Points hotels in the Maldives

[M001]

Looking for some expert advice for a points redemption in the Maldives next August after bagging some Avios CW flights today (we know August is wet season)

We’ve been to the Maldives a few times but mainly on a dive boat or in a hotel pre-child. I have a look of MR points, and status via Amex Platinum, so could use any hotel chain but looking for:

– A week’s stay next August on points, any room type considered.
– Travelling with a 7 year old so we need kids club
– Keen divers/Snorkellers so house reef is very important.
– Food/Drink prices is a consideration. If we have to spend £300-500 a day on a buffet meal then I’ll consider an all-inclusive cash hotel instead.

Any help or advice from the amazing HFP readership would be appreciated

[aseftel]

Radisson Blu is probably the value king if you are holding MR – redemptions are 75k points per night B&B and Amex MR transfers 1:3. You have a choice of overwater or beach villa, both with a private pool and a sofabed for your child. They do appear to have decent redemption availability in August and a kids club. No idea about the other criteria unfortunately.

[NorthernLass]

Can’t help on the hotels but my cousin and his wife are teachers and went to the Maldives for their honeymoon in August a few years ago. They said the weather was actually very good.

We’re looking to return at some point (went in December 1999!), OH is also a keen diver. We would stay away from man-made/new islands with poor or no reef systems. @Cat’s recent trip report covers this aspect really well.

[meandthekids]

I am going to follow this thread too as we are looking at a way to combine an economical hotel stay and then maybe a fancy hotel for some of it, having also bagged some tickets for next august with the kids and it being a special anniversary for us. Hopefully won’t squidgy us all in a 20sqm room 😉 @northernlass

[NorthernLass]

Lol! We are definitely leaving this one till we’re just travelling as a couple again, not paying for the teenager to spend 2 weeks in a water villa on his laptop 😂

If I was looking at taking kids and keeping costs down the Holiday Inn (there is one!) property looks reasonable for the Maldives. I think you can book different meal options as well.

[meandthekids]

We actually have a couple of BMG certificates which I’m now contemplating using for WA Maldives with a couple of points nights if we can get it. And maybe a private villa somewhere else to keep the costs down and/or something like you mention, the holiday inn. We have booked the flights over 2 weeks so I’m thinking we can split the time for some of it to be fancy and celebrate our anniversary. Unfortunately we have no alternative childcare options and whilst we were thinking of using the BMGs in somewhere like WA Dubai, Maldives is sound tooooo tempting!!

[meandthekids]

Actually I have been researching and it seems that their yacht transfers are mandatory and you can’t find a private transfer equivalent. At $862 pp that feels way too steep, so maybe we can consider the Conrad for a few days if thats more reasonable.

[Rob]

Le Meridien Maldives is 35k Bonvoy per night I think, which with 5-4-4 comes down even further. Decent feedback on it – its a new resort hence the low rate.

[meandthekids]

@Rob, just had a look and August is showing daily next August at 63k points, so it may be going up by then

[NorthernLass]

I think the transfer prices are all a bit faint-making these days! We had a seaplane transfer for about £100 each return, though obviously that was way back in the day. If we go again I’ll definitely look at AI packages (our first one was £800 each for 14 nights with First Choice from Teletext – those were the days 🤣)

[Tracey]

Would only go AI in the Maldives, as you can’t visit other restaurants outside your hotel.

Local hotels rather than international chains seem to offer better value.

[Roberto]

And if you’re looking at the Conrad Rangali Island I read today that the only “cheap” food option the Rangali bar stops serving food at 6pm now in an effort to move you onto the more expensive resturants.

We had a blast there last spring at 95k HH points per night and have rebooked at the new higher 125k rate for 10 days next March. Flying Turkish in ecomony unfortunately as there were no BA club award options available at the time we booked.

Even on points it’s expensive, we spent $5000+ last time and many others spent far far more.

[masaccio]

Isn’t this potentially a false economy in the Maldives given the cost of food and drink? I wouldn’t personally go B&B in the Maldives but I realise lots of people do.

August is one of the better chances for mantas and whale sharks and in South Ari in particular where the scuba is particularly good. August is southwest monsoon and supposedly the whale sharks are better seen the east side of the atoll. If you get lucky, it’s an unforgettable experience.

Basic tip for decent house reef though – look on Google earth and the better islands tend to be ones surrounded by a reef wall and can be spotted on satellite photos easily as you can see the drop off into the blue. Snorkelling over the reef with the blue one side and the reef the other is amazing.

Some of the more diver-centric resorts enable buddy diving on the house reef which is also a good sign they are proud of the quality of the house reef.

[KevinC]

I was at the Rangali at Easter. It’s a very good hotel but no bargain. You can’t eat in the bar in the evenings but you can order the same food as room service if you wish.

[M001]

Thanks for all of your help. I’m getting to the stage where paying for a hotel is probably the better options as I couldn’t live with the ridiculous F&B charges at some of the higher end hotels; and at 80,000+ Hilton points or 63k bonvoy points a night (for Meridien next August), the redemptions aren’t nothing.

The only potential for us still is the Radisson Blu at 25k MR points a night. It’s a cheap redemption and the F&B prices are not as extortionate as some of the more other properties. It has a reef and is in a good location for marine life but reviews are few and far between. Are feedback about this hotel and in-particular the reef would be much appreciated

Failing that, there are plenty of decent All Inclusives for £5-6k a week! Or I just cancel the flights and go somewhere new

[meandthekids]

I know this is a post on points hotels but we did go to a more budget resort a few years ago when we didn’t have the kids called Kurumba which is very close to the airport. Maybe too close on one side of the island but the other side of the island was not tooooo bad. Proces were reasonable though.

[meandthekids]

@M001 we are in the same boat. We are not wedded to Maldives if the cost doesn’t work for us. There are 5 of us so it’s more of a challenge keeping the costs down.

[NorthernLass]

The Saii Lagoon Curio is a decent redemption on HH points and it looks like you can use the restaurants on an adjoining island (including Hard Rock Cafe!) I think it’s a reclaimed island so not much marine life but if you’re not interested in that it would be a good option.

We went to Kuredu Island 20+ years ago, it’s been developed a lot since then but still comes up on best scuba diving lists.

[BuildBackBetter]

NorthernLass wrote:

The Saii Lagoon Curio is a decent redemption on HH points

Poor reviews mostly.

[NorthernLass]

I meant for points value, but actually the last few reviews on TA are very good. I imagine if you just want a nice hotel, white beach and jet skis it’s a decent option (though of course you could get that elsewhere for a lot less money!)

[meandthekids]

Would you think it’s worth using BMGs and getting good value? I will look up transfer fees too as that’s often a deal breaker.
Like you say though, it may have to be non points resorts where we can get the right sort of value, but a white sandy beach and a kids club (and some tranquility) is all we are after.

[NorthernLass]

I don’t know what exactly a BMG entitles you to but I imagine any use of a free night in the Maldives would get good value!

[meandthekids]

Likely very true! It’s just a booking for a standard room under the flexible rate so it’s more valuable than a points night as it’s usually always available whereas points redemptions are not always available at the standard points rates.

[KevinC]

I haven’t been there but I wouldn’t recommend the Sali based on my research. I think you can do much better.

[BuildBackBetter]

Is Park Hyatt or Alila not premium enough? About £350 off peak at the current points sale.