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Our site may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened with our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. While we don't cover all available credit cards, our editorial team creates and maintains all of the analysis of these cards, and our content is not influenced nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to (or after) publication. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
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3 reasons I’ll open the Amex Hilton Aspire Card before arriving at the Waldorf Astoria Maldives
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Quick summary
The article outlines how a premium travel rewards card can deliver significant value for a luxury stay at the Waldorf Astoria Maldives, especially for those with top-tier hotel loyalty status.
Key benefits include substantial savings on alcohol, a generous resort credit, and the ability to earn a high number of hotel loyalty points per dollar spent at the property.
Additional perks for cardholders may include a free night reward, complimentary breakfast, and the fifth night free on award stays, all of which can enhance the overall value of a trip.
The author estimates over $2,100 in value from these benefits during a single five-night stay.
What to consider
Some offers mentioned in the article are no longer available.
The fifth night free benefit applies only to consecutive award stays and may not be combined with certain free night certificates.
Hilton points are valued at 0.6 cents each as of 2022 per TPG's valuations, but redemption value can vary based on booking strategy.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed breakdown of how to maximize elite status and card-linked benefits for luxury hotel stays, including specific savings strategies at high-end resorts like the Waldorf Astoria Maldives.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card is a contender for the most benefits-packed slab of plastic in the travel credit card world. It might be my favorite card — and I haven’t even applied for it yet.
If you travel with modest regularity, you can save $1,500 annually with this card with a $450 annual fee (see rates and fees). I’ve got anupcoming stay at the Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi. And opening the card before I arrive will net me over $2,100 in value during my stay.
Here are three reasons I’ll open the Amex Hilton Aspire before my stay at the Waldorf Astoria Maldives.
The information for the Amex Hilton Aspire card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
The Amex Hilton Aspire can dramatically enhance the Waldorf Astoria Maldives
(Photo by Clint Henderson/The Points Guy)
Huge savings on alcohol
The Waldorf Astoria Maldives offers two ways to save money on alcohol forHilton Honors Diamond elitemembers:
A happy hour at the lobby bar (named Peacock Alley) from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.
A 50% discount on drinks at Peacock Alley from 10 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.
Considering many mixed drinks cost around $30, alcohol can be a huge expense at this hotel. My husband and I could easily pay $120 in a single sitting. But limiting our drink purchases to these two times of day, I expect to save around $180 per day — and around $1,020 during our five-night (six-day) stay.
Another benefit of Diamond elite status is the ability to earn 100% bonus points on Hilton hotel stays. That’s good news because the Waldorf Astoria Maldives is not cheap. Even with using airline miles for award flights and hotel points for a "free" room, I expect that we’ll pay $4,500 during our stay:
Food could easily cost $2,400 during our stay.
The mandatory yacht transfer to the island costs a repellent $900 per person.
We’ll probably make another miscellaneous purchase, such as a paid water sport.
At the Waldorf Astoria Maldives, you’ll earn 10 points per dollar spent on the property. A 100% bonus thanks to Diamond status means you’ll earn 20 points per dollar. Plus, the Amex Hilton Aspire earns 14 points per dollar at Hilton properties. That’s a grand total of 34 points per dollar.
By earning 34 points per dollar, we should net 153,000 points during our stay.TPG valuations peg the value of Hilton points at 0.6 cents each. That means I’ll accrue $918 worth of Hilton points.
But get this:I’m receiving a value of 1.9 cents per Hilton point for my stay at the Waldorf Astoria Maldives. If I were to use my points in an equally shrewd manner for my next hotel stay, these 153,000 points would be worth $2,907!
$250 resort credit
The Amex Hilton Aspire comes with anannual $250 resort credit which can be used at214 Hilton resorts worldwide. The Waldorf Astoria Maldives is included on this list. That means I’ll effectively get a $250 discount on my food, airport transfer or other expenses I might incur during my stay.
As long as the charges can be processed through Hilton, the resort credit will trigger automatically.
More reasons to open the Hilton Aspire if you plan to stay at the Waldorf Astoria Maldives
(Photo by Brian Kelly/The Points Guy)
The below benefits don’t apply to my situation, as I’ve already booked my stay. But if you’re planning a trip to the Waldorf Astoria Maldives in the future, there are four additional reasons you should open the Amex Hilton Aspire in preparation for your trip.
5th night free
Again, this card comes with automatic Diamond elite status. If you have any level of Hilton elite status (even the lowest tier), you’ll get thefifth night free when booking five or more consecutive award nights. You’ll save 150,000 points on a five-night stay.
The Amex Hilton Aspire comes with 150,000 bonus Hilton points after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months of card membership. Remember, TPG estimates the value of Hilton points to be 0.6 cents each — making this bonus worth $900 on average. But if you use the points for a stay at the ultraluxe Waldorf Astoria Maldives, you can expect to receive a value similar to mine: 1.9 cents each (it’s worth noting that I booked five consecutive award nights, so I’m getting the fifth night free).
This means you could squeeze $2,850 in value out of the card’s welcome bonus.
For those who have to pay for breakfast, the rate is $65 per person. If you’re with a travel buddy, having Gold or Diamond status will save you $130 per day, or $780 for a five-night (six-day) stay. That’s a huge savings.
By opening the Amex Hilton Aspire before my stay at the Waldorf Astoria Maldives, I expect to receive $2,188 in value from benefits like:
Discounted alcohol.
Earning 34 points per dollar.
$250 resort credit.
If you’re planning your own visit to this hotel, you should unquestionably open the Amex Hilton Aspire. The card comes with a huge welcome bonus (worth $900, on average), an annual free night reward and free breakfast.
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
