I recently stayed at the brand new Waldorf Astoria Maldives, which opened just two months ago. Since there aren’t many reviews out there, I’ve been getting a lot of questions from people on social media, interested in staying at the resort.
I figured addressing them all in a general review of the Waldorf Astoria Maldives would be the way to go. If you’re headed to the Maldives and considering the Waldorf Astoria, here are some things you should know before you go:
Waldorf Astoria Maldives boat transfer: Get ready to pay through the roof
The boat transfer fee at this resort has been controversial. The total cost for a round-trip boat transfer between the airport and resort is a whopping $862.40 per person. That’s several hundred dollars above what resorts like the Park Hyatt or even the Conrad charge for transportation.
While $862.40 is an insane amount to pay for a 30 – 40 minute shared boat ride, it’s also an experience. The yacht (and it is a yacht) is three levels and has two bedrooms and two bathrooms. There are at least four crew members on board serving food, drinks and just making you feel like you’re Richard Branson en route to your own private island.
Let’s get this straight: I have a pretty common sense approach to spending money and tossing $800+ on a boat ride doesn’t make the cut. But as much as I didn’t like paying that fee, I walked away utterly impressed. It’s really expensive but not something you’ll spend money on often…just like a vacation in the Maldives.
Waldorf Astoria Maldives Hilton Diamond benefits
Hilton Diamond members receive the following benefits at the Waldorf Astoria Maldives:
- Complimentary daily breakfast for two at Tasting Table.
- In-villa VIP welcome champagne, sweet and savory amenities.
- With a selected 60-minute massage, enjoy a complimentary additional 30-minute at Waldorf Astoria Spa.
- Complimentary daily afternoon delights with a fine selection of beverages crafted by mixologist and sommelier from 16:00 to 17:00 at Peacock Alley.
- 50% special offer on selected beverages at Nava Beach Club from 22:00 to 23:30.
Waldorf Astoria Maldives Hilton Gold benefits
Hilton Gold members qualify for the following benefits at the Waldorf Astoria Maldives:
- Free daily breakfast for two at Tasting Table.
- In-villa VIP welcome champagne, sweet and savory amenities.
- Complimentary daily afternoon delights with a fine selection of beverages crafted by mixologist and sommelier from 16:00 to 17:00 at Peacock Alley.
- 50% special offer on selected beverages at Nava Beach Club from 22:00 to 23:30.
This might be the best Hilton award redemption out there
The Waldorf Astoria Maldives goes for 120,000 points per night – that’s 25,000 higher than the Conrad Rangali Island. I think the extra cost is worth it because the resort is in a league of its own.
During the same week, the Conrad Rangali Island was going for around $550 per night or 95,000 points. Meanwhile, the Waldorf Astoria Maldives cost over $1,800 before taxes. Insane transfer fee aside, it was a great use of 240,000 points and a free weekend night.
When I called Hilton to redeem the free weekend night, I couldn’t tell who was more excited: Me or the rep doing the booking. He kept saying how incredible the property looked, gasped at the price and remarked, “Have FUN! Go swim with sharks or dive with manta rays. Or read a book! Either way, it’s going to be amazing.” And he was right.
The standard villas at Waldorf Astoria Maldives are anything but
The “worst” room at the Waldorf Astoria Maldives is probably the best room you’ve ever stayed at. The standard beach villas all have 2,518 sqft of space, a private pool, an outdoor shower and tons of outdoor seating just steps from the beach.
The cost of upgrading to an overwater villa at the Waldorf Astoria Maldives
Upgrading from a standard beach villa booked on points to an overwater villa will cost you $400 per night, plus a 10% service charge and 12% taxes. So it’s not going to be cheap.
Do I think it’s worth it? Honestly, no. I took a tour of the Waldorf Astoria water villa and as amazing as the room is, I think the beach villa is just fine. Both rooms offer you great views and easy access to the ocean. You really don’t need to splurge the extra $400++ for an overwater villa.
A cheaper alternative is to upgrade to a Reef Villa. These villas are built on the ground but the pool deck is above water. These rooms aren’t as private as the overwater villas but you still get ocean views.
Upgrading to a reef villa at the Waldorf Astoria costs $200 per night, plus taxes and fees. I personally think that’s a better option than the $400++ overwater villa upgrade.
The resort has only been open for two months – you’ll see some construction
The Waldorf Astoria Maldives officially opened in July, so it’s not at 100% just yet. You’ll see construction workers roaming around the property, working on pipes along the roadside. You’ll also occasionally see a large boat hauling off construction materials.
The resort also has a private island and two remote water villas that are only accessible by boat. Those are still under construction. The private island can be booked for a fairly reasonable $7,000 per night. Not bad, considering a standard villa goes for $1,800 and the private island is essentially its own resort.
Service has improved
Earlier reviews on FlyerTalk indicated that the service at the Waldorf Astoria Maldives was less than stellar. I did not have that experience. From the minute I stepped out into the arrival hall until I left, I encountered nothing but exceptional service.
Every staff member I interacted with, whether it was the gym attendant or my personal “concierge”, was genuinely helpful and friendly. They were always eager to chat and gave great suggestions for things to do and see around the island.
One staff member did tell me that he had worked at some of the best resorts in the Maldives (he even waited on royalty). He thought the Waldorf had the potential to be the top resort in the Maldives. I asked what was lacking and he believed that once more permanent staff were hired (apparently there were a lot of temps in the beginning), it would be smoother sailing.
You’re on Island Time
My first day, I vaguely remember the concierge saying something about Island Time while pointing out the giant sun clock past the lobby.
It didn’t set in until later: The resort is an hour ahead of Male. So the time you see on your iPhone or laptop is inaccurate. Either add an hour or use the clock in your villa to avoid showing up late for your lunch reservation…
You don’t need to exchange currency
Everything at the Waldorf Astoria Maldives is priced in U.S. dollars and you don’t need Maldivian Rufiyaa at the resort. In fact, I made the mistake of swapping my U.S. dollars in Abu Dhabi. The guy at the exchange desk only had large bills and I figured “That’s fine! I’ll get change at the hotel.” Except, the hotel would only break bills if they were U.S. Dollars.
I did have enough cash to leave a tip for room service every day. At the end of my trip, I tipped my concierge and the restaurant staff with the bigger bills I had with me. But it was really frustrating not to be able to get change for Maldivian currency.
WiFi is excellent
I’ve always heard about poor wifi connections at other resorts in the Maldives but you won’t have that problem at the Waldorf Astoria. It’s lightning-fast and I had no problems using it to keep up with my work.
If you’re looking to completely disconnect and avoid temptation…then you’ll have to practice more self-control.
The resort is surprisingly large but you won’t see anyone around
Get this: The entire resort, including 122 room, 11 restaurants and the island itself, was built from the ground up over three years. Mind = blown. This being a Waldorf resort, I expected a small number of villas and maybe two or three restaurants. Definitely nothing of this scale.
The entire island is about 2.5 miles long and despite the number of rooms, you’ll rarely see other guests around – even if the resort is at 50% capacity.
The Waldorf Astoria Maldives doesn’t feel that remote
You won’t get the super-calm waters and remote island vibe that you might get elsewhere in the Maldives. In fact, you can see other islands and buildings not too far in the distance. That doesn’t take away from the peacefulness of the place, but it’s something to be aware of if you were hoping for a Swept Away vibe.
I will say that the Nizuc Resort & Spa had a similar vibe to what I expected to find in the Maldives. So next time I might just fly to Cancun. For less than the price of the boat transfer. 😉
The snorkeling scene at the Waldorf Astoria Maldives is just so
One staff member joked that there aren’t that many fish around because “The island is new and they haven’t found us yet.” I did notice schools of fish on the side of the island where the lobby is. So if you can get a room along that side, you’re bound to have a better snorkeling experience outside your room.
That being said, if your villa is on the other end like mine was, you’ll find some fish closer to the rocky areas. You can also opt for an off-site diving expedition if you want a more vibrant scene.
The weather can be unpredictable
Before I settled on the Waldorf Astoria Maldives, I had planned a trip to Bali. The forecast showed perfect weather while the Maldives were supposed to be experiencing constant rain and thunderstorms.
I decided to take my chances because the weather is notoriously fickle. I’m glad I did because I experienced mostly sunshine during my stay. There were downpours at night and one, in particular, arrived early and ruined the sunset, but the next morning everything was back to normal.
Keep that in mind if you’re using the weather forecast as a deciding factor.
You should budget $150+ per person for food, per day.
You’re in the middle of the Indian Ocean. On a man-made island built for westerners to vacation far from civilization. Everything is going to cost at least four times what it would anywhere else.
Assuming you have free breakfast via Diamond status, you should budget at least $75 per person for every meal. The afternoon happy hour tray is not a sufficient dinner substitute.
To give you some context, the cheapest entre you’ll find at this resort is a $40 club sandwich and I think a small margherita pizza is around $35. Add in drinks and 22% in taxes and you’re easily at over $50.
Biking is the best way to get around
While your personal concierge is available to drive you around in a golf cart, the best way to explore the island is by hopping on a bike.
Every villa has two bikes and they make for a fun way to get from one end of the island to the other, without a sunburn. A word of caution: Everyone drives on the left side of the road, so be sure to do the same when you’re biking.
Having a Hilton Aspire Card can save you A LOT
Staying at a resort in the Maldives is expensive, even if you’re staying on points. You can save substantially with the Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express.
The card gets you top-tier Diamond status, which equals free breakfast, a possible room upgrade and bonus points on whatever expenses you incur during your stay.
It also has an annual $250 resort credit that gets applied to any room charges. This credit can help take the sting out of the boat transfer fee or the inflated prices for pretty much everything else.
If you’re interested in signing up for the Hilton Aspire and would like a referral, let me know. I’ll earn 15,000 bonus points if you get approved.
The resort is absolutely stunning
Exhibit A:
Other questions about the resort?
I think that covers all the questions I’ve received so far. I’ll have a review with lots of details of the various rooms, food and activities at the Waldorf Astoria Maldives. If you have any other questions about the resort, feel free to leave a comment below.
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