Brian Kelly (@briankelly) on Dec 16, 2019 at 6:25pm PST. In general, I never felt the resort was crowded, although I did run into a few TPG readers at one point. After the boat ride, which was great, albeit slightly rainy, I arrived to a team of staff members waiting for me. I definitely recommend prebooking spa treatments if you know you’ll be arriving early. Here’s what he had to say: “My reef villa was stunning! As the crown jewel of our luxury portfolio in Asia Pacific, Ithaafushi – The # PrivateIsland is a true epitome of exclusivity, perfectly placed within one of the most inspirational destinations in the world. Often overwater villas are located far from the beach and all the action on the resort. If I had stayed at a seaplane resort, I could have lost an entire day as I would have been at the mercy of the flight schedule. Post-proposal (he said yes, whew! 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